Elbow, knees, dreams : education, kindergarten

is early entrance to kindergarten a good idea?

kiri8 — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 18:19:06 GMT

I have written about this topic before, but thought I would address it again, this time not just as a teacher, but as the mother of a child who skipped a grade. (Keep in mind that going to kindergarten early is a grade skip.) *********** My husband is...(read more)

a great kindergarten blog

kiri8 — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 20:15:37 GMT

I found Chalk Talk while looking for 100th day of school ideas, and have been going back to it ever since. The author is an experienced teacher with tons of great ideas, and the skills to put them on her blog in a useful way for other teachers. Check...(read more)

meaningful differences

kiri8 — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:40:29 GMT

Wow, yesterday’s post certainly touched a nerve. That was the most hits I ever got on my blog, and the most comments. So thank you, everyone, for being part of the conversation. So the question is, how do preschool teachers strike a balance between helping...(read more)

letter of the week?

kiri8 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:05:46 GMT

I teach my students a letter of the alphabet each week. Phew. I said it. I know that those are fighting words to some teachers, so I’m prepared to hear why some of you DON’T do a letter of the week. And also to respect your arguments. Here’s a little...(read more)

pro athletes visiting schools

kiri8 — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 13:21:01 GMT

As I came in to work this morning, looking at all the favorite book door decorations, and thinking about how I have failed to organize anything else for I Love to Read Month, my mind thought back to a school I worked at long ago. One day, we had some...(read more)

Why I teach preschool (instead of kindergarten)

kiri8 — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 22:30:16 GMT

Splatypus’s comment about my last post got me thinking about the days when I taught kindergarten in one high-poverty school after another. Kindergarten can be high-stress for a teacher. And not just because her students are living in poverty and have...(read more)

Who needs preschool?

Elbows, knees, dreams — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:14:38 GMT

Does your child need to go to preschool before kindergarten? Does every child need to go? What do kids need to learn before kindergarten, anyway? I think preschool is great, but it isn’t necessary for everyone. If you are raising your child at home, and...(read more)

On not being safe

Elbows, knees, dreams — Mon, 19 May 2008 22:47:42 GMT

How’s this for a headline? “Teacher tries to help preschoolers stay alive.” I nearly spit out my coffee this morning when I saw that one. Preschool teacher Marisol Sierra, who teaches in the Chicago neighborhood where schoolkids are getting shot, has...(read more)

Early entrance to kindergarten

Elbows, knees, dreams — Mon, 12 May 2008 19:34:24 GMT

Today we had a visitor. It’s a common occurrence in my classroom, only today, our visitor was four years old. We’ll call him Charley. Charley’s dad brought him to school so that I could watch him play in my room for an hour, and evaluate whether or not...(read more)