Fall Literature Guide

                    Here is a list of wonderful titles to share with your children during the fall season.

A Space for Learning

"The Classroom"

Why is it that our classrooms have become detached from what is natural? 

In most elementary classrooms we see bright colored posters with disconnected "inspiring" quotes. We border everything with crazy colorful patterns that have nothing to do with the beautiful work being displayed. In fact, no longer is the display on the wall an effort to highlight brilliant learning that is taking place. Rather, it is distracting the entire purpose, it is distracting the learning. 

John Muir

I share this quote from John Muir - the man we can credit for having a beautiful oasis of National Parks throughout the United States. What if we took this quote to heart, and began to think about the classroom as an oasis? A place to relax, to take things in, to be inspired, a place to receive.

In my experiences:

...walking on stage at the Hollywood Bowl and imagining the symphony

...Disney Concert Hall - listening to symphony under Gustavo Dudamel

...sitting in the Spanish Mission chapels in San Antonio

...looking out into the Pacific from Palos Verdes

...stomping through the Living Desert in Palm Desert

...observing the spinning of a cacoon by a silkworm

The most common factors involved here were things of nature and things of art.

Now, realistically, these young learners spend most of their hours in a building, and not out on "paseos" around the city. So how do we capture them day to day in the mundane rectangular box called "The Classroom"?

Here are just a few ideas:

Cozy Spaces

Create a cozy space somewhere in the room. Even if you can't find a free couch, scrape up a few pillows and cover them with some old fabric. Throw them down on a rug. Your children will congregate here to cozy up with a book, write their newest narrative idea, or even problem solve through a few word problems.

Windows

 If you are blessed enough to have a classroom with windows, let that light in!!! Keep each space in your room as organized as possible. Allow the children to see opportunities for creation and learning through the material you have set out. 

Hands On

Create first hand experiences for observation by setting up a space for exploration. As your science focus evolves over the year, continually change the materials you have out. Encourage the children to bring things in from home that are related to the study. One year I had each student bring their own sample of soil. We spent an afternoon just exploring the variations and textures. 

Collaboration

Trade those individual seats for group gathering spaces. This creates opportunities for collaboration and community growth. It's impossible to learn most things in isolation; when we listen to others we learn how to learn.

Space to Move

Keep your space fresh, relevant, and tidy. Leave space for movement. Children prefer to get out of their seats and move about. It may seem that they aren't learning, but surely they are learning more if they are making decisions for themselves.  

Just remember, your classroom is a place of purpose and a place for community. 

†kEh

Workshops...Collin County & Dallas

Are you looking for a workshop for your elementary age child?

Looking closely at a piece of history...

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We are Texas-certified public school teachers and graduates of Baylor University and Cal State University Northridge. We have taught in public schools in Dallas, Los Angeles, and Italy. We carry together a combined ten years of diverse experience. 

Choose from a variety of opportunities for your child to learn hands-on and collaboratively:

-Earthy Art (Science/Art Integration)

-Picasso Art

-Author's Experience (writing workshop)

-Book Clubs (reading workshop)

-Inquiry Math

We have a beautiful vision for sharing and encouraging a love of learning for any child. 

Location?

Your child and a small group of their friends will gather together in your home or at a local community center or library. The Ateliér will bring all of the necessary supplies.

More information regarding the specifics of the workshop can be found on our website: http://theatelierschool.org. Please contact us if you are intrigued.

info@theatelierschool.org

Thank you!

†kEh

Are they reading, or are they Reading?

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A great read aloud -> for ANY age!!!

Do you spend time reading with your children? In modern society children are being pushed to read at a much younger age, and it’s not usually approached as a way to benefit the child’s love for reading. Rather, it’s motivated by the misunderstanding that we want them to “get ahead” and get them prepared to “do well” in school.

The classroom is an interesting place where an educator evaluates the reading strengths and needs for over twenty individual children. Over time it has become apparent that the struggling readers don’t have the higher deficiencies in reading comprehension (when they are reading books at their individual level), and the fluent readers many times struggle with comprehension. These fluent readers have become expert decoders; they struggle to grasp that we read to gain information or to enter into a story. They read words to get through a page, and use strategies to find an answer to a question. This could be a consequence of too much test preparation and the authenticity of learning being compromised.

"Thank You, Mr. Falker" - Patricia Polacco

It’s important to read to our young and adolescent children. Maybe at first there will be some resistance (if they aren’t used to it), but when they begin to comprehend a story and personally connect they will beg to hear another story. It opens up opportunities to discuss issues that are faced in school, with friends, or at home. Furthermore, they will begin to enjoy reading, which will encourage their academic development in all areas.

***Please check our "Books" page for ideas and resources on reading and read alouds.

†kEh