Read Across Kansas

Hamming it up after reading and eating fish crackers

After today, I am rethinking my license area. I wonder what it would take to add a certification for elementary? I LOVE LITTLE KIDS!!! I was invited by 2008 KTOY Jeri Powers to read to 2 elementary schools in the DeSoto school district. Being used to big kids, I was at first a little nervous about the idea of trying to hold the attention of forty 8 year-olds while I read a book. So, to try to make a good impression, I borrowed a Cat In The Hat hat, bought crazy, mis-matched socks, and then decided if I couldn't make their eyes dizzy from my colorful clothes, I could just feed them! So, I carried my "fish in a bowl" around and handed out gold fish crackers. I had a blast - I wonder if the kids had even a tenth as much fun as I had?! After I read to 5 different classes, I was handed a sack full of personalized, illustrated thank-you cards - made for me by EACH student!! I am scanning a few of them to add to this post when I get back home. They are incredibly special to me. When I think about how long it took for them to write out personalized notes to me, it makes my heart fill up. Some even demonstrated their math skills (evidently Jeri mentioned I am a math teacher) on the cards -showing me all the math facts they knew. One even has a pop-up of me reading on a chair....how did Jack do that? Samuel drew a Teacher of The Year Memorial for me!! WOW! Of all the "things" I have received when visiting districts, this has to be the most special sack I will ever get. Not only was it filled with these heart-touching cards, but also full of goodies and a Riverview t-shirt, which I will be wearing with great pride.I found some fellow Cat In the Hat fans - including the principal, Mark Dodge as THE Cat in the Hat!

I then travelled down the road to Clear Creek Elementary and read to a whole cafeteria of students!! They were so good to listen while eating and even clapped for me when I was done! Did I mention that I love little kids??? I got lots of hugs today - and if you know me - I am a HUGGER!!!

After getting to read, I had the opportunity to visit with the Mill Valley High School math department. They shared some wonderful ideas that I have already emailed my school about and hope to implement them at my high school. One of them is a new approach to seminar. They have all the math teachers go to the cafeteria and all the teachers are then available to any student needing math help. This approach seems much more equitable to me. Some math teachers at my school are overwhelmed with students needing help during seminar while others may not have any students coming in at all. Having us all centrally located would enable more students to get help and maybe even provide the forum for students to develop their own Professional Learning Community. I also am bringing home some great curriculum ideas for Personal Finance. The math teachers had to get subs, make lesson plans, and take extra time to sit and visit with me and I so appreciated it!

I have written before that one of the most rewarding benefits of visiting districts is unexpectedly running into previous students. Turns out that Isaac Hodges (Buhler High graduate) teaches PE at Riverview Elementary!! It was great catching up on his family and hearing about all his friends.
(Isaac Hodges and me at Riverview)

Me, Rose Nemchek, and 2008 KTOY Jeri Powers

While I was visiting Riverview, Rose (middle) found out she is the district's elementary nominee for Teacher of The Year - I will be seeing her again in September at the regional banquet!

The single most significant factor influencing a child's early educational success and achievement (first and second grade) is an introduction to books and being read to at home prior to beginning school.

(Source: U.S. Dept. of Education)