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 all the problems that go with poverty.  Kindergarten can be high-stress because ...

I’m reading The Canon, by Natalie Angier, for my book club, and it has got me thinking about the fact that I don’t do much science in my classroom.  I don’t even have a science center, because I’ve never been able to figure out where to squeeze one into my tiny space.  Last night I sat [...]

When I heard that Wonder Woman was moving on to a better school, I emailed the principal (let’s call him the Prince, shall we?) telling him my concerns and asking for some reassurance.  That was a month ago, and no, of course he hasn’t responded.  The Prince probably doesn’t have email underground where he’s buried his ...

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 you’re reading to her, talking to her, playing with her, taking [...]

I am back from a long vacation, the first part of which was spent at the beach with my husband’s family, and the second part of which was in a big city with my sister and her family.  I had the opportunity first to observe my sister-in-law talking with my one-year-old niece, and then later my [...]

This article in the San Jose Mercury News reports that only 15% of preschol-age children living in poverty are in high-quality programs.  This is where I want to tear my hair out and rant that we should more like the French and the Italians, and have universal preschool.  This is where I want to run around [...]

It's never too early to start reading!   Parents, get your children turning pages before kindergarten. Here is a great brochure will help give you tips that will help your child hit the books and start reading! It is designed specifically for children in Preschool and will build reading schools that will prepare them for kindergarten! ...

I mentioned M. once before — it was her birthday and I forgot to check the calendar, and missed it.  And she is so non-verbal most of the time that she never mentioned it.  M. is one of my special ed children, with developmental delays, speech difficulties, and possibly some sensory stuff going on.  Lately she [...]

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 incorporated gun- and gang-safety into her preschool curriculum.  That’s ...

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 he will be okay to enter kindergarten in [...]