Trying to Add Some Normalcy During Abnormal Times

 In my last blog post, I explained how my kindergarten team is distributing materials weekly to our students.  This gives me an opportunity to see most of my kids in person every Friday, even if it is to just wave through the window.  They  know if my door is open, then they can call for me and I will come over and have some small talk (masked and from a distance, of course).  They look (from the door) in wonder around the room  they so desperately want to be in every day.  They smile with delight when they see their projects or anchor charts we created together via Zoom on the wall.

Having the students pick up materials weekly allows for me to ask for projects to be returned.  I have been faithfully decorating our classroom with their work.  In fact, I never not considered doing this, even though the students aren't physically there to see it regularly.  Doing this simple act provides me with a bit of normalcy in these very abnormal times. At any time, I can glance around and smile at the absolute sweetness that is my students' work. I also have their photos I took on orientation day on my main wall.

There have been a few adult visitors to my room that are taken aback that I have posted so many things on my walls, that it got me thinking that maybe other teachers are not.  So, if you are one of those teachers I would highly encourage you to do  this, if you can safely. I truly feel that walking into my classroom each day seeing my students' creativity brightens my mood.

Here is a Shape Monster project we did in October.  The students chose their shapes, colors, and presented their monster in Seesaw.  I attached the QR code from Seesaw on each one so I could so I could see them present their monster at any time.

 Watch the video for the above monster. It is heartwarming. 💖

These are the circle maps we made for each letter of the alphabet during the first 26 days of school.  I bring them down when we do more in depth studies of the letters and sounds.

Each student painted their own personal representation when they came to campus in person for assessments.

Here is a letter project students completed at home. Each student chose a letter, drew pictures that go with their letter, and presented their letter project in Seesaw.

Here are some class charts we made together, à la Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

Successful Students via AVID.

Names with beans.

I really hope you consider adding student work to your walls, if you are able to.  Even though I do not get to be with them physically in our classroom, I feel they are always there with me.

Happy Virtual Teaching!

Erin Grebel