Follow Drjeanandfriends, filter it, and define how you want to receive the news (via Email, RSS, Telegram, WhatsApp etc.) https://follow.it/drjeanandfriends Wed, 07 Jun 2023 07:20:39 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfx6mBrmIpiXgzErtZyObPkc What are we doing?  What are we doing?  Will pushing academics, technology, and testing actually pay off in 20 years?  Will our children be more productive, happier, or better citizens in the future?This list of skills that employers look for suggests we might need to adapt our teaching strategies and priorities.  Recess, show and tell, group projects, learning centers, singing and dancing -]]> Tue, 06 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfx6mBrmIpiXgzErtZyObPkc https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfw7Pn2cT6mJz1RpWVnEcNkS Yes, sometimes you just have to SHUT YOUR DOOR, follow your heart, and do what is best for your children.  (It also is easier to ask forgiveness than permission!)Here is a sign that one teacher told me she put on her door.  I showed it at a workshop and a participant came up at the end and said, "Dr. Jean, I don't think my principal would like that."  Well, sometimes you just have to have a sense]]> Mon, 05 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfw7Pn2cT6mJz1RpWVnEcNkS https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfwv6EbtaUI-gETXPGaG87AR Dear Friends,It's Sunday and so I'm allowed to do a little "preaching" today.  This is a thought by Max Lucado.  I'm not sure where I found it, but it makes me smile.  If only we could instill this unconditional LOVE in each child we teach!Blessings to you always,JeanTHROWBACKSpecial Me (Tune: "Twinkle Little Star")Special, special, special me (Point to self.)I'm as special as can be.]]> Sun, 04 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfwv6EbtaUI-gETXPGaG87AR https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfxXXGIU_fjtUbmyhX6zo8SW DID YOU EVER HAVE A TEACHER THAT THOUGHT YOU WERE WONDERFUL?DID YOU EVER HAVE A TEACHER THAT DIDN'T LIKE YOU?I think we've all had teachers that we remember.  We recall the ones that made us feel special, and we also remember those that hurt our feelings or belittled us.  Those memories are far more significant than the content of what they taught us.  It's interesting that when I run into former]]> Sat, 03 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfxXXGIU_fjtUbmyhX6zo8SW https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfwtwQSxZLJbjntuT6pSmY81 Welcome to day #2 of my timeless tips for becoming a great teacher.Wood Smethurst was one of my favorite professors at Emory University. His area of expertise was reading, but he didn't push phonics and skills. He focused on the LOVE of reading! For every child there is a topic or book that they are interested in, and the trick is to match up what the child is interested in with a book. Nope!]]> Fri, 02 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfwtwQSxZLJbjntuT6pSmY81 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfxswfjyQwniNdKEpFgimKzx After doing a daily blog for over 10 years I decided to do something a little different this month. I have some "words of wisdom" from over five decades as an educator and seven decades as a human being. Each day I will share one of my overheads (Remember what those are?) that I used in my workshops. My goal is to fill your heart, encourage you, and help you remember why you became a teacher.]]> Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfxswfjyQwniNdKEpFgimKzx https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfy7mwnBHltPN84HQhe4ZUzd A favorite book that I read several years ago was called THE MIRACLES OF SANTA FICO. It was the story of a beloved priest in a small village in Italy. His dying wish was to witness a miracle, and so all the villagers faked a miracle by gluing leaves to a withered fig tree. Of course, the priest wasn’t fooled, but his parting words were profound to me…His life stretched out before him and for the]]> Wed, 31 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfy7mwnBHltPN84HQhe4ZUzd https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzQH6r23VKO1v9M7fKGWt0o As the school year ends, I wanted to share some thoughts on what administrators can do to help teachers LOVE their jobs and be excited when the school bell rings again.1. Let your teachers TEACH. Give them autonomy to do their jobs and TRUST them to do what’s best for their students.2. Be a real person and a good model for your teachers. Visit each classroom and do something FUN by reading a book]]> Tue, 30 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzQH6r23VKO1v9M7fKGWt0o https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzJrWTevog_gYvmyuk5fxzE For most of you Memorial Day means that summer is here and it’s time to get out those white shoes, the sprinkler, and the grill. However, I think it’s important to take a minute today and think about the real meaning of this holiday.Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day because people decorated the gravesites of those who died during the Civil War. After World War I, it was extended]]> Mon, 29 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzJrWTevog_gYvmyuk5fxzE https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzhCYcKYR2kcVyOSYGFl6uu It’s almost summer, and that means the planes will be full of some happy children, some screaming children, some bored children, and some entertained children! I’m writing this blog in hopes that teachers can share these ideas with families of children they teach. You can put this on your class website, blog, or send it home with a summer fun packet.]]> Sun, 28 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzhCYcKYR2kcVyOSYGFl6uu https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfy-cWmdveFTq3Mq2h3ehXEp Father’s Day isn't until June 18th, but here are a few ideas for those of you who like to plan ahead. Your students, children, and grandchildren can all use these to make it a special day.Breakfast in BedGive each child a 2 ½” circle and ask them to draw their father’s face when he is sleeping. Glue this to the top of the flat side of a paper lunch sack. Next, cut 4 ½ ” x 6” pieces of plaid or]]> Sat, 27 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfy-cWmdveFTq3Mq2h3ehXEp https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfwSqu7DfP_jryVCAQLB0bf5 Happy, happy Memorial Day weekend! Remember last January when you thought you'd never been warm again? Time to pack a picnic and enjoy the sunshine! Going On a Picnic(Children repeat each line - similar to going on a bear hunt.)We’re going on a picnic. (Slap hands on thighs to the beat.)We’re going to pack a big one. (Arms out wide.)With sandwiches, cookies,]]> Fri, 26 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfwSqu7DfP_jryVCAQLB0bf5 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfy2Irb9xnv5ZkQqW5gBv7mX How about some yummy snacks today?Fire Cracker Sandwich Bread Peanut butter, jelly, or other favorite sandwich filling Clear plastic wrap Yarn or ribbon Cut the crusts off the bread. Flatten the bread with a rolling pin. (The children just like to "smush" it with their hand.) Spread on your sandwich filling. Roll up tightly like a jelly roll. Wrap in a piece of plastic wrap. Twist the ends of the]]> Thu, 25 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfy2Irb9xnv5ZkQqW5gBv7mX https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfz_qgB8pH4lnXOFESPuQWsX THE MORE THINGS CHANGE, THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME!That's particularly true when it comes to children. Things your grandparents enjoyed, your parents enjoyed, and YOU enjoyed as a child will also be special to children in 2023! Tents are a good example of "TIMELESS FUN." Children love to build tents, hide in tents, read in tents, and take imaginary adventures in tents. You can make these]]> Wed, 24 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfz_qgB8pH4lnXOFESPuQWsX https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfwubh0q7HYZsmZMehmtHS8- How about some outdoor art activities? These activities can be adapted for field day, a beach party, or summer camp. Dirt PaintingMaterials: dirt, water, plastic container, brushes, paperDirections: Mix the dirt with water to make a thick liquid. Paint a picture with brushes or with fingers.Adaptations: Look for different types of soil to create different shades of “dirt” paint.Ice Cube]]> Tue, 23 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfwubh0q7HYZsmZMehmtHS8- https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzwrmADdxVJmbmyhX6zo8SW Can you imagine sitting around a campfire and singing? Talk about a vanishing activity! No CD…no play list... no big screen…no musical instruments…just an engaging song and friends! My daughter and I were reminiscing that nobody sings like that any more. If you ever sang around a campfire as a child, it's a happy memory you will never forget.The great thing about children is that you can still]]> Mon, 22 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzwrmADdxVJmbmyhX6zo8SW https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzZazbl4YG9p_9M7fKGWt0o There are lots of fun games you can play outside with homemade equipment.Bowling Take several water bottles and arrange them in a triangle. Children stand behind a line and roll a ball, trying to knock down the bottles. Count how many they knock down. Let children can take turns rolling the ball and setting up the bottles for each other. Goofy Golf You will need several small cardboard]]> Sun, 21 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfzZazbl4YG9p_9M7fKGWt0o https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfxD_tgCdvzcF_nNuMIJyU22 You can integrate reading, writing, math, and exercise with a learning/fitness trail. Materials: cardboard rectangles (8” x 10”), markers, tape Directions: Have your students brainstorm different “body” and “brain” exercises and write them on the board. For example: 10 jumping jacks say a nursery rhyme 8 windmills count backwards from 20 12 squats name your city, state, and country 15 toe touches]]> Sat, 20 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfxD_tgCdvzcF_nNuMIJyU22 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfx36XnY-1eXXarkJyTkC_2b O.K., it’s almost the end of the school year and you’re just trying to hang in there. I’ve got a simple holiday that you can celebrate to engage your students.May 22 is “Buy a Musical Instrument Day,” but I’ve changed it to “Make a Musical Instrument Day.”Tin Pan BandGet out the junk box and invite children to create a musical instrument.*For homework ask families to create a musical]]> Fri, 19 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfx36XnY-1eXXarkJyTkC_2b https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfymF-koamD19TRQaTQYXBS9 Take Me Out to the Ball GameTake me out to the ball game. (Hand in fist as if cheering.)Take me out to the crowd.Buy me some peanuts (Hold up one palm and then other.)and Cracker Jacks.I don’t care if we never get back, (Shake head “no.”)For I’ll root, root, root for the home team. (Cheer with hand in the air.)If they don’t win it’s a shame. (Open up palms and shake head.)For it’s one, two, three]]> Thu, 18 May 2023 12:00:00 +0200 https://api.follow.it/track-rss-story-click/v3/1riPdOSXKfymF-koamD19TRQaTQYXBS9