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...has entered my classroom in the form 16 children who are, in three cases literally, angels. (I have an Angel, an Angela, and an Angelina!) This year, in addition to my old favorite Roxaboxen, I began the year with the picture book poem All the World by our friend Liz Garton Scanlon. This poem (even without the Caldecott Honor illustrations by Marla Frazee) touches the sacred for me, and the way I explained it to the shiny new second-graders children sitting on my shaggy spring green carpet is that it gathers up many small, ordinary things to make us feel one big true thing. Here's an excerpt.
All the World | Liz Garton Scanlon
Rock, stone, pebble, sand Body, shoulder, arm, hand A moat to dig, a shell to keep All the world is wide and deep.
Hive, bee, wings, hum Husk, cob, corn, yum! Tomato blossom, fruit so red All the world's a garden bed
Tree, branch, trunk, crown Climbing up and sitting down Morning sun becomes noon-blue All the world is old and new .... Everything you hear, smell, see All the world is everything Hope and peace and love and trust All the world is all of us
************************** After I read this, there was this long pause, and then Andy (yes, I have an Andy too), raised his hand to say, "That book almost made me cry." There was reverence in the room.
And that, my friends, is what they are ALL like this year: full of hope and peace and love and trust, open-hearted and ready. It's another miracle.
Just in case someone had thought to set this beauty to music, I searched a little and found my way to this, which plays with the end of the book to fit the music but comes out pretty wonderful.
Thanks to Liz, and thanks to Penny at A Penny and Her Jots for hosting today, and thanks be to the ebb and flow of the world that every year is different!
There’s no doubt about it, going to school for the very first time can be nerve-wracking. It is no wonder that Splat is wide awake bright and early.
When mom opens his bedroom door, his first instinct is to pull the covers over his head. When that doesn’t work, Splat tries all sorts of tactics to delay leaving for school. He can’t find socks and his hair is a mess. One thing he knows for sure, having a friend in his lunchbox is certain to help. Splat pops Seymour the Mouse into his lunchbox and sets out to meet his new teacher and classmates.
Mrs. Wimpydimple and Splat’s new classmates are very welcoming and soon Splat is full of questions. He is especially curious to know why cats chase mice! (A definite opportunity to introduce the concept of foreshadowing) When it is finally lunchtime, Splat opens his lunchbox and his small rodent friend, Seymour is suddenly the centre of attention – and not in a good way. Splat’s new classmates do exactly what readers will predict – the chase is on!
Engaging, playful illustrations provide many details for young children to notice and enjoy. A mostly grey and black color palette is highlighted with vibrant yellow and red details that pop off the page. Those who are able to read will love the signs in the storefront windows and Mrs. Wimpydimple’s blackboard illustrations.
About the Book: The anxiety of finding one’s own place and friends in kindergarten without the comfort of having her fraternal twin sister nearby at first overwhelms Dee until she realizes even without her fraternal twin sister, Dee and her classmates for the most part are in the same boat.
My thoughts:
This is a super cute picture book about two twin sisters, Dee and Deb, who go to kindergarden for the very first time. The story focuses on Dee. She's anxious about being separated from Deb, as they go on their separate classrooms. However, Dee soon finds out that mostly all of the other kids in her class have the same worries she has, and she ends up making a very good friend, soon realizing that she can have other friends besides her twin sister Deb. The little girls are adorable. This is a very simple story written for ages 3-6. If you have twins in your family who are soon attending school, this is the perfect book to read to them and discuss first day jitters and separating issues. Recommended!
About the Author:
About the Author:Multi award-winning children’s author, Donna McDine’s creative side laid dormant for many years until her desire to write sparked in 2007. Her latest release Dee and Deb Off They Go Kindergarten First Day Jitters joins the four early reader children’s picture books, A Sandy Grave(January 2014), Powder Monkey (May 2013), Hockey Agony (January 2013) and The Golden Pathway (August 2010) all with Guardian Angel Publishing. Join McDine as her adventures continue as she ignites the curiosity of children through reading. She writes and moms from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI.
Donna McDine'slatest children's picture book is a charming, fun tale about first day jitters. Be sure to check it out for the kids in your family who will be going to school soon! Title: Dee and Deb Off They Go Kindergarten First Day Jitters
About the Book: The anxiety of finding one’s own place and friends in kindergarten without the comfort of having her fraternal twin sister nearby at first overwhelms Dee until she realizes even without her fraternal twin sister, Dee and her classmates for the most part are in the same boat.
About the Author:Multi award-winning children’s author, Donna McDine’s creative side laid dormant for many years until her desire to write sparked in 2007. Her latest release Dee and Deb Off They Go Kindergarten First Day Jitters joins the four early reader children’s picture books, A Sandy Grave(January 2014), Powder Monkey (May 2013), Hockey Agony (January 2013) and The Golden Pathway (August 2010) all with Guardian Angel Publishing. Join McDine as her adventures continue as she ignites the curiosity of children through reading. She writes and moms from her home in the historical hamlet Tappan, NY. McDine is a member of the SCBWI.
I don't remember a lot about kindergarten. I was in the "morning class" when three hours was all that educators thought five-year-olds could handle.
My teacher, Mrs. Palmer, looked exactly like "Dear Abby" in the newspaper. I was fire drill captain, or as I proudly told my parents, "If the school burns down, I'm the first one out." I tackled Jimmy R., my kindergarten crush, in the classroom playhouse and kissed him. (It was a decade or two before that happened again.)
I nearly flunked kindergarten. In addition to such skills as using scissors "responsibly," counting to ten, and reciting the alphabet without singing it, you had to be able to tie your shoes. I tried and tried all year until it occurred to a neighbor that Mom being left-handed and me being right handed made a difference. She had a left handed son who couldn't tie his shoes either. Moms swapped kids, and both of us skinned out of kindergarten with a day to spare. Talk about academic pressure.
Because kindergarten was so unmemorable for me, I looked forward to going through it with my own daughter, Lily. Boy had things changed! Kids wore Velcro strapped sneakers. They were supposed to count to 20 and know the alphabet BEFORE kindergarten. Lily had been in a Bangkok pre-school that was about learning through exploring rather than memorizing. Lily's kindergarten teacher was a Sweet Young Thing whose worst admonition was "someone is not being considerate." Her classroom was a mass of pinatas and Chinese dragon kites and African violets. Lily was proud to be named "Class Gardener" and "Permanent Paper Passer Outer." Sweet Young Thing figured out that Lily was ADHD and at her best when she was "helping" It must have been a long day for both of them because by then, kindergarten was a full school day. However, Lily and her teacher had a mutual admiration society, even if Lily couldn't quite manage numbers and letters...at least not in their correct order.
In promoting Lily to first grade, Sweet Young Thing took into account that Lily had spent two years of pre-school and half of kindergarten in a "foreign" environment. She was promoted to the ominously named "transitional" first grade, kids who weren't "reading ready." I didn't give it a lot of thought. Neither did Lily. She knew she would sail through school, watering violets and passing out papers. What could go wrong?
I picked Lily up that first day of first grade. She didn't say anything, but I figured she was pooped out, getting used to a new teacher and classmates.
At home, I unlocked the front door and went in the house, knowing Lily was straggling behind me. Slam! went the front door. We don't slam doors in our house. Ever. I turned to see Lily fling her red backpack across the room, narrowly missing me. She slumped against the door, crossed her arms, pushed out her lower lip and announced in a voice that I'm sure the neighbors heard. "That's it! I'm never going back! I hate my teacher and there's only one other girl in my class and there's only one recess and the kindergarten kids got lunch first and ate all the chocolate ice cream. I hate vanilla! First grade stinks!"
Suddenly, I flashbacked to my first day of first grade, telling my mother that if school was going to be this boring, I wasn't going to college. I remembered my teacher, a troll (henceforth known as Mrs. Troll)who was about to retire after forty-something years of first graders. A woman who yelled a lot, slammed her fist on your desk if she thought you weren't paying attention, and when all else failed, used what I later learned was guilt as a motivator.
"You are thankless, spoiled children," she'd shrill. "I work and work to teach you to(fill in the blank) but you just won't learn! What is wrong with you?" She didn't know? We were terrified of her. She yelled if we got the wrong answer, yelled if we asked a question.
I made her mad the first day of school when she said "Now when you can read this big book" (a giant sized version of a pre-primer prominently displayed next to the teacher's desk) you can have your very own book. You let me know when you think you're ready."
I raised my hand. I had taught myself to read from billboards and TV ads before kindergarten. And while I was sure the words "mouthwash" and "rest area next exit, clean restrooms" weren't in that big book, I had filled in my vocabulary with what are now called "Dolch words").
"I didn't mean, now." Mrs. Troll squinted at her seating chart. "Mary Ann. I meant after you know how to read."
"But I know how to read now," I insisted. As an adult who has been a teacher, I can sort of understand her exasperation. Five minutes into the school year and she already been challenged by the likes of me.
"Fine, then," she said in an-I-dare-you-voice. "Come on up and read for us." She stood behind the book, simpering, waiting for me to fail.
I didn't fail. Dick and Jane were a snore as literature but I read all 32 pages of it without a mistake. Now Mrs. Troll was really mad, because she didn't have any primers. She hadn't counted on anyone learning to read in the first month, let alone first day. She sent me to the office to requisition my first reader, six weeks early. Although I pride myself on remembering the most insignificant details of my childhood, the rest of first grade disappeared in the mists of trauma.
Now it was happening again with my own child. As the Mom part of my brain registered Lily's outrage, the writer part thought First Grade Stinks. What a great title for a picture book! As I explained to Lily that not only would she be going back to school tomorrow and the next day and the next for twelve years (it was a little early to spring college on her) My own first grade disappointments melded with Lily's. I started listing my possible plot points.
The year never got any better for Lily. I grew alarmed when Lily announced at the end of the first week that five kids had been "flunked back" to kindergarten. I immediately showed up for a teacher's conference. The teacher (aka Mrs. First Grade) was perhaps my age, but looked older. Much, much older. She had surgery three times that school year (the only days Lily arrived home happy) so I tried to cut her some slack. But Mrs. First Grade affirmed that yes indeed she had just demoted five kids back to kindergarten "because I could tell they weren't going to cut it." (After a week?) She left no doubt that Lily would be joining them if she would "stop being lazy." I already knew that Lily was dyslexic so I asked about special ed testing. "Oh we don't do that until the student has flunked first grade and kindergarten." What? A classroom of eight-year-old first graders? My sympathy was wearing thin.
It wore out altogether when Mrs. First Grade informed in February to tell me she was flunking Lily for the year because "she won't do her board work." I snapped. "You do realize she can't read, right?" Well, no apparently she didn't. Lily had kept her secret by having the teaching assistant read to her when the teacher wasn't looking. Then Lily, having memorized the story in one hearing, would recite it for the teacher, word perfect, right down to the timing of the page turns. I told the teacher to hand her a random book and ask her to read right then and there. Teacher called me back in ten minutes. "She can't read! I guess she's dyslexic!" You think, person with twenty-five years of teaching "transitional" children? I couldn't finish writing First Grade Stinks fast enough.
However, fiction and real life rarely turn out the same. In First Grade Stinks, the main character, Haley, realizes that although the two grades and teachers are entirely different, first grade would bring her the ultimate reward of learning to read on her own! Haley learns to appreciate her new, less flamboyant teacher.
In real life, Lily hated everything about first grade except for physical education and art. She never did learn to read that year but was promoted to second grade anyway. We changed school systems. She tested into special education in second grade, where she stayed until she graduated from high school (in the college prep track and with a high B average.) Reading will always be a challenge for her but she has developed a repertoire of coping mechanisms. She is in college now, Guess what her major is. Go ahead. Guess. Pre-K special ed!
"After all," she says, "I've had years and years of thinking how I would teach things differently."
I guess Lily's first grade didn't stink entirely.
Posted by Mary Ann Rodman
0 Comments on Why I Wrote First Grade Stinks as of 1/1/1900
Here are some new books that feature the first day of school.
(if you cannot access the slide show, reviews are below)
First Grade, Here I Come! by Tony Johnston
A playfully rambunctious boy plans his first day of first grade, "For show-and-tell, no teddy bears. I'll bring my snake - oh joy! My friends will hold my boa up. (I call him Huggy Boy.)" For this scene, the playful illustrations show the teacher standing atop her desk while the kids hoist Huggy Boy. Cheerful, silly fun!
Bob and Flo by Rebecca Ashdown
It's Flo's first day at preschool. Not only does she find her missing bucket, she finds a friend. Cute.
ABC School's for Me! by Susan B. Katz
"Eating snack around the rug, Friends who share a hello hug." A cute, rhyming, and encouraging ABC book. Dad's First Day Mike Wohnoutka Here's a twist on "first day of school" books - it's Oliver's dad who has the first day of school jitters! (Picture Oliver's teacher carrying Oliver's crying dad outside.) "The teacher walked Oliver's dad outside." "Bye, Daddy!" But don't worry ... it all turns out OK.
Monkey: Not Ready for Kindergarten by Marc Brown
In crayon-inspired illustrations, Marc Brown tells the story of a monkey worried about his first day at school. "What if his teacher doesn't like him? What if he gets on the wrong bus? What if he can't find the bathroom? ..." With time and patient help from his parents and friends, Monkey slowly gets ready for Kindergarten.
Rosie Goes to Preschool by Karen Katz
Rosie's not worried about her first day of preschool. In fact, she'll tell you all about it! Happy, simple, and multicultural - this is a classic Karen Katz book.
Not This Bear: A First Day of School Story by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
In this story of a bear's first day at school, author Alyssa Satin Capucilli shows that going to school does not mean giving up one's individuality. Bear clings to some familiar things and habits from home, but still fits in and enjoys himself at school. An interesting and reassuring take on "first day at school" books.
Ally-saurus & the First Day of School by Richard Torrey
Is there room for a dinosaur girl in a school filled with princess girls? Of course there is! "Taking off her favorite dinosaur pajamas, Ally-saurus dressed in her brand-new first-day-of-school outfit. "Your pants are on backward," said Father. "That's so my dinosaur tail can stick out," explained Ally-saurus. Let's wear our pants the right way," said Father. "ROAR!" said Ally-saurus."
Eva and Sadie and the Best Classroom EVER! by Jeff Cohen
Big sister Sadie tries to help Eva get ready for Kindergarten - but teaching her math and reading may not be the best way to help!
0 Comments on Picture Book Roundup - First Day of School Books as of 7/20/2015 8:42:00 AM
Most of us are still in the thick of summer reading programs. It’s hard to believe that in just a few weeks, patrons will clamor for “first day of school” books. (Admittedly, this is usually an adult patron request more than a young patron’s request!) Although we have many excellent “first day of school” books, every summer brings new favorites to add to our collection. Have you read these recent “first day of school” books?
Ally-Saurus and the First Day of School is dinosaur-obsessed. Everything–and I mean, EVERYTHING–has to be tied to dinosaurs. Ally is disappointed that her not all of her fellow classmates share her devotion to these prehistoric creatures, but she learns that it’s fun to have friends with a variety of passions and personalities. Keep this on hand when young children start debating over whether something is a boy or girl color/toy/interest.
Losing your bucket on the first day of preschool is not an ideal way to start your academic career. Luckily, Flo soon solves her dilemma with the help of her new friend, Bob. As you can see, Bob and Flo are penguins, which ratchets up the adorable factor.
(image taken from Penguin Random House)
The big yellow school bus is a source of fascination for many young children, even before they are old enough to ride the bus. (Donald Crews’s School Bus is a favorite in my toddler story time). While anything that moves on wheels is super cool, all the kids in The Bus is For Us agree that the school bus is the coolest of them all. This is marvelously inclusive; the bus is the best because everyone can ride!
Many “first day of school” books focuses on the young student’s nervousness. Dad’s First Day, however, is all about dad’s uncertainty about the first day of school (exaggerated for comic effect, obviously). Oliver is pumped about starting school, but Dad needs a little convincing! Turning a common concern on its head is a fantastic way to still address the situation, but make it fun and funny.
What are your favorite “first day of school” books? Share in the comments below!
Every once in a while something special sneaks into your life, so unassuming you are barely aware of its presence. However, its ability to change and influence is a forceful undercurrent with powerful impact. It might be meeting a new friend for the first time. It could be finding a dog to call your own. […]
<![endif]--> The first day of school is a memorable time for kids, teachers, and parents alike!
We’ve started posting our back to school memories on Instagram, and we want to see yours, too!
Share your pictures of a first day at school through your social media channels. They can be pictures of your class, your children, or a “vintage” photo of yourself!
We’ll re-post your picture on our Instagram account, and every Monday we’ll feature one of our favorite pictures with all our fans on our Facebook page.
If you’re sharing on Instagram, tag FirstBookOrg and hashtag your photo with #firstdayfirstbook.
If you’re sharing on Twitter, upload the picture to your status update and make sure @firstbook and #firstdayfirstbook are in your tweet!
If you’re sharing on Facebook, simply upload the picture to our wall.
Send along your favorite photo any time before September 22.
“Today is liftoff. ‘You are well prepared,’ says Dad. Mom counts down. Into the rocket ship . . . the boosters fire, and we launch. I’m off to PLANET KINDERGARTEN. Suit up for a daring adventure as our hero navigates the unknown reaches and alien inhabitants of a plante called . . . Kindergarten. This clever book will prepare young explorers for their next mission—whether it’s a strange new world, or somewhere much closer to home.”
Opening
“We arrived at the base camp, then orbit while we look for a place to dock.”
Review
Planet Kindergarten hooked me from the pre-story pages. I love this picture book, as will little boys and girls. Kindergarten is the first time at school when you must stay without mom or dad. Very frightening. Sure , there are toys scattered about and a giant slide, and a doll house you can go into, but school . . . alone . . . take me home. The hero of Planet Kindergarten is just as leery about kindergarten. I love the use of a new planet for the school and the hero needing to climb aboard his personal rocket ship. I think I walked.
The story actually begins long before the first page. On the end page, the young boy is waking up to . . . an . . . alarm! The countdown begins for liftoff. Before that can happen, he must prepare. A calendar marks off the days until school begins, his mom takes him shopping, the dog drills him the ABC’s, a doctor passes him for takeoff, and dad helps him organize his supplies. Now it is just the alarm and it has rung louder than expected. BLAST OFF! The young boy is on his way to Planet Kindergarten. Now the story begins.
I love the author’s imagination, as will parents and kids. This is a great way to prepare kids for the first day of school, or camp, or going to Aunt I-Don’t –Want-To-Go. The author takes the major points of school and translates them into an alien adventure. Gravity is different, making it hard for the kids, I mean crewmates, to stay in their seats. Gravity also means trash must go in a bin or it will float away. Quickly, the young boy finds out what a time-out is all about as he and another boy fight over a red ball. The two become fast friends while sitting out. Mom even gives her son a Spock salute as she leaves him on his own.
Planet Kindergarten is the most imaginative book I have seen about starting school. Boys will love this, as will some girls. Planet Kindergarten looks like a boy’s book with its dark, yet bold cover of the young boy in a spacesuit against a backdrop of stars. I think reluctant readers will enjoy this picture book. The imaginative text makes Planet Kindergarten an easy and enjoyable read. I doubt parents will mind re-reading it.
The illustrations look like the young boy is on a strange planet, but with all the trappings of kindergarten. And when nap time becomes more than the young boy can handle, he remembers a NASA motto: Failure is NOT an Option. You can’t fail with Planet Kindergarten in your pre-school arsenal. Kids will love the space jokes and the alien kids (who just might look like some of their own classmates). School is in session soon. Have fun on Planet Kindergarten.
For a different perspective—one closer to kindergarten than mine—check out Erik’s review HERE!
It's that time of year again...back to school! My daughter just started second grade so we are getting used to the new routines, new teacher and new classmates. She's loving it so far, which makes me so happy. I always remember the lunch table as being so much fun when I was a kid. Maybe it was because I got to see some of my friends who weren't in my class but I figure it was most likely because I new that recess was coming up soon. Gotta love recess! Here's to another great school year!
0 Comments on Fun at the Lunch Table as of 9/12/2013 12:35:00 AM
4 Stars We're All Different But We're All Kitty Cats Peter Goodman Nicholas Milano No. Pages: 4 Ages: 4+ ................... Inside Jacket: “My name is Carlos and I have no fur.” A kitty with no fur? How strange, thought the other cat, laughing and giggling at Carlos. Hurt and embarrassed in front of the class, [...]
…………………………………….. Peter Goodman We’re All Different But We’re All Kitty Cats website: kittycatsbook.com ……………. Today, Kid Lit Reviews is honored to have with us the author of a fascinating new picture book series called We’re All Different But We’re All Kitty Cats. Tomorrow, the first book in that series, titled First Day of School, will be reviewed [...]
While standing at the local superstore watching my children choose their colorful binders and pencils for the upcoming school year, I saw another family at the end of the aisle. Their two sons had great difficulty accessing the space because of the crowd and they were clearly over-stimulated by the sights and sounds of this tax-free weekend shopping day. One boy began crying and the other soon curled into a ball next to the packets of college-lined paper. My daughter, empathic to a fault, leaned down and offered her Blues Clues notebook in an effort to make the boy happier. When we finally walked away, I saw the same pain and embarrassment in the eyes of the parents that I have often seen at parent-teacher conferences and IEP meetings.
For many families, the start of a new school year is exciting and refreshing. The opportunity to see old friends, meet new ones, and the ease of settling into a fall routine can be comforting. For families of students with special needs, however, the start of a school year can be anxious, frustrating, and filled with reminders of the deficits (social and academic) of their children. This dichotomy is clear and present as some children bound off the school bus with their shiny new backpacks hanging from their shoulders, while others are assisted off different buses as their eyes and bodies prepare for what sometimes feels like an assault on their very personhood.
These differences are apparent to parents as well as teachers and administrators at schools. Professionals often ask: “What can we do to be the best teachers for these students?”
Consider what school can mean for students who are different and how to create ways to welcome everyone, according to their needs. Before the school year begins, these longstanding suggestions still resonate as best practices for parents and students:
(1) Contact the student before the school year begins to be sure the student and family are aware that you are genuinely looking forward to working with them and have exciting plans for the school year! Everyone learns differently and wants to be honored for their ability to contribute. In the Eye Illusion not everyone is able to see the changes in the dots as they move around the circle. What you see isn’t better or worse — just different. When we think of students and children in the same way, by removing the stigma of labels and considering the needs of all, we become more of a community and less of a hierarchy.
(2) Be aware of all students in the classes you teach. Know their areas of strength and challenge, and be prepared to adapt teaching strategies to include them. We cannot expect students and children all to be the same. Use a fable to illustrate that everyone has strengths and can become an integral part of the learning experience.
(3) Review teaching practices: modalities, colors, sizes, and pacing. All students enjoy learning through various modalities (visual, aural, kinesthetic), love colors in their classroom, appreciate sizing differences to assist with visual concepts, and can benefit from pacing that is more applicable to them. Find ways to include these practices in an overall approach. Universal design (applied to the classroom) means that all students receive adaptations to enhance their learning experience, and no one is singled out as being different because of the adaptations applied.
(4) Create partnerships with all professionals who work with special needs students. A team approach is a powerful way to include everyone effectively. When we work as a team, everyone benefits and the workload is shared by all. This community of professionals creates a culture of shared responsibility and joy.
(5) Provide a clear line of communication with parents of students with disabilities. Often children cannot come home and tell their parents about events, assignments, announcements, and other important parts of their school day. Parents may not be able to gauge whether their child had a good day or if there are concerns. A journal between teacher and parent(s) can be a comforting and useful tool. This communication may also be done electronically through a secure Google or Yahoo group. Reading Rockets provides other useful tips in this area.
(6) Leave labels out of the conversation when communicating with parents. Parents can be sensitive to their child being known only by their diagnosis. In addition, some parents may be still processing the life change that comes with raising a child with special needs. When entering into a conversation with a parent, focus on your classroom and the needs of the student. If there is a concern, try to put the concern in the most positive light as possible. The Parent-Provider network at Purdue University offers some great tips as well for communicating with parents.
(7) Let parents know of student accomplishments even if they are small. Students with special needs often encounter failure. Parents attend countless meetings that remind them of all the challenges their children face. A note home when something goes well can make all the difference.
(8) Allow the parent and the child to visit prior to the start of school if the child is new. Students who are enrolling in a new program or a new school may have difficulty with this transition. Often this transition can cause anxiety that will hinder a child from seeing school as a comfortable, safe place. Walk them through the routines: where they sit, where materials are, etc. Social stories (short stories written in third person to illustrate an everyday situation) can also be useful in this circumstance. When read prior to beginning school, these stories help them move through their transition.
A culture of acceptance and compassion must permeate our educational institutions. By categorizing, labeling, and noting differences, we are often putting children in boxes that can then, unfortunately, define them for the rest of their lives. Every child wants to be part of the school experience and seeks to participate to the best of his ability. When the class and school culture are created to honor the personhood of every child, and each child is considered valuable to the success of every school experience, all children begin to enjoy the same childhood experiences.
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In memory of my fourth grade teacher Faye Bryner 1916-2010
For the 32 First Days in your career, and especially for the one we shared.
FIRST DAY author unknown
and what are the important questions anyway on this first day of school after a night of no sleep wondering even fearing how this day will go and all the rest hoping it unfolds neatly as lesson plans promise probably not and in that thought works a hint of unreadiness and a quiet panic that hovers through the black coffee yet later when we gather in first morning expectancy we do manage to breathe though not deeply my years are useless I am as new here when the bell rings as all those now looking at me but what is this day and all the rest about not of course rules and study habits or even a bag full of knowledge somehow packed in all those books tidy on each desk rather an urge to know that pushes us into wondering about clouds becoming raindrops from another side of the world or why the flower outside the window blooms at this precise moment where the songs in my heart come from and where they are going all those questions not in my curriculum guide but that I now see in a new girl who can't stay in her seat and dances an interruption around the room negotiates attention midsentence and at the end of my wits tells me a story during lunch that is dazzling and profound and in one brief moment I see her soul in love with imagination that must move and wave and try to fly and this is what I must relearn on this first day that in our remembered self is an urge to create I can look for it or not but my choice had better be made with love and reverence for what we all want is to express our unique genius no matter what because that is who we are and after all the only question worth pursuing anyway no wonder the night is full of sleeplessness this is a question of life nothing else comes close I remember now why I'm here and frightened and so in awe of this moment and these children
To all the teachers who already have or who will welcome a new class of students in the next days or weeks, and to the family members sending us their beloved ones to care for and nurture and teach, and to our students, "alive with imagination" -- LET'S MAKE IT A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR!
Carol, I knew you'd like it! I just wish I knew who wrote it so I could give proper credit and thanks for capturing the feeling of the first day(s) so perfectly!
And it seems just right that you would share this with your teachers -- my staff has gotten to know YOU a little through your beginning-of-the-year posts about families and names. :-)
I'll definitely be sharing this with my fourth graders in a few weeks. There are so many great things going on in this poem, it will give us a lot to discuss. Thanks, Mary Lee!
Thank you all for your best wishes for all teachers! And your wish for courage, Amy!!
Toby -- Mrs. Bryner taught for 32 years, so she had 32 first days of school. I shared one of those with her, but our relationship continued as I moved from being her fourth grader, to her former student, to a college student preparing to be a teacher, to a young teacher, and finally, to an experienced teacher. I am the teacher I am today due in part to Mrs. Bryner's influence throughout the years.
ML, I love that you have your 4th grade teacher's picture! Great poem to share as we head into next week. Hope your first day is wonderful! After meeting most of my students today, I am very excited to start our community next week. I can only hope I influence someone next week in the way that Mrs. Bryner influenced you.
Loved it... I have a sneaking hunch she was probably married to a farmer. Most of my Southern Colorado teachers were!
I had three Danish teachers that were all sisters... Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Kimble, and Mrs. Hazlett. All sisters who moved back to southern Colorado to teach and help run their husband's farms.
I close my eyes and I can picture each of their rooms... Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Cannon, Mrs. Henrie, Mrs. Bishop, Mrs. Lamar, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Bogart! K-6, all great women and all teachers that I so respected.
Such lovely thoughts as we all approach our first day of school. Thank you for sharing. It touched my heart and says so much about those special teachers in our lives.
How beautiful, this captures the essence of what we do as teachers, what we think, feel, what drives us to teach and keeps us coming back--all the while, inspiring something creative within. Thanks for posting!
I love this poem! I'm a teacher currently taking a break to stay home with my own children. This poem really takes me back to those thrilling first days of school. Thanks! And 32 first days! Wow! I just found your blog and I love it!
My neighbor’s son is starting Kindergarten this month. Even though I’ve only known him for a little over a year, I’m delighted for him since this is an exciting time in a young child’s life. Two books recently crossed my desk that I’ve thought worthy of sharing with him before he starts Kindergarten. If you [...]
These two paintings for Watercolor Wednesdays and the CBIG blog are from a YA zombie graphic novel I’m working on, starring Sheila the Zombie Cheerleader. The graphic novel isn’t in watercolor, but I thought I’d do some zombie watercolors this month because Watercolor Wednesdays has school prompts every week.
Sheila’s first day back at school was yesterday. (She wouldn’t let me post her first day picture last week. If I did, she said she’d, “eat my brains!”) Sheila’s best friend Amanda suffered through the first day with her. Here’s their first day picture, which Sheila said I could post today:
Sheila the Zombie Cheerleader's first day of school
Sheila and Amanda are talking about the new teacher in the next picture:
Zombie High staff changes ...
The black line for both images is acrylic paint and the color is watercolor crayon. I love watercolor crayons because they make me feel like a kid again. I get to color with crayons, then paint. Fun!
Maybe next week I’ll do crayon resist … or maybe not. Halloween is coming, and ghosts are a whole lot of fun for crayon resist.
8 Comments on sruble: First Day of School and New Principal, last added: 9/11/2009
He he he! Funny!! I totally agree with you with the watercolor crayon. I adore them a dearly. You can do so much with them. What a great script. NIce work.
What a fun book! Love the chicken principal! Haven't tried watercolor crayons but will try to find them. Good luck with your graphic novel...good start.
Thanks Linda! BTW, the crayons that I use are made by Caran D'Ache. They have wax oil crayons (like regular crayons) and watersoluble crayons (what I used for this painting).
One-half of knowing what you want is knowing what you must give up before you get it. ~ playwright Sidney Howard (he adapted Gone With The Wind for the screen)
Envision what you want your life to look like. Then ask yourself, “What do I have to become to manifest this vision?” ~ Rev. Michael Beckwith (paraphrased)
Dear Readers,
Huzzah, huzzah--it's nearly fall and a new Teaching Authors CONTEST has begun!
New Year At The Pier—A Rosh Hashanah Story by April Halprin Wayland, illustrated by award-winning Canadian Stéphane Jorisch, is so delicious, we want you to have a chance to win an autographed copy!
Here’s lots of juicy stuff about the book, here's the 1:16 minute book trailer and here’s a summary of the book, which got a starred review in Publishers Weekly:
Izzy’s favorite part of Rosh Hashanah is Tashlich, a joyous ceremony in which people apologize for the mistakes they made in the previous year and thus clean the slate as the new year begins. But there is one mistake on Izzy’s “I’m sorry” list that he’s finding especially hard to say out loud.Humor, touching moments between family and friends, and information about the Jewish New Year are all combined in this lovely picture book for holiday sharing.
So...how can you win your very own autographed copy?
Simple. Since the book is about the new year...do you have a new school year goal? Great! Then post one reading, writing or teaching goal you'd like to accomplish by December 31, 2009 in 25 words or less.
Here are some sample goals to get you thinkin':
Do you want your student(s) to understand the concept of Show, Don’t Tell?
Do you want the courage to delete all of your emails so that the clutter isn't keeping you from writing the next Charlotte's Web?
Do you want to set aside 30 uninterrupted minutes to read for pleasure each day?
Do you want to send out a manuscript by Halloween?
What is that one goal for this bright and shiny new school year?
Be specific. Here’s the place to ‘fess up!
Win-an-autographed-copy-of-New-Year-at-the-Pier CONTEST rules: 1) Read the two quotes at the top. 2) Take a deep breath. 3) Post ONE reading, writing or teaching goal for the new school year in 25 words or less. 4) Your goal must be posted on one of the Teaching Authors blog posts between Friday, August 28, 2009 and Monday, September 7, 2009. 5) You must include your email address in your post so that we can contact the lucky winner. Here are our general give-away rules.
The winner will be announced Tuesday, September 8, 2009.
We expect to hear back from you in the first two weeks of January—every one of you. If you don't win this time, you'll have another chance in January when you report on your progress. How did you do? Who or what helped you? Who or what hindered you?
Coming next week: more on New Year at the Pier!
And finally, because it's Poetry Friday...and to REALLY confuse you now that you're thinking about goals...I leave you with a beautiful completely contrary anti-goals poem by my wonderful friend, poet and author George Ella Lyon:
First homework, then housework, now soulwork. No list, no checking off, no done. ~ George Ella Lyon
image of girl with a goal by April Halprin Wayland
21 Comments on 1) Take a deep cleansing breath. 2) Set a goal. 3) Enter our contest!, last added: 8/31/2009
My goal (for the whole school year, not just until December 31, but that will make a good check-in point) is to stay BALANCED. I will not let school (teaching, planning, grading, mentoring, committee-ing) take over my life. I will work on my writing project every week (but I will not require a certain number of hours of myself). I will tend to my gardens. I will spend time with family and friends. I will keep up with my reading project (Notable Children's Books in the Language Arts for NCTE). I will keep the house reasonably clean and I will fold and put away my laundry as soon as it comes out of the dryer. (okay, that one might be a little unreasonable, but I'll TRY...)
My goal is to get my daughter's toddler school back on track, develop a steady source of income, get caught up on my book reviews, and successfully follow a schedule. And lose 30 lbs... :)
Amelia Bedelia, the beloved adult character from the 14 Amelia Bedelia stories by Peggy Parish has reappeared in this story by Ms. Parrish's nephew, Herman Parish. It is illustrated by Lynne Avril. In this prequel, we find Amelia at her first day of school. All of the characteristics that make Amelia Bedelia entertaining as an adult who takes things a bit too literally are on display here. From this story we are to assume that Amelia's silliness as an adult was part of her personality from the beginning.
When the teacher tells Amelia to "glue herself to her seat" - that is literally what Amelia does. The following passage is typical of Amelia's take on the world:
At last it was time for lunch. "Do you feel like a sloppy joe?" asked the lady behind the lunch counter. "No!" said Amelia Bedelia. "Do I look like one?" "Here you are," said the lady. "I hope your eyes aren't bigger than your stomach." "Me too," said Amelia Bedelia. "They would not fit in my head."
As in all the Amelia Bedelia stories, Amelia enjoys great adventures while learning something new and demonstrating to readers that there is more than one way to interpret something. This story takes the familiar first-day-of-school confusion and turns it on its head. A very fun read.
Happy New Year! As any student will tell you, the new year doesn't begin January 1; it's the first day of school. Today it's heading toward another 95 degree day here in Atlanta, but it's "the new year"; the first day of school.If you've read First Grade Stinks, which is based on my daughter's struggles to adjust to a new teacher, you might guess that "Happy New Year" is not the way we greet the
2 Comments on Happy New Year!, last added: 8/13/2009
I'm so sorry about your Uncle James!<br /><br />Thanks so much for the great lesson plan! Many of my students are reluctant writers so I'm going to give it a try.
I'm sorry about your Uncle's death. He is one of the Greatest American Heroes. But even though they have left this world, we will never forget them, for they did not forget us...Pam<br /><br />PS: My grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge and my Uncle was a fighter pilot and is still living.
by Rob Scotton
HarperCollins 2008
I'm going to open with what was originally my closing paragraph. You can decide whether to read further after that.
Note to Publishers and Art Departments everywhere: you never look like greater fools than when you don't have any faith in your books and feel the need to use cover space for advertising copy. It doesn't matter if it's front or back cover,
0 Comments on Splat the Cat as of 10/1/2008 9:05:00 AM
Love your enthusiasm, Mary Lee! One of my kids will be in fourth grade -- I hope she has a teacher like you.
Thanks, Tabatha! I hope your child has a fabulous 4th grade year! It's the best age (but I might be a little biased about that)!!
Wow! That's all. Just wow. Our kids started yesterday but I'm sharing this with our teachers today.
Carol,
I knew you'd like it! I just wish I knew who wrote it so I could give proper credit and thanks for capturing the feeling of the first day(s) so perfectly!
And it seems just right that you would share this with your teachers -- my staff has gotten to know YOU a little through your beginning-of-the-year posts about families and names. :-)
Beautiful poem, Mary Lee. Going to send it off to my first-grade teacher sister now.
What a wonderful poem! Thanks for sharing. Here's to good teachers everywhere.
I'll definitely be sharing this with my fourth graders in a few weeks. There are so many great things going on in this poem, it will give us a lot to discuss. Thanks, Mary Lee!
Perfect poem that captures all those varied first day thoughts. Thanks so much, and have a FABULOUS year, Mary Lee!
What an inspiring poem! Wish I had read this when I was preparing my son for his first day of school years ago!
Laura Evans
Oh, yes! Yes!
Blessings and courage to all teachers and children as they begin anew...
Not to rush the last couple weeks of summer vacation, but wishing you a rewarding - and dazzling and profound - school year, Mary Lee.
(Question: why are the first 32 days important?)
Thank you all for your best wishes for all teachers! And your wish for courage, Amy!!
Toby -- Mrs. Bryner taught for 32 years, so she had 32 first days of school. I shared one of those with her, but our relationship continued as I moved from being her fourth grader, to her former student, to a college student preparing to be a teacher, to a young teacher, and finally, to an experienced teacher. I am the teacher I am today due in part to Mrs. Bryner's influence throughout the years.
ML, I love that you have your 4th grade teacher's picture! Great poem to share as we head into next week. Hope your first day is wonderful! After meeting most of my students today, I am very excited to start our community next week. I can only hope I influence someone next week in the way that Mrs. Bryner influenced you.
Loved it... I have a sneaking hunch she was probably married to a farmer. Most of my Southern Colorado teachers were!
I had three Danish teachers that were all sisters... Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Kimble, and Mrs. Hazlett. All sisters who moved back to southern Colorado to teach and help run their husband's farms.
I close my eyes and I can picture each of their rooms... Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Cannon, Mrs. Henrie, Mrs. Bishop, Mrs. Lamar, Mrs. Smith, and Mrs. Bogart! K-6, all great women and all teachers that I so respected.
I love first days!
Such lovely thoughts as we all approach our first day of school. Thank you for sharing. It touched my heart and says so much about those special teachers in our lives.
Wonderful poem! As I myself start in a new school this year, I must admit there's definitely many lines that certainly strike a chord.
How beautiful, this captures the essence of what we do as teachers, what we think, feel, what drives us to teach and keeps us coming back--all the while, inspiring something creative within. Thanks for posting!
I love this poem! I'm a teacher currently taking a break to stay home with my own children. This poem really takes me back to those thrilling first days of school. Thanks!
And 32 first days! Wow!
I just found your blog and I love it!