1. Congratulations to the Teachers from Our 2010 Literacy Award Web Sites
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We are proud to share our 2010 Excellence in Kindergarten and Early Literacy Award winners’ websites. The classroom environments captured in these inspiring, up-to-date sites continue to reflect:
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A knowledgeable, caring, and responsive teacher who honors childhood.
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High expectations and joyful meaning-centered learning.
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Authentic engagement in literacy experiences infused with music, literature, and the arts.
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A beautiful and alive classroom that makes children smile, teachers smile, and parents SMILE.
These teachers share a unique passion for excellence – and high expectations for their students. Technology allows us to share their teaching gifts with you.
Here is just a sampling of what you will find inside their websites:
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Ms. Cox's PreKinders You could spend all day in Karen's beautiful Reggio Emelia-inspired classroom and outstanding website. Notice the aesthetic details and use of natural objects
in the block center. Don't miss the
documentation panels.
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Diane Bonica's Kindergarten Welcome to Oregon’s Chicka-Boom Room, complete with a menagerie of giraffes and
The Whisper Room. You are in for a treat: check out all of the great photo galleries,
Science: Powered by Our Wind and
Apple Math Video.
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Kinder by Kim is a master teacher with an awesome and easy-to-use site, great photos, and detailed
monthly photo essays documenting art, playfulness, authentic literacy, and meaningful thematic studies! See her
Teaching Tips.
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Joan Moser’s Kindergarten from The Daily Café Website We return again and again to this professional development site from the authors of “The Daily 5 ”. We absolutely love watching the
video clips featuring kindergarten teacher, Joan Moser. See
Troubleshooting Video and
Free Samples.
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Laura Flocker's Kindergarten
This former Oregon Reading Recovery® teacher brings her passion for art and science into an all-day kindergarten program. Take a look at
The Great Butterfly Release and
Folktale Unit. Laura’s children are artists, writers, and scientists.
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Mrs. Levin's Pre-Kindergarten
Awesome! Vanessa's high expectations join hands with joyful, appropriate practices in this exemplary ELL program. We love her ABC literacy center photos and the "
boot camp for new teachers" on organization and classroom management.
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Isabell Cardonick at Kid Writing
Peek inside Isabell's awesome kindergarten! This is just what you'd expect from the co-author of the book “Kid Writing: A Systematic Approach to Phonics, Journals, and Writing Workshops”. See art and
writing displays and "
Kid Writing Wall of Fame.
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Wendy Manninen’s Kindergarten and La Petite Chorale This gifted teacher-musician from Massachusetts brings her musical passion and “The Magic of Singing Songs” to her kindergarten performances. See her
children perform
America the Beautiful and
De Colores.
Visit our entire 2010 list of Favorite Annotated Early
Literacy Websites. We have spent many hours finding what we consider the “Best of the Best” in kindergarten and early literacy websites. Teachers who frequent our website to instantly access these links tell us,
“This is a totally amazing resource!” Visit all of these inspiring website resources.
Here is just a sampling of what you will find:
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Mrs. Flanagan's Kindergarten –The Little Giraffes: See the
igloo her kindergartners built.
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Mrs. Buchels' Kindergarten Class: Check out
Recycling Invention Day!
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Green Gables Kindergarten with Martha Shehan: See
Traveling Buddies.
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Kindergarten Homestead with Kelly Beggs: see
Winter Themes.
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Mr. Kindergarten, Dan Gurney: Check out his children’s
Important Book.
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The K Crew: See
Buzz Books, ideas for morning messages.
For more information about our philosophy of Excellence in Kindergarten Literacy, visit:
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2. Honoring the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. |
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The life and teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. can be understood and honored even by young children. Martin Luther King, Jr. taught people to solve problems nonviolently. He promoted love and brotherhood. Retired
kindergarten teacher Joanie Cutler shares books and stories about Martin Luther King, Jr. After much discussion, she encourages her children to apply Dr. King’s teachings by noticing when their kindergarten friends solve
problems peacefully and show fairness and kindness at school. These acts are recorded on 1” x 6” strips of paper: red for acts of kindness or white for acts of peace. These are linked into a growing chain that honors the
teachings of Martin Luther King, Jr. and adorns the classroom. A letter including strips of white and red paper chain links was sent to parents asking them to record the acts and to reinforce these same traits at home, and the
links were sent back to school for the growing chain.
“We hope with your efforts and our own to set these traits as habits that will enrich the life of your child, and through them benefit our society.” ~ Joanie Cutler
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Martin Luther King
Let us speak and let us sing
To honor Martin Luther King.
The gentle wisdom
That made him strong,
With acts of peace—
We’ll carry on.
N.E.
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3. Our Favorite Children’s Books from 2009: New Online Resource |
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Confession: I love children’s books. I love reading books aloud to anyone who will listen, for the sheer joy of the sounds and images of language. And confession number two: I love making lists!
Here are some of our favorite new books from 2009:
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The Curious Garden by Peter Brown. (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009) |
Red Sings From Tree Tops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009) |
Monkey and Me by Emily Gravett. (Simon and Shuster Children’s Publishing, 2009) |
Check out the complete list on our newest online resource:
Children’s Books. Additional lists are coming in January. Many of you have asked how you can support our website. If you choose to purchase any of these books from Amazon.com using the direct link from our website, a portion of
the sale will automatically benefit this site with no cost to you. Thank you for supporting our kindergarten action-research and the expansion of our complimentary website resources. |
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4. New Professional Development Kindergarten Seminars for 2010 |
Organizational Model for Writing to Read in Kindergarten.
This is a new, hands-on workshop with both Julie Lay and Nellie Edge. (Limited to 24 participants.) This workshop is only available to teachers who have taken the foundation seminar, Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Explore the Power of
“Kid Writing”
February 13, 2010, Salem Oregon
Registration Information Online
* * * Attention Kindergarten Teachers: You Will Love this Workshop! * * *
The Daily 5 Kindergarten Workshop
featuring “the 2 sisters,” Joan Moser and Gail Boushey. Don’t miss this dynamic and important workshop. The accompanying Workshop Exclusive DVD is equally outstanding! See
www.thedailycafe.com for details. Registration begins January 1, 2010, and the roster will fill up quickly!
March 7, 2010, Tacoma, Washington
June 9, 2010, San Antonio, Texas
June 23, 2010, Columbus, Ohio
July 30, 2010, Wrentham, Massachusetts
Favorite New Children’s Books and How To Use Them
for Literacy and Delight in Kindergarten!
This is a new “Living room Seminar” with Nellie Edge and Storytelling Friends.
April 10, 2010, Salem, Oregon (details coming January 15, 2010)
The Magic of Signing Songs: Enhancing All Children’s Language, Literacy, Engagement, and Joy!
with Diane Larson and Nellie Edge
June 28 and 29, 2010, Salem, Oregon
Registration Information Online
Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Explore the Power of “Kid Writing” (Day 1)
with Julie Lay
July 21, 2010, Salem, Oregon
Registration Information Online
Organizational Model for Writing to Read in Kindergarten (Day 2)
with Julie Lay and Nellie Edge
July 22, 2010, Salem, Oregon
This workshop is only available to teachers who have taken the foundation seminar, Writing to Read in Kindergarten: Explore the Power of “Kid Writing”.
Registration Information Online
Begin the Year with “Best Practices” in Joyful Accelerated Kindergarten Literacy: Proven Strategies that Produce Exceptional Gains
with Nellie Edge
August 2, 2010, Salem, Oregon
Registration Information Online |
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5. Salem Kindergarten Cadre Schedule for 2010 |
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January 25, 2010 (Monday)
4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Bush Elementary School, 410 14th Street SE, Salem, OR 97301
School phone number is 503-399-3134.
Writing-to-Read in Kindergarten: How to conduct small group “Kid Writing” Workshop and Individual Writing Conferences. This will be held in Tanya Hauck’s bilingual writing-to-read Kindergarten. Tanya has
actively participated in our cadre meetings for several years, and it shows in her engaging classroom. We will observe and discuss the three short online
“Kid Writing” Video Clips of Julie Lay working with children. Please take the time to view and reflect on them on your own again before this session. Bring samples of your kindergarten writing notebooks, your “Kid
Writing” book by Feldgus and Cardonick, and—as always—your questions and stories. Nellie Edge will share more about teaching “heart” words for fluency. Janis Wurgler will discuss the importance of giving
children real books for “read to self” time in kindergarten.
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Participating Kindergarten Cadre Members will receive the updated resource book, Celebrate Language and Accelerate Literacy: High Expectations • Joyful Learning • Proven Strategies by Nellie
Edge, 2010, at our January meeting. This book features photo essays and best practices from many of Salem’s outstanding kindergarten classrooms. It highlights the practical strategies, research, and philosophy underlying our
high social-emotional and academic standards in kindergarten.
See complete
2010 Salem Cadre schedule.
It is a pleasure to send off this January newsletter to teachers who share our vision for really good first teaching.
Smiles for a joyful 2010!
Nellie Edge
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