K is for Kids' Kingdom

Knocking Knuckles, Kiss-chase,

Knaves and Kings, Kneeling Kangaroo

Kids’ Kingdom on the tarmac playground 

I thought this might be one of my trickier letters in the A-Z but it turned out fine and brought back a whole load of memories of playtimes both of myself as a young child and for my times surveying the school yard as a teacher.  It's not so much an asphalt jungle as a Kids' Kingdom in my mind. What are the playground games you recall?  Any serious mishaps occur on that hard tarmac?

J is for Jurassic Jaws

J is for Jungles, Jokes and Jurassic Jaws,

Jumping Jacks, Juggling and Jolly Jigsaws

Things to make learning Joyful with that Just a bit more!

All the weird and wonderful things I have done as a teacher to try to tap into getting children learning with joy and happiness.  Some have been games, some have been themes, some have been activities but all have often come from the children's likes themselves and what I can remember enjoying as a child myself.  What were some of the themes or classroom games/activities you really enjoyed when you were a pupil or if you are/were a teacher what do your pupils love engaging with?

Leave a comment below - you know I'd love to know :)

I is for Idiot

Idiot, Imbecile, Ignoramus,

Incompetent ... ipso facto

The child becomes what it is told

Not surprisingly, children if told they are stupid when struggling to learn new skills or put them into practise, will soon stop trying and therefore will become more incompetent than others who are given praise ad encouragement.  It always saddens me to hear parents call their child an idiot and for a child to tell me they are an idiot when struggling with doing something. It makes my blood boil if I hear a teacher use such a word when speaking to a child.  Of course at times we all behave idiotically or may be incompetent at something but it needs to be seen for what it is rather than define who we are!
So when was the last time you did something idiotic or do you think you are incompetent at something and wish you could master it?  Let me know by leaving a comment below :)

H is for Helpful Hugs

Hugs heal hurts and harm

Hugs hide hopelessness and horror

Hugs herald heroic heights

Hugs help 

It suddenly struck me as H is for Hugs came to mind for today's letter and I wrote this poem that I might have used this before in a previous A - Z Challenge and lo and behold I did - Last Year!!  A different poem but all the same sentiment that Hugs are an important part of being a teacher who children can turn to when they are in trouble, when they are hurt or when they are so full of joy they simply want to share it with you.

I have seen my own 10 year old child run into the outstretched arms of her headmaster to share her absolute joy when overcoming a sports day catastrophe - my heart still wells up when I recall this moment - what a wonderful headteacher he was :)  And in my classrooms hugs were always received kindly or given when needed as the last line says - Hugs Help!

Now it's your turn - tell me when you last received or gave a hug?  Do you think you are a "huggy" type of person?  I'd love to know so leave a comment below :) 

Celebrate #9

Hi Everyone :)  It's time to hop over to Lexa Cain's blog and ...

I think there are several of us also participating in the A-Z Challenge so hopefully no-one minds me posting on a Sunday instead of the Friday.

This week I am celebrating:

1 - Diving into the A-Z Challenge

I really didn't know what was going to happen this year and I certainly thought I'd missed the boat for signing up and let people down for not volunteering to be a minion  (when I'd been one last year) and had no idea of a theme.  But out of the blue I took a look over at their web page and ...

this year - no list and no minions needed!

So I took this as a sign and dived right in and I'm so glad  I did because despite no list I'm finding blogs I am really liking, I'm getting quite a few comments and visits to my blog and most importantly I'm reconnecting with many bloggers who I haven't visited since last year and it's been wonderful catching up :)

2 - Getting into the Garden

We've been having some really nice gardening weather recently and I've been able to use it and get some good weed puling done as well as mow the grass properly for the first time this year.  This year I feel I am likely to reap the reward fro the previous two years of trying to get the garden back from Mother Nature and I've even had some time in the deck-chair - so something worth celebrating I feel :)

3 - Receiving Feedback

Due to more funding bids being put in for me to increase my Nordic walking "taking over the world" initiative - I had to ask for some feedback from those who walk with me - and I was really overcome when reading some of the things they wrote about it. I really didn't know how much it meant and what it has helped them do - so a really lovely outcome and I'm sure their kind words will make a real difference to whether I can get some more funding to spread the walking further!!!

Here's hoping everyone is having a great weekend and if you are doing the A-Z Challenge - well done on completing the first week :)

G is for Great Great Grandma Gertrude

Great Great Grandma Gertrude gently guides, 

giving glimpses, generating guesses with gewgaws and gadgets.

History unpacked from her Gladstone bag.

One of my alter-egos, who would "visit" the classroom looking for her great, great granddaughter (the class teacher) who unfortunately always seemed to be out of the room when she appeared!!

We had "driving history" with bits of automobiles - bulbous car horn, starter handle, petroleum can, headlight etc we had "washing history" with washboards, brushes, soap and dolly, we had "toy history" with wooden spinning tops, pottery animals, lead soldiers etc and "seaside history" which even ended with a Punch and Judy show and other "history days" when the need arose.  I always loved having the children explain to Great Great Grandma Gertrude how things had changed and help her understand the differences, look and describe her historical objects closely and figure out what they were or how they would have been used.  The children used to ask so many fantastic questions and we had lots of laughs as "Great Great" tried to understand what the children were telling her about how they lived now. These sessions would often be spoken about by parents (months afterwards at parent evenings) telling me how much their child had talked about what "Great Great" had brought in and sometimes asking me if indeed my own Great Grandma had visited???  

Can you remember being told stories by your more aged relatives about how their lives were long ago?  Do you still have old artifacts you use today?  Did you like learning about history at school? What was your favourite historical period?  Please leave me a comment below because I'd love to know :)

F is for Fighting the Fidgets

Fighting the fidgets, finding fortitude,

Frowning, forcing through frustration,  

The child with ADHD battles on.

As I have said many times on my blog, I feel truly humble in the face of some children who try so hard to overcome their difficulties despite the many problems they may have - some even stemming from their own families.

We all know how hard it is "fighting the fidgets" - either we're bored, we're not interested, we've got other things to be doing. But just stop and think how hard it is for a child in a classroom, who everyday has to sit in a chair and do what others do, when told to do it, often within quite strict parameters and who is diagnosed with ADHD - what an uphill battle it must be to come into that classroom each day! 

I have worked with several of these children who try to keep everything together and naturally don't always succeed but don't give up their struggle - each and every day. They have worked with me on their environment (sitting turned away from others, at the front or back of the class - one even asked for a box either side (a bit like blinkers on a horse) to help them stay on task), their social cues (because others don't like their outbursts), their passions (because each has a gift they can relax into if found) and acting as liaison between them and their family (because they need better understanding at home too sometimes) but they are the ones who have to work at it, holding it together each and everyday and for that I feel truly humble to have been their teacher.

When did you last have an attack of the fidgets?  Were school days some of your most golden times or did you dread going?  Leave me a comment below :)