The Waldorf Way: Silicon Valley school eschews technology

Loved this segment about Waldorf education on NBC. 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Woot! Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the Hobby Lobby gift card is Em.  Congratulations!  Please email me and I will send you your gift card!

Sally

Goodness Me - Another Giveaway!

How is your Saturday going?  I am still at my parent's home and last night we celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary.  Dad says he won the lottery the day he married my mom.  Awww.

Last week I finally gave in and started pinning on Pinterest.  Mercy! - it is completely addictive AND it is so helpful to be able to gather ideas into an organized format.  I have lots of refining to do with my boards but I am having a blast.  Check out my board on the Gingerbread Man.

Boo woo - My Pinterest profile is having issues.  It will not show how many people I am following or the current number of people following me. If you click "Following" it will list some of the people who I follow but not all.   Does anyone know how to correct these issues?  I have emailed the company twice and have had no response.  :(

Meanwhile, I would love to have you follow me on my Pinterest!  And I will follow you (even if it doesn't show on my profile!!).

Follow me on Pinterest and comment below.  

On Tuesday, November 29 at 10:29 p.m. central time, I will select one winner who will receive a $50 gift card to Hobby Lobby (or Michael's -you pick)!

This is open to international readers and the winner will be selected by random.org. 

Good Luck!
Sally

Art Center & the Benefits of the Arts

I saw this for the first time in a preschool in San Francisco.  It was an arts integrated preschool and was so filled with creative opportunities for young children.  They had an art center that held a variety of materials for making art. It a free choice center in my classroom.

Things I have put in the buckets:

• foam stickers
• fancy scissors with decorative edges
• tracers
• rubbing plates
• pages from old books
• pages from old calendars
• beads
• paper tiles and squares
• construction paper scraps
• copy paper
• markers
• old photos
• old slides
• pine cones, sticks and other nature items
• the possibilities are endless!

Here is a great little bit about some of the many benefits of including the arts in education. 

About the Benefits of Arts Education for Children
Benefits of Arts EducationSource: Americans for the Arts, 2002

• Stimulates and develops the imagination and critical thinking, and refines cognitive and creative skills.
• Has a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries.
• Strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement and school success.
• Develops a sense of craftsmanship, quality task performance, and goal-setting skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
• Teaches children life skills such as developing an informed perception; articulating a vision; learning to solve problems and make decisions; building self-confidence and self-discipline; developing the ability to imagine what might be; and accepting responsibility to complete tasks from start to finish.
• Nurtures important values, including team-building skills; respecting alternative viewpoints; and appreciating and being aware of different cultures and traditions.

Furthermore, according to the Americans for the Arts, children who are involed in the arts for at least three hours/three days a week for at least one full year are:

• 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
• 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools
• 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
• 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance
• 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem

For more information check out this web site:  Americans For the Arts
 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Turkey Day!  I am so filled with gratitude today.  I am at my mother's home and wrapped in a warm blanket of love!

The table is set and ready for our family feast.

My momma is busy making her cranberry relish and cranberry salad.

 I am thankful for the gift of art in my family.  Here is a peek at some of the paintings and works of art by my family members. . .

My grandfather Howard painted this painting.  He painted famous paintings as a hobby.  So beautiful!

 My Aunt Julia was an artist beyond measure.  This is a quick color pencil drawing she did of my grandparent's home.  

This is a print by my brother Clark.  He has such a great sense of the abstract. 

May you have a blessed and wonderful day with gratitude for the many gifts that hold you!

Sally

Free Thanksgiving Download

This is a quick and easy project. I wanted something the children could take home and put out to share what they are thankful for. I made two simple black lines and then copied them on colored paper. Simple.

I love the clothespins.  I think there are a lot more projects in the future using clothespins!

I printed the hand on brown construction paper.  I cut the construction paper down to 8 1/2 x 11.  I feed it through the side feed of the copier.  Works like a charm!

I loved seeing what they were thankful for.  

Thanksgiving Thankful Hand

Turkey Thankful Feathers

Quill Pens
I purchased a package of 25 turkey feathers at Michaels for just $4.99 plus discount coupon.  This week the children wrote with the quill feathers.  Yesterday, I let them take them home. 

I used black tempera paint with a little water for the ink.  I put the "ink" in tiny muffin cups (so I could just toss them!).

Blogiversary Winners! Woot!

Winners were chosen by Random generator:

Michael's Gift Card - The Girl Who Painted Trees
Lakeshore Gift Card - Kathy from Spare Moments
Starbucks Gift Card - Catherine0807

Congratulations!  Email me with your acceptance of your prize and I will send your gift directly from the companies!

Warmly,
Sally
fairydustteaching@rocketmail.com

Got That Thanksgiving Feeling. . .

We have been busy bees in the kindergarten making all kinds of wonderful stuff.  Here are a few of the things in process.  I will post finished work tomorrow!  I have been having too much fun, forgetting to take photos! There are about five projects undocumented!

Sometimes it is nice just to enjoy the moment and not worry too much about documenting!   The holiday projects seem to take me away and into the joy of it all!  The holidays are important markers in our yearly round.  (I do find it irritating that stores begin "stocking shelves" so dag early!!  There is a time for every season as they say.)

I am a firm believer in celebrating the holidays in a full-five-senses-kind-of-way.  I can't imagine what my childhood memories would be like without these rich memories.  Kindergarten is a opportunity for wonderful memories!

I purchased these great little cardboard teepees from Oriental Trading.  They are adorable when put together.

I had the children make designs with oil pastels and then watercolor the whole thing in a mixture of red and yellow watercolor with a splash of blue.  Made a nice "hide" color!

I use an old sheet to build our teepee.  I was even given a teepee that I gave to the teacher next to me.  I prefer the sheet because the children can decorate it!  (I wash the sheet and most the markers wash right out!)

It is such a dear teepee with their sweet drawings. . .

I took our Native American headbands to a new level this year with watercolor paper, cut painted paper and dyed pasta.  I just had to go artsy. 

The children made patterns out of the pasta. Cool beans. Uh, I mean cool pasta. 

Happy Monday everyone!

Sally

Motivation Magic!

Good Morning!  Einstein, my sweet cat, says "Happy Sunday!"  Of course, everyday is the sabbath for Einstein.  ;)

I have a trick to keeping the classroom tidy and clean.  It works wonders!  I use two strategies - procedures and group tally marks.

PROCEDURE STRATEGY:

Clear procedures save hours of struggle in the classroom.  It is one of my best tips for classroom management on multiple levels.  I love the book "The First Six Weeks of School" from the Responsive Classroom folks.  It gives great tips for setting up those procedures.  Here is how I employ procedures to keep the class tidy:

My students are divided into five color groups.  Each group has their own table with their own "supply tub."  (Tubs are from Mardel's and I found little matching cups for each color group at IKEA!)  Gotta love that place!)  There are rules or procedures for keeping the supply tub.  I start the year with just crayons, glue sticks and scissors.  The procedures are:

• crayons go in their cup with the point up.
• scissors go in their cup with the point down.
• glue sticks go in their cup with the cap side up (so I can see that the caps are on!)
• name tents go on the side of the cups.

Once they have these mastered, I add pencils and markers.

• pencils go in their cup with the point up.  The erasers and pencil sharpener are kept in the same cup.
• markers go in with the cap side up.  (so I can see that the caps are on!)

 You can see the pencil sharpener in the same cup as the pencils - all points up.

MOTIVATION STRATEGY:

I have my color groups posted on my white board (this is a photo from several years ago).  The names of the color groups are under the color marker.  The color groups sit on the carpet together in a row.   

• I give tally marks for groups who are following procedures on the carpet, during table work, and other special activities.  (Table procedures - all chairs pushed in, table cleared off, and nothing under the table or chairs.)
• I mark those under their group on the white board.  
• I check their supply boxes and tables after table work (several times a day) and give 5 points the best kept table and supply box.   Some days the groups can have up to 35 - 40 points.

I begin the tally marks as the reward itself.  I like the group rewards vs. individual rewards.  I do not use rewards for individuals in my classroom as a rule.  I love the team work of the groups and the holding each other to account to care for their group resources.  

After 6 to 8 weeks I move into - the groups "earn" the reward of markers.  Next comes glitter glue pens.  We are still here.  (There is one time a day when the groups are free to use the glitter glue pens.)  Oh!  Get this!  I have the group vote on the glitter pen they want!  It is so cool to see how after the first few times - they figure out how to get the majority rule!  Each group has about 4 glitter pens now. I found them at Michaels - very cheap!  Next the groups can earn colored pencils.

The tally marks are put below the row of each color group.

 There are those prized glitter glue pens!

It astonishes me how much pride and work they take to make sure their group's table and tub are in good tidy order.  Recently, the children have taken to cleaning the table and chairs with baby wipes.  Go figure!  But rock on!  Love the cleaning vibe happening!

Next Sunday, Guest Blogger Kerry Weisner shares her procedures that she uses to order her class.   So excited to share her wisdom!

Have a blessed day!

Sally

Rhyming Bags - Free Download

Happy Saturday everyone!  Do you have methods of making show-n-share educational?  It does my teacher heart good.  To bring educational value to a simple toy is pure joy!

This is the best homework.  Honestly.  Simple and effective.  What you need is a package of brown lunch bags and enough copies of the page below (two on a page).  Staple the half sheet instructions on the brown bag and send home.  

The children will find an item at home to put in the brown bag.  Then their challenge is to come up with a rhyming word as a clue.  

I have the child who is giving the clue to their bag -- call on the children to guess.  
 

I love this for two reasons: 

1.)  My kinders love the rhyming bag show-n-share.  They get to bring something from home - it's a big deal.    2.) It is amazing rhyming practice that is FUN!

Rhyming Bag

Funny how there is such magic in a hidden item in a bag. 

WINNER!  Yay! There is a Spa Basket and Starbucks tumbler winner! Congratulations to Lyn Goff! Email me at fairydustteaching@rocketmail.com with your address and I will have your gifts shipped to you!
Stay tuned! I have a few more giveaways planned!  Woot!

Spa Basket Giveaway!

--------------THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED-------------

Oh yeah!!  Blogiversary continues!  I thought it would be fun to pamper you guys!  Don't you just love to relax and let the hurry of the day melt away?  I am giving away a SPA BASKET and pretty STARBUCKS RED TUMBLER to one lucky winner!  All you have to do is post a comment!  I will have this lovely picnic basket full of relaxation shipped directly to your home. *

This giveaway closes at midnight on Friday.

Good luck!

Sally


*International readers - you will receive a gift card equal to the basket.

Day Four of Blogiversary!

Good morning!  Sitting here with my hot cup of joe.  How about you?

A hot cup of joe with half and half is definitely a staple for my morning ritual.  I fix my brew and eat a morsel of dark chocolate with my first cup.  Mmmmm.  Perfect start to my day!

I love Trader Joe's One Pound slab of dark chocolate.  I break it up into bit size chunks in a glass jar -- ready for my morning dibble.  When I am near a Trader Joe's - I stock up on dark chocolate!

The only dread I have is this -- NO TRADER JOES in Oklahoma.  That is simply wrong and bad.  Cruel, honestly. 

Mr. Marsh Mallow

Speaking of chocolate!  Last week a parent brought the cutest "make-your-own-snack" project for the kids.  It was make an "Acorn."  Take a chocolate marshmallow and poke a pretzel into it.  Next dip it into chocolate frosting and then chocolate sprinkles and eat!  The kids loved, loved, loved it!  What I loved was the creativity!  Acorn, yay acorns!  The children in my class made people, gnomes, elves and more!  Gotta love that! 

I have been blown away by all the lovely comments and emails about my blogivesary!  Thank you so much for your kind comments and support.  It means so much!

And I am so excited about all the friends heading into the Resolution 2012 e-course!  Over twenty five people registered in the first twelve hours!  I highly recommend jumping into the course.

Resolutions 2012

Creating An Inspired Life 

BASIC INFORMATION:

• This course begins Saturday, December 31
• It is a four week course.
• There will be weekly posts and assignments.
• No worries!  You can work at your own pace.
• You will receive a pdf Workbook
• You will receive the private blog address and login information 1 week before the course begins.

This course is open to anyone!  It is not an education course.  It is about going beyond the normal New Year's Resolutions into creating the life you love.   This course will take you step by step through tried and true methods of making things happen in your life!  

The $9.99 deal ends today at midnight! 
 (Regular price is $49)

---------------SPECIAL OFFER IS OVER ---------------------

Thank you for changing my life and making this blog so much fun!! 

Sally

Day Two of Blogiversary!

Good Day Friends!  How is your day going? 

Yesterday morning I woke up and immediately had to peek!  Were there any comments yet on my blogiversary?!  I was so excited to see the party rocking away! It is so much fun to give.

Einstein, my cat, however, was not impressed by my blogiversary.  He is all about chilling.

I have been on pins and needles waiting to tell you. . .

(drum roll!)  TA DA!!!  I have a new e-course!  It is  

Resolutions 2012: Creating An Inspired Life.

  It is all about creating a juicy, delicious life!  YES!

It will roll out next week.  It will be a once a year, four week course.  It is about intentionally and powerfully creating the new year.  In this course you will create a kick-butt-amazing-soul-satisfying-year through a private course blog, with your own New Years Workbook to take you through the creation process, and so much more.   I must admit -- I love, love, love this course.  It is soooooo yummy.  What is more scrumptious than creating your life?

2012 is a blank canvas.
What will you create? 

 

This e-course is only $49.  But because I am in a partying mood. . . . .

I am offering the e-course to you for just $9.99 for the next 72 hours only.  YES!  It is practically a giveaway!  (I love a bargain, don't you?)  And I can't imagine this course without each of you in it!   This is more than a 75% discount!  I buy most of my clothing at this kind of discount.  It makes me giddy.  :)  

------------- Special Offer No Longer Available------------

(This paypal button will be disabled on Thursday at midnight.) 

Honestly, the workbook is worth the price and you can print copies for your family.  Cool beans, huh?  My family has created our year together before - it is so powerful.  It is a great yearly process to teach our children.

I have been creating my year for nearly 20 years and have had amazing results.  I want to share my process with you.  It works.

BASIC INFORMATION:

• This course begins Saturday, December 31
• It is a four week course.
• There will be weekly posts and assignments.
• No worries!  You can work at your own pace.
• You will receive a pdf Workbook
• You will receive the private blog address and login information 1 week before the course begins.
  

Okay - you get the picture - a life changing opportunity - a special treat from Fairy Dust Teaching!!! I think a powerful and juicy  New Year is tastier than any cupcake, don't you???? Although this one looks mighty tasty! LOL!

Image Source: http://simplysweet11.wordpress.com/

Let's make 2012 a soulful expression!  Yay!!  

xoxo!

Sally

First Blogiversary Giveaways!!

Hey Everyone!  I hope you are having a delicious day!  Ooh la la - do I have special things planned for you this week!  It is a bloggy party! 

So let's get this party started. . . .

Yay!  Today is the first day of my blogiversary!  My little ol' blog is a year old.  I am so excited!  Yippppeeee!

Last night my family had cake to celebrate!  Now I want to celebrate with you!

 

There are going to be 3 different winners!  Woot!

 

• 1 winner will receive a $50 Michael's Gift Card.  I spend so much money there and with the holidays coming - I know this will be a blessing (be sure and pack that 40% off coupon)!

• 1 winner will receive a $50 Lakeshore Learning Gift Card.   Gotta love Lakeshore!

• 1 winner will receive a $50 Starbucks Gift Card.  (For real, Starbucks keeps me going.)

Multiple ways to win 3 different prizes!

• Leave a comment on this page.
• Become a Follower!
• Follow me on Twitter!
• Like Fairy Dust Teaching on Facebook as an individual.
• Blog, Tweet or Facebook about this giveaway with a link back to this post.

Please leave separate comments on this page for each thing you do.

This giveaway will be open until 11:59 p.m. central time, Monday, November 21, 2011 and the winners will be chosen via Random.org.

Winners will be posted on the blog on November 22, 2011!

Thanks so much to all my readers for making this an incredible year.  More to come!  Hope you feel the love!

Good luck everyone!  

xoxo!
Sally

Rules and Regulations of this giveaway- 1) You must be 18 years old to enter.  2) To claim your prize you must email fairydustteaching@rocketmail.com within 48 hours of the winning announcement.  3) This giveaway is open to worldwide readers! Yay!  

This giveaway was sponsored by me and my pocketbook! I just love my readers and wanta share the joy.

Preparing For My Week

Happy Sunday!  How is your Sunday going?  I love Sundays!

I don't know about you - but Sunday is a critical day in preparing for my school week.  Here is my Sunday essentials:

WEEK OF MEALS:  I plan, shop, and cook my entire week of breakfast and lunches!  This week I am making pumpkin spice protein pancakes for breakfast and butternut squash soup for my lunches.  This saves me the stress of preparing breakfast or lunch as I get ready for my work day.   It gives me the space to be creative and cook up some yummy food!  I am working on taking off about 10 pounds.  The next 8 weeks are my biggest challenge with holiday treat abounding.   Typically I gain 5 to 10 pounds - yikes!  I am going to work on maintaining my weight this season.  

Source:  http://fashionjerseygirl.blogspot.com/

WEEK OF OUTFITS:  This is a must because I am a night owl.  When I get up in the morning - I will be honest - I do not have a lot of mindfulness.  I have been known to wear a shirt inside out and not know it.  What can I say?  I love staying up late and it has its consequences!  My remedy?  On Sunday - I put together my weekly outfits.  I am currently having an issue of not enough clothes!  The sweet pain of weight loss!  :)

WEEKLY PLANS:  Every Sunday I write my lesson plans, plan my blog entries, shop for any materials I might need for the school week.  AND of course - this week I am planning my big blogiversary!  I am even writing my next year of blogging goals, visions, and dreams.  

Check back tomorrow!  The celebration begins! 

Hugs!
Sally

Blogiversary Celebration Starts Monday!

It is hard to believe that I have been blogging for a year!  I have met the best people blogging!  I wanted have a party but dang it, the cost of flying you here is prohibitive!  So plan B!  I am going to host a wild and crazy give-away to celebrate.  I am so excited about several things I have lined up.   Check back Monday!  Woot!  Woot!

Grab a good cup of joe and join me on Monday for all the fun!

or a latte. . . .