Making Learning Contagious During Retirement

This past Spring our beloved Kindergarten teacher retired.  It was a sad time for those of us who worked closely with her and watched her nurture the scientist and explorer in every child who was lucky enough to walk through her classroom door.  She and her husband spent her final teaching year planning a trip across the country.  Her goal: to leave before school resumed in the Fall and travel to all the places she spent years exploring and teaching about from her classroom.

Pat and her husband, Scott, left town at the end of August and are sharing their travels with us via their blog VanNice Travels.  Pat is continuing to nurture the scientist and explorer in all of us through her blog.  The children in my class this year spent last year studying the Mississippi River with Pat and encouraged her to visit the headwaters of the Mississippi on her journey.  The day she posted that she had made it there the kids went berserk.  They were beside themselves with happiness for her, knowing how much it meant for her to visit the birthplace of this mighty river.

My little ones are learning how to post comments to Pat's blog, are staying in touch with a much loved teacher and are being inspired everyday to continue the learning journey they were set upon when they walked through her classroom door.  She is still teaching.  Still encouraging all of us to love learning.  Thank you Pat!

Summer Learning Opportunities

This summer I am posting to my classroom website on Tuesdays and Thursdays in an effort to keep those sweet second graders I had last year connected to learning over the summer. Before the last day of school I modeled and taught them how to comment on our classroom blog.  We talked about social media etiquette and what a great blog comment would look like.

Is what I am going to write true?

Is what I am going to write helpful?

Is what I am going to write interesting?

Is what I am going to write necessary?

Is what I am going to write kind?

If you click here you will see the first post of the summer and can follow the rest from there.  Last week was the first week we were out of school and I haven't had any students make a comment on any of the posts yet.  Hopefully that will change soon!  I am also recording the posts using Soundcloud for those little ones who might have a little trouble reading the entire post independently.

Graphics by DJ Inkers