Some Thoughts on Children

I spend Wednesdays, after work, with my grandson, Benjamin. He just turned a year old and is the light of our lives. Yesterday, I showed him the water table I got for him to play with when he is at my house.

This time of the school year,can always be challenging- between end-of-year testing and the "summer fever" that seems to hit my students early every year.
      Benjamin made me forget all of the stresses of the day as we just played in the water. I love watching him explore and learn from the world around him. It is amazing to watch him learn! And I am able to remember why I wanted to be a teacher in the first place- to help make learning fun for children so they would become life-long learners. I definitely felt refreshed after spending a few hours with him yesterday.

                                       

- Stephanie

Magic Tree House books

Do you use the Magic Tree House book series in your classroom? I love to use them with small reading groups throughout the year. I have designed Reading Comprehension packets that I have used for several years with First and Second Graders. I have used them in small groups, as well as, a whole group of 18 students at one time. I included many comprehension skills such as previewing, schema, making connections, visualizing, predicting, sequencing, answering "right there" questions, inferring, comparing and contrasting, and more.

Here is a picture of the cover and first few pages of the first set.

I have the first set FREE for download at Teachers Pay Teachers and at TES. I have completed a packet for books 1-8 and 17. I am currently working on finishing some more. I hope you enjoy it!

Welcome to Education Whimsy!

Welcome! We are glad you stopped by to see our new blog. We are Stephanie and Kelly and we have known each other for about 14 years. We taught next door to each other at two different schools. Currently, we each teach in a different county, but talk daily.

We love to teach using engaging, hands-on materials. Through this blog, we are hoping to inspire others as we continue on our teaching journeys.

We chose the word "Whimsy" as part of our blog title because we enjoy being creative and inspired in our teaching.

In my classroom (Stephanie's), I have many things to keep me, and my students, inspired. I have these large letters that spell DREAM on top of my tall cabinet. They are directly across the room from me when I sit at my teacher table. I see them throughout the day.

I made this sign to go in the corner of my classroom by my teacher table. I found the wooden slat back at Walmart and painted it turquoise. I added an "H" from Joann Fabrics, a couple of wooden clothespins, and three tiny pennants I cut out of paper from my set from School Girl Style. I love the saying "Too Many Blessings to Count". It reminds me that I am very blessed even when I am having a rough day. And, of course, pictures of my grandson, Benjamin, always brighten up my day.

I painted an old globe with black chalkboard paint.I use chalk to write messages on the globe for the students. It currently says "You are capable of amazing things."

These are some ways I incorporate "whimsy" in my classroom.