Deadlines & Stress...so here is a Freebie!

    Well, I am coming up on the 45 day deadline! What is that? 
  Well in working for Head Start, there are many things (aka tedious paperwork) that need to get done and it has been quite the rush (and a pain in the butt) to get it done; all the while trying to teach and maintain a consistent classroom routine for a wild bunch of munchkins!

    In addition to the required paperwork, as a Universal Pre-K teacher, I have to administer a test (yes, I said test) called CIRCLE to all my little preschool munchkins. For those Kindergarten teachers who are familiar with the DIBELS assessment, CIRCLE is just that--- for preschool. Wow. Yes, I know. It’s ridiculous.

   SO needless to say, it has been a painful process. Some of my kiddos are still adjusting to preschool and some are still trying to get used to our routines and transitions! And to have to sit and test these kids in 4 different academic areas--- OUCH!

    As I have been trying to balance testing and paperwork and actually teaching, I have become quite overwhelmed this week! BUT there is a light at the end of the tunnel and soon the 45 days will be past us and I will actually be able to TEACH again! =)

    Anyhow, enough on my testing woes…

   This week, my preschool munchkins have been continuing to celebrate FALL !

    When October began, I introduced a new math skill on my calendar: Patterns.

    Every day this week, we worked making AB patterns with different objects, during circle time and center time, using manipulatives, such as linking cubes and colored leaves. Some children were even eager to try AABB patterns!

   Today I had the munchkins try out their new math skill on their own!

    Click here to get your Fall Pattern Freebie!
I am also featuring this on TBA's Freebie Friday!

   We have also been working a lot with the letters in our names and name recognition.

    I had seen Crayon Resist artwork before and I was eager to try it with my students. We had the children use a white crayon and a white sheet of construction paper to write their name. For the ones who did not know how to do so, we wrote their name very lightly onto the paper and had them trace the letters.

  Then we gave them some watercolors and thick paintbrushes and showed them how to brush the watercolor over the letters. They were thrilled to see the letters appear on the paper like magic as they painted!

    Now after an overwhelming week (which was only a 4 day week!), I plan to relax a bit and have some fun with my own little munchkin as we work on our own fun, Fall projects!