Ladybug Love

Peerbackers

I'm not sure this is going to work but I've just got to keep trying.  I feel like the little engine that could....
"I think I can,, I think I can"

Visit my book company at peerbackers to see what all the fuss is about. 

Thanks for reading my neglected blog.  Now you know where all my time is spent.  :)
I think we have something great, zodireaders are a beginner reader book series that have familiar characters, colorful illustrations and funny stories.  With felt objects, word cards AND finger puppets...I mean these are books your kids can play with. 
See for yourself and let me know what you think.  I'm new at this, maybe I'm missing some detail that would make them even better?  Please share your thoughts, FEEDBACK desired.
PEACE
Jennifer

Making Their Mark

A child's first introduction to writing letters often starts with the child's name. If your child is showing an interest in writing letters, try this lesson on learning how to write your name.

Indirect Aim: Writing.

Direct Aim: To make the child aware that sounds have symbols.

Age: 3 to 4 years.

Materials: Sandpaper letter(s), pencil, paper.

Example of child's name: Sarah

1. "Today we are going to write your name." (Or you can just write the first letter of the child's name: "Today we are going to write the first letter in your name.") "What is the first letter in your name?" If the child gives the name for the letter 's' (es) you say, "Its name is 's' (es) but it says the sound ‘sss’ like snake.

If the child has a blend, like 'ch' for Charlie, 

say "The letters 'C' (see) and 'h' (ay-chu) make the sound 'ch' like chair. 'ch' is the first sound in the name Charlie.

2. Take any kind of paper (or chalkboard) and a normal size pencil (or white chalk), and start with first letter in child’s name. Use a capital letter. Trace the capital letter 'S' with two fingers (use pointing finger and middle finger and always top to bottom, left to write) then write it. Do a whole line of the letter 'S', if the child can wait. Or, at some point, ask the child to have a turn to trace the letter 'S' and write it. Trace it first, then write it, trace it again, then write it again, repeat this pattern of tracing and writing, tracing and writing.

3. "Now we are going to write the second letter in your name." (Or you can write the second letter another day.) "The second letter in your name is -------" (for our example, Sarah, it would be 'a').

4. Use a lower case letter 'a'. Trace the lower case letter 'a' with two fingers (use pointing finger and middle finger and always top to bottom, left to write) then write it. Do a whole line of the letter 'a', if the child can wait. Or, at some point, ask the child to have a turn to trace the letter 'a' and write it. Trace it first, then write it, trace it again, then write it again, repeat this pattern of tracing and writing, tracing and writing.

Continue with the next letter in the child's name, or wait until another day.

You can also have the child's name written out on a piece of paper or cardstock, and place it near the pencils and paper for her to go and get when ever she wants to write her name. Later, she will want to write her sibling's or her friend's name, have that child's name written out on a piece of paper or cardstock, and place it near the pencils and paper for her to go and get when ever she wants to write it.

Optional: You can use dots to write the letter(s) and have the child trace over the dots.

The adult writes the name in yellow marker and the child traces the name in a darker color.

In our classroom we have a cornmeal tray.  This is a shallow tray with a thin layer of cornmeal.  The children trace the letters they know in the cornmeal.  This is great fun and is used by all the children. 

Markers: allow the child to decorate her paper with markers after she has practiced writing her name in pencil HOWEVER, for children who have difficultly writing (or may be hard to motivate) allow them to use markers to practice writing their name.  Our goal is leaving the activity with a feeling of success!

Encourage the child to always write her name on her artwork.:)

Ugly Pie

If you've been itchin' for some Ugly Pie, today is your lucky day! Here's Ol' Bear's recipe, handed down from bear to bear for generations.
Ugly Crust:
2 & 1/2 cups flour
1 cup shortening (we used butter)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 to 8 tablespoons icy cold water

Ugly Filling
6 cups peeled, sliced Granny Smith apples (we used apples given to us by a family from their apple tree)
1/4 cup molasses
1 teaspoon lemon juice

In a large bowl, toss apple slices with lemon juice. Then mix in molasses until apples are completely coated with ugly brown goo. Set aside.
5 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the dry ingredients listed above. Add to the ugly apple mixture until everything is nice 'n' moist.
3/4 cup red raisins or cran-raisins
1/4 walnuts chopped fine (we left out the nuts)

Toss raisins and walnuts into apple mixture. Make sure all ingredients are well coated. Place into pie crust. Your pie should look fairly ugly by now.
Top with second pie crust and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mixture. Cover pie with an aluminum-foil tent to prevent over browning. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 20 minutes.
When your pie is done, you will have the most delicious, most beautiful UGLY PIE you ever did see!
Enjoy~

Transition Tool ~Good Morning Sunshine~

Outside the front door to the school there is an easel with notes about the day, who is snack leader, special visitor...that kind of thing.  There are also name tags for the taking.  When the children arrive they choose their tag and carry it inside.  Before saying "Goodbye" to Mom or Dad, they choose a spot on the morning sunshine.  Some times they count how many friends have arrived.....read the names the recognize....
Good morning Sunshine~
PEACE
Jennifer

Happy Birthday Dr. Montessori

Happy Birthday Maria~

If I could I would thank you.  For all you mean to me and so many.  Thank you for never giving up.  For believing in yourself when no one else did.  It must have been so hard to be you.  You were so brave.

Because of you, I am me.

In PEACE,

Jennifer

Open House for My New School

Helping Hands Family School will open September 1st. Yesterday we had our first Open House for enrolled families!  Because I was too busy greeting children and answering questions, I left my camera on a shelf.  Here are some photos of the classroom(s).  Even though they were much more sweet full of small people.

Something New...

Helping Hands Family School

What is a Family School?

Basically it's a family. 

I believe that the word "family" has many meanings.  I consider family to be those persons primarily responsible for a child and/or whomever the child considers to be his/her "family".  I think that caregivers and parents must work hand in hand for the good of their child.  In a Family School there is a high value placed on partnership, communication and positive change occurs when everyone cooperates.  When parents and teachers work together and act in the best interest of the whole child, the child is free to develop his or her own path to the future.  

Helping Hands Family School is my new child care & preschool program.  I've begun this journey with the support and love of my own family and have been joined along the way by the parents of the children I will come to care for in September.  I continue to be amazing and grateful, each step of the way along this path.

 

While leaving a job that I LOVED, and a community I have been part of for nine years was one of the most difficult things I have ever done; I know in my heart it was the best choice for my family at this time.  

I don't expect anyone else to understand the "why and how come"...that's really inside of me and for me to process, forgive and let go of.  

I will say this, every experience we have, shapes us into the person we need to be to experience the journey a little bit further up the road.  And, if we are able to be open to the education we are receiving, we will leave one adventure to begin a new one, with wisdom and strength.  

I know I would never be the teacher I am today, had I not spent the last nine years listening, learning and loving the community I was blessed to be part of.  Now it's time for me to build something on my own and I'm starting with what I know.  I'm combining my dedication to the Montessori philosophy with what I see as a great need for parents to be a key part of the program.  

From this I have decided to open a "Family School".  Being a family school means that everyone's opinion matters and is important to the growth and continuation of the school as a whole.  As a parent, I understand that families will share their thoughts, talents and abilities with the school community only if and when they feel comfortable to do so.  As the Director, I will welcome contributions of time, talent, skill and energy in all forms.   And I hope that the families who become part of this new family school, will feel welcomed respected, valued and comfortable here.  

In loving PEACE,

Jennifer Howard

Food For Thought

I'm not sure if I 100% agree with every one of these statements but I will say they made me think. Read them and let me know your thoughts. PEACE~J

BEHAVIOR LABELING
By Dixie Fletcher

If an adult is reinforced for behaving appropriately we call it recognition.
If a child is reinforced for behaving appropriately we call it bribery.

If an adult laughs we call it socializing.
If a child laughs we call it misbehaving.

If an adult writes in a book we call it doodling.
If a child writes in a book we call it destroying property.

If an adult sticks to something we call it perseverance.
Of a child sticks to something we call it stubbornness.

If an adult seeks help we call it consulting.
If a child seeks help we call it whining.

If an adult is not paying attention we call it preoccupation.
Of a child is not paying attention we call it distractibility.

If an adult forgets something we call it absent mindedness.
If a child forgets something we call it attention deficit.

If an adult tells his side of a story we call it clarification.
If a child tells his side of a story we call it talking back.

If an adult raise his voice in anger we call it maintaining control.
If a chiild raises his voice in anger we call it a temper tantrum.
If an adult hits a child we call it discipline.
If a child hits a child we call it fighting.

If an adult behaves in an unusual way we call him unique.
If a child behaves in an unusual way we call him in for a
PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATUON.

___________________

Inspiration and Ideas Are Everywhere!

I really love the internet....when I have the time to search and keep track of things. Most of the time I find something and then forget where I saw it. Someone else always needs the computer around here. There are five of us and just one computer. Below is a list of sites I've visited recently while looking for classroom materials. There are countless more out there but I thought I would give a shout out to these ones, this time. Just my way of saying, thanks for being there! Because of you, my summer is full and rich with activity and inspiration, my sewing machine is always running and someone around here, myself included, almost always has paint on their hands. The last two days have been rainy...I know you feel my pain.

So, if you need inspiration or ideas, OR you just like looking at what others are up to this summer....ENJOY:

Ideas for Kids,
Gayle's Preschool Rainbow
On the Shelf
Montessori Mom
Preschool Crafts
Child Made Ideas
Paint + Cut + Paste blog
Polar Bear Creations
Fair Trade Family blog
Eyes on Nature blog
Creative Jewish Mom
Childhood Magic
Soft Earth's World
Rosy ~ Posy
Sew Mama Sew!
Sew Natural
and last but certainly not least: Etsy (of course, I mean come on...Etsy ROCKS right?)

I hope you enjoy visiting these blogs and sites as much as I do!
In PEACE,
Jennifer