#Kinderchat Archive
#Kinderchat, glue, glitter, gogurt, bringing daily joy to twitter. Find us Mondays, 9 pm EST and 8:30PM London time when we talk all things Early Years!
Monday September 19, 2016
Come out, come out, wherever you are! It's time! Say hello, where you are, and share how many kiddos in your class this yr!
Amy here, moderating from The Canada. My KG classes are max 20 kiddos.
Courtney here K 22 Ss now, started w/28.
Whoa! You've lost 6 already?
Hello ! I'm Alyssa from Maine. I have 20 kindergarteners!
Welcome! That is a nice round number! Do you have a TA, or are you on your own?
I teach PreK and I"m now to twitter chats
Welcome! How many kiddos do you have in your class?
we created a 5th class...they're still at school...just in a new class. :)
Hello I’m afraid to say how many in my class for fear of retribution and I’ll jinx it (…..14…..)
I do have a TA for almost half day in broken segments during the day.
NICE! I taught 12 once, and it was dreamy!
It really is! After 20 last year, this is a dream. But I know more will come my way, the year is young
Hi, Jodi from MN. ECSE teacher and Professional Development Facilitator for EC Special Education.
Hi everyone! Erin from Wisconsin. I have 24 kiddos in my room. No aide...yet
12 is the optimal number for kindergarten in my opinion
Whew! You are inching toward the Miss Binney award again!
For the next hour, my tweets are all yours, ! (and my horrible typing)
Nice! Don't forget to add the hashtag so everyone can see your tweets!
Looking forward to tonight!!!
my coworker has 26 kindergartners! Our 3rd grade teachers have 28!!
Hi ! Will here. K teacher 22 Ss.
Thanks! I'm still learning twitter
YAY! So glad you are here!
Liane, Abbotsford BC Canada. 20 littles this year!14 bs, 6 gs.I did not have them moving enough this rainy day. Lesson Learned
Q1: Based on your experience w/ 4 and 5 yr old students, do you agree with the findings of the article?
My colleague began the yr w/ 31!!
Ouch! Y'all must be TIRED!
Btw, congratulations to your team on clinching a spot into the post-season!
Hi ! I'm Michelle from BC, Canada and I have 22 darlings in my KinderPals class this year.
Yikes So manny kiddos! Herding kittens!
Oh, wow!!! I'm alittle green here.
Thanks! It is definitely a good year to be a Cubs fan! Hopefully they’ll kick it in and win tonight too!
I find it so interesting that childcare ratios are 1:10 for 5 yr olds, but in a school classroom, no mandatory ratio at all.
I had 20 last year, so I’m not complaining. But I know we’ll get more before the year is through
Hello! How's it going back east?
Good! Wet and rainy all day here too!
I'm happy for you that your Cubbies are doing well. :) (Hard for me to say!!)
A1 Yes! And I am finding the children (even though they are fidgety) have less stamina than in the past.
Well, your boys took 3 of the last 4 so there is that!
A1) To a certain extent. I definitely think that tech plays a role in child dev. Ss come in expecting instant answers.
I feel like we're packed in like sardines with 22.
Different agencies with different rules I guess
A1b) I also think standards are not always developmentally approp. These two things work against Ss.
A1a: I find, this year especially, that physically a lot of kids aren’t ready for K- fine motor is lagging
I really cannot imagine 2 more munchkins in the room. We have a decent space,but that'd be squishy.
A1b: Kids know “academics” (letters & numbers) but can’t hold a pencil or colour. I really notice it this year
A1: I have a huge fine motor need in my class this year.
A1: Hav seen an increase in referrals related to motor skills and self regulation skills which are supported by movement activ.
At times we are tripping over each other and lining up is trickier, too.
I notice this 2. Tablet tech, for ex, does not req. fine motor. Do u think Ss spend less time draw/color now?
A1: Yes. I find children struggle with moving around the classroom. Many have balance issues, and struggle to sit while eating
And scissor skills are non-existent. Parents don't sit with their kids to work on fine motor.
I definitely do! People worry about letters & numbers- which is not nearly as imp, IMO as fine motor skills
I had a student who literally did not know how to colour. Literally did not know. But he knew all his letters and numbers...
I notice the sitting thing, too - can't sit on chairs, or on floor unsupported.
A 1: Motor skills are terrible. Behaviors are up. Pre-k following scripted programming. Boo Owls Program.
A1: We have our first wave of "containerized" infants coming to school, they had diff. motor experiences, impacting skills.
this year academics are good but don't know how to interact with each other. Lots of social needs this year
Q2: What impact do dimished reflexes and motor skills have on a child's classroom progress?
I have several floppers this yr....they flop...not controlled.
Weird numbers this year. I teach two 1/2 day sessions. 23 in my morning and 11 in my afternoon.
I can't stay but 1. Follow . Essential for moving kids 2. Did an assess on skip, hop, jump were interesting hmm:(
Yes! Play doh and scissors is a very popular exploration right now.Ss say they've never sut before.
That was me last year. This year it’s the fine motor. We hyper focus on one thing to the exclusion of others
A2) Ss have to b given time 2 develop these skills but standards, dist expectations may not allow 4 this time
Argg. Plus no fine motor without gross - this is such an amazing topic, will check the archives for sure
Yes. For the first time I see Ss who can't cross legs. working on legs in front first. Many want to lay down.
more W sitting, lack core strength, criss cross applesauce is torture for many of these Ss.
Me too. Learning how to work as a team!
We have a Ready for K night for 3&4 yr olds. We give them scissors & tell parents to have fun w cutting activities.
any tips that you use with the social stuff? My usual things aren't seeming to work?
Let me think and I’ll get back to you!
I have had MANY parents tell me they worry their kids will cut themselves. DO IT *WITH* THEM!
A2: Children unable to do the high expectations they have on our kinders today.
Hello from rainy northern Saskatchewan, sorry to be late but had some grandma duties to tend to
Q2: Functional/self help skills have a motor base, need more assistance and time to complete self help skills.
Or “Big Brother” cut their hair/clothes so I didn’t want this one too
Yes! Many default to lying down in my class, too.
It's the same with play doh. Do it with them, give them boundaries.
Grandma duties trump Melva!
They look at me like I’m cracked in the head!
Hey say hi & welcome . She's an awesome kinder aid at a French immersion school in Minnesota doing great things
A2: we are spending a lot of extra time building up stamina in both fine and gross motor skills. Academics can wait
Yep! It's like "what do you mean I have to PLAY w/ my child?" How else will they learn?
true but this was helping mum discipline & not much fun, walls are being washed by he who sprayed the juice
May not be fun, but worth it in the long run, right?
Q2: Under developed sensory integration due to lack of a variety of motor play, poor motor planning.
A2: Student frustration ramps up as they see others succeeding at tasks they want to do. They feel discouraged, and behind.
A2 Diminished motor skills makes EVERYTHING harder and more frustrating for the child.
A2: It impacts studnet relationships too. A child may not realize his/her classmate struggles to sit without rolling.
Q3: What role does risk-taking play in the phenomenon described in the article?
Oh dear! :-( https://t.co/xfd8pHL1O4
I asked a child to cut at a get to know you conference this year and he told me he wasn't allowed...:(
A3: I think there are a lot of things that are important here- for some reason the word “Agency” comes to mind.
A3) Ss r having 2 be taught how to take risk. Now have 2 teach grit, how 2 struggle, mistakes....in addition 2 curric etc
A3: Risk taking, responsibility, ability to play- all contribute to a lack of self- confidence
Play is coming back into K. Do u think this is a result of the phenomena article describes?
The UnSafe Child-article about lack of outdoor play's impact on sensory system and motor skills. https://t.co/uCl0Oj5XLO
As long as play comes back- I don’t care how it gets there, lol!
A3: If a child is lacking in confidence, they will not take the risk;won't know how to assess it either. another skill to teach
Practicing read to self, note the pink wall I painted this year, did cupboards and boxes last year https://t.co/0y4tOu5Gyc
and possibly parents perceive themselves as too busy to properly supervise, so just don't allow instead.
I ended up extending my choice time last year to the first 1.5 hrs of the day. Best choice I ever made
I used that time to 1. Let them play and 2. work 1 on 1 or with small groups
I will not use the word "grit". To me,grit will always be the annoying dirt under my fingernails.But that's ornery me :)
A3 It comes down to the "bubble wrapped" kid syndrome, doesn't it? Don't do anything DANGEROUS (even if it really isn't).
Staying safe, staying clean, parents not taking/having time to supervise and guide risky play, all impacting development.
We do 50 minutes right now and we call it "explorations". Will increase time Kind of too.
and don't do anything messy!
I think it’s too easy to say “no”. No play do, no scissors, no crayons, no outside
At our parent meeting, I warned parents that we would get DIRTY! SO far, no complaints!
Q4: In your career, have you noticed parents being more risk-averse than in the past?
Good, when homevisiting I often had a more difficult time getting parents to allow and join in messy play.
A4) I've only been teaching 3 yrs full time but I notice that jobs, affect the time Ps have 2 play w/ Ss
How do you do 1.5 hours of choice time? My administrator hates 25 minutes. :(
A4b) This may affect their willingness 2 take risks w/ their Ss
Well, first off I have a great admin who “gets” K, plus our curriculum is play based, plus I just do it ;-)
I have definitely noticed increased parental aversion to risk, even with my third graders watched a gr 4 parent tying shoes,
A4: Let me think about that one for a minute.........YES!!
A4: I see helpers in the school who are risk averse too. Thinking kids should be clean, not talking, not taking risks.
A4: I've notice this with parents as well as more and more parents not participating in their kiddos education.
I’ve noticed this as well. It’s almost as if they say “that’s the schools job not mine”
A4: Yes, parents, child care providers, schools. No one wants to get taken to court and that seems to be a real possibility.
There’s lots of research out there to defend play based learning in K. Go find it, use it to justify play!
They want to remove our dramatic play. We've already removed our sensory tables and easels.
UGH! That makes me so mad for you! It’s like, don’t they read the research?????
that is so sad, easels and sensory tables are so important
so so sad. Stay strong in what you know is right for little people
Ts need to provide more options & adaptations to accommodate for these motor struggles,minimize impact on cognitive development.
Q5: How can we help parents be more comfortable with letting children take physical risks?
What???? SO so wrong. Where do you teach?
It's hard as a 3rd year teacher to defend our kiddos. 1 recess too. PBE is on its way.
A5: One thing I do is to let them know I’m a parent myself. That seems to alleviate some fears
Luckily we can still do things like this - blueberry picking in the bush but even here see less stamina https://t.co/9GVGc8PNvq
A5 I often reference their/my childhood. We survived lots of risk taking!
Q5: Educate, explain, empower, get pediatricians on board, parent education programs, model risk taking w/i dev. app. framework
A5) I let them know about how I keep their child safe; I also let them know how I teach children about choices.
This too! https://t.co/HuLJVckJLy
A5: One thing I do is to let them know I’m a parent myself. That seems to alleviate some fears
A5b) 2day we lrnd that if the slide is wet and you go down it, you will have wet pants....
A5: Communication with them helps. Parent meeting in Sept. Sending pics of them playing, risk taking, etc.
A5: keep parents informed. Let them celebrate their child's success with you! If they see it works they will get behind it.
A 5) It helps when they know you are a parent too. My toddler can bounce from any fall.
Yup! Makes sense to me 😀 https://t.co/Z8ku6MKvKi
A5b) 2day we lrnd that if the slide is wet and you go down it, you will have wet pants....
A5: Show documentation of successful risk taking.
A community effort/campaign starting w/ infants & toddlers, we need everyone on board the play & movement train!!
Still one of my favourite risk photos. I had to remove his face, but he is determined to jump and talke… https://t.co/2aTgQ3Fgso
Almost time to wrap up, folks! Share your blog, or one you love to read!
And if you are wearing rain pants, you go FAST!!!!
Yikes! Sorry to have missed the chat, I spaced out! Stay tuned for an announcement on our book chat selection.
, this year we will be reading The Art of Awareness by Deb Curtis for our book chats. Info on book here: https://t.co/syveufxJ0U
https://t.co/WGUPZu8W0a My outdoor ed project for my masters. Trying to blog on it, but finding it hard to find time.
Thanks for moderating What an engaging chat peeps! Have a terrific Tuesday tomorrow!
Good night 5:15 comes awfully early! Have a great week, and let’s get our kids moving!
