Today was our busiest day yet!! We had 14 students! The students were split up into different groups. We all did the same activities, but on different skill levels. The 2-3 year old made ducks with more teacher assistance and the 4's had to be more creative with their scissors and had less help. We made butter using plastic baggies instead of baby food jars. This way seem to be less tiring for the children. We spread the butter on bread and ate it. When it was time to get ready to leave, I must admit it felt a bit chaotic, but mostly because the children do not want to leave. We teachers spent the afternoon reflecting on this busy day wondering what went well and what areas need a bit more work. Starting tomorrow we will make sure the children are on the carpet when the parents come to pick them up. This will make it easier for the parents. I find most parents have a hard time getting their little ones to leave. Also, we will be moving the cubbies behind the gate so that the children can get their jacket and shoes without going near the front door. It will also help keep their jackets and shoes in one spot.
I just love to see all the little friendships happening at our school. My little Savas has met so many wonderful friends. We have such a wonderful little community in our school. Thanks again parents for letting us teach and play with your little ones.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
What's happening at Discovery Garden
For the past few weeks I have been brainstorming how our afternoon schedule might look. I like the idea of keeping the preschool operating only in the morning from 8:30-1. Most parents show up around nine, so Ms. Lindsay and I are tweaking the schedule just a bit. For the afternoons, I would like invite parent groups to the school for open discovery learning. Also, we will be adding enrichment discovery workshops and classes. One of the classes we want to offer is a kindergarten prep class. The class would teach basic reading and writing skills in fun creative ways. We will also teach the students basic computation skills.
On weekends we will have music class at 10:30 and most likely French around 11:00. I'm also thinking of adding a parent night out twice a month on Saturday evenings. There have been quite a few requests for PNO. We will be working over the next few weeks putting together a schedule of all the classes to be offered at DGLC.
Another idea I have been toying with is talking with the City of Bellevue about a piece of wooded area near us that we could turn into a garden. Ms. Lindsay and I drove around the viewpoint park area looking for an ideal location. I hope this is something the city would be interested in. I am trying to find many ways to get the students out to enjoy nature. Luckily, we have a creek in walking distance with a waterfall. Apparently, this creek is home to salmon and trout! If you drive down NE 20th, the business complex next to ours has a creek in front of it. Lately, just next to our outdoor area there has been plenty of chickadees and every now and then you can spot a bald eagle! Soon we will be setting out bird feeders that we make and create a bird food line that helps us find what foods birds prefer. I feel fortunate that we have a bit of space to work with on these nature activities. Plenty of exciting activities to come.
I love teaching! When we study units, I find that I learn new things along the way. The salamanders are a great example! Recently, scientist have discovered they have algae in their cells! This is an amazing discovery. I did notice algae around the eggs which helped me realize they were not frog eggs. So watching these frog and salamander eggs develop has been quite fascinating for us teachers. You might catch us on our hands and knees with magnifying glasses! Our spark of interest gets the students more interested. AHH the beauty of discovery learning.
On weekends we will have music class at 10:30 and most likely French around 11:00. I'm also thinking of adding a parent night out twice a month on Saturday evenings. There have been quite a few requests for PNO. We will be working over the next few weeks putting together a schedule of all the classes to be offered at DGLC.
Another idea I have been toying with is talking with the City of Bellevue about a piece of wooded area near us that we could turn into a garden. Ms. Lindsay and I drove around the viewpoint park area looking for an ideal location. I hope this is something the city would be interested in. I am trying to find many ways to get the students out to enjoy nature. Luckily, we have a creek in walking distance with a waterfall. Apparently, this creek is home to salmon and trout! If you drive down NE 20th, the business complex next to ours has a creek in front of it. Lately, just next to our outdoor area there has been plenty of chickadees and every now and then you can spot a bald eagle! Soon we will be setting out bird feeders that we make and create a bird food line that helps us find what foods birds prefer. I feel fortunate that we have a bit of space to work with on these nature activities. Plenty of exciting activities to come.
I love teaching! When we study units, I find that I learn new things along the way. The salamanders are a great example! Recently, scientist have discovered they have algae in their cells! This is an amazing discovery. I did notice algae around the eggs which helped me realize they were not frog eggs. So watching these frog and salamander eggs develop has been quite fascinating for us teachers. You might catch us on our hands and knees with magnifying glasses! Our spark of interest gets the students more interested. AHH the beauty of discovery learning.
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