Kindergarten

Courage! What is it? When do you need it? Who has it? These questions have sparked lots of conversations this month. Drawing from historical examples of the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Ruby Bridges, and Rosa Parks, children quickly made connections to times in their own lives when they’ve had to be courageous. We discovered that, depending on the situation, courage can look differently for us. Sometimes you need it for big things, like getting a shot at the doctor’s office or learning to swim in deep water, but sometimes you need it in the smaller moments, like admitting you knocked the plant over, or saying, “I’m sorry,” when an apology would smooth things out. Today, during the PS-LS Courage Assembly, the class recited a poem that we wrote together. The photo above shows them performing these words (photo credit: Jessica Provenz):

C for Caring about all living things

O for “Oops, I’m sorry!” when a mean word stings

U for Understanding when things have been unfair

R for Righting wrongs to help the world repair

A for Always choosing to do what is right

G for Good choices like, “Be nice” and “Don’t fight”

E for Examples so everyone can see

That COURAGE makes the world a better place to be!

Based on the book Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rapport, the children also thought about some of their own ideas to make the world a better place. These writings and drawing are hanging in the classroom.  They are wise words from our little ones:  “Stop fighting and get along together!”   “Keep people warm!”   “Help people who are hurt!”  “People should stop fighting. Try to be nice to each other.”  “Do not be mean to animals!”   “I want people to make other people blankets.”  “Say, ‘You are my best friend, and I love you.'”   Now, if only they could get the world to listen….

We begin our study of BCD’s mascot, the Penguin, next week. Stay tuned – this is always an exciting unit!

Andrea

PS – Thank you all for my birthday wishes. “Mrs. Mootel” had a great day, and here’s that adorable photo, as promised! (Note their self-portraits on the wall behind them – these were also made during our study of courage, and each child individually blended their own skin tone to create their painting.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you seen the freestanding table loom in our classroom? This weaving was begun six or seven years ago by the then-current class of kindergartners. Moving the shuttle over one string, under the next, over, under, and over again perfectly echoes the rhythm of the simplest of patterns we’ve been studying in math, an AB pattern. Over the years, every student in every class has added an inch or two to the woven piece on this loom. When completed (and we’re nearly there!), this could become a small table mat, or perhaps a blanket for the dolls in the cradle.

At this time of year, children are busy making gifts for their families. One of their holiday gifts is a woven potholder. The rhythm to make it is the same – over, under, over, under. Add a color pattern to that, and the potholders begin to look quite striking. Sometimes those color patterns get complex – for example, AABB – while still maintaining the AB pattern of construction.

We like to talk about patterns, and there are patterns everywhere we look. Sometimes the children discover that they’re sitting in a pattern – “Look, Ms. Patel! We’re sitting girl, girl, boy, girl, girl, boy. That’s an AAB pattern!” Or they notice that their shirts make a pattern with long sleeves and short sleeves arranged just so. Sometimes our conversations veer in unexpected ways, and we end up talking about patterns of behavior. And sometimes patterns lead into discussions about symmetry and asymmetry. Another of our holiday gifts might incorporate a symmetrical design (or it might not – you’ll have to wait and see what your child decides!)

Patterns, symmetry, and balance are mathematical terms that also belong in art. It’s exciting to see where the children’s imaginations take these concepts!

We’ve moved the clocks back and the days are noticeably shorter. The air is crisp and heavier clothes are worn outside (reluctantly, I might add). Loudly honking geese fly over the playground. A new season is making itself known, and the children are quick to pick up on the changes. Inside, our learning shifts too. Now two months into the school year, the children are well acquainted with one another. They swap stories and snacks and are gentle with each other when a classmate gets upset. They’ve learned that our classroom is a safe place to try new things and that mistakes along the way are part of the package. Everyone is five now, and there’s a unity, an ease, that wasn’t there before. Just as the geese know when it’s time to start their journey south, things now happen organically in the classroom, too. At rest time, one student takes a clipboard and pens and writes his own version of a Frog and Toad story. At the end of rest, he asks, “Can I read it to the class, Ms. Patel?” “Of course,” I answer, and as he reads, the children listen, enthralled. The next day at rest, three take clipboards and make up stories. Some do their own writing, while others draw pictures and ask me to put down their words. These, too, are excitedly read to the class. Then on the third day – magic! All seven have chosen clipboards and create stories that demand to be shared right away. I scrap the afternoon activity I had planned and we sit and listen to seven budding authors. Shy compliments abound at the end of each reading: “I liked your story. It was funny!” “I liked the colors you used.” “I liked how you wrote The End at the end.” As the children get more comfortable with the different skills of creating, sharing, asking for feedback, listening, I begin to ask questions of my own: “Do you want to give names to your characters? And what is a character, exactly? What do you think makes a story good? What makes it interesting? Do you have an idea for your next story?” The students’ excitement is contagious and the seeds of ownership of their own literacy are sown. It’s been extraordinary to watch this process, and it’s no lie when I say that never, ever before have I had an entire class writing stories so early in the school year. When learning unfolds like this, each child has the confidence to try out their ideas, knowing their efforts are fully supported. They are willing to be gently encouraged to reach towards the next level. They respond with their characteristic positivity. And so they grow. They are thrilled. So am I.

I’m a list maker. And I tend to abbreviate a lot. Over the summer I found myself writing “SL” over and over. That made sense; I had just completed an online course offered by Nellie Edge that incorporated phonics, handwriting, and sign language. The SL on my lists was a reminder to me to practice the sign language alphabet before school started. This past month, however, a new “SL” started creeping in. This time it stood for Service Learning. Interestingly, the two SL’s have considerable overlap with one another this year.

Let me give a little background. Under the direction of history teacher Sarah Pitcher, eighth-grade students participate in a national project called the IWitness video challenge. According to Sarah, this challenge was “inspired by the 20^th anniversary of the movie Schindler’s List and is presented jointly by the SHOAH foundations and the University of Southern California. This project allows for introspection, proactive work in the community, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the Holocaust and its far-reaching effects on world history.” Last year Shayna, an eighth-grader (and one that I had taught in Kindergarten!), asked if she could come weekly with her ASL tutor and teach the kindergartners sign language. I was delighted with her offer, and the students loved learning with her. Shayna also asked if she could film the class and use it in her iWitness video. To make a long story short, her video placed third nationally – a huge achievement and honor!

Fast forward to this year: Shayna’s video caught the eye of the director of Riverbrook, which is a home for developmentally-disabled women in Stockbridge. Riverbrook contacted BCD to see if one of their residents, a young woman both deaf and developmentally-disabled, could meet with Shayna and her tutor. As Shayna had graduated, the tutor no longer came to BCD, so the contact was passed to me. Over the summer I met the young woman, Carlina, who now comes twice monthly to our classroom, along with her interpreter, to teach us signs, sing stories, and sign/read books to us. It’s a learning experience for all of us, starting with bigger questions like, “What is communication? How do people communicate with each other? What are challenges that some people face?” And then more specific questions: “How do we “talk” to Carlina? How do we make her feel comfortable with us? How do we become friends?”

I wish you could see the class: the children have been so welcoming to her, and they’re so enthusiastic to learn new signs. I’m feeling my way through this very unusual project, but one thing is certain – in our classroom, SL and SL go hand in hand!

Andrea