Silver Lining.

Unless you've been under a rock the past few days (and with the temperatures nearing Hades levels in most of the U.S. under a rock might be the coolest place to be), you've certainly heard about Border's Bookstores closing. A pang in my heart at hearing the news would be an understatement. Sure, I buy most of my books on Amazon, but there is nothing like entering a giant bookstore and perusing the goods… perhaps this is why they’re going out of business.

Being a male kindergarten teacher, I’m usually lucky enough to avoid the tchotchke overload most primary school teachers are inundated with during the holidays. When kids ask me, “What do you want, Mr. _______?” I usually reply, “I wouldn’t love anything more than a nice picture from you.”

I get the picture and a Border’s gift card.

With the Border’s near me closing soon, I dug out all my old gift cards. I’m not a candidate for the Hoarders television show (Sorry, Elise), but I do collect these cards and forget about them. I set off to Border’s with a bevy cards to stock up on some picture books. Hey, I had to use them before they were no good and what better silver lining could I find than picture books?

Here are some of my finds:

Cloudette by Tom Lichetenheld - Speaking of silver linings, this sweet book about a little cloud named Cloudette warmed my heart the moment I picked it up. Smaller than the other clouds, Cloudette finds the advantages in being littler. Plus, I don't have any fiction books for our Water Cycle study and this fills that bill perfectly.



Scardey Squirrel by Melanie Watt - If you've never read Scardey Squirrel (it's a series), you are truly missing out. Scaredy is, well afraid of almost everything. In each book, he learns to be a little braver and finds there is much the world has to offer. Of course, this is only after he panics and plays dead. The illustrations and simple text are hilarious and you're kids will adore Scardey's many warnings and adventures.



Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates - Well, I love books, so this title grabbed me immediately. Dog loves books so much he decides to open a book store. Things don't go quite as he planned, but that's fine with dog, as long as he has books, he'll be just fine. I can't wait to share this book with my sprouts to help foster their love of books.

Mitchell's License by Hallie Durand and illustrated by Tony Fucile - The cover of this book demanded I pick it up. Mitchell, a small boy (Three years, nine months, and five days old to be exact) never wants to go to bed. One night, his dad decides maybe if Mitchell could drive to bed, he'd actually go to sleep. Dad is the car and Mitchell takes an amazing ride on his way to slumberland. Children will relate to this story about not wanting to go to bed and be delighted by the retro drawings that seem to leap off the page.

Perfect Square by Michael Hall - I've read a few reviews of this book and was happy to see it smiling at me on the shelf (really, the cover smiles at you). This book about all the different things you can make with a square of paper is a perfect beginning of a lesson on shapes and the craft creates itself from the story. For the crafty, but especially the uncrafty (me!), this book is a no-brainer.



Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean - This is quite simply my new favorite book. Pete's a cat with new white shoes. If you've ever seen the joy on a sprout's face when they get new kicks, you will adore this book. Unfortunately for Pete, he steps in a few items that change the color of his shoes. No problem. Pete loves his shoes so much he sings about them - no matter what color they are. My students are going to love predicting the changing colors of Pete's shoes (he stepped in blueberries, what color are his shoes now?) and singing along with Pete and me... 'I love my white shoes! I love my white shoes! I love my white shoes!'

So, 'Good-Bye' Border's. I'll miss you, but I'll think of you often when I'm reading some of my favorite stories.

Teechr.

Yesterday at bus time, Darlene handed me the following note:

I love it for many reasons. First, she has clearly mastered the 'ch' blend - something we've been working on diligently for months. Yay! Second, she loves her teacher, something I never tire of being told. Finally, she wants to be a teacher when she grows up. There's no better compliment than that. She got a big hug for this one.

Label.

Jason has a new toy. Someone in his family gave him an old label maker… remember the old kind where you had to move the dial to each letter and then punch it onto the green sticky tape? Well this new device is quite thrilling for Jason.

He came in and gave Mrs. D. a bracelet with her name on it first. She proudly wore it on her wrist all day long… even though I’m quite sure it wasn’t comfortable and maybe even a little bit painful for her. That’s what you do when you get a gift from a sprout… you wear it with pride… even if you need a band-aid or get a rash.

When Jason promised, “Yours is coming tomorrow,” I got nervous.

Unlike Mrs. D., I’ve got hair on my wrists, and that bracelet was going to hurt. I devised a plan… the label would go on my glasses instead! Genius!

When Jason presented me with my own label (with my last name misspelled, but naturally not mentioned by me), I proudly placed it on the arm of my glasses. As everyone arrived, they commented on my label.

As the day wore on, I forgot about my label. Always there to remind me of anything out of the ordinary, the other adults in the school all commented on my label… No, I didn’t forget my name… No, I don’t need my name on my glasses in case I get lost…

When I got in my car to go home, I saw my reflection in the rear view mirror and removed my label… I proudly put it on the dashboard of my car. I don’t usually like to be labeled as this or that, but when the label is from Jason, I’ll humbly accept it.

Compliment.

Slow down… breathe… take it all in. Things I know I should do, but when the day is spinning, sometimes hard to do. Kids have a way of forcing us to… in their own special way.

Today, after writing facts about whales in our Ocean Journals, I sat reading them to the class. As usual, I had one eye on the clock and was thinking about getting the class to the cafeteria on time. I was doing my best to be in the moment and relish praise on each author, but I also knew we needed to get to lunch in a timely fashion.

When I finally read the last journal, a few hands went up. At this point, we had about five minutes to wash up, get our things, and be down the hallway.

“Dan, is it an emergency?” I asked.

This is my ‘we don’t have time for you to tell me about your grandmother’s new puppy’ comment.

“No, I just wanted to tell David his writing was really good today,” he spit out before I could cut him off.

Yes, universe, stop, slow down, take the moment.

David was displaying an enormous smile.

“You’re right Dan, and thank you for that compliment… now to get ready for lunch,” I said.

Important.

Yesterday was my birthday. I got many gifts and cards from friends, but, not surprisingly, it was the treasures from my sprouts that made my day. As they each arrived I got many ‘Happy Birthday’ shout outs and extra hugs. They really were excited for my big day. As we do for all birthdays we sang our special birthday song, A Cat Hat A Birthday. It’s way more fun than boring old ‘Happy Birthday’…

A few had made special cards, paintings, notes, and some even had treats! I oohed and ahhed over each surprise and by the time we arrived at the end of Morning Meeting I was on cloud nine. Then Mrs. D. told me they had a surprise for me.

When I was out a few weeks ago, they made me a special book. I had a clue there was something special, but I wasn’t sure what… kindergartners don’t keep secrets well, but they hadn’t spilled the beans entirely.

After reading The Important Book (one of my all time favorites), they wrote a book for me… The Important Thing About Mr. _______. Each child wrote and illustrated a page. As Mrs. D. read the book to me and shared the pictures, I tried my best not to get choked up.

As I sat and listened to her, I was overcome with a deep feeling of gratitude. How lucky can a guy get? I also couldn’t help but be taken aback by what the majority of my sprouts found important about me… sure a few mentioned ‘school stuff’ (he reads to us, he helps us count, and he teaches us), but overwhelmingly, they had written about feelings.

Here are a few highlights.

(Really, what could be more important than love?)

(Hugs are super important too.)

(Overwhelmingly it was about hugs and love. I also realized today, without me for a kindergarten teacher, they wouldn't have mastered the art of drawing curly hair...)

(Whoa.  This one really got me.  Simple, yet surprisingly deep.  Probably my favorite.)

There’s a famous quote, ‘They may forget what you said but they will never forget how you made them feel.’ My sprouts definitely feel loved and really, isn't that the most important part of my job?  After reading my book, I consider myself a success... and that truly is the most awesome gift.  Best. Birthday. Ever.

Card.

Well today is my birthday. Yes, I’m a grown-up and I still get excited about my birthday. I got some amazing cards and gifts (more on that tomorrow) from little friends. Being my big day, I don’t have time to give my sprout’s gifts the attention they deserve today, but one grown-up card, from Mrs. D. just tickled me silly and I had to share it quickly.

In our class, we sing and dance to nursery rhymes daily. Each week we learn a new one and it then becomes a part of our motor break repertoire. The very first rhyme we learn is Jack Be Nimble. Naturally, we don’t just sing it – we sing the Jack Hartmann version which basically rocks out and has us jumping up and down like fools.

Well, this was the card Mrs. D. handed over today (click to make it larger).

I’m not sure how where she found it, but somehow, it was just the perfect card for me. Tomorrow, with more time, I’ll share my other gifts… Some of them literally took my breath away. Come back tomorrow to share my bounty.

Anticipation.

There was some major excitement in class today. No, it’s not our field trip later this week… we’re not having pajama day or a pizza party… we didn’t get a class pet pony… What is it then? Well, tomorrow is my birthday.

Yes, you read that correctly, my birthday. For some reason, this year, more than ever, my sprouts are totally freaking out about my birthday. To be fair, I don’t think I’ve hyped it up or talked it about more than any other birthday… they are just super ready to celebrate with me tomorrow.

I know they’ve got something special brewing… How do I know? Well, kindergartners don’t keep secrets well. Here’s what I know.

• They have some sort of present for me.
• They made it with Mrs. D. when I was out for a meeting a few weeks ago.
• It’s not in the classroom so I shouldn’t bother looking for it.
• I’m really, really, REALLY going to love it.

I’ve been told the above facts about eighty-two times by different children at varying times. It’s awfully cute, but heaven help them if they ever needed to keep a really important secret.

Today at calendar Andy was Calendar Helper. He was up there, super excited to be doing his job. When it came time to read what day was Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, he said, “Yesterday was Monday, today is Tuesday, and tomorrow is Mr. _______’s birthday!”

Actually, tomorrow is Wednesday… but it’s my birthday too and I suppose that trumps Wednesday in Andy’s book.

Most people with ‘regular’ jobs often take their birthday off… I wouldn’t dream of missing my big day tomorrow with my smallest friends.

Sandwich.

It never ceases to amaze and delight me the way a six-year-old (yes, most of them are six now…) can raise me out of a foul mood. As I wrote about Friday, it rained ALL WEEK. It was miserable. By Friday, I was not my usual chipper self to say the least.

During Center Time, I was sitting, gloomily, in the Kitchen when David came over to take my order.

“What do you feel like today, Mr. _______?” He asked.

“Hmmm. I’m not really hungry, why don’t you just bring me something light,” I said.

“I know just what you need,” he murmured as he walked back into the kitchen.

After a few minutes of rustling and mumbling from him and his co-cooks, he emerged with this in hand:

“David, is that a… a money sandwich?” I asked him.

“Uh-huh – sure to satisfy your belly and make you smile!” He cheered.

How could I not have a huge grin on my face as I pretended to eat my expensive snack?  Rainy gloom... you've met your match.

Evelyn and Jason.

We all know the drill. The sprouts with the highest academic and behavior needs get the higher percentage of our attention… day in and day out. Is it fair? Absolutely not. Unfortunately, it’s just the way the cookie crumbles and there’s not much you can do about it.

Lucky for me, with a team teaching situation this year, I’m finding I can give more attention to all children, regardless of academic or behavior concerns. No doubt, those ‘squeaky wheels’ always get a little more regard, but those ‘rocks’ as I like to call them (rocks as in, ‘like a rock’ sturdy and steady, I don’t have to worry about them too much) get more than usual.

Two of my sprouts who fit into that category this year are Evelyn and Jason. Both are quiet, respectful, and academically strong. It’s easy to see how each could get lost in the shuffle, but having two teachers has allowed them more one on one and ‘small moment’ time.

As long as I teach, I’ll never forget hearing Evelyn’s mother tell me at last summer’s open house, “She doesn’t really like men.” Yikes. Good thing my teaching partner is a woman. Funny thing is, turns out Evelyn just hadn’t met the right guy yet… me. Surely she was slower to warm up to my charms, but eventually, in her own time, she allowed me to show her the kindness she deserved.

Last week, Evelyn presented me with the following:

“Thank you,” I said.

“I think you’re sweet too,” I finished as she smiled at me. She offered a rare and cherished hug.

Jason too is a quiet boy who, unlike most boys in kindergarten, rarely acts silly or needs to be reigned in. If I never said, ‘Jason, thank you for sitting politely and being ready to learn,’ the poor boy would barely ever hear his name. While other boys seek me out for hugs and handholding (yes, the boys crave them), Jason would always stay back, preferring to offer a smile instead.

About two weeks ago, Jason came up to me during Quiet Time and asked if he could have a hug. Naturally, I obliged, but I was surprised by his request. After our hug, as he pulled back, I said, “Thank you for such a nice hug.”

Since then, he’s begun asking for hugs every day. I’m not sure what exactly prompted that first hug request, but as with most things hug related, I don’t question it, I just take my hugs as they come… and they are plentiful.

This year, Evelyn and Jason have taught me an important lesson. While the squeaky wheel usually gets the grease, silence is golden and deserves to be noticed, rewarded, and hugged.

Better.

This week, as we prepare for Mother’s Day, we’re reading books all about the love of dear old mom. Today, as I read Kiss It Better by Hiawyn Oram about a little bear whose mother kisses all her hurts better, I couldn’t help but think about the way my sprouts kiss all my problems away.

To be clear, there is no kissing in kindergarten. When someone has a boo-boo that needs attention, I usually brush it off, hold it up to them, and have the child kiss it. A kiss really does make everything better, but we can’t kiss, so other things will have to suffice.

When I’m feeling down, frustrated, angry, or blue (usually because of something to do with another adult, not a child…), it’s a child that ‘kisses’ my troubles better. Smiles, hugs, or taking my hand is all it takes. A simple gesture goes a long way in making you feel better. Children inherently know this… I wish more adults did.

Force.

Two things I love and am not afraid to admit are Legos and Star Wars. There is actually a Star Wars Legos video game that is heaven… the kids know I love Star Wars as I have quite a few t-shirts with R2-D2 and C-3PO I wear from time to time… today, during centers, Andy called me over to show me his creation.

I was really impressed with his creativity. Out of regular Legos (not the super cool Star Wars kits – we don’t have those at school), he’d created a Star Wars fighter ship and two characters… Darth Vader and his ‘alien friend’ – my amazement was palpable and quite a few boys came sauntering over to see what the hubbub was all about.

I sat and played with Andy for awhile… I made my own Luke Skywalker ‘man’ by copying his model and we had a little light saber fight… as Andy pointed out, light sabers are NOT guns, so we were allowed. I agreed and we had a little fantasy battle. I let him win.

When I got up to leave, he stopped me by grabbing my hand, pulled me back down to his level, gave me a big smile and said, “May the force be with you!” Indeed, it was.

Remedy.

Let me start today with a confession. This morning, after my alarm went off and I was shuffling around trying to get my act together after a week off from school for Spring Break, I had a bratty baby moment… when nobody was listening, I whined a little… it was something like, ‘I don’t wanna go back to work’ in the most pathetic voice you can imagine.

Well, I did go in, and about two seconds after eight o’clock, when the first few sprouts skipped in, I felt much better. There really is something about smiles and hugs from five-year-olds that can brighten your day and make work, well, not really work.

As the day went on, I expected to become increasingly tired… I’m still fighting off bronchitis and am not quite back to my true self. It didn’t happen. The hugs, smiles, and stories just kept coming and kept me alert and ready. On the drive home my day finally caught up with me, but when I’m there, with the kids, experiencing our joy together, I’ve got the best remedy you could ask for.

Meetings.

Meetings… ugh. Today I had an entire full day of Very Important Meetings. I had a sub and everything. I was doing more shifting in my seat and leg tapping than all my sprouts combined. I abhor meetings. I finished about forty-five minutes before the day ended. The office told me I could just do some work since I already had a sub and the day was almost over… I went back to my classroom.

I was attacked with smiles and hugs and in that moment I remembered why I’m not a ‘meeting’ guy but rather a ‘kindergarten teacher’ guy.

Connie gave me this picture she had worked on…

“I’m not finished with it, but you can take it home and color the rest!” She exclaimed.

Of course that must be what I do when I get home… color!

Kelly, who has some major speech issues and has yet to string more than two words together came up to me, handed me a note and said, as clear as day, “I love you Mr. _______.”

Cue the single tear and my heart breaking just a tiny bit.

As much as I don’t love meetings, they help me remember how much I love my job and I love my sprouts.

Snacker.

Oh how I love snack time. In kindergarten, our snack time is a short ten minute break in our morning when sprouts get to socialize and practice fine motor skills as they attempt to open their snacks. Last year I did a group snack, but with the multitude of allergies in my room this year (really, there are allergies this year I wasn’t even aware of before… apparently people can be allergic to anything…), we each bring our own this year.

I usually walk around and help open items deemed too difficult for a five-year-old to open… which leads me to the question, why send your child with a snack they can’t open? Surely parents don’t believe teachers have time to open the snack of every child in the room… or maybe they do? I learned quickly to try and teach rather than do. Usually most kids are able to open their snacks, I get the feeling they’ve just never had to before. It’s quite empowering to see a child open a snack.

The other day I was helping with a particularly difficult Tupperware container… seriously, it was almost impossible for even me to open. When I finally pried the nasty lid from its nest, I said, “Phew, that was hard, I deserve a reward for all that hard work.”

Without missing a beat, Michelle lifted up a single tiny cheese cracker, “Here, take one.”

Now who am I to refuse the gift of a small child?

Naturally, the other kids wanted me to try their snacks too. I politely accepted anything healthy and declined sweets. I love sweets, but I’m a role model here and I do want to promote healthy snacking. I walked around snacking on this and that and by the time snack time was over, my heart was light and my belly full. Snacker… just one more job you take on as a teacher.

Cough.

During Quiet Time, sprouts often come up to offer hugs, ask for their shoes to be tied, or whisper sweet nothings (‘I love you,’ ‘You’re my friend,’ and ‘You’re the best teacher in the word’ are some of my favorites). Sometimes, when they all have something to share, a small line forms. They stand quietly waiting their turn for a little one on one attention and then go back to their seats.

The other day, Sarah was standing off to the side while I tied some shoes. She waited for about three or four minutes in complete silence. Sarah is one of the sweetest little girls I’ve met. She has a quiet and gentle nature about her… oh and she sounds like her nose is perpetually stuffed. I’ve come to believe that’s just how she sounds because nobody has a cold for over eight months.

As Sarah approached me, I was expecting a hug. With her calm nature, she usually doesn’t say anything during Quiet Time, even when visiting me. She typically just offers a sincere hug and smile and then returns to her seat. After waiting for what I imagine seems like an eternity for a five-year-old, she walked up to me, her face only a few inches from mine and… coughed.

It was a loud cough. Despite our constant teaching and reviewing of how to cover your mouth (with the inside of your elbow), she made no effort to cover her mouth or shield me from her germs. Basically, she held that cough in just for me. She did give me a warm hug afterwards, but the cough seemed to linger. I love the gifts my sprouts offer up on a daily basis, but this was one I would have gladly done without.

Effort.

Ah Writing Workshop. As we move closer to the end of the school year, we are beginning to ramp up our writing. Most sprouts are flourishing, but there are always a few who resist… they scribble, crumple, rip, and stare… but they don’t really write. We redirect, guide, and try, often without success, to steer them back on track… we also praise those authors who put their nose to the grind.

Today I stopped to read Nicole’s paper. Nicole has struggled academically all year. She has made amazing gains, but still has a long way to go. She had written a lovely story and all the beginning and ending sounds were there along with many other sounds. She had spaces, punctuation, and neat handwriting. She was trying… really trying.

Nicole is a quiet girl. She doesn’t make a fuss over herself and almost never asks for attention. I spent a few minutes reading her story and telling her how wonderful it was. She didn’t say anything, but just smiled.

“What will your next sentence say,” I asked her.

“I put a sun in the sky,” she whispered. She was writing about a picture she made at home.

“Awesome. You get started and I’ll be back in a few minutes to see how you’re doing,” I instructed as I walked away.

This guidance and moving away technique is one I read about somewhere that I find quite useful. I give a simple instruction and let the sprout know I’ll be back to check in and then walk away. It almost always works. I had no doubt it would work with Nicole… she was working independently before I arrived.

I walked away to deal with a few boys who were not writing. I was feeling rather stressed and deflated after trying, unsuccessfully, to guide them back to working. Our Workshop time was over and I was went to ring the bells to signal cleaning up. As I glided by Nicole’s table I looked down and saw, ‘I pt a su’ on her paper. She had done exactly what I’d asked. I waited for her to write her ‘n’ and finish ‘sun’ and then rang the bell.

Instead of giving the directive to clean up, I complemented Nicole on her writing and work ethic in front of the class. Never one to seek the spotlight, she beamed as I told the entire group how hard she had worked on her story. Nothing makes me feel as good as a child who truly tries. Nicole gave her best effort and she made my day.

She gave me a little picture at bus time too. It was the first gift she’s given me all year. That kid made my day today.

Inspiration.

People often ask me where I get my ideas for postings... I have good days and bad ones. On good days, I'm pulling notes out of my pockets five or six times a day jotting down quotes and ideas. On bad days, the sprouts line up for buses and I wonder where the day went... nothing. To be fair, I'm sure something worth writing about happened, I just wasn't in a place to notice it... or I forgot to write it down...

This morning, the full first day of spring, a snow storm was predicted. I didn't sleep well and woke up from a bizarre dream I'm going to go ahead and blame on watching Black Swan a few weeks ago... if you haven't seen it, be warned. CREEPY.

Anyway, as the last group lined up to leave, Jason, who is quiet, calm and keeps mostly to himself (to date, he's only offered a hug twice), handed me a folded piece of paper. I opened it and saw this:

Sweet, he loves school. I had a hunch, but it was nice to see it in writing.

"Flip it over," Jason said with a slight smile.

Now that's how you flip a bad day on it's side and make it an amazing one.

Cool.

Teachers love to be loved. It's part of our charm. Like it or not, the sprouts are going to adore you. Some show it with hugs, others with words. Some are a little more shy and draw pictures or give you notes. Then there is David.

David tells me he loves me daily. He offers hugs, gives drawings, and tells me he's already thinking about missing me when summer comes.  On top of all this, he's funny.  He makes me laugh all the time...

Today he handed me this:

"Mr. _______, I wrote this note for you because I wanted you to know you're cool," he said.

In case there was any doubt, I am cool. Amen.

Sammy.

One of my favorite ways to spend my free time (I know, it’s an oxymoron for a kindergarten teacher…) is with my sprouts from last year. From time to time, they invite me to come listen to them read and there is no better way to spend part of my lunch.

Today, Valerie, a dear student from last year, invited me to listen to her read. I walked in, she grabbed her book box and I was a little skeptical. The books in her box looked more like second grade books to me. Valerie is smart, but I wasn’t sure these books were going to work… I wanted her to feel proud about her reading, but this was her show and I was just her audience.

She pulled Sammy the Seal from her box. This is a long book. The first thing she did was flip to the last page…

“Look, it’s sixty-four pages,” she pointed out.

“Can you read the whole thing?” I wondered.

“Oh sure, I read it this morning, here, elbow to elbow and knee to knee,” she instructed me.

We buddy read this way in kindergarten and I was happy to see she either remembered it or was continuing the practice in first grade.

She read Sammy the Seal with more zeal and enthusiasm than I think the author ever intended. I soaked up her every word. I was aghast. She was not just reading, she was more fluent than I could have ever anticipated. I kept giving amazed looks at her first grade teacher.

When Valerie finished, I just looked at her.

“Wow, you have become a wonderful reader!” I exclaimed.

She smiled.

“Who do you read with at home?” I asked.

“Mainly just myself,” she said.

“Well, you keep it up. Keep learning from Mrs. ________ doing your best… remember how smart you are and how being smart can take you anywhere,” I finished.

“I know,” she replied.

“Well, you made my day, thank you so much,” I finished.

I’ve had enough of the smart girls aren’t cool routine I see and I don’t want Valerie falling into that trap. With that I gave her a hug and headed back to my class. She really did make my day.

Grand.

Today when I picked the class up from P.E. (we had a lengthy discussion about why we call it ‘P.E.’ instead of ‘gym’), Luther looked up at me, smiled, and said, “I missed you!”

With that he gave me a giant hug. P.E. is all of forty minutes. I’m not sure how or why he missed me so, but it was one of the small drops that made my bucket overflow today. Life is grand.