These first few weeks of school I am so grateful I had the wonderful opportunity of reading to Pre-K, K, First and Second grade classrooms. I chose "Leo the Late Bloomer" by Robert Kraus to read to the Pre-kinders and Kindergartners and "A Fine, Fine, School" by Sharon Creech, to read to the first and second graders. Both are special books to me for as a Kinder, First, and Second grade teacher myself for many years, these books always played special roles.
With "Leo the Late Bloomer" I often used it at the beginning of the year with my students, especially right before goal setting conferences. It stirred great discussion about how we all are "blooming" or "learning" in our own way in our own time. The message that we all have different strengths and weaknesses and can always learn more helped to create a growth mindset and a respect for one another in our new learning community. Leo's message returned throughout the year as we all needed to continue to hear the message (myself included). And then, I always especially loved reading this book again at the end of year when we revisited our goals and through preparing for student led conferences we could see our growth and together we could truly shout, "I made it!" just like Leo does at the end of the book. I always loved seeing their smiles and pride shine in my student's faces as they shouted those words, for they each had truly bloomed in their own good time in their own way. And because all they had taught me I could truly shout, "I made it!" as well.
Reading this book as a principal for the first time this year, I am excited to also see how each student, teacher, family, and educator (including myself) blooms this year in our own way in our own time. With the talent, dedication, and love of children I observe already, I can tell we all are going to shout "I made it!" loudly at the end of the year. I can't wait.
"A Fine, Fine, School" is a book I have always invited my principal into my classroom to read during those first few weeks. I have also purchased this book for each of my principal's as a gift because it gives such a good message on creating a balanced life, so important to the whole child, the whole teacher, and whole administrator. The message that if there is no balance and no time for ourselves, there is little learning and most importantly...no joy. When people are working all the time or in this story, children and teachers going to school on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and all summer long...the laughter stops, the relationships strain, the circles under the eyes show from lack of sleep, and the smiles fade. The conversation about the importance of play and time to take care of ourselves always becomes clear to both the students who hear this story and the principal who reads this story.In this book the principal was so proud of the children, the teachers, and all the good learning, but learns that balance is essential to learning.
This year as I read it as a principal for the first time, the message rang even clearer. We must make sure we ourselves lead balanced lives as educators for our students so that when we are here, we are really here, present, listening, and learning.
We have a fine, fine school, with fine, fine students, and fine fine teachers. I am so proud. But don't worry, there will be no schools on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or summer. -)
We have special books in our lives that have touched us. I invite you to take time to share these books that are special with you with your students. Good books to the begin the year are key!
Here's to a fine, fine school year ahead and lots of blooming!
With "Leo the Late Bloomer" I often used it at the beginning of the year with my students, especially right before goal setting conferences. It stirred great discussion about how we all are "blooming" or "learning" in our own way in our own time. The message that we all have different strengths and weaknesses and can always learn more helped to create a growth mindset and a respect for one another in our new learning community. Leo's message returned throughout the year as we all needed to continue to hear the message (myself included). And then, I always especially loved reading this book again at the end of year when we revisited our goals and through preparing for student led conferences we could see our growth and together we could truly shout, "I made it!" just like Leo does at the end of the book. I always loved seeing their smiles and pride shine in my student's faces as they shouted those words, for they each had truly bloomed in their own good time in their own way. And because all they had taught me I could truly shout, "I made it!" as well.
Reading this book as a principal for the first time this year, I am excited to also see how each student, teacher, family, and educator (including myself) blooms this year in our own way in our own time. With the talent, dedication, and love of children I observe already, I can tell we all are going to shout "I made it!" loudly at the end of the year. I can't wait.
"A Fine, Fine, School" is a book I have always invited my principal into my classroom to read during those first few weeks. I have also purchased this book for each of my principal's as a gift because it gives such a good message on creating a balanced life, so important to the whole child, the whole teacher, and whole administrator. The message that if there is no balance and no time for ourselves, there is little learning and most importantly...no joy. When people are working all the time or in this story, children and teachers going to school on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, and all summer long...the laughter stops, the relationships strain, the circles under the eyes show from lack of sleep, and the smiles fade. The conversation about the importance of play and time to take care of ourselves always becomes clear to both the students who hear this story and the principal who reads this story.In this book the principal was so proud of the children, the teachers, and all the good learning, but learns that balance is essential to learning.
This year as I read it as a principal for the first time, the message rang even clearer. We must make sure we ourselves lead balanced lives as educators for our students so that when we are here, we are really here, present, listening, and learning.
We have a fine, fine school, with fine, fine students, and fine fine teachers. I am so proud. But don't worry, there will be no schools on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or summer. -)
We have special books in our lives that have touched us. I invite you to take time to share these books that are special with you with your students. Good books to the begin the year are key!
Here's to a fine, fine school year ahead and lots of blooming!
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