Dream Big
1/24/2020
There is a book series by Scholastic that I love titled, Ordinary People Change the World. We've been exploring the question, "What makes people the same and different?" during Inquiry Workshop, and these books have been a great addition to our study, sparking many conversations and discussions. After reading "I am Martin Luther King, Jr." on Monday, students continued to explore at our inquiry stations. One student asked me if Martin Luther King, Jr. was a president. When I said no, he asked, "Well then how could he do all those things?" I reminded him that ordinary people can change the world, that Martin Luther King, Jr. (just like Abraham Lincoln, who we had read about earlier) saw something that wasn't fair in our world and decided to change it. This launched us into a meaningful discussion about how our kindergartners, even now, could work hard to choose kindness, work to help others, and change things that aren't fair about our world. We talked about how one of the best ways to do this is through the words we speak to others and the thoughts we put into this world. In "I am Martin Luther King Jr., the author illustrates this beautifully: "But by speaking from the heart, I found out how "big" words can be." [...] "Was it easy? Absolutely not!" [...] "Today, [my letter from Birmingham Jail] has been read by millions of people. Like I said, it is amazing how big words can be." How amazing and fortunate we are to be able to have such powerful conversations with our little ones, to share the stories of amazing men and women who had a vision for a better world for all, and to inspire this future generation to work hard and fight injustices. How humbling that we get to influence and equip this generation to make a difference in our world - and to choose kindness always.
A Guide to Early Readers
1/19/2020
There are various types of texts for developing readers, which can sometimes be confusing. Each type of text has pros and cons, and as with most things, a mixture of both is beneficial for most children. Leveled ReadersLeveled readers are texts with predictable patterns, picture support, and large print. Although some researchers believe they encourage children to guess rather than read, they offer richer texts and stories than decodable readers. Tips for Using Leveled Readers:
Decodable ReadersDecodable readers are texts that include high frequency words and words that children can decode with their current knowledge of letter/sound correspondences. For kindergartners, these are usually CV, CVC, CCVC, and CVCC words (c = consonant and v = vowel). Perhaps the most well-known decodable readers are BOB Books. The benefit of decodable readers is that students decode each word, so they do not develop the habit of guessing. A few cons of decodable readers are that the texts are usually not as rich and students can become tired and frustrated from having to decode each word rather than relying on a pattern to help them. In ConclusionTogether these texts help build a strong foundation for reading by developing different skills that your young reader will continue to use as they become more advanced in their decoding and comprehension abilities. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in your child's education!
Inspiring Curiosity
1/12/2020
At PNA, we strive to educate students to be exceptional learners and independent thinkers of vision, courage, and integrity. One way that we do this is by equipping our students to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions. We do this by helping them to ask questions and seek answers, rather than simply providing answers. "The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don't tell you what to see." -Alexandra TrenforAcross the grades, students engage in various inquiry learning throughout the day, across all subjects, but it is perhaps most prominent during project based learning. PBL is an especially powerful tool to help students ask questions, seek their own answers, and draw their own conclusions. Our kindergartners favorite time to explore and investigate is during Inquiry Workshop, which is the workshop in which we study our social studies and science standards through project based learning - and play and exploration. As students play and explore at various stations, they have the opportunity to naturally engage in many of the scientific practices defined by the Next Generation Science Standards (Dinnerstein, page 67):
According to Renee Dinnerstein in Choice Play, during inquiry play, "the children engage in these practices in developmentally appropriate ways. With support from their teacher, in a variety of different explorations across the year, they can learn to use all these practices to experience the world as scientists (page 67-68). Not only will they experience the world as scientists, but as engineers, artists, mathematicians, readers, writers, citizens, and explorers as well. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity for students to drive the learning, take responsibility for it, and explain their thinking as they share their findings with others. This is the natural way we learn and share knowledge. As students continually engage in the process, it becomes second nature for them (Dinnerstein, page 78). And, perhaps most importantly, it provides a fun and meaningful way for our little ones to learn.
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Saania AliMs. Ali graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelors of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. She specializes in Early Childhood Education, ESL, and Special Education. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, and painting! Archives
April 2021
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