Archive for the ‘Work’ Category

Kindergarten Olympics

Saturday, February 27th, 2010

Yesterday was probably one of my all time favorite days at school.  We hosted our very own Kindergarten Olympics.  Usually my team teacher and I are not the most organized, not to say we don’t know what’s going on, but often we get "crazy ideas" and then forget a few pieces in planning.  It always comes together and turns out great.  However, this time we planned everything very well.  We hand picked parents and teachers to be team coaches, we had detailed notes for our coaches, we really studied and worked hard with our kiddos learning about their countries and the Winter Olympics, we had music and videos, we had photographers, we had fun events and we even had the whole school on board with supporting our kids.  It was a tiring day, but all in all a great one.  Here are some highlights from the day. 

First, we made an Olympic ring snack.  We took butter cookies, icing and sprinkles and turned them into the Olympic rings.  Here is what the end result looked like (not the best lighting, but you get the idea):

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Then at recess we had the kids train and warm up for the big events.  We began the day with Opening Ceremonies.  The kids had each made a flag that represented their country and we played the Olympic theme song while they paraded around the gym.  They were so proud and excited.  Then we moved on to the main events!  We had eight events set up around the school.

1.  Speed skating – We had the kids skate around the gym in their sock feet.  They were so cute, and they all pretended to be Apollo Anton Ohno.

2.  Ski jumping – They ran and jumped from a piece of tape to see who could go the farthest.

3.  Hockey – They took turns shooting a hockey puck between cones. 

4.  Snowball toss – Not a real event, but we were running out of ideas.  They tossed marshmallows into Olympic rings.

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5.  Bobsled – The coaches pulled kids around a course on a plastic sled.

6.  Luge – By far the favorite event.  We used an old plastic square scooter  and let the kids race down the main hallway in our school.  It is a ramp, so they had a lot of fun.  Here is a picture of one of the coaches racing along.  There were more wrecks with the adults than there were with the kids.

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7.  Wii Figure skating

8.  Wii Snowboarding – Complete with a photo-op on a real snow board.

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We completed the day with a medal ceremony where each child earned a bronze medal, silver medal and gold medal.  It was a great day. 

Here are some videos of the teachers having a little fun! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think the teachers enjoyed themselves more than the kiddos!  There were a few more videos of adults, but I did not post because I didn’t want to embarrass anyone!  It was a great day with lots of laughs and giggles, and I think the kids learned a little too!

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We have a star among us

Friday, February 19th, 2010

At least among the people involved in my school.  This guy…

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…will compete in a competition tomorrow night for Funniest Kid Around.  I have always known he was funny, but now the whole world (or at least the people at the show) will know just how funny he really is!  This kiddo (don’t let him know I called him a kiddo though, he might deny it) holds a special place in our hearts (all of us Kickert’s, even Shiloh).  He has been in our lives since my first year of teaching.  We have seen him grow, mature (at least a little), learn, laugh, play ball, learn to read and write, and much more.  He is an all star in my eyes!  He is so special to us we had him complete an art project for MLK’s nursery.  I think it turned out great!

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He will probably never read this, but….GOOD LUCK!  WE WILL BE THERE ROOTING FOR YOU!

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Thinking of D-

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010

I have been teaching for almost five years now.  In those five years I have dealt with a lot of sadness, heartache and illness.  But it wasn’t until this year that I ever had to deal with a life-threatening disease.  Just before Christmas one of our students was diagnosed with leukemia.  She immediately started chemotherapy and things were looking good…until today.  I just got a call from a fellow teacher and my principal saying that the reports are not looking good.  The cancer has spread to her bones and they have had to significantly increase her medicines  She is still at home, which is positive, but she is about to be a very sick little girl.  I am heart broken for her.  No child deserves to endure such a sickness.  I look at my little MLK and am so thankful she has had a healthy 9 months of life and I hope she remains healthy in the years to come.  It is just hard for me to grapple what this little girl and her family are dealing with.  It is so sad and hard to hear. 

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Kindergarten Reality TV

Sunday, August 9th, 2009

Kindergarten teachers should really have their own reality TV show!  Really!  If you don’t believe me check out some of these anecdotes.  Keep in mind that these are all from the first week of school!

  1. Unlike ducks, kindergarten students do not follow behind their momma!  Enough said…
  2. Names I have been called this week:  Mrs. Kickermon, Ms. Beth, Mrs. Kickers…the list goes on!
  3. Bathroom breaks are always an adventure.  This year I have a bathroom in my room, which only adds to the adventures!  Several times I have had students walk out with their pants down to get a drink of water.  I have also had students scream at me about how they had to poop, while I was trying to teach.  The best was a story about a little girl.  She had been in the restroom for ten minutes when I decided to go check on her.  Upon opening the door I saw that she had taken her shoes off and she promptly told me how she had to poop.  I left and returned ten minutes later to find that she had now removed her pants.  Again, leaving and returning a few minutes later to a completely naked child.  Who gets naked in a kindergarten classroom bathroom?  Apparently this young child!
  4. Fire drills are always an experience.  This year our alarm is extremely loud, almost deafening.  Of course when the kiddos heard it the first time they all held their ears (no tears surprisingly).  When we returned to the room one little guy asked if he could use the bathroom.  I let him go and he was in there for a few seconds before he came running out.  He asked me if the alarm was going to ring again.  He was scared that he would be in the bathroom when the alarm was going to go off.
  5. It is also not strange to be interrupted in the middle of a lesson for a student to shout out a random thought.  I had one kid interrupt me during calendar to tell me all about Transformer World that he apparently visited this summer.  He was full of detail about his experience and the things he saw.  (Side note – there is no such thing as Transformer World).
  6. I got an email from a parent on day one that mentioned three things.  One – her child was scared of the automatically flushing toilet (what four/five year old isn’t).  Two – The family would be moving soon and they just wanted to make me aware.  Three – They wanted to let me know about Ropey and Ron, the child’s best friends.  These aren’t ordinary friends, they are imaginary friends!  They are allowed at her house, but not school.  Apparently there are family members and more friends along with these two.  Only in kindergarten world!

Of course this is just the beginning.  Tomorrow begins week two and I am sure there will be more Funny Moments to share!  But for now, I must venture to bed!

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Finding your niche

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

I have found my niche.  For the past three weeks I have been volunteering (and when I say volunteering I mean paying to take a class and work for free as a result) at a program here in Bowling Green geared towards working with individuals with autism (ASD).  The program is called the Kelly Autism Program, or KAP as the participants fondly call it.  This is a place that people all over the nation and world are looking at as a model for helping those with ASD.  At KAP students Kindergarten through college are encouraged to be themselves and learn coping skills to manage and deal with their disability. Although I have had to leave my sweet baby every morning for the last three weeks (and three more in July) I feel the experience has been very worthwhile.

For those of you who don’t know, I am currently finishing up a second masters in Exceptional Education (Moderate and severe disabilities) with an Autism certificate.  I have loved this masters and learned so much from it.  The past two years I have had the priveledge of working with an individual with classic autism.  I have learned so much from this student and even found a passion in working with individuals with autism (thus my second masters).  I have found my niche!  I have always known that I wanted to teach, and have loved every minute (well almost every minute) since I started almost five years ago.  However, it wasn’t until this summer, actually this past week, that I feel like I have truly found my niche.  I love, love working with students with special needs, specifically autism and feel like I have the skill base to do so effectively.  They have so much to teach me and have such a passion for life.  They live life to the fullest and don’t care what others think!  It is amazing.

Unlike most of my friends, I have always been confident in my job.  Several years ago we were in a small group of “young married” couples, all of who seemed to reach a transition point in their lives at the same moment.  People were shuffling jobs, moving to new places or just beginning their careers.  Throughout this entire time I seemed to be the only one who enjoyed their job and knew they were “in the right place”.  I still love my job and have confidence in it, but now I can see a different future with my job.  Maybe not tomorrow or ten years from now, but one day I will work daily with individuals with special needs and I will love it as much as I love teaching kindergarten.  I have found my niche and couldn’t be happier!

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