Young children truly find it hard to believe that teachers have lives outside of school. Although at times I feel like I have no life since I devoted most of my time to school. Summer has been and will continue to be that time when I can get the balance back in my life. This is also a time for change.
So, what have I been up to this summer?
First of all, sleeping in! Its bliss..no need to hear that awful alarm clock. I feel much more rested.
I started the summer bowling league. This will be my second summer being involved with that. My average is currently a 109. Not bad, but could use some improving.
Playing Bunco with the ladies at my church. Its actually a year long thing, but its just more fun during the summer.
The biggest change for me is that I am buying a house. That in itself keeps me busy with paperwork and arranging meetings
Cleaning Cleaning Cleaning. I have accumulated a lot of stuff and its time to purge some of it. Some of it will be dontated to Goodwill. Some will go back to school, and the rest....trash.
Reading. Both for pleasure and professional development. I've got a Bible study I am doing this summer and then I plan to reread Teaching with Intention.
Serving Others. I am trying something new this summer. Its called Angel Food Ministries.
Cooking and baking. Now that I have more time, I can experiment more and try new recipes. My newest this summer was my orange chicken dish. I modified the classic white sauce into an orange flavored one. The best part...it was all natural. I used real fresh squeezed oranges instead of the juice from the carton.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Prevent The Summer Learning Gap
Summer is a great time to relax, have fun, and enjoy the hot sun. The teachers love the summer as well, because it does provide us with a mental and physical break. Don't let that be your excuse for not taking some time to learn something new or practice an old skill. There are many ways that parents and kids can work together to prevent that summer learning gap that can be detrimental to kids' learning success in the coming school year.
#1- Read EVERDAY!!
I can't stress that enough. That is the most important and probably the most effective way to keep kids sharp over the summer. Keep in mind the age of your child and what books are appropriate. If you have a limited supply of books at home, take a trip to the library and check out some books for FREE or hit up Goodwill and buy a used paperback book for 59 cents. If you live in a neighborhood with many kids of the same age, organize a book club where everyone reads the same book and has discussion based on the book. As a parent you also need to set the example by reading everyday, even if it is reading your favorite magazine or the morning paper. Reading is reading!
#2- Find a hobby
Children who have hobbies are more likely to be motivated to learn. It could be rock collecting, gardening, model cars, camping, etc.
#3 Set aside a time for "school."
My mom always made sure we had a set time each day during the summer to practice skills from the previous year and start practicing some early skills for the upcoming school year. This may be as little as 30 minutes. Your child can complete a Summer Bridge Workbook (you can find these at Barnes and Noble) or just practice using and reading the sight words for the next grade. Most school districts have resources available to print out and use.
#4 Take little field trips
Pack up the bags and head to the beach. Be sure to bring a writing journal and record observations as a way to practice science skills. Go to a museum. Sometimes museums will offer summer specials for families.
#1- Read EVERDAY!!
I can't stress that enough. That is the most important and probably the most effective way to keep kids sharp over the summer. Keep in mind the age of your child and what books are appropriate. If you have a limited supply of books at home, take a trip to the library and check out some books for FREE or hit up Goodwill and buy a used paperback book for 59 cents. If you live in a neighborhood with many kids of the same age, organize a book club where everyone reads the same book and has discussion based on the book. As a parent you also need to set the example by reading everyday, even if it is reading your favorite magazine or the morning paper. Reading is reading!
#2- Find a hobby
Children who have hobbies are more likely to be motivated to learn. It could be rock collecting, gardening, model cars, camping, etc.
#3 Set aside a time for "school."
My mom always made sure we had a set time each day during the summer to practice skills from the previous year and start practicing some early skills for the upcoming school year. This may be as little as 30 minutes. Your child can complete a Summer Bridge Workbook (you can find these at Barnes and Noble) or just practice using and reading the sight words for the next grade. Most school districts have resources available to print out and use.
#4 Take little field trips
Pack up the bags and head to the beach. Be sure to bring a writing journal and record observations as a way to practice science skills. Go to a museum. Sometimes museums will offer summer specials for families.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The year comes to a close
June has arrived and the school year has come to an end. The last few days of school were filled with fun activities such as Kindergarten Water Day, our Crazy Hair Day play and our class slideshow. Saying goodbye to the kids was hard as always, but at least I will get to see the kids grow up at the school.
This summer I plan to focus my entries on how I organize my classroom and what materials I put in each area.
This summer I plan to focus my entries on how I organize my classroom and what materials I put in each area.
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