How do you get kindergarteners to start writing?

Ok, so the year is off to a good start. Your bulletin boards look great, all your cubbies are labeled, your parent letters have all been sent. Now you have to teach them to write…..

Today kindergarten is so much more than reading, writing, and arithmetic. We often have kids coming to us that need so much more than the basics. With each year that goes by I find myself feeling more and more like a social worker, a mother, a counselor and that’s just to the parents!!!!

If we want our student to be successful in school we need to make sure they leave us being able to read and write.  Let’s look at writing. How on earth do you get kids to write when they barely write their name? This is the challenge of kindergarten. 

So let’s roll up our sleeves and figure it out.

Kindergarten writing begins with drawing pictures and dictating.  If we begin to think about writing as thoughts on paper we begin to see drawings differently. Let the kids draw! Let them draw about themselves. Draw about their family, their favorite foods, what they did on the playground.   Let them be free, and you do the writing. Have them dictate what is going on in the picture and you write it down. Every kid I know watches you write their words with intensity. For many of our kids it will be the first time they have “seen” their thoughts in print. It’s a powerful moment for them, and it sets the tone. It tells the kids  “You have a voice, and that voice can be written down and read.”

Let them see themselves as authors.  Each journey begins with a single step. True for us and true for them. It’s so important for them to see themselves differently. Kindergarten is a sacred time, when kids start to see themselves as more competent, more able. They will learn to read and write this year and that transition is so empowering.  We have “book talk” in my class. It’s a time the kids are able to read their “book” to the whole class. I have an authors’ chair they sit in when they read to the class.  For some it may be just telling about their drawing, “This is me and my mom” for others it can be way more elaborate.  “The owl uses his talons to catch the mouse”.  The point is to have them change their mindset to believe they are writers and their writing is important.  Start the first week.

Make it a habit. Writing, like reading and tying your shoes, takes practice. They need to do it everyday. Make sure you have a writing center they can access daily. Add all kinds of fun markers, pens, twisty crayons  (I don’t know what it is about twisty crayons but my kids love them) to entice even the most hesitant student.  Add paper that is typically not used, envelopes, note pads, long thin register tape, anything that looks interesting.

   

There are 3 types of writing that kindergarteners need to accomplish opinion, informative and narrative. 

Opinion is so easy and the kids are very familiar with this type. I have never met a child who didn’t have an opinion about a topic. “My favorite animal is”, “My favorite food is” the list goes on and on.

 Informative writing is giving more detail. Informative writing tells something about a topic. Using non-fiction books and having the kids respond to the text is a skill they will need throughout their years in school. If your state has adopted Common Core you will hear text dependent writing over and over.  An apple has seeds. The pumpkin is orange.

Finally there is narrative. This type of writing tells a story. The kids describe an event and put some order into a story. We go to gym and then we have lunch.  I eat dinner then I have a bath.  The princess went into the woods and a zombie ate her. (actual story by Jayden, my kids were seriously into zombies last year)

Giving them the “write” tools  (get it?)  the “write” tools. Seriously our job is to give the kids the tools and strategies they need to be successful.  Unit word walls, writing prompts, sentence starters, and cooperative writing these are all the strategies to help them on their way.  We’ll be looking at each of these in detail in the coming weeks… stay tuned.

Remember writing in kindergarten is really just storytelling, and kindergarteners love to tell stories, so we are half way there.  Don’t forget that being a kindergarten teacher is powerful work. We begin to shape how kids see themselves. Take this super power seriously.

Grab these writing prompts.

 


Check out my newest post in this series, How to make writing more than just narrative.

Are your kindergarten students ready?

It's no secret I love kindergarten. Every year we get the pleasure of seeing these children come in to school in September as babies, and leave as first graders. It's awesome to watch, I'm amazed every year at their growth. But I'm also amazed every September at how young they are, what little skills they have. So many just are not ready for kindergarten. But guess what? Ready or not here they come.

One of the first skills we work on is fine motor skills. The kids are going to need to color, cut and write. Let's talk about cutting. Yikes, every year it seems like I have more and more kids who literally don't know how to hold a scissors, never mind cut a straight line. Over my career I have learned a few tricks to help kids cut. I'm happy to share with you.

#1 Let them cut straws. Gather up some of the straws from the cafeteria and let them cut them. Straws are perfect for cutting because they are familiar to the kids and they are easy to hold. A straw stays still, no flopping over.  The kids love to make "candles" with the straws and put them on play doh to make a birthday cake. Try it, it's awesome!

#2  So let's talk about play doh.  One of the greatest tools in our teacher chest. Have the kids roll out a "snake" and cut the play doh. It's not as stiff as a straw, but it works great.  Having kids cut items that they usually don't cut takes away any fear of "not doing it right" There is no right way to cut play doh, just have fun. The kids wont even know they are working on cutting.

#3 Make a mosiac. Give the kids lots of construction paper scrapes and have them cut them up into small pieces. Cut up yellow and glue it on a bus template, cut up red and glue on an apple template. You get the idea. Again there is no right or wrong way to cut the pieces, you can even tear some. Take away the pressure and kids will shine.

                                              saved from mymontessorijourney.typepad.com

#4 Use tag board. One of the biggest problems with cutting is holding the paper correctly. If you use tag board the paper is easier to hold hence easier to cut.

#5 Cut thin pieces of paper not whole pages. Again a thin piece of paper is easier to hold and the kids will have more success.

#6 Give them something to hold onto. I use papers with little graphics on them for the kids to place their thumb on. It helps remind them to move their hand up the paper as they cut. Here's a sample of my fall themed resource here.

Need new ideas about what to do with your I Pad?

So you just got some new I pads, now what? Are you looking for something new to do with your students?  What’s the best way to embrace new technology in the classroom?

Have you heard about Boom Learning?  It. Is. So. Cool.  No more printing, cutting, or laminating. I love bright and shiny new laminated centers just as much as the next guy, but let’s face it, it can be a lot of work. Boom Learning is awesome. You can use it on your I pads, chrome books, laptops, pretty much anything that has a screen. 

It is a new platform that uses teacher made resources for your students. The students access “decks” which are basically digital task cards. Boom will give you reports about how many the kids completed correctly and how fast they finished. Each child in your class can work on the same deck or on different decks. This is a perfect way to differentiate in the classroom. All the kids can be working on Boom and they can all be working on different levels. Because in 30 years of teaching I have never had a class where everyone is working on the same level.

So you can get to Boom here, and this is what you will see. 

You’ll need to sign up for a membership so they can keep your records. There are different levels; Starter is free and it’s a great way to start to look around Boom and see what it’s all about. If you teach in elementary school you’ll probably want the Basic level, it costs $5 a year and you can add 80 students and make decks for your students. You’ll also get 500 points which is worth $5 which can be spent buying decks other teacher authors have made. If you want to check out what I  have made, here’s the link to my store.
Here's a sample of what is available. 

The decks usually cost 10 cents a card. So if you buy a deck with 24 cards it will most likely cost 240 points or $2.40.  Once you have an account you can add your students. I teach kindergarten so I add all my kid’s names to my class and give them all a password.  Each student gets a cute little animal face.  They use that to log in.

You can assign different decks to different students. When they sign in they go to their assignment tab and get to work. Once they are done, you'll be able to access their reports. The reports give you the number of correct answers and the time it took to complete the task. 

Check out my store and preview the decks so you get an idea what this is all about. You can get started with a free membership and play around with creating decks, or upgrade and have someone else do the creating.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. I love Boom and I think you will too.

What's a BEE BOT?

I love robots and so do my kids. Honestly, bring a robot out anywhere and everyone takes notice. If you don’t have a BEE BOT you should seriously consider buying one. They are sold on both Amazon and Lakeshore.  The sky’s the limit with BEEBOTs. I always say robotics is not something new to teach.  Bee Bots and robotics are simply a new way of teaching.

Even your most reluctant student gets interested when you bring out the BEE BOT. My most challenging kids NEVER have behavioral issues during robotics. Hmm maybe we should spend some time thinking about that last sentence. No behavioral challenges when we use robots? Really? Really!
                                         

 The kids are practicing complex thinking, and problem solving.  They are actively engaged, and did I mention no one has behavioral challenges. You had me at no behavioral challenges. 

                                    What is a BEE BOT?

A BeeBot is a small robot that looks just like a little bee. It takes very simple commands. Forward, back, turn right and turn left. That's it. Simple. But oh the possibilities are endless.

                                                                                   

There is something about using a robot that levels the playing field.  The vast majority of my kids  (so far, that means 100%) have never seen a robot up close and personal. Everyone has zero background experience. That is powerful for my kids who have challenging home lives. It’s usually the first time they start at the same place as my kids who come from homes that are filled with enriching activities.

BEE BOTs are awesome. The kids have no idea they are learning to code. They just love that little guy. The lights, the sounds, the movement, are you kidding me who doesn’t love that! 

If you are looking for BEE BOT resources. I am adding to my list every week. These resources are designed to be cut out and put together to make a mat. Don't feel like cutting, taping, and laminating?? I have started to offer fully assembled mats sent directly to you.

How do I start reading groups in Kindergarten??

Whether your new to kindergarten this year, or you're a veteran. The question remains, where do you begin reading groups when the kids can't read??  Kindergarten reading groups often don’t involve any “reading” in the way parents typically think. They may not actually read “I see the fat cat.” until the end of the year. But don’t be fooled, the ground work that is laid in the first half of kindergarten is crucial to being a successful reader.
            
  But where do we start? The answer is simple...letter naming.  I don't just mean they can memorize the letters. That's just not enough. Kindergarten students need to identify the letters out of order, in both upper and lower case and in different fonts. A child’s ability to quickly name letters is an indicator of whether they will be a successful reader or one that struggles. Don’t race through this critical step!!! 

This is where we start. The very first step in learning to read is knowing how to recognize the characteristics that make a letter different from other letters. Our youngest learners need experience noticing these small differences. Don’t skip over this step or rush through it, if you do you children will struggle later on. Are you starting to notice a trend? Don't rush, kids need to truly see all the features of a letter. Children must be able to make the distinctions in letters before they begin to match sounds to letters. It’s worth spending a little extra time on this crucial step. Our goal is for the children to have experience with letters. To really notice the differences. To hold letters in their hands, to draw letters in sand, to make letters out of play doh. Does this letter have a long stick? h or a short stick? n. Is there a circle? a or no circle? t Do they realize a letter is the same regardless of the font? Do they notice that g  is the same letter regardless of the font? These are all very important abilities when learning about letters. Children need experience seeing letters in different fonts, sorting letters by their characteristics, and matching upper to lowercase letters. They not only need to know the name of each letter, but each unique shape. 

 Whether you agree with the common core or not, for many of us, it will dictate what our administrators expect to see in our classes. Under the category of Print Concepts we find the goals for letter knowledge. 
 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.D Recognize and name all upper- and lowercase letters of the alphabet. 
 I agree we need students to name all the letters of the alphabet, but I think this simple goal glosses over such an important skill. It’s not enough to just name the letters. Simple drill with flashcards can get kids to memorize the names. We need to go deeper. We need kids to really see the characteristics of letters, to understand they look different in different fonts. We need them to have experience in hands on centers. 

 What about NAEYC??? For anyone who works in early childhood education you already now that NAEYC is the gold standard for everything kindergarten. So what do they say about learning to read and letter knowledge? How does this align with building your NAEYC portfolio?
 2.E.03 Children have opportunities to become familiar with print. They are actively involved in making sense of print. They have opportunities to become familiar with, recognize, and use print that is accessible throughout the classroom: 
 2.E.07 Children are given opportunities to recognize letters. 

 It should be our goal to be intentional when we teach. If we know why we are doing what we are doing and the children know what they are doing our goals can be met faster and more accurately. I use student objective sheets for my letter activities. I just copy, laminate and place these in plastic frames as a table top reminder to the children.

 So many people who do not teach kindergarten think we “just play all day”. I can honestly say my students work hard, and frankly so do I. We have goals and objectives just like everyone else. These sheets help other staff and administrators understand we teach with intention. My principal loves to see these table top objective sheets when she visits. It helps her understand my goal.

For a complete resource of how to teach letter knowledge to kindergarteners, check out my comprehensive Letter Knowledge packet

5 Ways to Start Off The Year Right With Parents.

That time of year is getting closer. Whether you go back to school in August or September (or gasp!) July, the kids are starting to get ready to come back. This time can be especially exciting if your child is going off to kindergarten. You can bet that at every party and cookout this summer the little kiddos have been asked if they are excited about going to kindergarten.  Not to mention the parents. Sending your child off to kindergarten is such a happy time it's also a time filled with a little trepidation. 

This year the poem I send out every year is a little more poignant as I send my "baby" off to college. (sniff, sniff)

Thoughts at the Bottom of a Beanstalk

Once upon a time there was a little boy named Jack who was about to climb his very first beanstalk. He had a fresh haircut and a brand-new book bag. Even though his friends in the neighborhood had climbed this same beanstalk almost every day last year, this was Jack's first day and he was a little nervous. So was his mother.

Early in the morning she brought him to the foot of the beanstalk. She talked encouragingly to Jack about all the fun he would have that day and how nice his giant would be. She reassured him that she would be back to pick him up at the end of day. For a moment they stood together, silently holding hands, gazing up at the beanstalk. To Jack it seemed much bigger than it had when his mother had pointed it out on the way to the store last week. His mother thought it looked big, too. She swallowed. Maybe she should have held Jack out a year...

Jack's mother straightened his shirt one last time, patted his shoulder and smiled down at him. She promised to stay and wave while he started climbing. Jack didn't say a word. He walked forward, grabbed a low-growing stem, and slowly pulled himself up to the first leaf. He balanced there for a moment and then climbed more eagerly to the second leaf, then to the third and soon he had vanished into a high tangle of leaves and stems with never a backward glance at his mother. She stood alone at the bottom of the beanstalk, gazing up at the spot where Jack had disappeared. There was no rustle, no movement, no sound to indicate that he was anywhere inside. "Sometimes," she thought, "it's harder to be the one who waves good-bye than it is to be the one who climbs the beanstalk."

She wondered how Jack would do. Would he miss her? How would he behave? Did his giant understand that little boys sometimes acted silly when they felt unsure? She fought down an urge to spring up the stalk after Jack and maybe duck behind a bean to take a peek at how he was doing. "I'd better not. What if he saw me?" She knew that Jack was really old enough to handle this on his own. She reminded herself that after all, this was thought to be an excellent beanstalk and that everyone said his giant was not only kind but had outstanding qualifications. "It's not so much that I'm worried about him," she thought, rubbing the back of her neck. "It's just that he's growing up and I'm going to miss him." Jack's mother turned to leave. "Jack's going to have lots of bigger beanstalks to climb in his life" she told herself. "Today's the day he starts practicing for them... And today's the day I start practicing something too: Cheering him on and waving good-bye."

--Author Unknown

Meeting the parents can be exciting or filled with mishaps. It does almost feel like meeting the in laws for the first time. As a teacher you are responsible for your kids, but we also have a responsibility to the parents. Trust me, I've sent 3 of my own kids off to kindergarten and this summer my first off to college. You can't forget the parents. If you're hoping for a terrific year, you NEED the parents on your side.  First impressions are everything so here are my top 5 tips taken from 30 years of experience.


#1 
Let them know you care about their child.
Duh, right?  But, seriously, you need the parents to know you care about THEIR child. Get down on your knees, look the child in their eye, spend your time talking to the little one. I'm not saying you should ignore the adults, but your focus should be on making the kids comfortable. Even though my kids are older, I can tell you I have a soft spot for anyone who is kind or has been kind to my kids. 

#2
Let them know you're smart.
You are in charge of teaching their little love to read. The parents want to know you know what you are doing. Now is the time to brag a little. If you're a new teacher tell them where you went to school, if you are a little older (cough, like me) tell them about how many years of experience you have. Channel your mother and pretend she is introducing you. You won an award? Let them know. You spent the summer learning a new skill? Tell them. Tell them all the wonderful things about you that your mother brags about.  They want to know you know what you're doing. They want to know you have a plan for their child, whether they are already reading or they don't know any letters yet. Parents want to know you have a plan for addressing their child's unique needs. Be careful, don't use lingo. Educators LOVE acronyms, we use them for everything. Don't use them with parents!!!  

#3 
Let them know you are "in charge" 
We all have heard horror stories about bullies in school and even worse, school violence. Luckily most of us will never face those issues, but we will face kids who tease, push, tattle, are noncompliant, and who frustrate not only us, but also the other kids. The kids will go home and tell their parents about "that" kid who always seems to be in trouble. Let the parents know you have strategies for developing a culture that is supportive to all kids. Let them know your values about classroom management. If you have need a couple extra strategies check here. Your parents want to feel confident in your ability to have control of the class.

#4
Let them know you are available.
We all have different levels of comfort when it comes to how available we want to be with parents.  I give my parents my cell phone number with the caveat that I like texts, not calls. I let my parents know I don't always check my phone until I get home, so texts may not be responded to immediately.  Set the boundaries early, I let parents know that I will get back to them within 24 hours, but don't expect immediate responses. A great way to stay in contact with parents is Class DOJO if you haven't signed up yet, do it now. Seriously it's an awesome way to communicate with parents. If you haven't checked out Google forms you need to educate yourself on how helpful they can be in a class. As long as your parents know how to contact you and they are clear with expectations you'll be fine.

#5 Let them know what to expect
Make sure they know the routines and schedules. What door do I pick up my walker? How much does lunch cost? Do we need to send a snack?  How do I know about picture day? Can I volunteer? How many field trips? Will there be daytime concerts?  You think the kids ask a lot of questions? Yikes, parents can have tons of questions. Get in front of the questions and write down the answers, and hand it out, again, and again. Seriously the parents are being inundated with paper work at the beginning of the year, send this information every month for a couple of months. Prepare for long lines at the copy machine. 

 I love teaching because it's a fresh start every fall. We get to work like we are in the Ground Hog Day movie. Take advantage of starting off on the right foot.  Remember "Sometimes, it's harder to be the one who waves good-bye than it is to be the one who climbs the beanstalk." Let's have a great year!!!

You can get a copy of the beanstalk poem here