January is a great month. It’s so clear to me when the children return from winter vacation that there has been so much growth since September. Not only are their bodies bigger, their attention span is longer, and their interest in learning is keener. We started right away with lots of math, using our bodies to learn comparing terms (taller, shorter, longer, etc.) and learning placement (in front of, behind, next to, etc.). We continue to practice writing numerals, but now on L-O-N-G sheets of paper (some of the older students have gotten to 100, but everyone is making great progress!). We’re also practicing ordering objects by size and shape.
Part of a curriculum that we share with PK-3rd grade falls under the umbrella of Citizenship, one of BCD’s core values. For this age group, it’s broken down into what I call the three c’s – Cooperation, Courage, and Compassion. Upon our return from vacation, we spent a good deal of time talking about cooperation – what it meant, what it looked like both at home and in the classroom, and using words that support cooperation. With the MLK holiday, we’ve now shifted the emphasis to courage, focusing on the important work of Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as the contributions of Rosa Parks and Ruby Bridges. Gandhi’s name came up during one discussion, and the next day, Neha brought in a book from home so we could learn more about the importance of his life and work as well. Understanding words like prejudice, segregation, integration, and non-violence have been a large part of our discussions. There are many excellent books geared for this age group: This Is the Dream by Diane Shore and Jessica Alexander and Martin’s Big Words by Doreen Rapport. Based on the latter book, one discussion led into a writing project in which each child had a change to express their own “Big Words” (their ideas on what’s important to them). At one point, I asked the children move in three contrasting ways: first, as if they were totally powerful and just knew that they were better than everyone else. Second: to move as if they had no power in the world, and had to listen to everyone else all the time. Last, to move as though they had the ability to change the world for the better, by getting rid of all the bad laws and making the world a more fair place for everyone. I wish you could have seen this. The first request had lots of strutting and giggling and bravado. The second time, everyone’s posture immediately drooped. Shoulders became hunched and it got markedly quiet in the room. The third, though, was the best – the children carried themselves purposefully, truly conveying the sense that they could make things better. It was remarkable. Small children plus big ideas made for some powerful learning experiences this week.
In Language Arts, we’ve been contrasting two versions of The Mitten – one by Jan Brett and the other by Alvin Tressault. The class “sewed” together large mittens of their own and colored the animals. We’ve practiced initial consonant sounds and retold the story, practicing getting the animals in the correct order. Our final activity will be to create a Venn diagram that compares the two versions. At rest time, our chapter book is Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst. The kids have enjoyed this book so much (Lulu is a very sassy protagonist!) that I’ve gone ahead and ordered the next one in the series to read once this one is concluded.
We had a Lunch Bunch this week – delicious homemade chicken soup with rice (which was prefaced with a reading of the Maurie Sendak version), French bread, cheese, fresh berries, and cookies. Thank you, Vanessa and Ronan, for a wonderful meal. It was enjoyed by all!
We ended this week with a celebration of my birthday. Everyone looked splendid in their black and white clothes! The children wrote me a delightful book of birthday wishes, and everyone enjoyed black-and-white cake as a special treat.
Say Moo!
So, that’s life in Kindergarten!
Andrea