by Grace Murano The abstract paintings of emerging artistAelita Andre have people in Australia's art world talking. Aelita is two (the works were painted when she was even younger). Aelita got an opportunity to show her paintings when Mark Jamieson, the director of Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne's Fitzroy, was asked by a photographer whose work he represented to consider the work of another artist. Jamieson liked what he saw and agreed to include it in a group show. Jamieson then started to promote the show, printing glossy invitations and placing ads in the magazines Art Almanac and Art Collector, featuring the abstract work. Only then did he discover a crucial fact about the new artist: Aelita Andre is Kalashnikova's daughter, and was just 22 months old. Jamieson was shocked and embarrassed but decided to proceed with the exhibition anyways.
by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. With spring coming there are so many wonderful bugs that can be explored. I love to bring in books about bugs and one of my favorites is Eric Carle’s “The Grouchy Ladybug” book.
I also love to have my students create their own ladybug book. Each child is given a red construction paper circle that they can draw dots and other ladybug features. I then ask the children to finish the sentence: What is your ladybug afraid of?
BY APRYL DUNCAN KidStock/Getty Fireflies. Bare feet in the grass. Later bedtimes. Hooray for summertime! This list of fun things for parents and kids to do together in June helps all of you enjoy this beautiful time of year. Free Summer Programs Early to mid-June isn't officially summer but it's the perfect time to look into free summer programs for your kids. Free art classes, sports clinics and library events are just a few of the activities you can find in your area at no cost to you. Summer Camp With so many types of summer camps available, it's hard to choose which one your child should attend. If you haven't yet made a choice on a summer camp for your child, dig in and make a decision before it's too late. The downside to waiting this long to select a summer camp is that a lot of camps may already be full. The plus side is, you may be able to negotiate a lower rate and cut summer camp costs because the camp wants to fill all remaining slots. Vacation Bible School Looking for a week of free fun for your child? Vacation Bible School (VBS) gets your kids out of the house for a few hours a day during the summer months. It's easy to find VBS sessions that are completely free. Others may charge for optional items, such as a T-shirt or CD of the music your kids will be listening to for the week. Some do require a fee but, with a little research, you'll find the vast majority don't cost a penny to attend. Day Trips in the U.S. Hit the road! With school out, you can pack the kids and some food for a day or weekend trip near you. Find family-friendly activities in all 50 states to visit kids' museums, zoos, water parks and more. Freebies for Good Grades Report cards are in so start celebrating those good grades. Let your kids collect on freebies for good grades, as many companies hand out everything from ice cream to free movie rentals just for your star student's academic efforts. Thank You to the Teacher Before school days turn into summer nights, be sure your kids thank their teachers. Teacher gifts are a great way for kids to say goodbye to their teachers and thanks for a year filled with learning. A handwritten thank you note from your child goes a long way and you can make each card special with a few simple touches. Weather Station Summertime isn't all about blue skies and sunshine. Rain, wind, tornadoes and even hurricanes can make their way into our summer weather patterns. Make a weather station to experience science experiments with your kids and study the many different types of weather. Your weather station can be as simple as a single rain gauge or you can geek out with a hygrometer, anemometer, weather vane, compass and barometer. Ant Farm Summer picnics are usually raided by an army of ants. Head off those little buggers and build an ant farm. Watch them dig tunnels and study their feeding habits. This is one of those educational activities that disguises learning as fun. Great Outdoors Month Everybody out ... outside that is. With warmer temperatures and no school, come out of your cave and play. Enjoy nature activities with your kids, try creative outdoor painting, throw a bubble party, play flashlight games and participate in the Great American Backyard Campout, just to name a few of the many outdoor activities you can enjoy with your family this month. National Zoo and Aquarium Month Furry or fishy? Go see both during Zoo and Aquarium Month. Zoos and aquariums are easy field trips for kids that keep them occupied while teaching them about animals and aquatic species from around the world. Your trips to zoos and aquariums can also lead to educational activities centered around the exhibits. National Safety Month Of course, you want your family to be safe all year long. Reinforce those safety lessons during National Safety Month. Cover bike safety, sun safety, swimming pool safety and other summer safety rules to make sure your family's summer is free of boo boos. Potty Training Awareness Month Potty training isn't something parents look forward to doing with their children. But you have plenty of help to get you through the frustration and accidents as you work toward a successfully potty trained child. Using aids like Elmo's Potty Time and printable potty training charts are just a couple of primers to get you on your way to a diaper-free child. National Adopt-a-Cat Month Considering adding a family pet to your household? If you've decide a cat is the furry friend you want to bring home, adopt your family's feline during National Adopt-a-Cat Month. The American Humane Association hopes more people will consider rescuing cats from shelters during this month. You can find kittens as well as more mature cats who are in need of a good home. National Rose Month Get dirty and plant a garden with your kids this month. Plant roses in your garden or go smaller with a container garden. Even plastic sand pails can be used to grow something! National Dairy Month Got milk? National Dairy Month celebrates all things dairy. Paint with milk, put on a cow puppet show or make a cow papier mache project. National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month Getting your kids to eat fruits and vegetables can be a challenge. Develop your children's love of fruits and veggies during National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month. Learn how many servings they need and how to conquer those picky eaters. Before you know it, your kids will love their fruits and veggies all year long. National Iced Tea Month Drinks get their own special place in annual observances too. This month, it's all about iced tea. Take your kids to the kitchen to try one or more of the ten best iced tea recipes. But this isn't some ordinary tea recipe to taste. You'll find yummy peach, lime mint and apple honey tea recipes on the list too. National Tennis Month Grab a racket and serve up some fun this month. Teach your kids how to play tennis. You'll get plenty of time in the sunshine and a great workout too. Turkey Lovers Month Turkey in June? Why not! Celebrate turkeys with millions of other people. Make handprint turkeys with your children, a turkey windsock to catch those summer breezes or any of the other turkey projects that will make your children say, "Gobble, gobble!"
by McKinley Corbley This 7-year-old boy may never get to fulfill his lifelong dream of going to outer space – but instead, he was given the next best thing. Zayden Carter was diagnosed with congenital heart disease when he was just 2 days old. His condition, however, has never kept him from dreaming big. Zayden expressed to his parents that he wanted to go to Saturn and see some little green aliens. His parents then got in touch with the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Georgia about how they could try and make his wish come true.
The foundation organized a special “trip through space” and – for the first time ever – used virtual reality to make a wish come true. The trip took place aboard the “Spaceship Zayden”; past Zayden’s house on Earth, past the moon, until finally, they arrived on Saturn. The 7-year-old got to say hi to some friendly extraterrestrials before getting back on the ship and heading home. The first thing he said when he landed back on Earth: “So when can we do that again?” (WATCH the video below)
by News Corp Australia UPDATE: MANCHESTER Police have confirmed that the number of victims who died in the explosion at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester on Monday night has risen. Tragically the number of people who died at the concert has risen to 22 people and 59 people were injured. A 22-year-old man, who was responsible for the blast, also died at the stadium. Ariana Grande has now returned home to Florida after the rest of her tour was suspended indefinitely. Her management are yet to confirm if the Australian tour dates of her tour will still go ahead. She was scheduled to perform at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on September 4 and 5. More musicians have come out in support of the 23-year-old singer, her fans and the victims.
UK bands Blondie and Take That cancelled their Tuesday shows in England “as a mark of respect for the victims.”
Thousands of Manchester residents gathered for a vigil* at the city’s Town Hall to show support for victims and to stand against terrorism.
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED:
THE music industry and Manchester community have rallied together after news of an explosion at a pop music concert in the English city.
The blast is understood to have happened outside the venue after an Ariana Grande concert finished around 10.30pm local time, which was 7:30am Melbourne time.
Manchester Police said the event was being treated as a terrorist incident* but police were still investigating the cause of the explosion.
Police have, however, confirmed that 19 people died in the explosion and more than 50 people were injured.
Manchester residents and businesses opened up their doors to help those who were affected, especially after train services were cancelled for the night.
Using the hashtag #RoomForManchester on Twitter, people offered their couches, spare rooms and cups of tea for anyone who was left stranded after the concert.
Hotel Gotham offered free rooms and taxi company Streetcars arranged a meeting point at its offices, promising to help people get home safely, or let them stay at headquarters for the night.
Around the world some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names took to Twitter to support the people of the city of Manchester and to express their sadness that people died at a concert.
Pop singer Harry Styles tweeted: “I’m heartbroken over what happened in Manchester tonight. Sending love to everyone involved”.
Taylor Swift tweeted: “My thoughts, prayers and tears for all those affected by the Manchester tragedy tonight. I’m sending all my love”.
Pink also showed her support on Twitter writing: “My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Manchester, any one affected, @ArianaGrande and the entire crew. Heartbreaking”.
Australia’s Kylie Minogue tweeted: “Absolutely heartbroken for #Manchester. Devastating news. My love, thoughts & prayers go out to all”.
Ariana Grande’s management team has reassured fans that the singer was not injured.
Later, Grande also took to Twitter to express her sadness “from the bottom of my heart, I am so, so sorry”, she wrote.
by Good News Network Despite being told that he was never going to be able to walk again, that doesn’t stop Bruce Mansy from keeping his spirits up in any way possible. The 7-year-old was injured in a car accident in September. Though he survived, he was told that he had complete paralysis and his movement would be limited. Without wanting to give up hope, Bruce’s parents starting taking their son to Project Walk, an organization that helps patients with spinal cord injuries. Thanks to the help of physical therapists, Bruce has slowly but surely been moving more and more. All that matters is he can now perform one of his favorite activities: dancing. (WATCH the video below)
by Grace Murano Her local radio station gave her the job after she rang and offered advice to a woman caller who had been dumped. Elaina’s tip — go bowling with pals and drink a mug of milk — was so good she got a weekly slot and now advises thousands of adult listeners. The littler adviser tackles problems ranging from how to dump boyfriends and how to cope with relationship breakdown to dealing with smelly brothers. When one listener wrote to Elaina asking how to get a man, she replied: "Shake your booty on the dance floor and listen to High School Musical". Another caller asked how to get her man back, Elaina told her: "He's not worth the heartache. Life's too short to be upset with a boy."
by Good News Network As you can guess by the graduation cap, Carson Huey-You is not your ordinary 14-year-old. Carson just became the youngest student to ever graduate from Texas Christian University after earning his bachelor’s degree in physics. His mother, Amy Peterson, already knew he was destined for greatness when he started doing calculus at just 3 years old. After being homeschooled as a young child, Carson then graduated from high school as valedictorian when he was 10 years-old before moving on to TCU.
The child prodigy plans to continue his education by pursuing his master’s degree at the university next year. Except that he won’t be the youngest student anymore – Carson’s 11-year-old brother will also be attending the university to study astrophysics. (WATCH the video below)
by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. I am constantly making small changes to my classroom. As I see the children have lost interest in a certain center or basket of items that I have out to explore then I begin looking at what I might need to do to bring back new interest. Do I need to change the items that are in the baskets? Do I need to rework the space so there is more room for play? Do I need to give the children more time to play? Do I need to model play just a bit so I can inspire new interest? So many questions to consider when setting up centers and then keeping them fresh and interesting throughout the school year.
The classroom environment is what I spend more time on as a teacher than anything else for I know the classroom environment is like a second teacher. The classroom environment affects learning, behavior, skill development, and all things related to having a happy and healthy early learning experience for both the child and the teacher.
To read the posts I have shared about classroom set up, classroom centers, or classroom management – see the list of titles below.
by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. Our students love to color so we thought during our color review week, we would mix it up a little and let them try coloring with crayon bundles….
In almost every case, the children began by making the crayons go round and round on their paper…
Trying to get all the crayons to touch the paper at the same time was an interesting challenge. The children had to learn how to tap the crayons on the ends until they were all level…
Some of the older children began to make other shapes…
This child really didn’t see the point in keeping the crayons together so she took all the rubber bands off so she could make a picture of her family…
Others enjoyed exploring this interesting and different way of creating with crayons…
Usually by the end of each day, all the rubber bands were removed from the crayons – LOL!
by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. Mrs. Courtney and I spend a lot of time working out which tools for play we want to make sure we put together for the kids to use in our classroom….
Our primary goal in planning each day is to come up with different processes that not only promote growth and development, but also inspire growth and development…
Along with any process or play activity, we consider what type of growth and development might be inspired by this process and what kinds of tools for play can we add without it becoming too cluttered on the table and yet still keeping it interesting and inviting for the children…
Part of inspiring children is to bring in processes that the children are already showing an interest in. My students have been asking me to set out the telephones for play since the very first week of school so I went and dusted them off and we set them out in our outdoor classroom…
The telephones inspire conversation and imagination and role play all by themselves but I wanted to also inspire the children to do a little writing so I added clipboards, pencils, and paper to the table as well…
The telephones partnered with the clipboards, pencils, and paper did indeed inspire the process of writing in my classroom….
Some of the children are writing numbers and letters that I can recognize and others are not yet at the point where their writing can be “read by the teacher” but the important thing to keep in mind is that the children, regardless of developmental readiness, are each inspired to write something…
by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. I want to take a minute to introduce you to a blogger who is very near and dear to my heart. Her online work on Instagram and Facebook and her blog always, always inspires me. I have invited Meri Cheri to share with you today and I know you will find her work as inspirational as I do!
I am so excited to be here on Teach Preschool today sharing about my ebook, Art Secrets Every Teacher Should Know…a Reggio Inspired Approach. I have been teaching art to children for almost 20 years and I am so thrilled to share my greatest tips and secrets for teachers and parents to make art and creativity a truly rich experience in the classroom and at home. Plus, there is an exclusive discount for all Teach Preschool readers below. Check it out!
Three years ago, I was hired to pioneer an art program at a local Reggio inspired preschool in Los Angeles. Prior, I had taught kindergarten through second grade for 15 years at a private elementary school in Hollywood, California, while teaching every after school art class and camp under the sun. When I shifted to preschool, after having two children of my own, I tapped into a passion I never knew I had. I always loved teaching art, but there was something about guiding and facilitating the art process of younger children that spoke to me on a deep level. Creating an art studio that functioned as a “teacher” was an evolving lesson for both me and my students. You can see the art studio here.
Now, three years later, I have my own art studio for kids in Los Angeles called Meri Cherry Art Studio, where process art, creative thinking and an open studio format are paramount. In the art studio, I encourage creativity, healthy risk taking, cooperation, and self-responsibility, while learning new skills and making art. Students learned to trust their own abilities, development, and ideas. I have also learned to trust my own ideas and have developed many effective practices based on my own trial and error with my students over the years.
These teen journalists were assigned to do an introduction piece for their new principal Amy Robertson. After they did some investigating, however, their published article led to the principal’s resignation only days later.
The students working for the Booster Redux publication at Pittsburg High School in southeastern Kansas didn’t plan on outing Robertson as a phony when they started writing the piece. But once they started looking into her credentials, they discovered a lot of discrepancies.
After Robertson was appointed on March 6th, the students reached out to the principal in a conference call on March 16th. For starters, Robertson claimed to have received her master’s and doctorate degrees from Corllins University. When the young journalists tried to look up the school, they found that the Better Business Bureau had stated that Corllins was not BBB-accredited. Another resource said that “the physical address of Corllins was unknown”.
Despite Robertson having claimed that she did most of her schoolwork online, she said she had still visited the Corllins campus in Stockton, California. A quick call to the City of Stockton’s Community Development Department told them that the school was essentially nonexistent. Robertson was also reportedly unable to provide a copy of her transcripts.
The students compiled this information along with their other findings into an article that was published in the Booster Redux on Friday. On Tuesday, Robertson handed in her resignation, which was accepted by the Pittsburg Community Schools’ Board of Education.
The six students who put the article together were launched into the media limelight for their impressive reporting. The teens even got a shoutout from Todd Wallack of the Boston Globe Spotlight Team.
“I honestly thought they were joking at first,” 17-year-old Connor Balthazor told the Washington Post concerning the praise. “It was awesome to know that such respected members of the journalism community had our backs.”
The students were recognized and thanked by school officials for their thorough investigating. Though they may still be in high school, it seems pretty safe to say that this will look good on their resumes in the future.
by Kathy Barbro - Art Teacher Big, overlapping eyes make almost anything look funny. Especially cartoon fish with big goofy lips. MATERIAL • Cartoon Fish PDF Tutorial • Drawing paper • Black marker • Crayons DIRECTIONS 1. Draw or print the guide lines on the paper. Draw the fish according to the tutorial. 2. Trace all the art with a black marker. 3. Color in the art with a crayon. The neater the coloring, the better the art.
by Deborah J. Stewart, M.Ed. Before you start planning your next preschool math lesson, take a minute and read this…
In a recent Bam Radio interview titled, “Math Phobia; Repeat After Me, “I Am Good At Math,” the discussion centered around how to overcome “math phobia.” Often times, math phobia comes from having a lack of confidence in how to teach math or having the mindset that you are not good in math. Coming up with a math lesson that the children will enjoy and understand can be a struggle. But teaching math in preschool can and should be a fun and creative experience for you and your students. So for the moment, let’s scrap the math lesson and consider how to create a support math environment.
According to Angela Eckhoff, your best energies when building a math program is to focus on creating a “supportive math environment.” Angela goes on to explain that creating a supportive math environment begins by simply being creative. Instead of planning a math lesson, think about your environment and how you can integrate mathematical ideas, thinking, conversations, and processes into it. It may even be that the math is already there, but you just need to recognize it.
In a supportive math environment, it is okay to get the answer wrong. Instead the children are encouraged to take risks and explore math through natural, non-threatening conversations and processes. In a supportive environment, it is a good idea for the children to work with a partner or a group of peers so that they will bounce ideas off of one another. For example, the boys in the above photo are able to discuss the patterns they just made on the kites without it becoming about wrong or right. Instead the conversation is a starting point for scaffolding the children’s understanding of patterns all around the classroom.
Through play and exploration, the opportunity to scaffold math is there but you will have to exercise your skills and abilities to see the math and then foster mathematical thinking. As stated in the Bam Radio interview, it is more important to teach preschool age children “how to think” versus “what to think.” For example, in the photo above, the children are filling up cups of water. They are having to think about filling their cup half full rather than completely full. They are having to think about how to close the spout completely rather than leaving it half closed so the water doesn’t continue to flow. They are having to decide whether it is better to mix more red and less blue to make purple. They are thinking, they are taking risks, they are working with friends, they are having discussions, and they are building positive attitudes about math in the process.
Whether you are reading a fun book with your group like “Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons” or exploring patterns and the counting process on the end of a kite string, you are helping children build a positive “math identity.” A child with a positive math identity comes away with the mindset that, “math is fun” and “I love math” and “I am good at math.” In preschool, we can foster a positive math identity as we seek to create a supportive math environment.
Instead of planning your next math lesson, focus your time on knowing your math categories. As you know the categories for mathematical thinking, you will be better prepared to see the math in your environment. You will be better prepared to scaffold mathematical thinking through the children’s natural experiences in play and exploration. You will be better equipped to provide creative and interesting math experiences that cover a broad range of mathematical categories such as measurement, estimating, computation, patterning, number sense, one-to-one correspondence, and the list goes on. Build your knowledge of these categories in terms of simple ways to integrate them into student’s play and exploration. You can listen to the Bam Radio interview here: “Math Phobia; Repeat After Me, “I Am Good At Math,” and you can read a little bit more about how we explore math in my classroom here: Everyday Math Play in Preschool.
