Bigfork Kids Are The Best Ever

Who would like to help with the littles in the lunchroom? 10 hands go up.
Who would like to help with a special needs kinder? 8 hands go up.
Who would be willing to teach playground safety? They all do.
I forget to bring paper to make posters and a student offers to get some from the office for us.
I'd like a volunteer to put the paper in recycling. They all pitch in.
These 7th and 8th graders are hard workers, positive, and helpful. We are off to a great start!

Best Day of the Year

I started kindergarten in 1960. I did the math and this is my 50th first day of school. And I'm just as excited about this one as my very first. No matter how old you are, or if you are a teacher or a student, every year is a chance for a fresh start. And new outfits. And fresh school supplies. And new friends. And old friends. And....
....What is your favorite thing about the first day of school?

Post Workshop Reflection

The High Trust workshop was fabulous! Filled with ARFF. Challenging and inspiring as always. Thursday night, Friday night, all day Saturday, all day Sunday, and parent night Monday. 

I thought I was doing beautifully as I had paced myself all weekend, even taking time off to go to church and breakfast with Steve Sunday morning. 

Then last night I heard myself yell, “No! I am NOT making mango salsa!” 

It took me a while to realize how ridiculous that sounded, especially as it was in response to Steve's kind offer to pick up fresh mangoes on his way home from work. But this morning, as I grudgingly climbed out of bed, it hit me. I just need a week of sleep. 

So, I’m adding one more R for our fifth basic need……

Achievement, Respect, Fun, Freedom, and....
REST!

Nickel Charlies in Bigfork

Mrs. Kelly's class brought ARFF to our school today by opening up a Nickel Charlies restaurant in their classroom. Last week they researched how to operate a restaurant, and since then they have been busy developing the menu, making paper food, paper money, training waitstaff, and setting up a hostess station and a cashier booth.

Their hard work paid off. Students and staff were invited to dine today.  I was able to take a short break today and "eat" with our principal, Mrs. Clarke. The service was excellent and the food was tasty. I highly recommend Nickel Charlies in Bigfork for your ARFFing pleasure.

Here's the entrance to the restaurant:

Mrs. Clarke paying her bill at the cashier station:

Snowman ARFF

Snowmen are total ARFF!

Vehicle Repairs

Achievement: My motor home was totaled in a wreck today and I repaired it completely on my own!

Anxiety Link

This time of year anxiety appears to be an issue for both parents and kids. To pinpoint the source of the anxiety in either adults or kids, we do a quick ARFF check. What is missing? Achievement? Respect? Fun? Freedom? It's usually pretty obvious, and then we can quickly find a solution. Guess which one it usually is.....

Fun! (That's when the Legos appear to be magic!)

How's your ARFF?

Lego Therapy

Some of the best conversations happen while we are lego-ing.

Do you have kids that blurt?

Then this is the book for you!

Julia Cook has written some ARFF-filled books that teach important lessons for elementary age students. I read this one to first, second, and third graders and they were spell-bound throughout the reading, and totally got the message. "My Mouth is a Volcano" is the story of Louis who has a habit of blurting out at inappropriate times. His mom teaches him to bite down on his words before they leave his mouth...and it works!

I wish I had read this book when I was in third grade. It might have kept me from staying after school and having to write, "I will not talk out of turn" ONE HUNDRED TIMES! Yes. I really had to do that.

New Year ARFF

Achievement: Eased into the first day after break mostly listening to kids' Christmas vacation stories.
Respect: 8:00 a.m. all teachers were standing outside their classrooms greeting students with hugs and happy faces.
Fun: Put the finishing touches on my Lego camper (Christmas gift)
Freedom: Steve and I chose the word "JOY" for our theme for 2016.

Sunny day ARFF

Achievement: SAP groups organized
Respect: my favorite question..."Can I come with you?"
Fun: alfresco lunch with Paula
Freedom: a walk in the sunshine

AARF

Achievement: K-3 art work display in hallway
Respect: hugs and waves and smiles all day long
Fun: littles chiming in as I read aloud "The Dot"
Freedom: singing all the way to Kalispell

Dot Day Lesson

Our school is celebrating International Dot Day tomorrow by wearing and making artful dots. To get in on the fun, I have offered to extend the celebration by going into classrooms and reading the book that started it all, "The Dot" by Peter H. Reynolds.

The book begins with a young girl who tells her teacher that she can't draw. With only two words the teacher influences the girl to explore her creativity through color and shape and design. The girl discovers her ability to create and ends up encouraging another young student who insists he can't draw a straight line even with a ruler.

With encouragement from our art teacher, Heather Epperly, I read "The Dot" to Jill Morely's 3rd graders today. Then I shared my own story of learning to do something I thought I couldn't do.

Years ago, after many failed attempts at trying to grow a garden, I complained to my neighbor, Kathy. Kathy creates beauty with flowers, and I hoped she could help me. I said, "I need some advice. I can't grow flowers."  She answered with two words that inspired me: "Start small." I took Kathy's advice, and with help from family and friends, I created a beautiful flower bed that gets bigger and more colorful every year. I know which flowers need sun, which will thrive in the shade and which ones will survive the neighborhood deer. And I always have flowers to share.

After telling my story I asked the students to think of something they can't do now that they want to be able to do someday. Answers ranged from dong the splits, to driving a car, to flying an airplane. Then they drew themselves doing those things on big white dots of drawing paper.

To end the lesson, I wrote some take-aways on the board. If you can't do something yet:
1. ask for support
2. start small
3. enjoy the process
4. share what you learn with others

What do YOU want to learn to do this school year?

2nd week of school.

The pencils are still sharp.
The markers still fresh with wet ink.
We are still hopeful it will be a great year of teaching and learning.

Achievement: 3rd grade ARFF posters hung.
Respect: Firsties eyes and ears intent on my reading of "Lily's Purple Plastic Purse."
Fun: Lego creations in the windowsill.
Freedom: Purging old files.

ARFF book

One of our social/emotional needs is personal freedom. What is it and how do we teach it? Asking questions can help clarify the concept for all of us. Here are a few:
If you could choose any book to read, what would it be?
What would a perfect day be like for you?
If you could be famous for something what would it be?
and my favorite... Do you have plenty of time for YOU, or are you over-booked?

Children's literature is a great way to explore the idea of freedom with kids. "My Garden", a picture book by Kevin Henkes, is a fun read-aloud that encourages kids to imagine what they would grow in their make-believe garden. Garden posters would be a lovely follow-up activity.

The girl in the book grows chocolate rabbits, seashells and flowers that never die. What would you grow?

Back to School

Achievement: completed the Bigfork Buddies schedules. 26 high school students are paired up to mentor our elementary students. It's a win-win for the bigs, littles, and their classroom teachers.

Respect: had a great conversation about ARFF with Mrs. Morely's 3rd graders. They were good listeners and shared lots of ideas on how they fill their ARFF.

Fun: I'm reading Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse to the first and second graders. What a fun book! Some of the things she loves about school...pointy pencils, the privacy of her own desk, and the sound of her shoes on the shiny floors. Me too!

Freedom: I have a wide open schedule right now. It will fill up in the next couple of weeks but it's a treat to have the freedom to just help out where needed.

Spring ARFF

Achievement: the bulbs I planted last fall are about to blossom.
Respect: Teacher Appreciation Night at Glacier High with Sky and Sammie
Fun: Irish tunes with Patrick and Sky and Amy on Easter
Freedom: Spring Break sleep-ins

Christmas ARFF

Achievement: made Bon bons and Russian tea cakes with Barbara
Respect: Christmas greetings from friends and family
Fun: walk through the city of Everett with a Stop at Starbucks
Freedom: staying an extra night at Barbara's.

This Week's LAFF

Love and Belonging: Crossroads Church Women's Support Group, dinner out with Steve, FaceTime with Seth, walk with Julie, dinner invitations from friends.

Achievement: Assembly Plans made and announced, RTI plans finalized and announced, parent meetings, teacher meetings, counseling referrals, and plans for a health fair in the works.

Fun: Lego and story time with kids, listening to Sky's choir kids sing the happy song.

Freedom: Whitney taught health on Wednesday and I had the freedom to observe and take pictures:)

Favorite Quote of the Week

As I walked into the Pre-K class to do an introductory lesson, I overheard a little boy ask the teacher, "Is this the visitor who is NOT a princess?" The teacher nodded yes, then looked at me and said, "But she's really pretty and nice." Then she explained to me that the icon for a special visitor on their daily calendar is a princess. I hope my visit wasn't too big of a disappointment!