Kindergarten Rocks

Over the past two days I've been at our annual teachers/educators convention. It was wonderful to be with almost 1800 other educators - teachers, SEAs, support staff and admin from many schools throughout BC and Washington state.  I learned so much! I am still processing it and will continue to process over the next few weeks.  There was a weather workshop where we were taught some great hands-on activities to do in our weather units. I'm looking forward to trying those out this school year.  I attended a class on boundaries. That was interesting, and will be useful information for school, home and every part of life with other people! I felt a bit like I was attending a marriage conference without my husband, though, so it was a bit different than I was expecting.  The final workshop that I attended (besides the 3 that I led) was called Maker Space Ed. In my classroom this year I have set up a "Maker Space" and this is what I was anticipating the class to be...

Kindergarten Self-Portraits are always adorable! I love how 4 and 5 year olds see themselves. Some years I have the students draw in pencil and then I go over in black sharpie before they paint. This year, after seeing the beautiful artwork in another K class, I had my students paint over their pencil drawings and then I added black crayon over top. I like both methods, although it was hard to see some of the drawings after they had painted, so I may go back to doing the sharpie first. This also gives kids an easier time of seeing their drawing.  

I was scrolling through an old blog of mine from back when I was a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and saw this post. This teacher, Ms C, is the reason I believed I could teach Kindergarten! I am in my 6th year of Kindergarten and my 19th year as a teacher. (that can't be right, can it?!). Ms C. was all three of my kids' Kindergarten teacher and she was (and still is!!) amazing! Here's the link:  Scott's K teacher

Here are some of the creative works of art the kids have been painting in my Art Kids! classes. These were still life studies and we used watercolour pencils and water brushes.  

This post is from my "Art Kids" teaching days, back in 2012 In last week's art lesson, we used acrylic paints. First, we masked off geometric shapes on canvas, using basic masking tape, then filled it in with acrylic paint that was colour-mixed to perfection! Here are a few of the results....  

Twenty Minutes A Day By Richard Peck Read to your children Twenty minutes a day; You have the time,  And so do they. Read while the laundry is in the machine; Read while the dinner cooks; Tuck a child in the crook of your arm  And reach for the library books. Hide the remote, Let the computer games cool, For one day your children will be off to school: Remedial? Gifted? You have the choice; Let them hear the first tales In the sound of your voice. Read in the morning; Read over noon; Read by the light of Goodnight Moon. Turn the pages together, Sitting close as you'll fit, Till a small voice beside you says,  Hey, don't quit.