Hello all,
My name is Jeannie and I am the author of Kindergarten Lifestyle. I am so excited to be here today to share with you. Jennifer was super nice and invited me.....
I hope your summer has been as lovely as mine! Ahhh!! There's nothing quite like the freedom and relaxation of summertime. But, summer is winding down and we will all be thinking about putting our rooms back together soon (Hey don't shoot the messenger! :0) So, I thought this was be the perfect time to share a cornerstone of my classroom.
One of the first things people comment on when they first enter my classroom is my GINORMOUS Family and Friends Board.
The fact is our kiddos are people :0) They love their families and their families love them (even if it doesn't always seem like it or it's not shown the way we think it should be).....
People say to me what a great thing this board is for the kids.... And, I agree. my kids love it! It really helps them "own" our classroom. They feel like they are apart of our "kindergarten world" - like staking claim to our classroom and all the things that go on inside our 4 walls.
My kids often visit the board when they are in the block center or abc center (which happen to be beside the board). They also will visit during writer's workshop at times.
Oh, the oral language that takes place concerning the photos on that board is incredible. Kids talk about some of their photos....when the photo was taken, what they were doing, who is in the photo with them, etc. But they are even more interested in other kids' photos. I have a few children with connections to Africa. One of my students has a photo with his mom dressed up in traditional African garments. Boy, that is the talk of the room! I have lots of children from Mexico with a variety of traditions that can be seen through the photos. What great diversity learning for these kiddos!
But, as important as I think this board is to my students and their growth socially, emotionally, and yes academically - I know this board is important to me too. As a teacher who has taught many children now..... it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day tasks and stresses. It's easy to get lost in pushing kids to excel according to state standards. It's easy to get lost when you have a "sweet-tart". But, this board allows me a chance to reflect on the children they are....the people they are.... the families they belong to..... The hopes and dreams that they and their family have for the future...... And, it makes me realize how truly lucky I am to be apart of their lives. I am honored each day to impact my students' lives and I pray that I do it in such a way that will help them move one step further to their hopes and dreams!
As a kindergarten teacher, they may or may not remember me in the future....but I hope and pray I can make a deposit in their heart and soul that makes them just a little better than when I first met them.... :0)
At the beginning of each year, I send home a 5x7 manilla envelope with the following note attached:
You can grab this FREEBIE note for your own "Family and Friends" board HERE!!
Tell me what you think! Have you ever had a board like this? What are your thoughts and feeling? I'm interested to hear!
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ReplyDeleteHeather S.
Thank you so much Heather! That is so kind! I am headed there now!
DeleteI teach pre-k and have always had a family "tree" in my classroom. I had trouble the first year getting families to send in pictures so I ambushed them one day as they were dropping off. All of the kids loved looking at each other's families and helped them to not be so scared when we had volunteers in the classroom because they recognized them. I had an autistic child in my class that would go sit by the family tree when he was having a particularly hard moment. It helped him to be able to look at his mom. It's really helpful to keep them at the children's eye level. Thanks for the freebie!
ReplyDeleteNever thought of that. I actually am planning a post about how I use pictures because it is a little different than Jeannie. I actually take that responsibility myself and post pictures of my kids working.... it looks great for parents so they can always see what we are doing and for administration... there is never any question on if the Cooperative Learning is happening etc because it's posted right on the wall! =) It costs a little in ink but I am going to make a freebie to hopefully help with that! =)
DeleteI LOVE your idea! Although, I work in a public school, I have a Montessori background and plan on incorporating some Montessori elements in my Kindergarten class that will benefit my students. It is common to have student and family pictures in a Montessori classroom and I knew I wanted to include this in my room somehow. I like the way you have displayed your pics. I know this is not very typical in a public school setting, so I was a little hesitant with this being my first year teaching. Thank you for giving me the encouragement I was looking for. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice comment! I am super glad you are going to do it!
DeleteI LOVE Montessori! We actually got my son into a FREE MONTESSORI public school here in AZ 2 years ago. I was super bummed when I found out they would not accept his open enrollment because of a speech issue he has. I am not sure I will ever get over that. =)
Good luck this year! Your experience will be amazing for your first year teaching!