January was a busy month with the beginning of our Chinese New Year! Our school hosted a Chinese cultural night where parents and students were able to go to each of the Chinese classrooms to do a special activity. Afterwards, we performed our fan dance for everyone. First grade was awesome and I was so proud of them! The following week, our amazing parents put on an awesome Chinese New Year party for the whole first grade! There were different games and activities the kids were able to enjoy, and they left the party with their own red envelope (红包). Also during the month of January, we were able to celebrate the 100th day of school! We rotated the kids through each of the first grade classrooms to do a different 100 days activity. We ended in the Chinese classroom by imagining what we would look like if we were 100 years old. I loved how they all turned out! November and December were a whirlwind! As a result, it has left me a little behind in posting and keeping you updated of all the fantastic things we have been learning at Spring Lane! To start off November, we celebrated my most favorite holiday, Veteran's Day! We had the honor of one of our parents to come visit us, and our fourth grade teacher was also able to join. We were able to hear of some of their experiences and the things the military and marines taught them. The students were able to show their gratitude by learning a Veteran's Day song to sing for them. I also tried a new art medium of pastel chalks and we were able to create a hallway of poppies for our Veterans. We were also able to enjoy watching a few of our classmates in our school musical, Aladdin. They did an amazing job! We were also able to explore shapes to make our own turkey art, we had the Humane Society come visit us, and then ended the month with making our own grateful poster. In December, we always look forward to our school sing-a-long. This year, I felt that we should give back to our community and sing for our older friends at the Ridge Senior Living Center. Both the audience and kids loved it! It was a great way to start the season, and to learn some fun new Christmas music. Here are some videos of the senior living center and our school sing-a-long. Finally, we were able to end the month with our Mr. Grinch art. I loved doing this project because it helped the students not only understand how to blend colors, but to figure out how to space things on the paper, how to problem solve (if they saw a mistake or didn't like something how were they going to fix it?), they learned how to observe art (afterwards we took an art work and talked about what we liked and what we would have done differently), and learned just the basic hand and eye coordination. I loved how each one turned out differently! I think this is my most favorite time of year! I love the cooler weather, and I love seeing the students connecting, growing, and engaging in the world around them. At the beginning of the month, we worked on our self portrait. This year, I thought it was important to teach the symmetry of the face and help them see the math behind it all. I love seeing their own self perceptions, and watching them develop basic drawing skills. I've really tried to focus on spending a few minutes each week on teaching them basic drawing because it not only helps their hand and eye coordination, but it teaches them how to observe, see detail, analyze, reflect, and broadens their ability to have spatial awareness. All skills that transfer over to reading, writing, science, math, and learning how to think critically. I also love this month because we really focus on using our five senses to observe our surroundings. We spent some time one afternoon using our five senses to observe fall. It helped set the stage for our time observing and learning about the pumpkin life cycle. Here are a few pictures! After focusing on our five senses, we pulled out the pumpkins and started to work! We also integrated math by having a contest to see which pumpkin had the most seeds. It helped us practice counting by 10's and learning how to work together as a team. For our monthly calendar art, I had them create their own emotional pumpkin. Before we started, we used one of our Chinese literacy books to analyze and look at different emotions that were on the character faces. I taught them a fun drama skill of becoming one's mirror. One partner would express an emotion and the other partner had to be the mirror. I love doing this exercise because it teaches them the social skills of how to identify their own emotions and those around them. I loved how each pumpkin was different! Afterwards, we took it one step further and learned how to draw a still life of a pumpkin. The students were able to observe what happens when the light hits a certain angle and where the shadow falls. This month we also visited our STEM classroom for the first time. In the English classroom, the students were learning about neighborhoods and communities. Each child had the time to explore building and creating something they love in their neighborhood. I loved seeing them engaged, working with another, and having choice in creating something that was personal to them. We also can't end the month without a little fun! We had a fantastic time with our Halloween party, our field trip to the University of Utah, and a visit from the Ogden Nature Center. It's been a busy but amazing! We love October! It's been a month, and so much learning and fun has been had! I'm so excited for this year, and I look forward to all the memories to be made. I feel so fortunate to teach the things that bring me some of the greatest joy. It is so rewarding to find ways through the arts to teach the left side of the brain Mandarin. Here are a few pictures of using visual art to learn our numbers and characters. I love teaching with play dough because it not only strengthens their dexterity and find motor skills, but it allows me to quickly assess their understanding of each character. It makes learning so much more fun, engaging, and meaningful. Each week we also work in our sketchbooks. We've been focusing on shapes and learning how to shade. This also helps their hand and eye coordination; which can also improve their handwriting. The students also have been working hard for DOJO points! A few of them chose the prize to sit in the teacher's chair. They love the change of view! Here are a few pictures of the month! Today, I find myself a little emotional knowing that today is my last day with these little ones. Last night, I went through all the pictures from the year, and I can't believe how much they've grown and all the memories we've made. Here's a the link to our Little China Panda photo album. I wish all of you the best and hope you all have a fantastic summer!
Hugs! Ms. Ridge Little Chinese Panda Photo Album I'm still in shock how fast this year has gone! It has been such a learning curve teaching both the English and Chinese classrooms, however, I have loved every minute! It was nice to have half the day I didn't have to play charades and they understood every direction. :) I also really enjoyed learning how to teach a child to read. As I learned the skills of phonics, I quickly found the correlation of how it also could be applied to teaching Chinese literacy and the tones. There were so many correlations between the two languages, and it was thrilling to help students connect the two more deeply. I've also truly appreciated all the parent support, patience, and understanding as I have felt much like a student in learning how to do the English portion. I had so many parents come in, volunteer, and offer so many words of encouragement. As a teacher, that is the best gift you can give. Thank you!! Each year, I usually send out a Mother's Day card in Chinese! This year was difficult as I was asked to present at a Chinese conference in CA, and my time was cut short to develop all the online cards. Fortunately, I was able to use DOJO video to send out why each child loved their mom in Chinese. I was able to come up with a fun Mother's Day song to sing to all of you. Hope all you mothers have a had a fantastic day, and know what great work you're doing in raising wonderful kids! I have loved every minute with them! Translation:
Happy Mother's Day Every day she gives me hugs, I want to give her kisses I have one great mother and I love her very much! I think February has been my most favorite month this year! Not only could we celebrate Chinese New Year, the 100th day of school, Black History month, President's Day, but also Valentine's Day. We had great parent support and ideas to make a fantastic Valentine's Day party. It was also a party to be remembered since our power was out the whole day. It helped us remember how to go back to the basics. I feel so lucky to have such great parent support. Spring Lane is amazing! Here are some final videos wishing you a happy New Year, and a simple Valentine's Day song I was able to come up with for the first time. I love hearing them sing it weeks later. There's power to music! February is one of my favorites and one of the busiest of the year! The past few weeks we have been able to celebrate the 100th day of school and the Chinese New Year. Each year, we get to channel the geriatric in all of us and channel our future 100 year old self. Drama is such a great art form for children to explore their imaginations, make connections, and view life from a different perspective. This week was the beginning of the Chinese New Year. It has been full of fun activities ranging from our school's Chinese night, Dragon dances, and our own first grade New Year party on Friday. Parents were wonderful in planning a party that got all the kids, immersion and non immersion, excited for the New Year! Here are a few pics and the video of our fan dance. I had the opportunity of teaching the students a fan dance that integrated themes of our water cycle unit. In the Chinese culture, one of the greatest teachers is nature. You find it in their art, calligraphy, dance, language, and way of thought. Helping children learn not only how to move their bodies, find the beat and rhythm, but to connect it a deeper level was beyond rewarding. I feel I have the best job in the world! |