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May 27, 2007
Carter
Friday I flew to Anaheim to do some work. I came back on Saturday. The flight down contained a few children, one of whom was about 2 1/2. He was not a happy camper during the hour long sojurn. Neither were the rest of the passengers after a while. I like children a great deal, but listening to a very long temper tantrum is not easy for anyone.
On my trip back, I sat next to Carter and his Mom. Carter is 20 months old, and I was hoping sitting there was not a mistake. The trip down had taken its toll on my ears and heart strings.
My first question to Mom as sat down was, innocently enough, "Is this his first flight?"
The answer was, "Oh, no. He's an old hand at this."
Great news. Mom proceeded to pull out a book from the bag she'd stowed under the seat in front of her. I recognized the bag. I'd had a similar one when I was raising my children. It went with us on every trip. It contained toys, books, snacks, diapers, and handiwipes. It was an amazing item I couldn't live without.
This mom was very comfortable with it. She read a book to Carter while he tried to turn the pages before she got to them. Fortunately it wasn't a story needing any order. So page nine could easily come after page two.
They finished the book and she pulled out a baggie full of small cars , trucks, and an airplane. He wanted the car for about the amount of time any 20 month old can last. He wanted the airplane next. We hadn't left the runway, and I was wondering how many more goodies she had in her bag of tricks.
Out came another book. This one had animals in it. They took turns making the sounds of the animals. The book also had matching pictures so Carter got to find the whale that looked like the whale in this picture. Lemur was a bit hard for him to find so they decided on Kitty for the time being.
Juice and peanuts were important and so was the little girl in the seat in front of him. She was an older woman, probably three or thereabouts, so he became a little shy, but he was fun to watch. Then there was watching out the window, drawing on a pad of paper, another book, and more juice.
Mom mentioned that he hadn't had a good nap for several days. She was hoping he would settle down for a nap after a bit. He did-about two minutes before we landed.
Traveling with Carter was a real pleasure. Traveling with his Mom was even more so. I enjoyed watching her interact with him and keep him engaged and busy during the flight. What she was doing was great for him with lots of learning and reinforcement going on, two of my favorites, but it was a real pleasure watching a mom really enjoy time with her child. Needless to say it was kindly to the rest of the passengers on board the plane, but we would have survived regardless. We did on the way down, but what I found refreshing was the obvious fun they were having together.
If you haven't hugged a wee one lately, I encourage you to do so. It'll make your day. Thank you Carter for making my day and trip enjoyable.
Posted by Dr Joni at 08:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 20, 2007
Summer Activities
This month I’ve been doing workshops for parents about what to do during the summer vacation. The first few weeks are always fun. The kids sleep in, watch some TV, play with the dog, and just hang out. It’s great for a bit, but most of us parents know it doesn’t take too long before the question shows up. You know the question, the one that goes “What can I do?”
My four knew the answer was usually “Book or broom?” They didn’t ask again. I was either going to suggest they grab a good book to read or I’d find some work for them to do.
In order to avoid either the question or a pat answer, there are all kinds of activities you might consider engaging in to keep the kids busy. Now, you know me well enough to know, I don’t just want them to keep busy so they’ll stay out of my hair. I want the kids to be busy with something fun AND something to bring about some valuable learning. Reading a book works well for me and did for a couple of my kids, but not all the time and not with every child. So what else can you do?
Here are a couple of things you might consider and over the next few weeks I’ll add a few more:
Set up a tent in the backyard. Kids can “camp” overnight. They’ll need to plan food for the night and the morning, fix it and decide when to have it. Don’t forget snacks.
Bring flashlights for reading books and story telling from camp.
Star gazing works well on clear nights from camp too.
A summer garden is fun. Grow a few tomatoes, peppers and herbs and you’ll have your very own salsa.
A trip to a museum is fun for a little history. What’s in you neighborhood that was here 100 years ago. How many things can you find?
Those few items alone cover reading, math, science and history. You don’t have to read a textbook during the summer to learn something new, but doing a little learning in fun ways keeps children moving forward and putting what they learn into practical use. Besides it’s fun for both of you.
Posted by Dr Joni at 11:09 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 13, 2007
More Field Trips
On Friday I was in Sacramento. Believing in education and learning takes me to interesting places. This time I was at the Department of Education for a hearing on the new Learning Foundations for preschool children. I thought I’d just be there to listen, but it seems most of the people there were wanting to hear what others had to say. Since I had been working with the Foundations rather extensively, I decided I probably had as much to say as anyone.
I do like the direction. When you work in the arena of preschool there is Head Start, State Preschool, private preschools and all sorts of daycare providers. These are generally wonderful people who genuinely like small children. AND they all have ideas about what they should know and do at the young ages of three and four. We have several sets of required standards we’re supposed to be following to provide programs and services of preschool children. I would like to see something a bit more coordinated. So for a guideline of foundations I gave them my thanks and appreciation.
Leaving the building to go back to where my car was parked required going across the grounds of the state capitol building. I always enjoy that walk. It’s pretty and peaceful. Well, normally it’s peaceful. I noticed they’d put very decorative metal posts and low metal fences all around the grounds. I assumed that was to keep people from driving trucks into the side of the capitol.
It’s also normally peaceful just because it’s so park like, but Friday it wasn’t quite as quiet. I mentioned that this time of year is the time for field trips for children. Whether it’s Arizona or California, you’ll see classes of children visiting special places. The state capitol is one of those places http://capitolmuseum.ca.gov/english/index.html.
A group of children was surrounding a statue of what I guessed was Father Junipero Serra. I never got close enough to know for sure, but it certainly looked like the good Father. I asked one of the adults nearby about the group.
“Oh, we’re from San Diego,” she said. “They’re fourth graders.” She went on to tell me they’d just moved to San Diego from Missouri and they’d been doing field trips there too. Seems the state capitol of Missouri was probably on their list, but the move brought them to California instead.
The kids were just moving on as another group descended the stairs from the south side of the building. It wouldn’t be long before they’d be looking at the various statues, monuments, and plaques in the gardens around the capitol. I’m sure they’ll have plenty to talk about on the bus rides home.
‘Tis the season for field trips. I’m headed several other spots before schools out. I wonder what other groups I’ll run into. For those of you wondering what to do with you kids this summer, field trips are great. A day to the capitol or another to a museum is fun for the whole family, give you plenty of things to talk about at dinner, and can provide the start for a great journal. Summer’s coming and there are lots of learning adventures waiting for Summer time.
Posted by Dr Joni at 10:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 07, 2007
Museum Delights
Wednesday AM I decided to make one last stop before leaving Flagstaff. My visit was to the Museum of Northern Arizona http://www.musnaz.org/. My timing couldn’t have been better. It was a Wednesday in May. May is the time where most schools take field trips. They’ve been studying from books, learning lessons, and getting ready for state testing. Now a good deal of that is done, and it’s time for a field trip or two.
Williams Elementary School in Northern Arizona had brought their second graders to the Museum of Northern Arizona for the morning. New visitors were nearly trampled by a group of second graders tumbling out the door headed for the lane with the rabbit hunt. I understand they use boomerangs for this particular hunt.
I didn’t realize how many kids were in the building at first. I was busy following my nose looking at Zuni, Hopi, and Navajo artifacts. After enjoying some Hopi Kachinas, Zuni jewelry, and Navajo rugs a group of children caught my eye.
I was getting toward the end of my tour, but some of the school groups were just getting started. Watching them was going to be fun.
The docent from the museum for the group had his own flair. Pat Cassidy, a very Irish Irishman, was conducting the tour. I chuckled wondering if any of the children in the group were having trouble with his wonderful brogue. He was artfully explaining the Kachinas to the children. Some were listening, some were looking with their eyes, and some were looking with their fingers, normal for seven year olds. All were curious. One or two were more curious than others. I heard the name Leo several times, and figured he was probably one of the more curious of the group. At one point Mr. Cassidy walked by me caugh my eye, rolled his eyes, and whispered, “Faith and be gorra.” We forget sometimes how much energy second graders have.
Moving to the next room I watched an amazing change. The children went into a room between the bookstore and the museum shop. I figured either of those two areas would have caught their attention, but not true. The room in the middle had them all sitting in one area and you could have heard a pin drop. There wasn’t a sound as they listened to Pat.
Any quesses about what could keeping a wiggling group of small children quiet? Well, it could have been the rather large skeleton of the dinosaur standing next to them that was keeping the group still. I am always amazed at the interest children have in dinosaurs. This group was no exception. They hung on every word.
“What did they eat?” “How big were their teeth?” “Where did they live?” They were just fascinated by the stories of dinosaurs in this area. This time their curiosity was focused. They couldn’t get enough information.
Their interest left their teacher, Miss Wilson, enough time to check on the bus, keep things on schedule, and make sure all heads were counted.
Pat taught them a couple of songs about dinosaurs. The kids stomped, chomped and romped just like the big old ancient creatures. I thought it might take a bit of time to settle them down after their song, but Pat turned the dinosaur saga over to the next docent,and again there was immediate quiet. Interest was immediately recaptured.
I listened for a bit longer, but knew they would be entertainined for as long as it took to get the buses ready, lunch set up, or the next group through bunny hunting. What a fun morning for the kids. What a delightful morning for me.
My thanks to the Museum of Northern Arizona and the Williams Elementary School 2nd grade classes for making my morning a great deal of fun.
Posted by Dr Joni at 12:07 PM | Comments (0)
May 04, 2007
Visit Continued
Okay I won’t spend a whole lot more time on my nostalgia, but I did finish off my trip through Arizona with a visit to Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. I hadn’t been back there for almost 20 years.
Flagstaff had changed too. The city was bigger and longer than ever. It hadn’t changed as much as Phoenix, but you could definitely see the growth.
The place that had changed the most was NAU. There were new buildings everywhere and more going up. When I went to school there the student population was probably about 10,000. Now I’m told it’s over 20,000. That’s a lot of students!
But the old stuff was there too. Old Main and Morton Hall were there clear back from the days when the place was the hospital for the insane. Hm. I’m sure there were times when I was going there that I wasn’t sure whether I was not still in such a facility, but usually those were thoughts coming from not being quite ready enough for a test or having a paper due that I’d forgotten about.
Of course I had to drive by Eastburn Education building, and yes, for those teachers who graduated from NAU, it’s still alive and well. It’s bigger than it used to be, more additions to the campus, but it still looks much like it did years ago.
This trip was fun for me. I decided when I was seven years old that I wanted to be a teacher. I have never regretted that decision. I do enjoy what I’ve done. So just wait until my next piece. You’ll get to enjoy as I did a group of second graders learning new and wondrous things.
Posted by Dr Joni at 10:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
May 03, 2007
Visit to Arizona
I grew up in Arizona so a visit home is always an interesting treat. This week I’m doing a bit more nostalgia. Funny how that works. A couple weeks ago I was visiting the schools where I started teaching. This week I’m going even farther back in time.
Phoenix has grown. What an understatement. Phoenix is huge. It just goes and goes and goes. I used the word “amazing” on ths tri more than any other word in my vocabulary.
As usual I found myself drawn to what I remembered and knew well. I visited the house and neighborhood I grew up in. I could just see all the neighborhood kids out in the evenings planning kick-the-can and flashlight tag. None of us was allowed to watch much TV so we found other ways to entertain ourselves.
Next came the schools. I enjoyed school and can’t help but going back to see what they’re like now. Both of my grade schools had grown. Now it could be because I was 6 years old and anything looked huge at that age, but there were more buildings. The district office had moved over to one of the school sites and was sitting on the corner where an old house used to be. All of us kids were scared to death of whoever lived in that house. We had stories and fantasies of witches and scary things. It was probably just a retired woman who’s property they eventually bought, but for us kids it was a mystery house.
I drove by the elementary schools and then on to the high school. West High doesn’t even exist anymore. It’s now a training facility or some such. I’m not sure. Too bad. I remember selling magazines every year I was in school to help build a swimming pool. My brother, 4 years behind me got to use the pool. I’m sure it’s been long covered over. Hope my folks enjoyed all the magazines all those years. I think I sold them life subscriptions to some stuff.
Last on my school list and one I hadn’t planned on was Phoenix Community College. I don’t usually think of that one since it was a quick two year stint, even thought it was a great opportunity, but the streets in Phoenix are really torn up right now. Their putting in a light rail and streets are closed everywhere. I was detoured and rerouted several times and found myself outside the front gates of PCC.
As if that wasn’t enough, I had a meeting scheduled with someone from one of the two districts my mother taught in when I was young. Yes, I came to my interest in education from a long line of teachers. I’ve often said I have chalk dust in my veins.
Mom was in the Murphy School District for a couple of years before she moved to the Alhambra District. It was too far back for any of the folks in the district office to remember her, but it was fun meeting with folks where she’d been. I even went by the other school where she taught in the Alhambra District. She was there for almost 15 years so that was a big part of my growing up years.
Obviously a trip through Arizona for me entails a lot about what I did the most of and what I was most interested in. Schools. Strange, it’s still what I do the most of and am most interested in.
Posted by Dr Joni at 09:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack