Diggin' Dinos Summer School FINALLY

Sorry to make you wait so long for this blog.

I just need to figure out how to update my blog, 

WITH PICTURES,

from my Ipad.  

My laptop was awesome to upload pics with but it is shot.

I loved that little purple netbook!

My Ipad is equally awesome 

but I REALLY REALLY cannot  figure out how to get pics to upload.

And what good is a blog without pics?

No good at all, I am telling ya!

So if you can help, please please please

contact me.  

I can pay. 

With chocolate chip cookies! 

Sooooo, I bribed my kid (with chocolate chip cookies)

to use his laptop.  Which has a quirky habit ofNOT spacing...

see?

So, first of all, you've got to  know how

well behaved and prepared to be in school

these almost k kiddo were!

Wow!

I cannot remember a nicer week!

On Monday we made these great dinosaur hats....

 My daughter, Sorcha, helped with a  project everyday...

Here she is making a lovely little puppet with the kiddos!

This is the closest we actually got to digging for dinosaurs,

a game put out by National Geographic

similar to Operation

except we had to extract dino bones!

Imagine the kids' surprise when they learned we WEREN"T

going to actually DIG for BONES!

One of these years I am going to have a mutiny

on my hands....

 Me, overseeing the hat making table...

Fun choices.....

more hats....

snack time!

Thanks for the delicious snacks, by the way!

Our charts were a nice introduction

to our regular school year.

Grandma Rita helped everyday, too!

Dinosaur Dan with Sorcha.

A nice little color review!

Dino eggs made with eye droppers and liquid watercolor

 

sweet

Melissa, Kamea and Zane's Mom, helped us make

 sweet dinosaur  necklaces.

Sand painting with Sorcha...

man, she worked hard!

Here are the beginning of our fossils....

And look at these cuties.....

These are the sand art pics...pretty~

some of the books we read this week...

it was a nice collection of 

fiction and nonfiction.

We introduced the words

author and illustrator 

How many kid feet in a dinosaur foot?

(a baby tyrannasaurus)

28!!!!!!

Friday's finale!  Dino MASKS!

RRRROAR!

Nicole, Isaiah's Mom, helped us create

a cute dino book!

Look at the great dino puzzle we created!

So, as you can see, we had a very busy, very productive week.

We learned words like....

paleontologists 

herbivore

carnivore

omnivore

and so many different dinosaur names!

Thanks for sharing your little one with me!

We will be seeing some of you in August for 

BUG FUN!

Live, Love, Laugh Everyday in Kindergarten: KD5 Book Study: Chapter 1 "Introduction"

Live, Love, Laugh Everyday in Kindergarten: KD5 Book Study: Chapter 1 "Introduction"

I really am excited to be a part of this book study...and with my summer school wrapping up,
it is time to do my "homework" from last week, just in time to do this week's!

What little I know about D5 has sparked my interest in learning more....it seems so similar to the RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM design for classroom behaviors that I am excited to learn more!

Thank you to all the great people who are leading this group!

So, here goes....

1. How do I teach new behaviors?

I use responsive classroom techniques, whole group, proactive, empowering language, focus on positive,

2. How do I teach expectations?

same as for behaviors

I limit "rules" to 3

 which the kids generate although I direct toward the usual...

be kind...be safe....be ready

all behaviors and expectations can fit into one of those

we talk about what each rule looks like 

I refer to  The First 6 Weeks book often  

and throughout the  year we regularly review

especially after Christmas break

The word SELF CONTROL is used copiously

3. How do I monitor student behavior? whole group? small groups? individual?

The longer I teach, and the more kids I am mama to (6 at last count),

 the easier it gets to have those

 "eyes on the back of my head" skills.  

Whole group situations are probably the hardest for  most teachers,

as it seems we always have those kiddos who are good at misbehaving while 

no one is looking.

Small group is easier to keep tabs on.

I do expect kids to self monitor after the first couple of months of school.

Some are good at it, some need continual practice

4. What do I do when a student is not exhibiting desired behavior?

Often redirection and/or just letting them know you "see" their behavior 

(the LOOK) is enough

If  the kiddo continues to make poor choices, I will conference using empowering language of

RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM

"I noticed you...."  or "did you notice when you......then......?

I do not use stickers or reward systems

Responsive classroom helps kids focus on intrinsic rewards 

being good for goodness sake!

5. Whose classroom is it?

Ours.... although I am thinking the answer for D5 is theirs...I am not there yet!

I shutter to think of myself only using 1/18 of the space for my teacher stuff.

I am hoping to see the light on this one but I am skeptical

What about grading samples? assessment packets? snacks? fun things to look at to keep my interest as I listen to them count to 100. again. and again? ha!

6. Locus of control?

The STUDENTS are in control but my job is to teach them and expect from them 

SELF CONTROL

in all areas of our day.

Someone mentioned in one their blogs about how the K classes seem to have the best behavior in the hallways...I agree!  I am wondering how to help the older kids continue to work on 

SELF CONTROL when many upper grades assume they have it, which they don't?

7. Where are supplies stored?

This is one I struggle with as I also teach 

(rather taught...our district is going to 5 full days of k next year!  Woot Woot!)

an enrichment class so I have STUFF everywhere.

Just look at some of my past blogs...stuff. everywhere.

Don't you believe the "becoming a clutterfree classroom" button you see on my page.

But who does everyone go to when they need something?  

Like an ice cream scoop? 

Or a jester's hat (just today!)

I do make an attempt to have items where the kids can access them as I train them in on proper procedure and care of items.  My books (shoot, notice I said MY) are an area I have to rethink.  Currently I have them organized by the themes we use as we flow through our year.  I have TONS of books....seriously I have a problem collecting kiddy lit...I need a 3 step program, I think!

I can see I have some work ahead  of me....bring it on!

What HAS the crazy O'Duggan Clan been up to or why can't I figure out how to upload pics from my iPad?

Ok ok ...I know this isn't rocket science but I have literally lost hours and hours of time trying to figure out how to upload pics from my iPad (remember laptop failure mentioned in previous blog?) I am a pc/android operating system girl and this apple stuff is foreign to me...as well as the ability to focus, apparently.

I begin by viewing my blog... Wow over 6000 hits...not bad, hey, let's see what Shae has updated on her blog...hmmm, that grand baby of mine is ADORABLE, I cannot wait til they come to visit. Oh, I need to google bittersweet nightshade to see how worried we should be about a few rogue plants we have growing around the farm. Hey, I did not know all the uses past and present for bittersweet...chickens won't eat it, I'm pretty sure...well, look at this funny blog video posting "will they eat it?" hilarious! This lady's chickens are picky, pickier than mine...man, she IS a funny writer, let me just leave a comment...shoot, time's up gotta get moving....

It always goes like that. Or very close with minor variations...this morning, I stumbled upon (another fun site not responsible for this mornings meanderings) a FREE insert from an Oprah recommended book...I thought I'd just take a peek...$12.99 and 2 hours later I realize I STILL did not figure out how to upload pics but I did find a map of the Pacific Crest Trail.


And still no pics on my blog....

Truly there seems to be a glitch in the programming as the add image button will not go "hot" not matter how many times I accept terms of agreement or play my turn in Draw Something or Words with Friends (want to play? Add me, I'm game)

Graduation Pics! And a few picnic pics....have a great summer!

These kids will be forever in my heart!

 Mrs. O'Duggan's Kindergarten class 2011-2012