Morning ideas...

This morning, on school vacation I awoke thinking that once I'm retired my first project will be to put together the children's songs that I've written over the years with lessons and activities from the classroom, a multi-sensory activity book for teachers, including reflections and learnings along the way.  As I think of how to focus my writings, the songs seem to provide an anchor. They were written when there simply wasn't a song that I already knew that spoke to the specific need of the hour in my classroom.  Like "All Kinds of Families" was written when I was supposed to teach about families and the songs out there were too traditional compared to the actual life experiences in my classroom.  "First Day Tummy Butterflies" helped me over my first day jitters, and when I told the children that I had jitters too, they felt comfortable admitting their own.  As I added the hand motions to go with it, the children's physical movements helped them get out the pent-up feelings. An art project making butterfly kites helped them have a specific project to do, giving way to spontaneous conversations at the craft tables, initiating budding friendships.  Racing/flying their butterflies on the playground gave another outlet to the nervous energy, and let them know kindergarten is a safe place to feel everything from gulp to glorious freedom.  So this will be a project I can pour my experiences into while releasing myself from the tightly defined life of a teacher.

Children Caring About Children

Today as I reflect on the most meaningful parts of my school day, I notice the moments when children express ready concern for their classmates.  I think this is a response that needs to be nurtured.  I am weary of hearing the terms "bullying" or "anti-bullying."  I know that is a last choice due to stress and anxiety and low self-esteem.

When children are in a healthy environment where they are seen and included and valued, then they can express their natural generous hearts.  I see children's concerned faces, and sometimes rather frightened faces, if someone gets hurt, mad, or sad.  When I provide them with tools/skills/strategies, they are joyful and spontaneous in showing that they care.

I want to nurture this possibly through CCC training. Children could design get well cards, sympathy cards for people or for pets. They could form a children's chorus, singing gentle music to a troubled community (flood, tornado, or other disaster areas.)  They could visit a sick child---well, not a contagious one, but many children have to be home with little or no contact with other children while they heal from surgery, or other non-communicable health challenges.  The children could learn simple games that could travel anywhere.  Depending on the age of who you are visiting, they could bring cards, Candyland, Quiddler, Junior Monopoly, etc.  Teaching children to visit others would not only open their hearts and give them confidence as a responder to life's troubled situations, but it would prepare them for when bumps come in their own lives.

We could talk through the how would you feel if....and Let's practice what you say when...
Cooperative crafts could be made together.  Cooperative stories, made up riddles and songs...
Friendships would be made where they otherwise would have never met.

Thoughts, thoughts, always growing.