Creating a Healthy Classroom

I want to keep my students safe and healthy. We have added pressure to keep classrooms clean and have rigid sanitizing protocols. I have been wearing a mask in public, but I forget it is important to clean my mask. I use my own water bottle, but I forget to clean it with soap and water. Recently I listened to a doctor explain that a dirty mask can create its own complications. I want to keep striving to create a healthy space for learning. The CDC has mask washing guidelines/suggestions.  

1. Wash your mask after each use.

2. Machine Washing: Use regular laundry detergent and the warmest water possible.

• Hand washing: 
• 5 tablespoons (1/3rd cup) household bleach per gallon of room temperature water or
• 4 teaspoons household bleach per quart of room temperature water (check to see if the bleach is made for disinfection).
• Soak the mask in the bleach solution for 5 minutes.
• Rinse thoroughly with cool or room temperature water.

 

It can never hurt to help students and families navigate through these new health protocols.  Let's keep helping each other.  Look for more resources at Liz and Ron's Educational Resources. 

Zoom Virtual Scavenger Hunt

We know that our students need an emotional connection to the classroom and content.  So...how do we create a community in an online environment? This is not an easy question.  Several weeks ago, I watched a teacher engage her students in a scavenger hunt on Zoom.  The teacher read a clue/riddle and then she called out, "3, 2, 1....go!"  Students ran throughout their houses looking for the answer to the riddle.  I created my own version (all-ages version).  I will be looking for more ways to create a classroom community. I would love for you to try this activity and share your experiences. 

Scavenger Link

Supporting Children in the Classroom

We are starting to hear more and more schools will be going online this fall.  Working parents feel the stress of work and helping their children who are trying to learn at home.  Asynchronous teaching means that a teacher teaches all of the students at one time.  The hardest part of asynchronous learning is evaluating a student's understanding.  We need to move our Zoom classrooms to instruction. Students are able to work in small groups called, BreakOut Rooms.  I am including tools that help teachers see a child's progress and thinking on platforms such a Zoom. Education is changing.  A learning community is flexible and ever-changing. Our children might be introducing new technology to the teachers this year.  

Did you know that a cell phone can be turned into a document camera?  A document camera allows the teacher to see a student's paper.  Here is a video. 

Did you know that a laptop can be turned into a whiteboard?

Daily Individual Responsibilities vs. Family Jobs

COVID-19 has forced us to look at education in new ways.  I see educators across the nation who demonstrate creativity and innovation in the virtual classroom.  This is inspiring! Many school districts are finding that students who have a broad set of soft skills are very successful in an online environment. Soft skills do not appear overnight;; they are developed over time.  Our Zoom meetings are evolving and becoming lessons that help students; organize assignments, study strategies, and how to communicate with adults for extra support (virtual office hours, small group instruction, and more).

This summer, we are taking the time to look at individual responsibilities vs. family jobs.  Individual job responsibilities often appear on a job chart (teeth care, showering, cleaning a bedroom, etc.).  How do we help our children see that they are needed and belong to a community?  Asking our children to consider a family job each day may help with this process (just a start).  A family works together to accomplish good for the whole (making a meal, garden work, mowing the lawn, dusting, etc.)  Vacuuming our car is a "family job."  Our car is continuously used to transport athletes and musicians to all of our community.  Family jobs are done in a group.  Each person helps to accomplish the "family job" to ease the workload.

Taking Responsibility Activity:

Online Learning

July 9th, 2020

COVID-19 has transformed the educational landscape.  Virtual learning is new to most educators. Online meetings, small group instruction, project-based assignments are new territory.  Students need many soft skills in order to be successful with online learning (responsibility, compromise, positive flexible attitude, teamwork, communication skills, leadership skills, decision making, and more). My goal is to share resources that will help educators in a virtual setting.  

1.  Zoom Communication Posters: These posters help students (grades K-5) with teachers.  Students hold up 8 1/2 x 11 posters to get the attention of the virtual host.  Poster link.

2. Online meetings need to have clear expectations.  Virtual learning is new to students and the expectations will need to be taught.  Below is a photo of an example expectation poster.  Managing your Zoom settings (mute participants, breakout groups, private chat) will also help you establish expectations in an online environment. 

Favorite Education Resources (Grades K-3)

We love simplicity! It seems that moms and dads are just looking for ways to encourage learning and play. So here are my favorite early childhood products, websites, and resources.

Character Education:

VeggieTales: Rumor Weed and Fib From Outer Space

Habits of Mind: ASCD

Reading:

Free BOB Book Activities (free)

BOB Book Ideas

TumbleBooks-eBooks for Kids: Free through Spokane County Library

30 Flip Books-expensive (you could make your own kit)

Shape Rocket-App (free)

Sound Beginnings-App (free)

Reading A-Z: The online leveled reading program

Pairs in Pears

Math:

Zero to Three

Shape Puzzle

Shape Puzzle #2

Oreo Matchin' Middles Game

Little Hands Card Holder

Melissa and Doug Fishing for Numbers

Math Link Cubes

Music:

Hap Palmer

Go Fish Guys: Party Like a Preschooler

Science: 

Wow in the World

Social Studies:

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum - PBS Kids

A Kid Explains History

The Who Was Show

Curriculum: 

Hewitt Learning

Kahn Academy

Assessment Tools: 

P.A.S.S Test: This is a non-timed test.  A pretest is given to find the appropriate level test to administer. Specific recommendations are given in the generated report.  Contact: customerservice@hewittlearning.org

New Summer Beginnings

Summer is coming!  Kids are excited for the summer, but I do believe they are wanting the structure and consistency of the school year.  I had a conversation with my son and found out that his school has three school-wide expectations.

1.  Be respectful
2.  Make good decisions
3.  Be a problem solver

We will be using these expectations this summer.  High expectations = a great challenge.  Children and teens want high expectations.  I am the first to be impatient with my child. I want my child to grow into an awesome independent adult (adult tantrums are not attractive).  It would be so...easy to hand my child a piece of technology to numb his/her boredom.  I do love technology, but I do not want to use it to cover areas that need character shaping/building.  Instant gratification is difficult to counteract.  This summer we will slow down the pace.  I anticipate and welcome new and different life rhythms.

Activity: Take some time before summer and begins and review school and home expectations.  Compare and contrast school and home expectations.  Are they similar?  Different?  Why is important for homes and communities to have a mission statement, core values, and expectations?

Summer: The World Becomes the Classroom

Summer is flexible, warm, and creative! There are times when it can be unpredictable and exhausting.  Where can a family find consistency and fun?

Here are some places and activities to consider this summer.

Places: Libraries often have summer programming for all ages.  The libraries continue to find creative ways to introduce children to books, storytelling, magicians, scientists, comedians, and more!

YMCA/Boys and Girls Club:  The YMCA and Boys and Girls Clubs offer summer programming, camps, and field trips.  Our local YMCA offers free family events each week.

Setting up a summer calendar with a consistent trip to the library, park, and community center can create some predictability. It is hard for  children to be confident with a random schedule.  Before summer comes to a start talk with your child about the transition. "What stays the same and what is different" can help children see the similarities and differences between the school year and the summertime. Identify people, places, and activities that change or stay the same.

Thematic Summer Learning: This summer our son has chosen a thematic area of interest.  He would like to learn about explorers.  Here is a sample of activity menu for this Explorer theme.

• rope making
• dutch oven cooking
• map making
• art
• plant/animal identification
• hiking
• field trips
• canoes and paddle snack (apple slices and pretzel paddles)
• s'mores snack pack
• star gazing 

Food: We will have fun summer snacks.  Here is just a sample.....

• ice cream in a bag
• watermelon slices
• summer slushies

Exercise/Health:  Keeping a healthy active lifestyle is important year-around.

• frisbee golf
• homemade slip and slide
• new food challenge
• lawn games
• bike ride
• create a new game
• basketball
• hike

Calming Activities:  

• coloring
• knitting
• building bridges out of toothpicks
• science experiments
• fort building
• a country drive/explore
• family puzzles
• journal

The last few weeks our dining room table has been filled with thousands of tiny puzzle pieces.  This puzzle became a community project.  Friends would stop by the house and would immediately participate.  The community puzzle was just a random idea but has turned into a family event. There are so many distractions on the internet and T.V. Our family puzzle time reminds us to get unplugged.

Teeth Care and Technology

In our house, we have battled over brushing teeth.  We have interviewed dentists, watched YouTube videos, implemented reward systems.  None of these strategies have worked! 

Just recently, our son wanted to buy his own electric toothbrush (we were in shock and denial).   We did not waste time. We went to the grocery store to make some comparisons.  The Philips Sonicare Kids Brush was his first choice (fun design).  We were naive. We both had Sonicare toothbrushes so we bought the kids version. 

We had no idea that this brush had Bluetooth capabilities and works with an online application.  The application teaches children how to brush their teeth effectively. The app program keeps track of morning and nightly brush routines.  Sonicare has developed a quirky animated creature (looks like a Furby).  When a child turns on his toothbrush the creature starts to brush his/her own teeth.  A child can see the plaque being scrubbed away.  After each bushing period, the child receives a virtual gift. 

We like to be frugal at our house, but this purchase has been a wonderful educational tool! 

Professional Development & Certification Renewal

Your days are filled with designing lesson plans, conferencing with parents, meetings, teaching daily lessons, assessments, and correcting papers.  Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months, and months turn into years.  Then the day arrives when you realize that you need to renew your teaching credentials.  You might have 6 months or maybe one year to finish a large amount of coursework.  What do you do?  

I have found myself in this predicament. First, it is time to show yourself some grace and room to breathe.  We get immersed in the job and family life.  Be encouraged you are not alone. There is good news! Many museums, universities, libraries, schools, and unions offer professional development courses (year-around).  You may want to consider a field study or travel option.  This possibility could merge your family goals/dreams and professional certification requirements.  

Step 1:  Contact the university in which you received your BA or MA degree.  Universities and colleges hire individuals who specialize in teacher certification counseling.  Many universities offer online courses. Check with the university for professional development opportunities online or on-campus (non-degree course work). You will need special consideration using these credits towards a particular degree.  Many endorsements can be added to your resume by taking national tests like the NES or the West E.  Washington assigned specific subjects that need to have classroom credits and a test.  Your state education webpage will let you know what path to take to add more endorsements. 

Professional Certification Info: Washington State

Step 2:  Find your website for your State Department of Education.  Review your certification requirements.  Many state departments of education offer professional development courses.  

-Washington

-Idaho

-Oregon

-Montana

Step 3: What type of coursework would enhance my classroom instruction?  What are my options? Washington State has a new STEM clock hour requirement.  Be sure to check out the Educational Service District near your school or home.

• online
• Seattle Pacific University 
• Heritage Institute 
• CE Credits Online
• ESD 112
• classroom
• Idaho Courses
• Eastern Washington
• OSPI- (directory of ESD websites)
• conferences/webinar
• ELL
• Technology Webinars
• Renewal for the Educator's Soul
• field study
• Woodland Park Zoo
• Seattle Art Museum
• Pacific Science Center
• Museum of Flight
• Glacier National Park
• Mt. Rainier and Mount St. Helens
• Washington State History
• Washington State Field Study Options
• independent study/travel study

Step 4:  Enjoy the Journey!!!

Summer in the Great Outdoors: For Children of All Ages

Summer is coming and we long to organize and facilitate summer memory making.  We want our children to climb trees, hike, swim, and experience nature.  It is our opportunity to stretch the imagination.  The world becomes our summer classroom!  Camps, libraries, museums, universities, and churches offer summer programs to provide hands-on-learning for youth all over the Northwest.

What can our summer look like?  Here are some ideas and links.

HIKING & CAMPING:  We know that we benefit by walking, but here is a great article about hiking and brain research.

Do enjoy hiking? OutThere Monthly has a scavenger/ treasure hunts for the whole family.

AllTrails 

Washington Trails Association

Club Slow Motion (Found on FB)-This is an all women's hiking group.  The hikes are well-paced.  Most of the hikes range from 3-5 miles distances.

Washington, Idaho State,  Montana, California, and Oregon State Parks: These websites are a great way to find a campsite.  It also can be used to reserve an environmental center, yurt, and small cabin.

Just for Kids

Junior Ranger Program

Summer Camps

Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture- The MAC Museum is offering art, science, and music camps for all ages.  Programs include field trips, campouts, wilderness safety, geocache, kayaking, and more!  ArtFest is also a wonderful opportunity to play and create.

Camp Metamorphosis is a camp for 4th-6th graders.  Whitworth University offers this camp through their Talented and Gifted Department.

Camp Opportunity is for grades 6-9. Camp Opportunity offers three different themes for the week.  "Trek of the Techie, "Farm to Table," and "Explore the Great Outdoors." Students can choose one focus or try a little in all three class offerings.

Camp Spalding-Camp Spalding offers overnight camps for children and families.  Camp Spalding's Family camp offers deluxe cabins and provides linens and amazing food.  The staff takes the time to form relationships with the whole family.  All activities are provided and organized.  This provides a low-stress vacation.

Washington:

Summer Camps or Programs for Children with Special Needs:

Joni and Friends

Camp Goodtimes- Resident camp designed for 7-17-year-old cancer patients and survivors

Montana: Camp Dream

Oregon: Very Special Camps

California: Camps for Kids with Special Needs

Sports:  There are so many opportunities for youth to participate in summer sports camps.  Trying to choose is the most difficult part.

Basketball-NBC Camps

Disc Golf-PGA disc Golf Course Directory Map

Disc Golf Directory

Libraries

Most libraries offer summer programs.  Our local library has hosted educational music, drama, dance, science programs for young children.  Do you have a child that has a library fine?  Some libraries offer a fine forgiveness program.

Finding Peace and Quiet for Your Children, Part: 2

Children need time to reflect at home and in school.  In order for children to self-sooth/self-regulate they must first identify their current emotions.  We use a tool/reflection sheet in the classroom and in the home.  There are days when we all wake up on the "wrong side of the bed."

Students need support, but what is helpful? Calming? Encouraging?  I have looked all over YouTube, Google, and more for guided mindfulness for children.  I have found my favorite product called, Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents).

GoNoodle is a wonderful free website for children.  Many schools use this site for brain, exercise, and movement breaks.  As a parent, I use GoNoodle for the calming activities.  The site has child-appropriate mindfulness and yoga activities.   The site gives participation points and has virtual rewards.  

When do I use this site?  I use this in the morning, before school.  Classrooms have a limited amount of time to focus on social and emotional development.  

Cosmic Kids Yoga is another site that leads yoga through storytelling.  Children love the engaging stories and become immersed in the story while exercising.

Stories can help children identify/validate a child's feelings.  I love to use Storyline Online in the classroom and home. The Screen Actors Guild has many videos of famous people reading literature.  

Z Tangled

A close friend taught my family how to draw Z Tangles.  We were taught that the process was more important than the product.  There were no "right or wrong" answers.  Finally, to enjoy the repetition, patterns, and rhythms.  My husband enjoyed the freedom to express, but felt safe within set artistic patterns.  

Some pieces can be more compartmentalized like the first photo or the patterns can flow into one another.  The beginning and end become the same. (odd number of sections)

There are many sites that will teach patterns with a step-by-step process.  

How to Draw Z Tangles

Zentangles

Finding Peace and Quiet

Every teacher needs time to rest and reflect.  It is getting harder to balance needed reflection time and work demands.

Recently I was introduced to a new website called, Stop, Breath, & Think.  There are many mindfullness programs online, but this is my favorite.  Stop, Breath, & Think will ask for your mental, physical, and emotional health each day.  The program will tailor several activities based upon your responses.  This program is free and has many options.

Another website that combines meditation and devotion is Sacred Space.  The Irish Jesuits and Loyola Press work jointly on this project. Sacred Space is available on Apple/iOS and Android/Google Play devices.

A poet-friend, Laurie Klein writes daily reflections on her blog.  Her photography captures small details, wonder, and beauty.   Laurie's new book called, Where the Sky Opens, a Partial Cosmography takes the reader on journey of love, grace, struggle, and renewal.  She knows how to use words to open the very soul of the reader.

Club Slow Motion (Found on FB)-This is an all women's hiking group.  The hikes are well-paced.  Most of the hikes range from 3-5 miles distances.

Northwest Thematic Waterfall Road Trip

The summer of 2016 was a hot summer and my family wanted to stay close to lakes and rivers. Our summer turned into a thematic waterfall adventure.  We discovered 5-6 waterfalls around the Inland Northwest.  Most of the waterfalls described below are accessible by car, except for Horseshoe Lake.  Horseshoe Lake is only accessible by boat. 

Horseshoe Lake: To access the water at horseshoe lake you will need a small boat. Most people use canoes, kayaks, and small fishing boats.  The lake sits approximately 30 miles north of Spokane, Washington.

This map contains many possible day trips for your family.

© 2016 E.B. Hoxie

Douglas Falls Grange State Park

 










Sweet Creek Falls, Pend Orielle County

Crystal Falls, Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge


© 2016 E.B. Hoxie



Myrtal Falls, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

Palouse Falls State Park

 
© 2016 E.B. Hoxie

Map

Keeping our Kids Out of the Winter Time Blues

Days are short and dark.  Our little kids feel as if their afternoon nap robs them from daylight playtime.  Preschool through sixth graders sometimes have indoor recess on sunny days.  The temperature needs to be high enough to eliminate the risk of frostbite.

I do not have all of the answers, but I am trying to make this January-February time full of wonder and fun. Exercise and food can make a big difference.  Our children lose focus in school when these two areas are lacking. 

Exercise:

• bike: make the garage a fun place to peddle.  
• keep taking walks in the snow. Getting outside in the winter is important.
• go to a local gym and just run.
• go to a kid exercise class.

Healthy Food Time: Many kids do not want to eat carrots, nuts, and other healthy food during lunch time.  I am trying to identify some creative times during the day to introduce foods with essential vitamins.

Snack time:  put out little bowls of food to snack on. Sometimes in different locations.

• carrots
• nuts
• fruit

Nap time: Kids are bored during this quiet time.  Hopefully they will snack on the following items to wind down.

• supply a little bowl.
• nuts
• soy nuts
• peanuts
• carrots
• broccoli
• red bell peppers
• onions
• corn
• eggplant
• Fruit
• prunes
• raisins
• blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, rasberries, and cranberries
• plums
• oranges
• red grapes
• cherries
• kiwi
• cup of milk or soy milk
• vitamin D-
• site 1

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Martin's Big Words
Doreen Rappaport
Illustrated by Bryan Collier

Martin Luther King Jr.

Sites, Photos, Lessons, Books and Video.

Sites:

National Geographic

"I Have a Dream"-Youtube video of Martin Luther King Jr.

Lessons: Literacy:

•   Friendship Sight Word Game 
•   Kid Books 
•   Art: 

Math and Literacy: Common Core Lessons Free Materials:

•   Material 1: 
•   Visual Timeline: 

Books: "Martin's Big Words." "If a Bus Could Talk" "A Picture Book of Martin Luther King, Jr."

Kid Schedules

When my son was 3 years old he really wanted to know what our routine/schedule was at home.  I used PowerPoint slides to show him a daily schedule using pictures.  He loved pushing the "enter" key when he completed a morning job.  It gave him some control.  He was too young to realize that mommy organized the "cool" slideshow.  Currently my son is asking when does school, karate, or a friend's birthday begin.  We are in need of a weekly chart that still contains pictures.  Going to school several days a week makes it hard for him to anticipate the routine.

Below is just an example.  Normally I use my son's pictures to make the chart more personable.  

Classroom Jobs

Classroom jobs allow student to have ownership, pride, and responsibility.  The mailbox, flag salute, and whiteboards are great jobs!  I like to create some unique jobs for the classroom.  Below are some ideas.

Classroom Activity Directors:  The students help organize class parties and decorations.

Banker:  Bankers help with classroom "bucks" earned for our class store.

Calendar:  Student (s) helps keep our classroom calendar up to date.  (assemblies, holidays, etc.)

Mail: Student (s) deliver corrected papers and notices to classroom mailboxes.

Librarian:  Student (s) take books from our "return bucket"  and re- shelve the books.

Game Closet:  Student (s) help organize classroom games.

Computer Manager/Tech:  Students (s) turn computers "off" at the end of the day.  They also help students with computer needs.

Consultant:  Student (s) helps other students with classroom questions or skill work.

There are so many more jobs that can be created.  There is an application that students use to apply for a job.  (Found at TPT Store).  The application can be done each semester or annually.

Eagle Watching on Lake Coeur D' Alene

It is eagle watching time in the Inland Northwest!!  December 26th-30th is eagle watching week along the eastern shores of Lake Coeur D’Alene.  The bald eagle count was 260 on December 19, 2012.

DIRECTIONS: Go east of Coeur d'Alene about 8 miles on Interstate 90. Take the Wolf Lodge Exit. Both of the staffed viewing areas are along Highway 97.

For more information: http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdoors/tags/lake-coeur-dalene/

Eagle watching can be done along the shores or on one of Coeur d’ Alene Resort’s cruise boats. Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises

Adults: $21. 75| Seniors: $19.75| Children: $13.75

More Info: