Townline Elementary School

I have heard that an ending is just another beginning, but I can't help feeling a bit sad as my years in Early Childhood come to an end. I have taught in five districts and have loved Hawthorn most of all. The people who greet me in the buildings, who are willing to go out of their way to help me, who teach me about the latest trends in education, who keep my computers up and running, who have fed me on special days, and especially all those who have given me their friendship will always be a part of my heart. Thanks to all of you administrators, teachers, nurses, administrative assistants, janitors, techies, parents, students and librarians (and anyone else I have forgotten) who made my teaching better.

Lat week I attended the Illinois Technology Conference for Educators. I have begun another blog, since I won't be at Hawthorn next year, and you can see my notes posted there: http://wallinswave.blogspot.com. One thing I wanted to put up here is that the Illinois School Library Media Association would like every parent to call their state legislator and ask them to insure that the Online LIbrary Resources line item is kept in the 2009 ISBE budget. With the funding, the state will purchase online research resources that will be available to every student in Illinois. Hope you can help. Young children are not using this right now, but I hope you will think of their future and make this a priority.

When I first began working in Lake County, my trip up 83 was a two-lane blacktop. It took about twenty minutes, even in rush hour. There were a lot of cars going south, but not as many going into Lake County. I began teaching in Hawthorn School District at Hawthorn Elementary North when Karen Cencula and Eileen Conway were a teachers (they were fun then, too). Through the years I have worked at Hawthorn Middle North and now Townline. Since then, this school district has always been the kind of school district that exemplifies excellent education to me. The administrators really care about their students, and mine are the smallest most helpless students in the district. The teachers have included me as a member of their school community, which is not true of all districts, and all staff members go above and beyond the call of duty. In short, it has been a lovely relationship and I am sorry it is coming to an end. As Hawthorn prepares to use its own staff to teach the Early Childhood Special Education classes, I know they will do their very best to meet the needs of the students.

I would like to add a special thanks to the administration, staff and teachers of John Powers Center. Although I have technically been housed in the Hawthorn Townline Annex, the Powers people have welcomed me and treated me as one of their own as well. The learning community in Vernon HIlls is a dedicated group of educators who give their best each day.

Behind it all is the suburban community itself. Parents provide nurturing homes for the kids, including good nutrition and medical management. In addition, they are supportive of the teachers and active in the school events. When parents know what their children are doing, provide support for it at home, and work together with the schools, their children succeed.

Thank you Hawthorn and Powers for giving me a professional "home" for thirteen years.

One of the things I love about Early Childhood is the excitement with which my students greet Valentine's Day. They are thrilled to have the opportunity to express their love to their friends, family and teachers. I have a special song created by a previous speech therapist called "I Love Somebody." We practice this for the first half of the month, putting each child's name at the end of the song. They get such a special smile on their faces when we sing it! During play time, I will hear little voices singing this simple song as they play. Last year, one of my parents told me it was the first time her son had been able to say, "I love you" to her. Before we can love others, however, we must first love ourselves. You, as parents and teachers, can encourage self-esteem by providing an accurate but positive reflection of your child when you talk to him or her. This is a great month to talk about all the little things that make them special to you. They, in turn, will carry this lesson into adulthood. One of the best behaviors we can model for our children is the ability to express gratitude for the people in their lives.

One of the most difficult things to do in winter is to get enough exercise. As adults, many of us have made New Year's resoultions to get more exercise, but do we think about the effect of a lack of exercise on our children? Early childhood is a period of life when children are developing rapidly. If you look at the natural behavior of children outdoors, they are often running for long periods of time, riding their bikes or just exploring their environment. Fresh air feeds the body and the brain, delivering oxygen to every part of the body, including those neurons and synapses of the brain. Sitting and watching TV should be limited (Association for Chidlren's Television suggests 30 minutes a day) because it doesn't encourage body movement or creativity. Snow provides a wonderful environment for exploration, but when it is not available, even a 30-minute walk will provide some exercise and intellectual stimulation. Talk about what you see and ask your child to look for specific items such as a cat, bird or airplane. You'll feel better and your child will, too. With more exercise outside of the classroom, your child will be better able to sit and listen to a book as well.

I recently purchased some books for a friend and ran across an old friend: The Read-aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease. Trelease is an expert on reading and has updated his book every few years for the last two decades. Although most of us realize that it is important to read to our children when they are young, Trelease makes the point that we should continue to read to our children long after they have learned to read themselves. The reasons are many. First, it forms a bond among family members that associates reading with a warm, nurturing activity. You may not want to snuggle before bedtime with that first or second grader, but you can choose a cozy chair or sit before the fireplace if you're lucky enough to have one. Second, adults have a bigger vocabulary than children. If you run across any words they do not know, you can ask them what they think the word might mean, then look for clues in the context before you finally tell them. Third, reading fires the imagination of the readers. You may all have different descriptions of Harry Potter, but once you've seen the movie, you have a distinct picture that leaves little to the imagination. Fourth, reading is information. If your child decides they love insects and you find yourself checking out insect books every time you go to the library, it might be time to extend that knowledge with trips to nature preserves or natural history museums. Needless to say, there are a lot more reasons that reading is important, but reading to your children is a social activity that leaves them wanting more. One of my favorite vacations involved a tape of The Hobbit playing in the car tape player. Everyone was groaning at first, but when the characters were afraid of being "squished into jelly," the kids were hooked and so were the parents.

What do I do when I go home and eat supper? I spend 'way too much time reading email and checking out web sites. The good news is that I find some really great web sites that way. The "Kid's Page is a project of the Science Education Center at Glendale Community College" in Glendale, California (http://www.glendale.edu/kids/ ). Some of it is too old for preschoolers, but there are many activities you can do with your child at home. Have I mentioned I love science?

One of my favorite holidays is approaching - Earth Day. The students in our room have been recycling all month, sorting paper, cardboard, plastic and metal. We have learned about animals that live in the water, animals that live on land, and next week we will learn about animals that live in the air. What's your favorite animal?

If you'd like to see some pictures and videos, go to my personal web page and see the special page I made about animals: www.dwna.net/early/animals.htm. I hope all families will take time to go to some Earth Day events in the Chicago area.