Oh how the time flies! This course is almost over and there are still so many interesting articles to post about,. . . . . . . and a classroom to put the final touches in . . . . . . and planning for the first week . . . . . and the million projects that I just didn't get to this summer. . . . Anyways, enough about the to-do list and onto this article.
Fran Kramer is the author of the blog, "Kindergarten Crayons". The feature article this week was titled, "Dear New Kindergarten Teachers - I have a message for you." While I am not a first year Kindergarten teacher, I take every opportunity I can to learn from someone who has been teaching at this level for 25 years!
In the article, Kramer gives links to Teachers Pay Teachers documents, ideas for bulletin boards and easy ways to create portfolios to show parents. She also gives two main pieces of advice -
1. Create an environment that you love.
2. Do not fill your bulletin boards with "stuff".
Well, I have to admit that I am pretty good at tip number one, but I tend to have my bulletin boards done before the students even enter the room. Kramer suggest filling your boards with stuff that students have done or created. I have one board that the students get to make or do something for monthly or sometimes bi-weekly- does that count??
A little less than two weeks until open house and only 16 days until school starts!!! Here we go!!!
Kramer, Fran. "Dear New Kindergarten Teachers - I have a message for you!" Published 03 Aug 2013. Accessed 10 Aug 2013. http://kindergartencrayons.blogspot.com/2014/08/dear-new-kindergarten-teachers-i-have.html
Jennifer,
ReplyDeleteThe summer has flown by and I can't recall what I did with my time. My kids start back to school on 18 August. I am looking forward to a 10 day break between CMU classes. Kudos to you for teaching Kindergarten! I would think that is one of the tougher grades to teach. My daughter is going into Kindergarten this year and she is really looking forward to it. Enjoy the rest of your time off before school starts.
I am excited to have a week where all I have to worry about is my classroom!!! Nevermind the thousands of flashcards I need to cut out during the week! (Each student receives 100 flashcards by the end of the school year!)
DeleteMy students come back on the 26th, but my meetings start next week! Enjoy your 10 days!!!
I'm still in denial about September, but your post was very interesting! I really admire kindergarten teachers because of the sheer range of issues you have to deal with and this article was a pretty interesting look into that world. Hope you get off to a great start in September :)
ReplyDeleteOh how I wish I had until September! We actually start school on the 26th! Granted we only have 2 and half days with students, it will feel like a long week - especially since I teach Kindergarten and none of my students are used to being in school for more than three hours at a time and now they have to stay for 7 hours straight!
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