The Sun Has Gone...

Ah - such SUCH a good movie...

This is her favorite part!

Please forgive us for our singing.... this has become our nightly ritual. Ains must do this every night before she goes up for her bath and bed routine.  Every. Night.

Daycare

I'm teaching Katie how to write!

(look at that pencil grip!)

These are all of the kids at daycare whose moms teach at NPS!  Lots of teacher-kids!  

(The first day of school.)

Putting on Pants - a milestone

 

Hey - this is harder than it looks! 

another.. yet another... lost nap

We were just thinking Ains had finally gotten to sleep for her nap... she was so quiet upstairs, not a peep from her monitor.  We were proud. And then.

She walked downstairs.

 Covered in....

soap.

Sunday Morning Paper

Back to School Daybook

Outside my window...

Dark, a bit rainy, nice cool 60 degrees.


I'm thankful for...
Neosporin - for my poor school-shoe-rubbed heels!


I am thinking about...
The fresh baked chocolate chip cookies hiding in the cupboard.
And Harry Potter (we ... er... finally watched the Half-Blood Prince the other night)


I am working on...
my extensions.  And getting to know my new students.


learning all the time...
that TV is really, really not good for the under-7 set.  Today we made TV rules... we'll try them out for a month or so and see how it goes.


from the kitchen...
Meatloaf!  Jasper LOVES it.  We love my mom's recipe. It calls for a smothering of ketchup mixed with brown sugar on the top.

I am creating...
lesson plans


I am going...
to bed early tonight. (applause)


I am reading... (linked)
Simplicity Parenting - by Kim John Payne - still, but nearly done. Still haven't actually simplified the toys... which is the first step... but I am processing all that I read!.


The First Six Weeks of School - Paul Denton & Roxann Kriete

The Morning Meeting Book - Roxann Kriete


I am hoping...
To find a great school for Ainsley to get into next year.  We're beginning our research of options.


I am praying...
the lunch prayer every day at school with my kindergartners:
 'We fold our hands and softly say... thank you for our food today... thank you very much!"


I am hearing...
Loreena McKennitt


around the house...
Walls and doors are now scrubbed (downstairs at least) - possibly for the first time in 2 years. oops.
laundry is done. 
Cookies are baked (I love to do this on a rainy day!)


heard this week...
"When my grow up and you Ainsley[aka: when I'm a grown up and you are Ainsley], I drink coffee and you drink my milk."
She's into the idea that we all take turns being each other at some point in our lives... including pets.


"I want mommy go yoga-dance, Daddy stay home, and I go on Ainsley-train [metro] all by myself."

one of my favorite things..
having dancer friends - hooray for Next Reflex Dance Collective!  [First performance in 3 weeks!]

a few plans for next week...

oh... school plans? :) oh, let me tell you!
Develop our morning meeting... introduce "sharing news"
Start the Name Game
More Guided Discovery (markers! colored pencils!)
Introduce our resident hamster-puppet Wishie
Start the sensory table work
Develop our Hopes and Dreams for the year
play games like Octopus and Zoom
Read Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
Read Brown Bear Brown Bear
Pattern Blocks
Play partner-match (a non-standard measurement game to find partners)
Make an age chart
Teach the Pledge of Allegiance

a picture thought I'm sharing with you...

Kindergarten Classroom - awaiting its crew

 

Inspired by professional development and conversations I've had over the past year, I'm thrilled with the new look and feel of my Kindergarten room.  It is not quite as spare (blank slate) as I'd hoped it would be for the beginning of the year - but in light of the minimal storage space at our school, it works.

Conscious decisions inspired by: (click to see link)

Debbe Miller

The Responsive Classroom

The 2 Sisters

Reggio Amelia Approach

Simplicity Parenting

Gesell

view as you walk in - looking left

view as you walk in - looking right (yes, it's an incredibly small room!)

sink - of course!

entry :: Jobs are generated by the students after we've been in school for a few days.  Then I'll post photos of the kids doing each job on the little red envelopes. Every child has a job. We rotate every day.

building area - love my new rug from IKEA!

between the tables - where markers, pencils, crayons, glue sticks etc will be stored after introduced through Guided Discovery.

calendar (basket w/ names Pam Morehouse style - allows for a new seating arrangement daily & for multiple use tables)

book area - a corner of our meeting area.  The stereo doubles for whole-group and with a cool tech gadget, 2 headphones will attach for 'listen to reading' during our Daily 5 routine.

dramatic play : dollhouse & furniture, dress up, puppets

art area! (A first for me) The blue bins behind store our manipulatives & smocks

collage & project materials in art area

paper supplies in art area

materials behind group work desk - easy access for guided reading

HWT boards and book bins ready for kids to fill (several small groups of them placed around the room for easier transitions instead of all in one spot.)

peaceful place for me to work... guaranteed to be more chaotic very soon. :)

ABCD song: age 2 and a half

Chopped

My new 'do:
(no more ponytails!)

Crazy Fish

 

Check it out - this little bitty yellow fish ALWAYS teases, bullies, and chases the big goldfish.  Particularly after dinner time.

Back to Daycare

I'm workin'

Buggy ride! (I  LOVE these!)

So happy to see my friend Lilly

Always the little helper (or.... little mama)