The Summer is right around the corner and I have to put together a fun teaching curriculum. Something to keep the children reading and doing math all the while learning and having fun. Being free. I have been reading a few books to give me ideas and also have some of my own.

To teach measurements, we can probably make a cake together – or jello. Jello would probably be better. (Autobiography of Dorothy Height)

Highlight Magazines:

get the children to write and mail/ email poetry to try to get it published

contest to see who can remember jokes/ riddles from the magazine

puzzles (quite time)

read the Stories in the magazine

Geography

Art in All of Us concept

– learning about different cultures from student body

-maps in classroom

-contact AiA to see if they can do a program with the children

Color Pages

-Recital

Piano in center

learn French/ Spanish  kiddy songs

learn to play some children music on piano – try Christian songs also

-Telephone

Children do a scrap book for summer/ school year

put all library/ neighborhood  pictures together

Fashion Show – “Kiddy” Fashions vs Adult Fashion ( Educating Esme)

Carnival Games

Ugly Ducking Match. Find the numbers that match on the bottoms of bobbing plastic ducks in a pond (tub)

Three Billy Goats Gruff Toss. Three beanbags through holes in a painted board.

make own creative bookmarks : cardboard , felt, pretty paper, glitter…ect…

kids keep summer journals

give children a chance to practice photography with one time use cameras

games from other cultures (ask my go Alaska group if they remember how to play that ball game the kids taught us)

Pen Pals (between center and library)

Read page 140-141 from Educating Esme

dressing from different cultures

write letters for next year kids on the last day and promising letters to themselves on the first day

Learning celebration at end of every week / unit

Three different age groups 5-6,7-9, 10-12

African American History- Theme: Who are You? Big, Bad, Ugly

Latino History

Unsung Heroes

Picture Books

Creative Dance Moves- a Latino or Black  famous Dancer, Jazz music – slow/fast- morning/ afternoon

take autobiography and make story- leave details out- fact finder

First day- everyone have their own historic figure – every week choose a child for their special day…

find connection- mini fun quiz – questions out loud

art movement – Harlem Renaissance Art(Drawing)

Langston Hugues  (poet)

both who Louis Armstrong and what is music

Songs : WHO WHO ARE YOU?

KEEP THEME IN EVERY CLASS- or similar less complicated for each age group

artist – where did they grow up

print out maps of USA, WORLD, AFRICA, ASIA…ect

teacher – student- student – teacher moments

Alexander Dumas – Three Musketeers- Show- Black-French- Songs- Helpful Phrases – Movie – play

make them teach younger groups- Alphabet Fair- kids have own lessons

spend day reading to them….the most interesting parts…library has the book

I don’t interfere much. I shouldn’t be so anthropological about it, but I am. I just let them live out the awfulness of childhood, like  I lived it out, and try to advise them to make choices that they can live with later on.

– Esme Raji Codell  (from Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year)

I think children ask the most innocent questions. I love their questions – sometime.

Lilly why do principals have to wear high heels?

I don’t know.

And skirts? Like You. Only theirs are shorter. And always black. With a black jacket.

I don’t know. Do your work.

This week I had to deal with many things but the one that bothered me most is the conversation I had with one of my students. It began when we were reading Clementine By Sara Pennypacker.  I wanted to know if she understood what sense of humor meant and one thing lead to another. She claims that she hates her sister and I figure that that is what siblings go through; however, when I spoke to her in private and when she allowed me to read her journal I got a little concern. Nevertheless, I know that it is not really her sister that is the problem but a list of things. I let her talk. I tried not to interrupt.

She talks to much. I can’t stand it when she talks to much. And when you talk, you can’t erase it. I’ll tell her a secret and she will tell everyone. I told her that I didn’t like my friend one time and she told the girl and my mom found out. Why can’t she just be quite?! Just be quite! I told her that I didn’t like my mom and I told her not to tell anyone but she told my aunt. I hate her! My mom is so serious. That’s why I don’t talk to her. I am scared of her. If my dad was here he will understand me. He would be on my side. But now I am in the battle alone and if she would just be quite I would win! At my old school we didn’t have this problem. At my old school everyone liked me. Not no one likes me. It makes me hate myself. Sometime I just want to kill myself. (Note to self, this is the second student to tell me this). And she cries. She cries all the time for nothing. I would just tell her….Like once she put her mouth on my book and I just asked her why she put her mouth on my book…not it has a lot of saliva and she just started crying. And every time she cries, I get in trouble. She could never be quite. I tell her to be quite. And she doesn’t. Then my uncle comes and tell my mom what is going on…And now I am becoming like her. I talk a lot. Like now. I don’t like talking. I like to hold it in. Why can’t she hold it in. See? I am talking to much right now! Why can’t she hold it in her heart? Like me? My mom is mean. She never laughs. And she always blame me. Then I get in trouble. (Sometimes I didn’t know if she was talking about her mom or sister) I know she doesn’t like fruits that much. And every time she start to eat one she never finishes. When we go to the market, she gets excited. And see all the different colors and types of fruits and get one to eat. And I tell her don’t do it because I know she will not like it after a few bites. But she gets it anyway. And then I have to eat the rest. And I don’t like that. And she always make noise. Why can’t she just be quite. Like yesterday, she was dancing around with a towel around her like she was a princess. It’s annoying. She always find something to talk about. Why can’t she just relax and watch tv?

Nope, rules won’t work. She never listens. See? she makes noise like that…

This conversation went on for 30 minuets to a hour.  She’ll cry then stop and start crying again. Sometimes I thought for sure she was talking about herself not her sister or her mom. Everything she said they did she also did!

Today I taught the children how to play mother may I . I felt good sharing some of my childhood with them.  After all, they always share theirs with me.

I had a beautiful day at the Library. I was able to read individually with each child. They quickly got off the computers and did their homework- mainly by themselves. I had to get ‘on’ the older students about Not taking notes in class. I’ve always took notes in class when I was their age. I wonder if their teacher don’t tell them to take notes or if they are practicing how to be rebellious . I have a great idea that it is the latter reason.

For the most part, everyone did their homework and read and that is always my goal.

I am glad because I am learning to lead myself ( “Before we can lead others, we must first learn how to lead ourselves” ). When I first started, I thought I knew everything about leading and guiding but the more I work with my darlings, I realize that I knew(and know) very little. And, I am very happy that they have patience with me as I have with them.

Remember when I told you that I was accused of having favoritism? Well, it just so happens that during their spring break (yes, they still came to the library on their break and felt I should too) all the students who felt this way, got together to talk to me about it….

The complaint was: ‘Lilly, you always treat her better than us.” They didn’t start to talk about it until I let everyone go to make Easter eggs and I  wanted her to read with me which made her cry. (Everyone else had already finished their reading for the day and she didn’t! I thought she’ll or they’ll understand. ) Anyways, she cried so hard and long that it scared me. I wasn’t (well, didn’t want to be) the big bad wolf anymore. I just humbled myself down. I told her she can go make an egg but she never went. Just kept on crying. Thank God for the darlings who made a little basket and eggs for her. It wasn’t till later on next week, they told me the real issue.

So I apologized to them. My personal reason is she needs extra help in some areas, the other ones do not need help in; however, I did not tell them that! I just apologized. Now, I try my best to treat her like everyone else and she is actually doing better. I must say. Maybe helping her the way I  thought was right wasn’t helping her that much. Maybe she took it as “I must be stupid or something, why is she always helping me more?”  The students were right. I wasn’t allowing her to think for herself or miss some dots on her i’s or crosses on t’s.

Some People cry because they are sad or mad

Some people cry because the sun is bright or because the airplane took flight

Some people cry because songs make them sad

The song  make me cry because I miss my dad

Like I am crying now

While doing spelling sentences, two of my students got very poetic. The last word to write a sentence for was Cry. And before you knew it, it was a poem we wrote, not a sentence.

When one of  the little girls came up with the second to last sentence, the children started talking about how much they miss their fathers. I did not know so many children I was working with were living in single parent homes. One little girl said she only see her father in the summer while someone else said that they never see their father another one said she never sees her dad even though he lives with her because he works so much. Every time he comes home, she is asleep. She cried afterwards. So we read a picture book together titled Night Shift Dad. Which made her day.

I walked so much that day. I remember how tired I was. I just got back from an interview and still had heels on. My feet were tired. So, what did I do? I took off my shoes. Not thinking anyone was watching me.

Now, why did I take off my shoes? It just about created a frenzy in the library!

Miss Lilly has her shoes off! Look!

Wow. It’s no shoe day. I’m taking off my shoes.

Me too.

Next thing I knew, just about all the children had no shoes on! What was I suppose to do? Tell them to put their shoes back on? Sneakers , shoes, and boots were all over the library.

Lilly, can I see your socks?

Lilly, you have socks on??

I was not about to show them my feet. I covered up my feet with my skirt.  But one of them ran to me and picked up my skirt off guard:

Miss Lilly doesn’t have any socks on! I knew it!

After she hopped away, I put my shoes back on. After all, I was already getting tired of feet. Yeah, feet. I could smell it strong. And more kids were coming and taking off their shoes.

Sandy, why do you have your shoes off?

Because it’s no shoe day. Wanna smell my feet?

eww, put your feet down.

Wanna smell? smell?

I secretly promised that day that no matter what I do I will be careful around  my students. Things that I don’t even think they are looking at, they are looking at. Really closely.

It’s always that thing I think don’t matter that matters the most to them.