Teachers Live at School

Slim's teachers this year have been wonderful.  I love his school.  This is the first of his three school experiences so far, that he never once complained about not wanting to attend.  They rock and I'm sad Curly won't get to go, as he was welcomed heartily into the school family as evident in the way he was so kindly treated the times I brought him with me when I volunteered.

As thanks for all that, plus a little friendly payback for learning I'm as pretty as a bug, I decided to question Slim about his teachers' predilections. While pinning, I came across a perfect free printable courtesy of Busy Kids = Happy Mom, who somehow (must have been magic!) took my very thoughts out of my head and wrote them in her blog,

"Kids believe the funniest things! It's time to interview them and see what they think the facts are about their teachers. Did you love receiving those adorable interviews about you for Mother's Day? Your child's teacher took the time to make notes about YOU, now it's time to turn to share the love!"

Source: busykidshappymom.org via Meghan on Pinterest

We did this and it was as hysterical as I expected!

The bold part is what was pre-printed and I wrote out Slim's answers as dictated.  The addendum I made are clarified in italics.

My teacher's name is: Names redacted for protection of the innocent, but we'll call them Miss Short Hair and Miss Long Hair so that I can keep it straight.  Miss Short Hair/Miss Long Hair
She live in: the school/Kansas
She is _____ years old: 5/6
Her favorite food is: peanuts/salad
Her favorite drink is: lemonade/pink lemonade
She likes to wear: special pins/shorts and pants
Her favorite book is: a magazine/a magazine too
If she has free time, she likes to: sit and watch people/twirl her legs
Her favorite thing to do is: (after he said, yell at people - which I don't get because I've been in that classroom both at set times or just dropping in and they aren't yellers.  Nor has he ever mentioned them yelling) drinking soda/drinking water
She is REALLY good at: running really fast/having staring contests

I also put together an easy end of year present for them.  We had already contributed to the class gift, so I didn't go all out as some of my gift ideas that I had pinned.  First of all, I frankly had no inclination because of the move.  Secondly, I don't want to do something cute, but impractical.  And I've gathered over the course of the year that they appreciate caffeine.

Which meant, the thanks a "latte" idea from eighteen25 was the way to go.  I didn't take pictures of how mine turned out, but it was similar.  Instead of string to hold it together, I attached the gift card to the corrugated cardboard with a small clothespin.  Easy, peasy.

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Meghan on Pinterest

Tomorrow is Slim's graduation from preschool.  I've been holding in all the tears from saying good-bye to our Kansas friends.  Although I know I'll cry tomorrow (because I am the woman who bawled at the Home Depot commercial from the Super Bowl several years back), I just hope that once I release the tears, the dam doesn't break and make it turn into an ugly cry!

I think I need to watch the aforementioned commercial several times in succession to steel myself.  Or maybe that will make it worse?

School on the Steps

Since Slim is not currently enrolled in preschool, I've started doing some structured schooling at home.  Yet, I'm reticent to call it homeschooling.  I've even named my favorites folder School at "Home (but not homeschool)"  I'm not anti-homeschool.  And before I sound like a stupid bigot and spout, "I have friends who homeschool", I'll just stop there.  Except I didn't.  I said it anyway, didn't I?  Well, I'm genuinely not anti-homeschool and if pressed, couldn't answer why I'm reluctant to say I'm doing a homeschool preschool for the boys.  It's all in the semantics.  Ask R - I'm big on semantics. 

I have a school area set up at the bottom of the stairs in our finished basement.  Thanks to where we're doing the learning, I've titled our school at home homeschool school at home oh, just get over it already and figure out what the hangup is school, School on the Steps

I'm trying to have movement, literacy, science, and math.  Our first lessons were about the letter A

- We sang the ABCs
- Talked about the sound the letter A makes
- What animals start with the letter A?  Slim immediately shouted, "Ape"  Other A animals he came up with were, ants, antelope, alligator
- What foods start with the letter A?  apple
- What family member has a name that starts with the letter A?  Auntie A
- What transportation starts with A?  Airplane
- Drew the letter A with sidewalk chalk on our back patio
- Wrote some words and had Slim identify and circle the letter A
- Made an alligator craft with clothes pins, green glitter paint and googly eyes and then sang about teasing monkeys and sneaky alligators
- Brain Quest tracing writing A
- Manipulated our fingers and stretched our bodies into the shape of the letter A





I've made a felt board and am eager to incorporate that into our lessons.  I'm taking a lot of ideas from Slim's old Montessori preschool and the handy dandy internet.

Here's some of the sites I imagine I'll be resourcing most:

- Montessori for Everyone free downloads

- The Artful Parent

- Counting Coconuts

- Preschool Alphabet

- Midwest Homeschoolers Kansas City area field trip ideas

- 1+1+1=1 ... Tot Trays

- home is wherever I'm with you