Pop Rocks Student Gift Idea

I found this simple, yet fun, end of the school year student gift idea at Fun 365 Oriental Trading and made them to give to my EL's the last week of school. I don't know of any kid that doesn't enjoy the taste and sensation of POP ROCKS. :)

 

What I Wish My Teacher Knew...

While browsing through Instagram today, I came across the following photo from the first kindergarten teacher I ever worked with. She now teaches 3rd grade and was kind enough to allow me to share this on my blog. I know you're going to love it as much as I do. Prepare to laugh!

I knew that you would laugh! 

What the child meant to say was Kendamas. Mrs. C. had to have him read it to her because she had no idea. If you don't know what a Kendama is, it is a wooden skill toy that comes from Japan and is really popular with the kids right now. You can click on the link for a picture.

Thank you so much for sharing the humor with us Mrs. C. !

ABC Teacher Appreciation Gift

Mrs. B. received this gift from one of her students during Teacher Appreciation Week. I think it's too cute not to share. J

Real World Problem Solving

During math this morning, one little boy was having a particularly hard time following directions, so Mrs. B. asked him to sit next to me. When math time was over and the students were asked to put their worksheets away, I looked down to see him hurriedly adding this to his paper...

The worksheet (about 3D shapes) was meant to help students learn the difference between a cone and a cylinder, but this little boy observed more. In his "real world problem solving" he recognized a need for something that nobody else seemed to notice. I choked back tears as lyrics from the children's songbook from church came to my mind:

I'll Walk With You

Lyrics: Carol Lynn Pearson

Music: Reid N. Nibley

If you don't walk as most people do,

Some people walk away from you,

But I won't! I won't!

If you don't talk as most people do,

Some people talk and laugh at you,

But I won't! I won't!

I'll walk with you. I'll talk with you.

That's how I'll show my love for you.

Jesus walked away from none.

He gave his love to ev'ryone.

So I will! I will!

Jesus blessed all he could see,

Then turned and said, "Come, follow me."

And I will! I will!

I will! I will!

I'll walk with you. I'll talk with you.

That's how I'll show my love for you.

Short Animated Film About Autism

Brilliant Kids Share a Coke

Please Keep Your Clothes On and Refrain from Barking

Another Kindergarten year has come to a close and I find myself wishing I had kept a log of funny things that came out of the mouths of our students. However, I do remember the following things that might give you a slight chuckle:

Once, during a lesson, Mrs. B. asked the students, "How many of you have ever ridden on a train?" Then she quickly told them, "Don't answer if you really haven't." One of the children proudly pronounced, "I road on a train.......to the North Pole!"

Another time, while reading a story about a dog, Mrs. B. did something only a Kindergarten teacher would need to do. She quickly added, "I know you all want to bark right now, but we're not going to do that."

Recently, I was working in the back of the classroom, while Mrs. B. was teaching the students on the carpet. I looked up when I heard Mrs. B. say, as nonchalantly as possible, "Aubrey. Put your skirt back on." (This is the same little girl who decided she was going to change her name to "Feonu"/ AKA Princess Fiona.) Mrs. B. made eye contact with me and I had to put my head down on the table because I was laughing so hard. Now, reminding little children to keep their shoes on, or to keep their arms inside their shirt sleeves, or to take off their coats, isn't uncommon, but never, in all my years of Kindergarten, have I heard, "Put your skirt back on."

I have the best job in the world and look forward to another school year with 5 and 6 year olds.

Kindergarten Kids are a Crack Up!

I found this on Pinterest and had to share...

Source: doodlebugsteaching.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

Mary Kiker would NOT want 100 Grandmas! Haha. And what is little Erica going to do with 100 trampolines...or Preston with 100 guns? :)

Our class will celebrate 100 Days of Kindergarten this coming week. If we do anything as entertaining as this, I promise to post it.

Kindergarten Portraits

Every child in Mrs. B's Kindergarten class had a turn being 'Special Friend of the Day'. When a child was chosen to be the 'Special Friend', he/she sat before the class and they asked him/her questions about themselves. After that, every student had an assignment to draw a picture of that 'Special' person.

I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of some of the portraits. Here are the ones that really made me smile. Enjoy the various sizes and shapes, as well as limbs that not only bend like Gumby, but are attached directly to the head :)

These first three are suppose to be a boy named Quincy...

The next three are a girl named Rylee...

And these last three are David...



The Worth of a Child

Do you remember my posts about the student that stole things from our classroom, pooped in a urinal, talked out of turn and pretty much had behavior issues all school year? Well, one morning last week he said, "Mrs. Lancaster. Don't look." (Words every adult wants to hear from a child, right?) He then preceded to ask me, "How do you spell you?", so I had him search for the sight word 'you' on our Word Wall. Then he asked how to spell 'are'. Trying to encourage him, I said, "If you can't find it on the Word Wall, sound it out. You can do it." He then continued to work hard on his 'secret project'. After a time, he got out of his chair and walked over to the table where I was testing students. Handing me a piece of scratch paper, he said, "Mrs. Lancaster, will you write your name?" I quickly jotted down my name and handed it back to him. A few minutes later, he got up from his desk, came back over and handed this to me...

THIS is why I do what I do. EVERY child is worth it!

Teachers

Yesterday was the last day of teacher appreciation week at our school. As a teacher's assistant, I want to share a few things that I know about teachers.

1) Teachers appreciate students who are respectful. Help your child learn how and when to use the words thank you,  please and excuse me.

2) If you wish to show appreciation to your child's teacher, thank you cards from the heart are best. If you insist on giving something more, make it a gift card to a book store such as Barnes and Noble or a school supply store such as Staples.

3) Remember that kids share what they see and hear at home. Don't let it come as a surprise if your child's teacher knows you and your significant other "shower together to save water" or that your family "had to get rid of the dog because it was humping everything".

4) Along with academics, teachers take on the role of mother, father, psychologist, friend, and adviser every day. Plus, they are on the lookout for learning disabilities and issues (bigger than water conservation and pet problems) at home.

5) Teachers are not marriage counselors. At parent-teacher conferences, please stick to your child's progress, not issues between you and your partner.

6) Teachers of lower grades don’t like to be told "I wish I could color and paste all day long." Believe me, teachers do much more than you realize. If you have any doubt, spend time as a classroom volunteer.

7) Teachers don’t arrive at school 10 minutes before your child does and they don’t leave the minute the students get back on the bus. Most put in extra hours before and after school, on week-ends and even holidays.

8) It's your child's homework, not yours. Teachers can tell the difference between a parent helping their child with homework and doing it for them (especially when they’re clueless in class the next day).

9) Check your child's backpack for notes and homework. Just because your child says he did his homework, doesn’t mean it’s true. You must check.

10) Teachers spend money out of their own pockets. They often buy things the students need, such as school supplies and even shoes.

"Thank You For Being Awesome."

Remember my co-worker friend John? He's the one who went in for an Angiogram and came home with a uterus. (To read how something like that can happen, click here .)  Anyway,  it's teacher appreciation week at school and this morning John came into the classroom to show me something one of the students gave him. He was so happy about it, he had it laminated and is taking it home to frame.

And, just so you know, I wasn't completely excluded from acts of kindness. Look at what one of the Kindergarten girls and her mom brought me...



Run, Dick, Run!

As I was standing on the playground supervising recess a few years ago, a faculty member said to me, "I think it is so funny how Kindergarten kids run everywhere instead of walk." And do you know what? They do! I hadn't ever noticed or paid attention to that particular behavior until it was pointed out to me. Day after day, as I watch our class of five and six year olds play outdoors, each and every one of them run instead of walk. It is hilarious. If you haven't ever noticed, pay attention next time you see children that age playing at the park, playground or wherever they may be. One cannot help but smile. Visualize how comical it would be if adults ran everywhere they went. Think of the calories we'd burn; we would be a thinner, healthier population!