Parents as Teachers

I have twenty-four students so far this year, and I wouldn't be surprised if I gain a few more by May. This teacher to student ratio is not ideal. There's literally not enough of me to go around, which is why I cherish my parent volunteers and choose not to send them off to the teacher workroom to make copies, use the paper cutter, or do myriad other menial tasks. My parent volunteers work one on one with children. 

I understand, as well as any other teacher, the amount of prep work that's required to do this job, and it adds to the daily stress and strain. But the children in my care are my first priority. Their needs are more important than my long list of projects that need attention. I can manage to get those things done, but I honestly can't always manage the many needs represented in my room. 

So unless my children are at recess or a special, you won't find my parents in the workroom. You'll find them doing the most important thing that a parent at school can do. They'll be teaching.

What are your parents doing?

Here's to the Moms and Dads

I spent most of the year with 25 first graders.  (I started with a whopping 27!) A teacher to student ratio of 1:25 is a bit daunting.  I was greatly outnumbered, and there's only so much of me to go around.  Thankfully I had several moms and even a dad who volunteered in the classroom, working with kids who needed that extra one-on-one.  It's hard to adequately thank them for being my hands extended.  This post is about my thanks to them.  In light of all they did, it wasn't much, but I hope they knew how much they were appreciated.

First I wrote each of them a personal note.  There's something a little extra special about handwritten notes to people who deserve lots of thanks.

They each received a magnet of our crazy class picture too.

Thanks to Snapfish for the magnets by the way.

Then I got busy in my kitchen, which doesn't happen very often.  The inside of my oven is evidence.  Would you believe it's never needed cleaning?

My dad's the real baker in the family, but I can seriously pull these off.  They're so easy to make.  I've yet to mess them up. 

Not only are they easy cheesy to make, they're amazingly delicious.  Volunteers or no volunteers, you should make yourself a batch.  Let me know what you think!

(Click on the recipe for your own copy.)

And here's to the moms and dads who bless and bless and bless everytime they walk into my classroom.

Off to Kindergarten and It's Rigged!

I'm very thankful that Jeannie from Kindergarten Lifestyle has graciously let me hang out on her blog today.  I've left a little post there about how to help struggling readers read without inhibitions.  I hope that you drop by and read it, and let Jeannie know you were there as well.  Thanks!  (Click on the graphic to see what it's all about, but please do return as soon as you can.)

On a different note, I have a great group of parent volunteers, and they'll tell you that I keep them busy.  Unless they happen to be around when the kids are at a special, you won't find them copying papers, cutting, stapling, laminating, or any other menial task.  Instead, they'll be working with kids, because there's simply not enough of me to go around.  In fact, I believe that's the best way to use them.  I'll manage to get that other stuff done, but I won't always be able to pull off giving kids the heavier dose of one-on-one that some of them must have.  

Janice Sullivan, my Reading Recovery instructor/mentor fifteen years ago, introduced me to My Pile, Your Pile.  It's one of those games that my parent volunteers play with kids who need some extra help.  Create a pile of sight words.  If the child knows the word, it goes into their pile.  If not, it goes into the adult's pile.  At the end of the game, the child and the adult count their piles.  The player with the most in their pile wins, and it's always the young-in.  I like to stack the odds against the parent by making sure the child knows most of the words.  I suppose you could say it's rigged.  There are always words in the pile that the child doesn't know though, so I always ask my parent volunteers to play a second time with the child after first reviewing the words that were unknown.  

My Pile, Your Pile is also great with letters, numbers, and numerous other skills.  You might try it.  I can tell you one thing for sure.  The kids will not only walk away with some needed extra practice, but they'll also walk away with big smiles after singlehandedly beating someone's dear, sweet parent.