year one for zella!

the enthusiasm I feel for my first year of blogging!

I started blogging one year ago today.

Click here to read my very first blog post 'Usually' from December 07, 2010.

I was encouraged to start blogging by a professional mentor who thought I might enjoy the creative aspects of writing along with incorporating my classroom photos and educational theory. It was a gift that I didn't know would be Such A Gift: Blogging has been the richest form of professional development and networking that I have ever experienced, and it only keeps getting richer and better.

Thanks to all the readers, bloggers, educators, and parents for offering support and comments over the year via this blog, twitter or FB. I am inspired daily reading so many fabulous blogs that inform my own teaching and enrich my lens on valuing childrens learning and development.

In celebration of Year One For Zella, here are my 5 favorite posts from the last year...

 

1.  The Mermaid, the Girl & the Book

My five-year-old friend Mimi loved to draw. That's all she really loved to do.
Hmmm, let me be more clear: Mimi really really loved drawing mermaids.

2. Word Bank Treasures

Using a Word Bank in your classroom is an exciting, hands-on way to offer words to children to USE without imposing direct teaching methods.

 



3. choices turn into "I Need to Do This"
During Choice Time, the children direct themselves in or out of the classroom, engaging with peers and materials and teachers. During Choice Time, teachers have the opportunity to listen and observe, photograph, document...

4. Moving at the Speed of Children

People have often asked me how I can work with young children. 

"Aren't they wild and busy and on-the-go all the time?

Don't they go in all different directions?

Aren't they moody and needy and unpredictable?" 

Ummmm, not really, no, not really.

5. Be That Teacher 

What IF... children could DO what they wanted with whatever materials they chose?
What IF...children could THINK of an idea then try it out with whatever materials they chose?
What IF... children could INVENT anything they wanted with whatever materials they chose?

Happy Reading.

Looking forward to writing Zella in Year Two...

edublog nominations! (clap, clap)

The Edublog Awards are here!

Click HERE to read more about Edublog Awards! 

I will start with a personal admission: I am not usually a fan of the awards kinds of things, the center of attention kind of things. I prefer the focus to be the children, period, and my role is to fade out as much as possible to allow the children to shine.

However.

The Edublogs are a bit different. Or, at least, I perceive them to be different because they exist within the blogosphere and are cloaked by professional development and networking.

I see the nominations in the Edublogs Awards to be a valued acknowledgment by e-colleagues to recognize bloggers For Their Inspiration in their specialized field (early education, in my case).

I appreciate the acknowledgments I have received already by other bloggers. Literally, just being nominated by them has uplifted my efforts of my blogging work and my support of others' work.

I follow many many blogs and now - in return - it is quite difficult to reason out who I would like to most Thank For Their Inspiration by nominating them for an Edublog Award. 

With THANKS to all bloggers who have supported and commented on Zella...

I offer these nomination for this year's Edublog Awards:

Best Individual Blog:  Teacher Tom  the powerhouse blogger for early childhood education

Best Individual Tweeter:  Brick by Brick  ECE networker & support extraordinaire 

Best Group Blog: Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning  global community builders

Best Teacher Blog: Let the Children Play  the queen of all blogs & cheerleader for all bloggers 

Most Influential Blog Post:  Teacher Tom's "Spoiled Brats"  a must must must read  

Clap. Clap. Clap.

friday thank you notes 10.06

Reading other bloggers allows me to listen to children in new ways.

What a week.

(I am just saying).

Big things going on and - as always - amazing bloggers in the blogosphere that continually inspire me.

Big Thanks to 5 bloggers who made me think in new ways, made me think about children in new ways, and likely made me laugh a bit, too.

Check out these hot posts:

1. Documentation Gone Mad

Jenny from Let the Children Play posted a wonderful link on her Facebook page that addresses the role of Documentation for early childhood educators and how it often replaces the actual time spent to form relationships with children. Interesting perspective and reflection: click here to read about Documentation Gone Mad via Early Life Foundations. 

2.  Children are INTO Stuff
Do you know about Salt & Nectar? You must! Check out this post with guest writer Leslie Harper Foss who shares about children being Into Stuff  - really really really Into Stuff - click here to read Let's be "INTO" Stuff

3.  Cooperatively NOT Sharing

What if we leave young children to their own problem solving in their own time? What if adults - US - don't intervene to allow these very young to (cooperatively) NOT share? The ever-inspiring Janet Lansbury shares her perspective and a short real time video of Toddlers (cooperatively) NOT Sharing.

4. Grinding Coffee (he had me at COFFEE!)

Let's face it, sometimes you just cannot NOT read Teacher Tom's reflections, theories and matter-of-fact "this is our school" stories on his blog. Check out this post on simple machines, hand-ground coffee and treasures found at estate sales. Click here for "Grinding Coffee" from Teacher Tom

5. Using Your Fingers to Guide Your Reading

Gill Connell is masterful at making connections between physical development and any other curricular area for young children. Click here and check out this post that answers a parent's question regarding a child's use of fingers to help guide their early reading. Wonderful support for children using their bodies - hands, eyes - as they journey to become a reader!


Cheers to diverse, thoughtful, and respectful bloggers who continually uplift the life and learning of young children.
what do YOU think? do you have a favorite read?

book list from bloggers & friends

Don't you love when you get MORE IDEAS FOR BOOKS from people who love to read books to young children just like you?!

Yes, of course, absolutely, yes!

Here is a list from bloggers and friends via my Zella Facebook Page.

(you can follow me on FB via the button on the right column ... OR JUST CLICK HERE).

Give the list a look, check out on Amazon if the title looks interesting to you or for your child! Add them to your "look for" list during your next library visit! There were only a couple books that I couldn't include on the list because the title given didn't quite match up to a title I could find with an author, so my apologies to any favorites that are missing!

To note: while I am so excited and appreciative of the contributors' ideas on this list, it does not mean I have read all of them and therefore need YOU to be the evaluator of what books you like for your family or your school. Perhaps some are too young, too scary, too commercial, too short, too long...ahhhh, yet perhaps so many are just fabulous and a bit of a treasure to find :)

HAPPY READING!

Special THANKS to book idea contributors:

Natalie Giulianelli, Alida Fernandez Chacon, Learning for life, Jo Pentony, Randi London Albertsen, Angie McLaren, Lucy Kiermaier Michaud, Images of Learning Project, Rachel White, Stephanie West, Courtney Floyd, Playing in Prep, Sara Brooks Long, Maria Navaratne, Rainbows within Reach, Jaana Swanson

Books recommended by bloggers, educators and parents:

Bitsy and the Bear ~ Angela McAllister

Captain Flinn & the Pirate Dinosaurs ~

     Giles Andreae

Charlotte's Web ~ E.B. White

Dear Zoo ~ Rod Campbell

Duck on a Bike ~ David Shannon

Fox in Sox ~ Dr. Seuss

Funny Face ~ Nicole Smee

Go Dog Go ~ P.D. Eastman

Good Night,Me Andrew Daddo

Green Eggs and Ham ~ Dr. Seuss

Hiccup: The Viking who was Seasick ~

    Cressida Cowell

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World ~ Marjorie Priceman

Hush Little Baby ~ Sylvia Long

I Was So Mad ~ Mercer Mayer

Little Rabbit Foo Foo ~ Michael Rosen

Love you Forever by Robert Munsch

Mrs. Wishy Washy ~ Joy Cowley

On the Way Home ~ Jill Murphy

Owl Babies ~ Martin Waddell

Popcorn ~ Frank Asch

Purple, Green and Yellow ~ Robert Munsch

Pussy Willow ~ Margaret Wise Brown

Red, White and Blue ~ Debbie Clement

Remember the Night Rainbow ~ Cooper Edens

Room on a Broom ~ Julia Donaldson

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes ~ Mem Fox

The Giving Tree ~ Shel Silverstein

The Gruffalo ~ Julia Donaldson

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry & The Big  Hungry Bear ~Don & Audrey Wood

The Spiffiest Giant in Town ~ Julia Donaldson

The Very Busy Spider ~ Eric Carle

The Wolves in the Walls ~ Neil Gaiman

Today I Will Fly ~ Mo Willems

Too Many Pumpkins ~

    Linda White

Where is the Green Sheep? ~  

    Mem Fox

Where the Wild Things Are ~ 

    Maurice Sendak

Wild Child ~ Lynn Plourd

Zero ~ Kathryn Otoshi

+ books and poems by:

Eric Carle, Beverly Cleary, Lois Ehlert, Mem Fox, Virginia Lee Burton, Shel Silverstein

WHAT? YOU NEED more BOOK IDEAS???
CHECK OUT MY Favorite Read-Alouds page
And, of course, I would LOVE to add more books to our great starter list! What are some of YOUR favorite books for young children? Please comment below & offer 1 or 2 or 3...or more!

friday thank you notes 09.02

Thank you to bloggers this week that continue to make me think and rethink about children, my role, my intentions and also the joy of teaching.

Links worth a visit & a read:

1. Extraordinary Classroom "Changing of the Season"

2. Atelierista "Teachers Tinker"

3. Silly Eagle Books "Things I am Excited About"

4. Sand and Water Tables "Baby Washing"

5. Designing Early Childhood Australia "Storytelling"

6. Childhood101 'Play Grown Learn' new e-magazine!

have a fabulous weekend! 

and happy reading.

ready. set. launch!

Don't you love it when something INCREDIBLE is dreamed then created?

It takes a certain, very special vision to do both - the dream AND the actual realization of the dream.

Christie from the ever-inspiring Childhood101 did just that. She dreamed something "bigger than her blog" and created one of the most gorgeous, informative and accessible early education publications I have ever seen.

Here's the big news:
Christie has just launched her e-magazine, her First Issue of her Playzine...
'Play. Grow. Learn. Because Play Matters'  and you can get your own very first issue, just Click HERE to view, download and read read read!

You will find something for every age group, home and school, parents and educators, outdoors and indoors. There are guest writers from the blogosphere offering fantastic articles on a variety of topics - super hero capes, games, block towers, parties, cooking & more! The photos alone are worth the download, seriously.

Incredibly, Zella Said Purple has the honor of being part of the 'Play Online' bloggers section which also uplifts Sherry & Donna from Irresistible Ideas, Jenny from Let The Children Play, Amanda from Not Just Cute, and Tom from Teacher Tom.

Very impressive is that Christie has allowed her dream to be shared by and with so many other parents & educators!

Huge Congratulations to Christie! 
Yet, quite selfishly really, we all get to be part of the INCREDIBLE by reading the First Issue and eagerly anticipating the next quarterly publication!

Ready. Set. Go Get your copy!

friday thank you notes

who makes YOU a better teacher ?

Late-summer Thank You Notes to some inspiring bloggers... 

1. who have influenced me daily

2. helped me think about education outside of my own four classroom walls, and

3. have jolted me to admire tiny specks of sand and entire outside environments.

BIG HAT TIP TO:

* Jenny @preschoolplay Let The Children Play  Makes me think of a book on classic outdoor children's adventure  - Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran.

* Tom @theteachertom Teacher Tom's Blog Makes me think of a book that has a child using tools, loose parts and recyclable materials to create something fabulous -  Galimoto by Karen Lynn Williams.

* Gill Connell @movingsmartnow Moving Smart Makes me think of a fun movement book with surprising animals that fly and swim -  Caramba by Marie-Louise Gay

* Christie @childhood101 Childhood 101 Makes me think of the gorgeous colors, art and friendship in the book called The Lion & The Little Red Bird by Elisa Kleven

* Sherry and Donna @sherryanddonna Irresistible Ideas for Play Based Learning Makes me think of a book that is full of children's dreams, ideas and imagination of self - I Want to Be by Thylias Moss

* Lisa Sunbury @lisasunbury Regarding Baby Makes me think of an adventure book that celebrates caretakers of babies - Rainbabies by Laura Krauss Melmed

All these books are listed on my  Favorite Read Aloud page

four stories

Teaching means meeting amazing invented characters..

April First.
Only been blogging for four months.
Has changed my perspective, my writing, my connections globally with early childhood educators. Has changed my life. 
Wanted to re-introduce four stories that are favorites of mine from each month I have been blogging (just in case you missed them and Zella wasn't part of your blog life yet :)



Cheers to...

December 2010:   
"I need dirty water"
making friends, planning, joining into a game.

January 2011:  
the umbrella hat
writing a full story, listening to children.

February 2011:   
math sightings
authentic math, materials, explorations.

March 2011:  
parachutes and hula hoops
get outside.










Thanks for reading and supporting Zella Said Purple. cheers.