First Week Update

In the first couple on days we accomplished coming to  Morning Meeting, drawing about our favorite things, block building and the clean up procedure. My highlight of the week was Friday.  On Friday we introduced BLOCKS!! Yay!

Interactive Modeling and Exploration of Block Play


The block area is one of the most popular places in an early childhood learning space.  The children are able to build, crash, create, and imagine with full speed ahead. They make friends, buildings, countries, parks, beach front properties, ramps, highways, and the list goes on. These were aspects that proved to be true for my Adelphi Apples!

During our first days of school, I have discovered that my kinders are thoughtful and creative during this time.  I observed children planning there structures or quietly building with the intent of discovering what the structure will become when they finish.  Our class went through many changes while building there structures. I can attribute that to nature but also the readalouds, "Changes, Changes by Pat Hutchins" and  "Building a House by Byron Barton.  Kids referred to these two books while building as well. This made me happy that I chose to have a section of building books in the block space.

Check out our block space our amazing structures!

                                                  A museum amphitheater

                                             Building a house, check out that entranceway

                                               Look at the lines and curves on this building

                                                           Playground space

                                                     A parent's workplace inspiration

                                                               A class view

The First Day of School

We had our first day of school today: Ethan is in Kindergarten and I am a new Kindergarten teaching. Even after teaching for 8 years, nerves buckle up in my stomach the whole day.  I worry about detail, the big picture, and creating a nurturing environment. I anticipated meeting my little ones today. After I met all of them today, I love my kinders!!! It is going to be a great year...

Anticipation of the New Year

Wow, this has been a whirl wind of the past couple of days creating this blog. It has been a labor of love because I wanted to have the right look and feel out there in the teacher blogosphere. :) I have been wanting to capture these moments of preparation and excitement for the upcoming school year at Arts & Letters as a parent and a teacher.  I have a complete blog design, signature and working on a few other cool elements to my blog. I want it to be a one stop shop for everything Kindergarten for my kinders and parents.

As a parent, I am so eager and happy that Explorer E starts his first official school year. (Although he has been in a day school setting since he was 1) He is excited to get his new bookbag, lunchbox, and all things  Kindergarten related.

This school and staff has been a blessing in my life and I can't wait to get started with the upcoming school year!