#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 January 4, 2016
Welcome to the 1st of 2016! Introduce yourself and tell us your New Year's resolution.
I'm Meg from Virginia leading the chat tonight. My resolution is to let my class play more, inside and out.
Christine from Alberta, Canada. My resolution is to try to keep my 2015 going - thoughtful
Hi Christine! Glad you are here.
Hi! Liane from the coast of BC! We had a dusting of snow this morning :) it was lovely. My resolution is to write 2016,not 2015.
Amy here, from Alberta, in the Canada. My resolution is to remember to write 2016 instead of 2015. Great minds, !
I'm Megan from Oregon. I haven't truly made any resolutions, but I'm kind of embracing the and chosen connect.
Jane from Milwaukee my goal/word is heal (for me to heal my Lymes) and for me to use healing words with my students.
Also trying to resolve to read all the books in my house before buying new, but that may be doomed for failure.
Welcome Liane! Had flurries in Virginia today. Big excitement for us. We ran outside to catch snowflakes.
We actually had an ice day today! No school on the last day before break and no school the first day back!
Hi Amy! Takes me until February to write the correct year.
I’m Carrie from PEI. I don’t do resolutions, I chose a word for the year. This year it’s “Chances” As in- take them!
Hi ! Michelle here from Abbotsford, BC, Canada. My resolution is to find JOY in everything.
Welcome Megan! Connect is a great word to choose!
Hi Faige from Los Angeles. It's cold that is LA cold & maybe wet (soon). My promise (tonight) I won't complain about weather
Just wanted to say hi! I haven't had dinner yet (yes it's 9pm!) so going to do that but wanted to say Happy New Year!! xo
Hi Jane! Sorry you are dealing w/ Lymes. Sending good healing thoughts your way.
I saw that OSU campus was closed today - crazy!
Michelle from small town, BC. I'd like to be better at meal planning and following it.
Thank you! I like yours too! Joy is an important word!
I wouldn't be able to work to do that!
Heather, here from Calgary. My plan is to 'wander' more. Time to learn something new!
Yeah..I haven't been feeling the joy of late. I must be mindful of that.
Nice extended break! Stay safe in the ice.
And you are starting off right w that smart new avatar Carrie!! I love it!!
How cold is cold for you? We had snow this morning... ;-)
I find choosing a word for the year is revolutionary. It really is. You’re focused on that, it changes things
If we take chances, our students will too.
Happy New Year Heidi! I loved your post about
Kathleen from Edmonton here. I don't generally make resolutions, but I'm going to try to not be so hard on myself, school wise.
Right? Plus, it’s easy to be complacent. Time to get out there and take a chance.
I hope it does. I have never done the thing before.
Hi Michelle! FInding the joy makes for a positive classroom!
Also Amy don't forget to tell about the Teacher Confessional Party next week!!
Danielle from Grande Prairie, AB! Save some $$ to travel which means less unfortunately. 😳 ☕️
I love the thought of wandering!
Hi Faige! Define cold for us. Under 65?
Some rain in an and waiting for storm tomorrow. Made it to the low 60s F but colder most of the day
You do!! It's FAB as the English teachers would say
That's what I'm planning on!
Enjoy dinner! Happy New Year!
Hello everyone! I'm Erin from Wisconsin. Back to school today! Good thing it was pj day!
Low 60's would be lovely! ;-)
Laughing out loud Yes! But it is in the 49s in the mornings
Thank you Michelle! It's really hit me- all of us I know Just so unexpected. xo
Ooh, that sounds interesting!
Cocktail chatter & true teacher confessions next week, friends! https://t.co/9snxOCBVv3
Also Amy don't forget to tell about the Teacher Confessional Party next week!!
Hi Heather! Do you know about ?
Will do! Thank you Meg!! xoxo
Awe shucks Ms. Echternacht! Thank you!
I gotta update your photo on the website! Go Carrie!!! I love it!
It would be great to start a movement ! We all need more joy.
I hope my EC meeting doesn't go long next week! That sounds fun :)
Q1: What is your favorite LA tool to use (either for you or your students)?
Hi Erin! How was Christmas with Evan? it must have been fun!
Hi Erin! PJ day on the first day back. Great idea!
Grew up in Montreal but think I can handle that anymore
I do! We often use it to follow inquiry threads. Participated in Camp Wonder with my owns kids 2 yrs ago.
Hey, - checking in from wintry, cold Chicago!
oh you're so sweet to ask! Christmas with Evan was so so fun. He LOVED opening gifts-didn't care what was in them!
A1: Great books! Sharing exciting books gets kids excited about reading and creates community.
Should read: don't think I can handle that any more
But there are so many books to be bought! As evident by the giant stack on my nightstand.
A1: a HUGE library of books all over the room
It made going back easier! Our whole school was in PJs today! :)
My Christmas was good...lots of time w my parents. Dad is not doing so well & mom has health issues. Perspective.
Any particular favorite titles?
A1 Great children's lit as a provocation/kick start to get kids engaged/excited
Can't live without in your library book?
A1: I think my fav LA tool is a good story. When you can tell a good story, you have them hooked.
Hello It's -18c and feels like -26c (-15F)
A2: Read alouds! I read aloud at least 2-3 books a day to model fluency, expression, along with having book discussions.
A1: I have a book of called Alphabet Action which I love. It has songs that gets the muffins moving. Not sure it's my fav tho
How's your dad doing this week, Michelle?
A1: agree w on the books!
oh no. So sorry to hear this. It is always hard to see the ones you love in pain. Hugs to you.
THIS IS THE PROBLEM! And the Kindle only makes it worse, because: no stack.
I agree with . Really great read alouds are my only 'things' I invest serious $ in.
Dad is tired. He is having a hard time keeping up with everything, but he's doing his best.
A1: I agree with others- books :) A great library with a good balance of genres.
Anything that allows kinders to move is a major plus!
hello from -14 northern Saskatchewan, no resolutions for me, but working on one word with my students all week, pick on Friday
. Love Mo Willems, Todd Parr, and using great titles as beginnings to important convos: sidewalk flowers, whoever you are
no longer in classroom. I love this chat & a few others. Learning/sharing Here's how my day started https://t.co/ijcBhG15f7
AGH! It's like saying you have a favourite kid! All the and jan brett and my Ss this year LOVE
glad you got to spend some time with your family
A1 BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS!
Give me Elephant and Piggie any day!
Q2: What activities do you do after reading your books to the class? Favorite activity?
I love a huge variety of fiction and non. I have so many favourites.
A1: Mo Willems, Sheree Fitch, Robert Munsch are some fav authors
I've been thinking about your family. Glad you were able to spend all the time over the holidays.
A1: Oh, and I LOVE my McCracken pocket charts, pocket chart stories and poems and images. LOVE.
My favorite time of day w/kinders Read Alouds. The discussion & understanding beyond description
Oh, I have a 'stack' in the kindle too. It's a problem.
Tell us how you use them.
Thanks Meg. We had to adjust plans, but it was all good. Grateful for every day we have with dad.
A2 We talk and draw and make charts together. Or read it again.
A2: We like to shared write alt. endings, spark discussions, just enjoy them, make our own class books modeled after faves.
A2: For fiction read alouds, I love it when we act out the story with our friends or puppets.
Favorite series remains by . Afterwards I like time for Ss to explore/discover nature up close.
a2 we do a variety of activities from Reading Power, often just have kids draw & write about their favourite part
What kind of charts? You make them or already made?
A2: Right now, we've been practicing whole group story maps and recalling events. We're so close to doing this independently!
A2: sometimes I look to see if the story is on youtube. It’s fun to see a different interpretation of the story.
ssshhh! It's easy to hide the kindle stack! Nobody has to know!
Ooh! Thats a great idea! I bet it helps with retelling!
a2 also,often do art inspired by the illustrations in the book, had great fun with Snowmen at Night
Do you make props? What do you use? What must haves are there for your skits/shows?
Group charts we write together to record bstorming or to build a word/idea bank together to tie into our inquiry unit
Oh, this is fun! What a great idea!
that has to be the cutest thing ever! I think I need to try that out!
love love love this idea!
Lordy, that's hard. We learn the poems/story and use the picture cards to re-sequence the story, and SO MUCH more.
SO MUCH FUN! We read for at least 30 minutes every day after lunch.
Not familiar with those. Tell us more. What kinds of tools do u use for the children to explore?
The original idea came from !
And sometimes I like the humour someone else might add to the story, or another emotion all together.
Love this idea. Something that allows expression of understanding w/out words or writing. https://t.co/9Z57Ca4JP0
a2 also,often do art inspired by the illustrations in the book, had great fun with Snowmen at Night
I just took those out of the library today! Starting our looking closely exploration!
is now trending in Canada, ranking 34
What kinds of things were available to students for creations?
It does. We use the picture and words cards for writing, reading, poetry, etc. I REALLY love them.
But, I think we need to just enjoy books for what they are and not stress about other stuff. Like curriculum. ;-)
Non-fiction series. Our Wonder Wagon usually has clipboards, pencils, magnifying glasses, iPads, & 'natural treasures'.
Learned about this from Heather & Bks support exploration in all forms/places
Happy New Year ... Checking in (albeit a little late)
Oh, we wing it! Sometimes we will make props, sometimes we just "BAM" re-tell a story :)
Yes not every book needs to be looked at as a Mentor Text https://t.co/NT8hU5wCBn
But, I think we need to just enjoy books for what they are and not stress about other stuff. Like curriculum. ;-)
Q3: Thinking outside the box, what kinds of materials/tools could you use to "freshen" up your activities in LA?
Alright folks, thought I'd be able to hang tonight, but have been up since 4. Hope everyone had a great day back from break!
varies,sometimes student choice, other times a directed technique/medium used chalk pastels & blending for Snowmen
precious! And look at you balancing your time rockstar
want a beautiful reason to be late :) alas, I am only boring opps late to
Congratulations!! Adorable!!
A1&2: books for sure! This class struggles but last year they loved making their own stories feat. Fave characters
You inspired us to try the fireplace! It was a student's first 'read-aloud' to the class and it was magical!
so sweet, I can almost smell the baby smell on my iPad
yikes! go to bed! have a good night and good luck catching up on sleep.
Is it wrong for me to say I put a real (electric) fireplace in our house centre today?
Night, Meg! Good to see you!!
Not LA time specisifcally, but this crew are actors, so we started whiteboard writers - they draw a storyboard then act it out
A2: I've used hula hoops for Venn diagrams. Kids love seeing other use for them.
A3: Anytime I can bring in real life objects that go with the story, that’s a worthwhile activity. Life to text
Our G8 teacher has lent it to us.
A3- every S has a mini photo album in their lit tool kit w wordwall,sequencing words&pics of my anchor charts that go w unit
We write on the tables w/ Dry erase markers. Kids love it bc they think they are getting away with something.
A3: I think, for me, it's always looking at the activity and thinking about "why" I am doing it.
A3: Using magnifying glasses to zoom in to details in books & use that in our writing, or be letter/word detectives in books.
That’s a good idea. I’ve recently tried using a flashlight too. The kids loved that!
A3 I want to use our iPads in meaningful ways - photos,collages,videos
Sorry I have to run. Wishing you the best in the New Year, both professionally and in your own families.
I use magnifying glasses for being a sight word detective. Kids love it!
A3: it isn't really a tool but I think more freedom to create / enjoy rather than extreme focus on standards.
Always important to ask yourself why https://t.co/ma6Qj2uA0F
A3: I think, for me, it's always looking at the activity and thinking about "why" I am doing it.
Sometimes the props are made by kids, this Cold Lady who Swallowed some Snow is 6 years old :) https://t.co/sj7QYgAyNt
Anyone used iPads for collages, photos, videos? What has been sucessfull? Struggles? https://t.co/dxrG7y7QPy
A3 I want to use our iPads in meaningful ways - photos,collages,videos
Absolutely! They learn so much through making and creating!
omg I'm cracking up at this Cold Lady (pumpkin?)
A3 We have dictionaries a la Rocket's word tree where they collect words they want to save, sep from word wall.
Oh I like that idea too! Maybe little pen flashlights...
I like iMovie - kid friendly, and we are starting to branch out to create, skill songs made by k's
Yep! Or even those laser pointers too. But I’ve been using a pen flashlight.
Do you have 1:1 iPads? Small groups?
it is a great book, she swallows a bunch of stuff, and pukes up a snowman :)
Yes I'm trying to think of the app name.
PicCollage in a 'Photo Studio' dramatic play centre has been a big hit. Literacy built in when captions added
I have 4 iPads - it is enough, teams can build, partners, build it with a few, then a few more
We have 4 iPads for all the K's. PTO bought us 30 Samsung Tablets and cart for whole school to share.
I used to have Photo Journalist of the Day w/digital camera. Trying to figure out best approach now!
listening to you all talk about your iPads and techno stuff and I’m here all excited about my LCD...
We've done piccollage to illustrate our discoveries but we have big buddies help us.
Q4: What are must haves for students to create/make things, whether props, retelling story, art project?
We have one for our class plus can borrow 20 for lower school. I need the plan more than the kids!
I think iPads are best used for Ss to collaborate. It's why I prefer 'creation' type apps.
Great idea! I wish I had a half class set of iPads in my room all the time.
agree definitely PicCollage, I keep exploring other stuff, but man, that one is so flexible
I have a class photographer who takes pics on field trips, field day etc. We Tweet them out.
A4: I think just some basic art supplies for whatever it is you’re creating. Paper, glue, tissue paper, etc.
I like iPads, but can get tablets cheaper, so get more of them.
A4: ROOM! I have a decent sized classroom, but I always want more room :)
What is your class twitter account?
A2: We use legos to build a scene from a book we've read. Their creations are outstanding!
I want more walls and corner spaces!
Its always comical to review the camera roll at the end of the day when 5 year olds are in charge!
I can see that happening with our older Ss as the novelty wears off
A4 students need freedom to create!
Lots of shots of socks and shoes!
I project it on board so kids cans see what we are saying. They say "tweet, tweet" when send it.
I want an art studio. a LARGE empty room for movement and sound exploration, a garden, and more, and more.....
I am working on more consistently taking the stories outside to the forest. A forest can tell any story.
I want walls and corners to help create nooks and crannies for them! We all want what we can’t have!
A4: Loose Parts & prototyping consumables are my must haves. I love how Ss use same materials in unique ways!
Good to know! I have one, but it is usually Osmo occupied. 4 might be great.
What you say reminds me of those fairly houses people create in the woods. mystery I <3 it!
Went from 4 Ks to 3. Extra room is our "maker" supplies. !
I tell parents to bring me their junk/trash. They may think it is junk, but we can makes something out of it.
We're heading outside next week! need to send a letter warning parents that we are starting outdoor explorations.
Q5: How incorporate students into creating new tools or finding new ways to use tools? Share ideas your students have created.
I'm fading, . I should never have sat down :) Have a great week! Good night!
Same! When we focus on a particular material (ex. recycled materials, take-apart) parents are always great resources!
I feel like a hoarder sometimes, because I don't say no to stuff we can use to create!
Like really! He’s so spot on!
A5 Share - the space/talk/pen/paper/iPad/time/decisionmaking/control
goodnight Liane! Hope your day was wonderful! I know what you mean about sitting down & fading.
Letting Ss explore tools have discussions to spark questioning abd new discoveries.
A5: Letting Ss set up their own centre brings in new ideas. This year Ss brought Zen coloring, a Kano, Russian Stacking Dolls.
We are down to our last 5 minutes. Closing thoughts, blogs, websites anyone wants to share?
Brilliant! I'm doing that!
Me too! But I feel if it is organized and promoting learning in Ok! a
I’m so excited for the new year! may you all make 2016 the best for you and your students!
Ss come up w/ ideas I would never think of. I love giving them control over what they want to use and how use it.
Huge and they take it very seriously. Shows we're all teachers & learners at times.
a5 glue gun - they love it! Used it in k,1,3 supervised & with a bowl of cold water handy to dunk fingers that get too close
It absolutely is! My district is very pro-maker curriculum for ALL grades.
Just catching the last minutes of Loved my 1st day back w/ Ss. Fav quote today, "Mrs. Gadtke, I bought a haircut."
You are so right! And smart!
Thanks for leading the discussion, Have a great wintry week, everyone!
Lifelong learning at it's best!
one of my students said, “I cried in my bed because I missed you so much!” We have the best job in the world!
Thanks for joining us! Stay warm and snow free, if possible!
