Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Mindless Ramblings (grumblings) of a preschool teacher,
I love my job. Love it. I get hugs from 13 children at least 3 times a day. I get to play with playdough, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, doll houses, kitchen sets, glitter (and it's not at MY house AND there is someone else to vacuum it all up), read my favorite children's books over and over, watch the imagination of our next generation take flight, and look at the future with awe. AND i get PAID to do it. So what is up you ask?
If your child is ill...please don't give said child tylenol and bring him/her to school. Just don't. ALSO, don't TELL your child's teacher you gave your child tylenol at 7:00, but his/her fever is down now, so he/she should be fine. Because, honestly, I will tell you, "I'm sorry, you will need to take your child home, give them plenty of love and rest, and they may come back when they have been fever free for 24 hours." In my head I might be wanting to say, Are you smoking crack? (thanks aunt brammy for lending me one of your favorite quotes) and please keep him/her home until they are well.
We are learning about winter weather this week. Why it is important to dress warmly for the weather, (cooked chicken skin in the freezer best represents what happens to skin when it freezes, it just doesn't turn funky colors), how snow is formed (it forms around a piece of dust. I use a the smallest piece of confetti i can find, think grain of salt small, and glue it to a piece of paper. Then pass it around to the kids.)
Sometimes, we make snow cones too! lol.. that is usually a Friday and at the END of our day.
One of the best things I have discovered as a parent and teacher is how well animated literacy helps with letter recognition and letter sounds. Riles preschool teacher, the very bestest Mrs. Barney, introduced us to the video "Letter Factory" by Leap Frog. The. BEST. video. EVER. This video, which takes you on a factory tour of the letter factory and teaches children the letters and sounds of the alphabet, makes learning fun. Now, I have the fridge phonics and word whammer from leap frog. Riley still plays with hers, and the kiddos at school love the one I have there, but this video helps do wonders. I show this video once a month. Usually the last Friday of the month, but sometimes we have been known to bust it out in the middle. It doesn't take long before the students sing along, and start recognizing the letters of the abc's.
Go get it. You will not be sorry.
whimp

3 comments:

supermom said...

ok, ok, i will have to go look at it. i have heard from other people that it is great. so, will check out walmart to see if they still have it. you pulled my arm a little bit.

Cindy said...

Where do we get it and is it a book, just a video that needs no 'player?'.

Wendy said...

it is a dvd in the leapfrog section at walmart.
whimp