Sick is Sick...Even in Paradise

We just got back from a semi-wonderful trip to Hawaii. This is such a great time to go as it gives us a nice break from the winter cold. The first few days were truly paradise. Hawaii is one of my favorite places and I ate it up, soaking up the sun and atmosphere. However, after a few days, a health crisis appeared: stomach flu. It hit with a vengeance and I did not completely recover until coming home and collapsing in bed for two more days. Sick is sick, even in paradise. It was hard to really enjoy being there after that. Oh well, at least it was a break from winter. :-)
It also brought to mind some of our poorly-run classrooms. Most children approach school with excitement (at least until a poor teacher kills it) and one of our great challenges is to keep it exciting. But, a terrible atmosphere is a terrible atmosphere...even in school.

Building Those Relationships

I was recently reading and article called, Building Positive Relationships with Young Children by Dr. Gail Joseph and Dr. Phillip Strain. In the article they were talking about how critical it is to build good relationships with children. That is one of the most important ways to avoid negative behaviors in the classroom. I liked their metaphor of a piggy bank. Every time you engage in positive relationship building with a child it is like making a deposit into their piggy bank. However, when we nag or criticize a child, we make a withdrawal. Teachers and caregivers should ask themselves, "Am I making a deposit or a withdrawal in this child's piggy bank." Turning the negative (a withdrawal) into a positive (a deposit) will go a long way to continue to build that solid positive relationship (a full piggy bank).

Circling in Space

I got a new laptop computer for Christmas. It was my attempt to place all of my university media files on a personal computer. I love this new device and just had it all set up the way I wanted it. I was using it for my current courses and was thrilled with its performance. Well, on Tuesday the monitor went out. It's a month old!! My son, the computer expert, checked it out and told me it was history. So I took it back and got a new one. Fortunately, I was able to salvage all my files (I think). Today I went to teach a class using my work laptop (which I have used in the past few years and contains all my university files). My entire file for that course was missing from my documents. Boy, do we rely on technology. Somewhere in cyberspace there is a file for International Childrens Literature floating around. If it should end up on your computer, please let me know. Oh well, next week has to better! :-)

The Fridge is Full Again

Three of my grandchildren just had a sleepover at our house this week. I love having them stay! We always have such a great time. My two granddaughters love to draw new pictures to display on the fridge. We have some new Silky Stick crayons that glide on easier than regular crayons. The two were excited about the new materials for drawing and coloring. As teachers, it is always a challenge to find new ways of teaching basic concepts. It is not unlike grandparents thinking of new ways to entertain. Thank goodness my early childhood years have given me a treasure chest to rely upon. Without those resources I may not have a well-decorate refrigerator door!

A New Group

Today was the first day of classes at the university. The one fun thing about teaching on the college level is that you get fresh faces in the middle of the year. When I look out at all the new faces, I wonder what is in store for the semester. I love that feeling and always hope that I can make a difference in their lives. We have such a teacher shortage in our area and we need great teachers for our young children. I'm encouraged that the new administration will make education more attractive to sharp people. Our nation can only be as good as we are educated.

A New Year

Here we are poised to begin another new year. There is always much talk about resolutions and what we want to change about ourselves for the coming year. I have tried to make at least one resolution each year. That resolution is to contribute one important thing to the early childhood community. I hope to publish something in 2009 and hope that it will be helpful to teachers and caregivers. Here's to 2009 and everything we an accomplish between now and 2010. Good Luck.

I was out breaking the ice on our pond (winter has arrived!) so that the turtles hibernating in the bottom will have oxygen. While breaking the ice I was thinking about the discussion that happens every year at this time about saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays." It all boils down to validation. Human beings want to validated in their beliefs and cultural surroundings. I sometimes think that I should just say, "Merry Everybody and Everything." Actually, I think that is a good idea. As teachers we accept (or should accept) any child that crosses the threshold into our classroom. However, sometimes we adults forget to do that to each other. We are so busy trying to prove we are right, we think the only way to do so is to prove everyone else is wrong. I often think of Dr. Seuss's book, "The Sneetches," when it says..."that day they decided that Sneetches are Sneetches and no kind of Sneetch is the best on the beaches." Validation is the oxygen we need and I want to spend my time breaking the ice.