One.

I wanted to quickly share this story with everyone.  Recently came across it doing some Emilio Reggio research from the Reggio-Inspired Network of Minnesota.  Found it touching and great reminder of the innate potential of every child.

One Seed One Child

Update with class going-ons to come!  Our current sensory table is a hit, can't wait to share.

xo

Ms. Tara

Oh September.

Another successful week in the Garden class.

This week we concentrated on some fine motor skills with cutting paper...

...and painting with cars!

Our self unit is underway, with pasting faces and making footprints into our  "Body Books".  We also have explored a variety of books and movement songs (Head and Shoulders, Teddy Bear Teddy Bear, Ring Around the Rosie etc.)

Dressing up and the housekeeping area is such a popular area for both the boys and girls.  Sunglasses are always pulled out to try on

The finished water wall!  It looks great and the kids had a blast on water day Friday, trying to guess where the water would go!  Looking forward to exploring it more with colored water and different catchers at the bottom.

xo   Ms. Tara

Time Flies!

We are already into our 4th week of school!

The lil one's are slowly settling, although more than a month yet until they transition into their 5 days a week and full day (until 2pm).  Still a bumpy road, but so far so good! My class of tots are artists, builders and explorers with BIG imaginations who are learning to line up, sit on their name card at circle, and sit still for a story and morning song.

The most difficult thing so far is the language barrier.  A handful speak some English, majority only Thai, then we have a Korean boy who only knows Korean.  He is picking up English extremely quickly though and always the first to join in the songs!  I do have two Thai assistants which is lovely, they help out, but I feel like I'm missing out when a child comes up to me with those big eyes to ask a question, or so excited to tell me something and I just can't understand. 

** Learn basic Thai is at the top of my list **

We are still in the unit "all about me."  We have done handprints, finger and sponge painting, in the midst of making a "My body" book with different body parts, feet prints, body, arm and hand tracing, singing a multitude of songs and reading different books with body awareness.  I will get  a list compiled of the resources I have used, up soon.  In two weeks we will transition into the face and a few senses, how we are different and...what I'm really looking forward to...making cookie faces!  

I have been keeping the sensory table in rotation: water (colored one day, soapy the next), colored pebbles, colored pasta and beans!  Water is this week and so far it's by far the least messy.  I made the mistake of having the colored pebbles in for first 2 weeks and they ended up ALL over the classroom.

With the help of our maintenance staff, a water wall is in the works!  The daily rains and weekly "Water Parties" by the Foundation level kiddos has inspired me to find some space to get one put up in the play yard.  After much searching online and through blogs, I found a great template for a wall Here!  Can't wait until it's up to enjoy those hot, humid days.

Follow me on Pinterest

for class projects, blog links and creative ideas from fellow teachers!

xo  Ms. Tara  

Hard Few Days Work...

Classroom After!  

Daily Meeting Corner

Centers

Reading Nook

Can't wait to fill it in with kiddos artwork!

xo 

Ms. Tara

Preparation

Sawasdee Kha!  

Tuesday begins my new class of Early Years (2 yr olds) with theme of Garden: Watch us Grow! Quite general, but will keep everything fresh and new throughout each unit.

Did I mention I'm at an international school in Thailand?  The key has been seeking out supplies for the classroom and some can be in the most unlikey of places!  Today I went to an Ikea knock-off store to purchase some fake ivy and a watering can, nursery for real plants and a great stationary/guitar/gift/uniform/sports shop for name tags, plastic covers, markers, paper etc.

These photos are what I walked into the first day in class...

"After" photos are soon to come!  Still hard at work on this room, but determined for it to be lovely for the little ones (and of course myself as it will be home away from home).

Tomorrow I am holding a mini open house for the parents and children to look at their new space.  We have a few things to touch base on, most importantly tips to parents for the big transition into school (for both child and adult).  Later on I will post the pamphlets being sent home with each family, and how the first week went overall with classroom, activities, songs, games, etc.

xo

Ms.Tara