June 4, 2024 • 36 mins
What makes a kindergarten classroom truly magical? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Jeff Wucherer, a veteran kindergarten teacher with 25 years of experience, as he shares his journey into the world of education. Influenced by his family's teaching legacy and a transformative stint in England, Jeff brings his wealth of knowledge and heartwarming stories to our podcast. From recognizing familiar faces in the community to attending former students' graduations, Jeff paints a vivid picture of the joys and challenges of being a constant presence in his students' lives.
Consistency is key in Jeff's classroom. We explore how routines and transitions play a crucial role in building children's confidence and creating a positive learning environment. Jeff sheds light on hands-on learning techniques, especially in subjects like math, and the importance of integrating arts and physical education to keep young minds engaged.
Ever wondered how to make everyday activities a fun learning experience for kids? Jeff offers practical and creative tips for parents to engage their children outside the classroom. Discover how simple actions like turning name letters into puzzles or counting snacks can significantly boost a child's confidence and skills. Jeff shares his observations of incredible growth and the joy of witnessing their progress. We invite listeners to submit their podcast ideas to the St. Cloud Area School District. Don’t miss this inspiring episode of the 742 CoffeeCast!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The 742 CoffeeCast is your ultimate destination for
insightful conversations,thought-provoking ideas and
innovative strategies in StCloud Area School District.
Your host is Director ofCommunity Engagement and
Communications, tammy DeLand.
Grab a cup of coffee and joinus.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
So I am really excited to be here today with
Jeff Wooker from Oak HillElementary and if you could just
start by introducing yourself alittle bit, telling us how long
you've been a kindergartenteacher, how long at Oak Hill
and so forth?
Yeah, thank you.
I've been teaching kindergartenfor 25 years.
(00:48):
I have 26 years in total.
I spent one year in secondgrade, which was a great
experience.
23 of those years, actually,I've been in St Cloud.
I started my teaching career upin Little Falls with all day
kindergarten all the way backthen.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Wow, and 25 years of kindergarten.
That is amazing.
I must say that most peoplewhen we think of kindergarten,
we think of a bouncy littlefemale teacher, right?
How did you choose this path?
How did this become your career?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Well watching the movie Kindergarten Cop actually.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Are you kidding?
I am.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I'm kidding.
Oh, I fell for that.
No, okay, I'm just teasing.
So no, really, what happened ismy parents were both educators,
aunts and uncles are educators,so I knew I wanted to go into
education when I was in college.
All the way back then,kindergarten was an extra
endorsement, actually, so I hadgone through the elementary
(01:44):
education and for my studentteaching, I ended up going
overseas to Europe and had agreat experience over in England
when I came back.
It was kind of a in-between timebecause school was still
happening, but I was back andthen there was the program for
six weeks where you could getyour kindergarten endorsement,
and so I jumped right into thatjust to check it out.
(02:05):
I got put into actually one ofthe St Cloud area schools with
Jan Kavny and absolutely had agreat time.
I just loved her energy.
I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
What school was that?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Back then.
I don't, that was so long ago Idon't remember.
I'm sorry I knew, but I doremember just the way she
interacted with the kids and Iremember the music and just how
her personality was just soupbeat and full of energy that I
was like, wow, this is reallyfun.
And I was interacting with thekids, just pretty much playing
and getting out there and downto their level.
It was absolutely wonderful.
(02:37):
So I thought, oh, if I wasgoing to look for something, it
could be an elementarykindergarten.
As it goes on, it kind of wentinto construction for that
summer.
In between, as I looked for ajob, my professor called me and
said if I was interested inkindergarten, she knew somewhere
that would be a good fit.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, it just kind of all one thing led to another
and I got put on a really strongteam in Little Falls with a lot
of senior teachers and had agreat time there and yeah,
that's that makes a hugedifference, doesn't it yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Having the team.
What's absolutely the bestthing about your job?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, there's so many really positive things with my
job.
First of all it's the kids.
They come to school every dayjust eager to learn.
They bring a high energy, but Ireally enjoy meeting that
energy.
I think for me I always kind ofput the day on.
If I leave tired, they won, butif they leave tired, I got them
.
And you know, here too in thedistrict, just working with the
(03:31):
teams I have, they push you totry new things, get better and
better and it seems that thingshave flowed really well.
But for me, I would have to say, the best thing about my job
would probably be therelationships I make with
probably the families.
For me, growing up in a smalltown, having my parents be
teachers, I know kind of howthey were looked at in the
community and for me it was.
(03:52):
I definitely want to be livingright where I teach.
I've been very fortunate to beat Oak Hill the whole time and
that's where my home has beenthe whole time Amazing yeah.
And I very much enjoy meetingthe parents at their first entry
into school.
They're excited, their kids areexcited, and then kind of
getting them started on thatright foot and really when I
(04:12):
look back almost all of myfriends now are past families
that I've taught and I very muchreally enjoy that.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
That right.
There is a legacy, that yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Wow, yeah, I enjoy that, even just like the grocery
store.
Yesterday I turned around and Irecognize I'm not always the
best with names, but I recognizefaces and just to hear, oh my
gosh, it's been nine years whatthey're doing.
I really appreciate that, evenwith graduation time.
Now, when you get invited tograduations and you think those
kids remember me from way back,then it's really humbling.
(04:44):
And I think those kids rememberme from way back, then it's
really humbling and I thinkthat's kind of the best part of
my job is those relationshipsthat I make year in, year out
and then when you have thosefamilies back and forth, long
lasting, yeah, it's really nice.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
I'm going to ask the hard question, too, about the
most challenging part of yourjob I think about.
Well, my former boss, whohappens to now be the
commissioner of education, right, we know this, Willie Jett.
He used to say you know what,If you're having a rough day,
you go in a kindergartenclassroom.
Right, that, it just turns itaround.
(05:16):
But I taught high school when Iwas a teacher.
I taught high school also inthis district and I tell you
what I would take teenagers anyday of the week, those little
five-year-olds, those adorablefive-year-olds, their energy,
it's such a different kind ofenergy, right, and to have 20 of
them, I know that that wouldjust tip me over.
(05:38):
So you mentioned energy as thepositive, like you know, is it
also a challenge?
What's the most challengingthing about those little
five-year-olds?
I?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
don't know if the energy for me is the most
challenging.
I think one of the mostchallenging things is just where
the kids are coming into.
There's such a wide gap and Iknow that's at every level.
But when you're getting them atthat age and you want to really
make sure you're meeting alltheir needs of the whole class,
sure.
And you want to make sure thatthat first jump into school is
just really positive for thefamilies.
(06:08):
I think that would be it for me.
As far as their energy, I justI really like it.
I think when I see you know,even the ladies I work around
their energy, it's like we'reall.
Every year we get older but itdoesn't seem like we're slowing
down at all, or at least.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
I hope they're feeding your energy.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
That's what I really feel like the hardest part then
I would say too, would just bewith how things are changing
with kids, with devicesinteracting with each other
Kindergarten, you know, as nowwe've had all day K for a long
time but just having those kidsprepared, I think sometimes
parents really don't maybe know,like, what the rigor is
(06:45):
nowadays for those kids.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
You know I was going to ask about that because with
your longevity and expertise,you've you're in a unique place
to take a look at the scope andkindergartens really changed,
hasn't it?
How we do kindergarten isdifferent than probably even 10
years ago, and certainly since Iwas in school.
(07:09):
What are some of those changesthat you've seen?
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Well, when I first started, you know you had the
dramatic play and then you alsowould go week by week through
the letters and you could do alot more hands-on art projects
and games and it just seemedlike you had a lot more time.
Now, when the kids are comingto us, expected to know some
things and those letters reallyare a quick review in the first
(07:34):
two to three weeks and thenwe're off to the races.
It does add a little element ofchallenge to it but honestly,
over the years, at first I was alittle apprehensive, I'm sure
glad that our play has come back.
It left for about six yearsthere and that really worried me
.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah, the play-based I was going to ask about that
because, as you said, we're backaround.
Why is that so important?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Well, I think you know, with just seeing, with
these kids being, I think, ondevices a little bit more, and
it just doesn't seem all thetime like kids are getting out
like they used to.
I know I also.
You know, coach, I was going tomention when you said you got
your fix of the teenagers I getthat every day over at South and
I very much enjoy it.
So for my longevity inkindergarten I think that's part
of having the middle school,but yet I get the elementary and
(08:20):
it's a good way for me then totransition home no-transcript.
(08:56):
Then you get to see these kidsexplore for themselves.
They make mistakes, Like Ithink of some of the different
STEM projects that they mighthave the ability to go use, and
if something doesn't work, Imean they do get frustrated, but
then working through that orworking with a friend that might
have a different idea, I thinkthat's really good.
The hand-eye coordination it isamazing, you know, when we first
(09:17):
get these kids how some of themI mean a lot of them don't know
how to hold scissors anymore oryou know the fine motor skills
of just holding a crayon or amarker the correct way and I
think it's just they're on adevice so much for the touching
and things that they don't haveto any longer have a book and
draw and write things and copythings, I guess, even when
(09:38):
they're pretending like we havethe magnet blocks and stuff out
and just watching daily, evenwith the Legos.
I brought all my kids Legos andinstead of having instructions
they're like my boys love to do,it's just in a humongous bin
and watching them think up theirown device, asking if they can
keep it for the next day and thenext day and add to it and
design.
I'm really happy that theybrought it back and I hope that
(10:00):
as we go further they see youknow the changes and how
positive that has been.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
That's so encouraging to hear.
What about literacy?
I know that one of the thingsthat we hear and I'm sure our
families have heard this outthere is oh, kids don't read
anymore, they don't want to bewith books anymore.
Do you find that to be theexperience?
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I don't.
Kids absolutely love the books.
No-transcript throughout theday and then they move down to
(10:50):
the mini math lesson and they'realready reading the story
problems or whatever I have upthere trying to figure it out
ahead of time.
So I just love to see theconfidence as far as having
books in their hands.
I really don't see that.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
It's, we have a.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
PACRAP program that we had in the district for how
long and I know we celebratedtoday.
I think our goal was like tohave 8,500 or 8,300 signatures
and I heard the ladies as theywere congratulating the kids.
It was like 23,000 and somebooks and that's just the ones
that got marked down.
I mean we have a lot of them.
That kids take books daily butthey don't come back signed like
they read it or looked at it.
(11:26):
So to have that many signatures, I think, really says that no
families want books.
They want to have that time andmaybe it just is.
We're all busy, but when itcomes home and your kid's asking
to do that, we can all findthat five, eight, 10 minutes of
sitting down and reading.
So I really appreciate the packrat but also the part that
parents are making that apriority I guess each evening
(11:48):
and that routine.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
That really does my heart good, because I a former
English teacher.
When I hear that and unless Iput myself in a kindergarten
classroom or a young classroom,I don't have that daily exposure
right.
So when I hear that, oh it justmakes me, you know, kind of
curl up and and be sad.
So I'm really, I'm really gladto hear that.
(12:12):
Can you describe I hope thisisn't like a loaded question Can
you describe what a typical dayin the kindergarten classroom
looks like?
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Well, yeah, routine, routine, routine.
For me, I think in a lot ofclasses I just even think of I
think that's what to the youngkids, why they love coming to
school.
So much is just that routine.
They know exactly what's goingto happen and when that routine
gets broken it's a little bithard for them.
But when they do show up it'syou know.
I'm out in the hall greetingthem and when they come in they
(12:44):
know exactly what they're goingto do.
It depends on what skill some ofthem are working on in the
beginning of the year, morewriting their first name, their
last name and then talking aboutthe letters in their name or
maybe some of those sounds thata vowel would make.
From there they do get abreakfast and then when we move
into our carpet time or ourmorning meeting time not every
(13:04):
day but we try to get it inwhere every kid gets to share
one thing, but that takes timebecause they all want to share.
But from that we move into ourmorning reading lessons and the
kids absolutely love that time.
I'm really lucky I get to havea co-teacher for EL and it just
really it's kind of like this,where we get to sit down, have
(13:26):
some fun, play off each otherdifferent ideas, and I think the
kids really feed on that too,knowing that we're having a good
time, we're joking around, andonce that's done we move right
into something new calledEssential essentials, and I
really have enjoyed that.
It's more working on the phonics, working on the really quick
(13:47):
letter-based phonemic awareness,and so I've seen really good
things with that.
I think the kids really enjoyit because it's so routine where
they know what's first, what'ssecond, what's third, and then
they know when they're done andthat goes into their center time
where they get to go in place.
I think it's a real nicebeginning to our morning where
it flows really nice.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
And that routine that you're referring to, that both
instills they feel comfort inroutine, but also that helps
build confidence, doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (14:17):
I think so, and that's the one thing we talk
about all the time is just asfar as the transitions, that
transition from one thing to thenext, I think once they know
what they're supposed to do likewhat you just said they're
confident, knowing that if I getthere, this is what's going to
happen, I'll be able to do it.
And even if they don't, we'reworking through it.
I would say that when you talkabout the morning, everything to
(14:45):
me is about the transitions aswell.
If they're quick, it seemseverything in the day goes much
better.
But if we have some transitionsthat start to take a couple
minutes three minutes for somereason, it seems then you start
to lose kids.
So if they know if we get here,we can get started.
And if we get started, it'slike the learning becomes kind
of their play in a way, wherethey're excited to do it, they
know what to expect, becausesome of it's usually a little
(15:06):
bit of review, and then we getthe new, and so you kind of like
what you said you gain theconfidence, but then we give
them the new and build on it.
Yeah, and then you give them alittle bit.
This is what's going to betomorrow and we'll come back to
it, and so they have that littlepart about oh, I'm excited.
I want to come back tomorrowand see what's new.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
You know, one of the things that amazes me about
kindergartners is we expect somuch, right, there's so much,
there's literacy, there'srelationships.
You know, don't touch me thatsort of thing.
Many administrators volunteerin that first week of school
(15:45):
just to come in and help outprincipals and teachers, just
with that first week.
And I've been privileged to beable to do that with
kindergartners actually atWestwood several years in a row
and I remember the first day ofthe first week that I went out
when it got to be lunchtime.
You know, I had a little oneand it was like she was
completely flummoxed with themilk carton, because we only get
(16:09):
milk cartons at school Like she.
What am I supposed to do withit?
Like you know, you forget whenthey're little like that.
You forget how many things theyhave to learn in a day.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
And you said that if they go home tired, you know
it's been a- really goodlearning day and I reflect on
that sometimes and it's kind ofodd.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
That help that you're talking about is wonderful,
like when we do have people,especially that first week or
two, just because it's likethey're learning new things and
then they can be here.
So to have someone there tohelp is really nice.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I've been really fortunate where I take in a lot
of volunteers, so from RSVP Ihave, sometimes daily In the
older days.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
back when I first started it seemed to be I had a
calendar with parents justcoming in nonstop.
I had an open door policy.
Now it seems that everyone'sbusy everyone's working.
But older adults that arewanting to come in and give
their time and their skills.
It's been absolutely wonderful.
And when they come in, the kidsabsolutely love it.
Because now all of a sudden, ifit is 20 in a class, now we're
(17:14):
down to one on 10.
And then all of a sudden, ifanother one comes in, it just
divides down and I really enjoytaking the college students into
their blocks and next thing youknow, you have two of them
helping and pretty soon there'sone adult at every table of four
and, yes, it does get a littlebit louder, but it's
unbelievable the difference itmakes, not only in all their
attitudes but also in theirgrowth.
(17:36):
They're excited to do something.
I think even like we have agrandma this year who has come
in a lot and she told me on herlast day you know how much it
helped her being there as shewent through some a loss of a
loved one.
But also for one of my harderkids, when she showed up he
screamed grandma, and he'd runand give her a hug.
(17:57):
And then he's like are yougoing to work with me today?
Well, and he'd run and give hera hug.
And then he's like are yougoing to work with me today?
Well, how you know, we taketurns but I was like well,
you're working with him everyday, every day you come, and it
was really good for him.
He made growth.
It was really good for her.
Yeah, it's one of those thingswhere you're really thankful to
have people give their time likethat after they've already put
in all their work hours.
But when you talked about therest of the day, you know it
(18:18):
goes right into math.
The math is a lot of fun.
It's now where we're playinggames.
We're using hands-onmanipulatives.
The kids absolutely love it.
But I will say, like what youwere talking about, it takes
time.
As soon as you put something onthe table, they just want to
start grabbing and exploring andplaying before they actually
(18:39):
can, you know, learn what we'regoing to be doing.
So it's just that routine.
Again, I would say that routineis huge.
The day from there they haveUnited Arts, which they get
their arts, they get their PhiEd, they get their music and
we're real thankful for that.
They love every class.
They're excited when they knowexactly from the morning message
which day it is, because theroutine changes a little bit.
I'm really happy with how ourschedule has flowed, with
(19:04):
academics heavy in the morningand then some more in the
afternoon and then the scienceand social studies.
The kids really love when theyget to do any type of
experimenting.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
I bet.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Or I have a love for the outdoors so they really like
to hear about the differentanimals or sharing pictures and
things like that for science andreading the books.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
And Oak Hill's got the big woods right, we do, you
get to do a little bit ofoutdoor environment we do.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
It was really nice.
We've been out there even on alittle scavenger hunt that our
glides set up this year and thatwas really fun to get back out
there and go check it out.
We're fortunate to have thetrails through there and that
area that you can go explore.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I'm going to shift just a second, because you
talked about families a littleearlier and I wanted to circle
back to that, because we knowthat again, when you talk about
change, we know that whenparents are looking for a school
for their kindergartner, again,it's so different from the way
(20:01):
we grew up, where you went toschool in your neighborhood.
Now it's a shopping expedition,right, if I'm that parent of
that five-year-old and a littlebit of excitement, but also
maybe a lot of weariness.
What should those families be,those parents be looking for in
a kindergarten experience?
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Well, first of all, I'd invite them in.
I mean, come and check outthose schools, you know.
Don't just go by word of mouthand what other people are saying
.
Come in for your own experience.
I personally welcome it Ifthey're coming through.
Stop in.
If you stay too long you'regoing to get put to work.
That's great.
But no, I really.
I think they should come in andjust see how it feels to you
(20:42):
when you walk in.
You know, I think you want thatfeeling when you walk into the
building that people are happyto be there.
You want that where people aregreeting you, asking and
noticing you that, oh, what areyou doing here, you know, and
just saying hi, where are youcoming from?
I think of they should bemeeting with the administration
so they know, kind of, what pathis your school going in.
(21:05):
I think of qualified teachers.
As you come in, talk to them,see what are our backgrounds,
what kind of education do youhave, how long have you been
here?
What else have you done?
I think it'd be reallyinteresting for them to know how
many different things teacherswe all have done.
We wear a lot of different hats, that's right.
Talking then to people aboutthe curriculum, like you
mentioned it earlier, it'schanging all the time.
(21:27):
So is a school that you'relooking at, possibly that
friends have talked highly of.
Are they up to the currenttimes with the new curriculum?
Are they meeting the standardsFor me personally, I love
extracurricular, you thinksports, and I do love the sports
, but I'd also be checking intowhat can my kid do after school
(21:49):
if they're not into sports?
about the arts, the music,robotics, theater, so many
opportunities there is in ourdistrict and I think that keeps
kids engaged.
And I've seen it through thekids I've coached where when
they're out of season somethings start to slip a little
bit with maybe their grades ortheir attendance.
But when it is something thatthey're excited to do or it's
something they're lookingforward to do after school, it
(22:11):
seems all of a suddenassignments are getting turned
in, they're more accountable.
So I think, no matter what partof the arts it is to get, you
know, check into that.
I think of also the culture,like when you walk into the
school, how are the kidsbehaving, how are the kids
interacting with each other asyou just walk quietly around the
halls and what do you notice?
(22:32):
And then safety is a big thing,you know.
Are our schools secure whenpeople are coming in?
And just to have that feeling,when you're thinking, ooh,
sending my little one off,what's the protocol here?
Can anyone just come in?
And just having that be restassured, I guess for me a big
one would be if I went around ishow are you going to meet the
needs of my child?
And just because you have somany, but then also have them
(22:54):
reach their full potential,because everyone's full
potential is a little different.
And I would really think if youinterviewed all the teachers
you know in this district we allwant the kids to succeed.
So to have that talk, to knowthat let's have communication If
you're feeling something, justyou know that openness to
communicate back and forth.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
That's fabulous.
I would love families to takeyour invitation right.
More families to take thatinvitation and More families to
take that invitation and they do.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
I will be honest, I see a lot of families walking
through the halls and they dostop in.
I think that is really nicethat they schedule that time to
go around and check it out.
It tells you that theireducation is really important in
what they're looking for, andthen they make the decision that
best fits the needs of theirfamily.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Now kindergarten enrollment.
We actually start in ourdistrict in January, right, and
I know that you just had youropen house, so probably a
one-on-one interview at thispoint is what we really want
families to do, because wewrapped up those open houses,
but it's not too late to enrollfor next year, right?
(23:59):
What's that process?
How does that happen?
Speaker 2 (24:01):
And we do get a lot of those happening throughout
the summer because if you're newto it you might not know what
the protocol is.
But if you have questions youdefinitely can call your area
school.
But otherwise, if you know yourchild is going into school, it
would be going over to CoreReview, to the Welcome Center
and just checking in there andseeing if you want to fill
something out face to face.
Otherwise, definitely online isanother way to do it.
(24:24):
Online For me I'm much moregoing in and then talking to
people.
But whatever works for you,there are many routes with it.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
And I appreciate that because sometimes families will
do the interview and think theycan enroll right on site.
So it's important that they doknow.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
yeah, there's a process and you're either going
to do it online or you're goingto go over to the welcome center
, and I really like you bringingup the open house, because
we're always trying to figureout how to get more families in
earlier for that, to kind ofhear about all the things we
just talked about.
When members of the team arethere, they're up front
answering questions, they'retelling you what that day looks
like, what to expect, but at thesame time there's other
(25:02):
teachers back in the classroomwith the kids showing them.
This is what a classroom lookslike.
Here's a story.
Let's sit down so it gives themthat first little feel of the
building.
But also it's just that I knowit's a little early, like you
said earlier in January, butours is more in the spring, just
to be open to that and stoppingin and if it's something like
you're still undecided whereyou're going, it's a perfect
time to kind of get that time totalk to teachers Every one of
(25:25):
them Ask your questions.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Yeah, that's fabulous.
We were chatting on the phonethe other week and I brought up
that.
You know there are so manystories.
Do you have a favorite story?
Speaker 2 (25:40):
It's funny when you ask that it just like I was like
oh my gosh.
I always put things so like outof my mind.
So I'm like what happenedyesterday?
I'll show back up to work.
I don't remember that.
There there's so many that Iwish I know people have told me
you should just write them alldown.
It's one thing to the next,next, and you never write them
down.
But I would say a lot of them,I mean, you can't share because
(26:03):
they deal with either someonehaving an accident or puking or
something, but the ones that arereally special.
I think of one where I hadgotten done teaching and I went
over to South where I wascoaching and I was walking down
the hall all of a sudden I mean,I'm not kidding, look like a
grown man.
I mean, he was four inchestaller than me.
(26:24):
So he's six, three, it seems,six four, I don't know twice as
wide as me.
And all of a sudden he came andI recognized him and he's like
remember me?
And I'm like, well, yeah, andhe just gave me the biggest hug
and it was it A funny one?
(26:45):
I was trying to think of a funnyone and then it actually one
happened, and now I already haveput that one out of my mind to
kind of to move on to the, tothe next one, and I think about,
like today, one who was in thehall was a little boy who he was
a first grader and, of course,walking down the hall, he smiled
(27:06):
and I said hi to him and I knowexactly who he was.
Walking down the hall and hesmiled and I said hi to him and
I know exactly who he was, anduh he goes, you forgot, it's my
birthday today oh, and I'm likeI never had seen him with his
you know crown in the hall or Iwas like, oh, I did.
I'm so sorry, happy birthday,but I thought from last year he
remembered how big a day hisbirthday was and you know it was
his special day.
So I I thought that was kind ofcute how they remember those
(27:28):
things that you have said oryou've done.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Because it matters, it does yeah and they carry.
That is.
That's a great story.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I do have one other one that you'll love.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Oh good.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Yeah, and see, now I'm starting to think of them.
It's like things spur it.
Yeah, but this was a cute one.
It happened about two weeks ago.
Kids at school, the birthdaything got me, oh yeah.
So kids come around that you'vehad for past students and they
brought around a cupcake andthey came in and typically I'll
take the cupcake and I'll put itup higher.
But I was teaching and we didcelebrate and congratulate them
(28:02):
and everything, but I justcouldn't grab the cupcake.
So they had a little glove andset it on my desk and I was like
perfect and went on with allthe teaching and everything else
.
And the deal with the cupcakesis typically I save them for the
custodian after school.
He does a great job I enjoy.
He just likes to joke around.
We have a good time, so I'mlike it's always his special
(28:23):
treat.
So at the end of the day wewere over there and then one of
the kids saw Tom, our custodian,and they're like, oh, you got
to get him his treat.
And I went over to get histreat and the whole cupcake was
eaten from the top down.
It was just the perfect wrappersitting there and there was
(28:44):
about a million crumbs around it.
And I'm thinking what happened?
How did that cupcake get eaten?
And I'm looking at all the kidsin the room and no one has
frosting on them and I can'tfigure out who did it.
So then one of the little girlsshe kind of Tom was leaving and
she runs out and said did youeat your cupcake?
(29:05):
And he laughs.
He's like no, I didn't evenknow.
So that day your cupcake.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
And he laughs, he's like no, I didn't even know.
So that day didn't know whathappened to the cupcake, it's
just a mystery.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
So the next day I had my morning message, I added it
in there.
Well, these kids now, like Isaid, they can read and
everything.
So they came right in and theyread you know, who knows what
happened to the cupcake,figuring out.
Well, that just turned intoeveryone just guessing and this
and that and pointing fingers.
All of a sudden and I did havea little part on there that just
(29:33):
said you know, just tell thetruth, it's easy, just tell the
truth, it's fine, you're not introuble.
And they're guessing.
Nope, all of a sudden I'mstanding at, uh, by my desk and
I was checking these numbersthat one of my friends had
written and I look at him and heis the tiniest little guy in my
class and I just kind of wasjoking.
I go did you eat my cupcake?
(29:54):
And he goes yes, and I'm likehe doesn't understand what I'm,
he doesn't understand what I'msaying right now.
He just may thought he wanted acupcake.
So I said no.
I said do you remember thecupcake I got yesterday?
I said I put it on my desk, orthe girl put it on my desk.
I go did you eat my cupcake?
And he goes yes, and it wasfull blown tears and he was
(30:17):
crying and I'm like it's okay,it's okay, you're not in trouble
, thanks for telling the truth.
And I was just like, oh boy, hecould barely see over my desk.
How did he eat that wholecupcake?
But it was a hungry morning.
It was so cute.
So yeah, he got that littlecupcake all the way down.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Oh, thank you for that.
Like I said, there's nothinglike a kindergarten story.
There's so many and I can'tremember until you say something
, and then that'll.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Oh yeah, I can think of another one.
So yeah, thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
I thought of one other thing when we were talking
about families and also aboutchange and how much our
expectations for kindergartenhave changed over the years, as
well as how we teach and dokindergarten.
So I think, for parents whomight be listening, one of the
questions, if they've never hada kindergartner before, is what
(31:12):
should I do?
What can I do to prepare mylittle one?
You know, are they going to bescared?
Do they know their letters?
Speaker 2 (31:19):
That's a great question and that actually
brought up another funny story.
But we'll get to that one.
But yeah, no, I think one ofthe things that you know for
them is not everyone maybechooses or knows to send their
kids off to a preschool, whichwe have that ability here now
with the three year olds, fouryear olds.
So definitely take part in thatif you can and ask about it at
Quarry View, at the WelcomeCenter.
(31:41):
But if you don't, I thought youknow, just sitting down for a
few minutes and just writing thename with your child, their
name, and then just going overthe letters in their name and if
they get secure, Sounds yeahand the sounds for sure.
And if you are secure with thatfirst name don't think that they
have it because they memorizereally quick Then maybe just cut
it like something simple, thatcutting it, mix it up and say,
(32:03):
now can you put it back like alittle puzzle and then move on
to their last name.
When you give them a snack, youjust, however many are there,
just say, hey, can you countthat real quick before you get
to eat them, let's count them.
And then you know, even asthey're done counting them, say
okay, now eat one and there'sone less than 10.
And just talking andinteracting for those few
minutes with the kid I thinkthat would really be big.
(32:25):
And then like what you broughtup with Pack Rad, but just
finding any kind of book youhave and just reading to them If
you don't have time to do thoseother things, because your day
you're working and you got otherkids and family commitments,
things like that just beforethey go to bed.
Get in that routine of let'sjust sit down for five minutes
and let's read a story togetherand then just asking them some
(32:47):
questions as you do that.
You know you don't have to readthe whole book, just stop it,
save it, but ask some colorquestions, shapes, looking at it
and asking you know the maincharacter, who that is or what
the book was about.
That would be a big one.
It's just taking the time toslow down and have that little
interaction, you know, with yourkids.
I know I'm definitely guilty ofit.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Well, and I think probably one of the things
parents need to hear is thisadvice, isn't pressure right?
This is how you kind oforganically work with your child
and again, it is aboutconfidence.
But if you're reading or doingsome of these things along the
way, that kind of builds withouta checklist.
(33:29):
Yeah exactly A parent checklist.
Okay, I have to do this.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Well, I think of how much time we spend in vehicles
now going from one place to thenext and just even just counting
things and then counting backwith them.
I mean the kids singing the ABCsong, absolutely, it's just,
they really like it and they'llget that routine.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Although I have to say that if it had been one of
my daughters and I had stoppedat a certain point, I would have
been called out.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
No, you forget, got to keep going yeah and no and
they'll, and they'll let you,you know, kind of go off and
they'll let you.
They'll tell you what they want.
And I think that's, you know,really cool.
Like when you were talkingabout the place centered stuff
to watching kids as the yeargoes on, where it used to be,
just like playing with thetrucks and the dolls and the
magnet blocks and the Play-Dohand the STEM building things.
(34:19):
Now it's like, oh, I think I'mgoing to go over to the math
center and I'm going to grab abunch of the math games, or I'm
going to the reading area andI'm going to grab that.
Or a little boy just yesterdayhe was on the rug and he was
just running across that rug buthe was saying the letter and
the sound and then running to itand then, before you know it, a
couple other kids joined inwith him and they were all
(34:41):
moving around that rug and I waslike, yeah, what a useful thing
that we have around the room.
We typically just sit on aletter for our morning meeting,
but now he's turning it into agame that others really want to
play.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
That made me think of what you see.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
That must be incredible growth, like what you
see in a little person fromthat September date to right now
, when we're letting loose inMay it's amazing and we have so
many kids to coming to us withEL learning English as their
next language.
And it is amazing, like it isunbelievable, the growth when
(35:17):
you're learning another languagebut then also academically, the
growth you make.
It is, it's unbelievable.
It's it's that really makes youfeel good at the end of the
year when you see that growth.
I very much enjoy my job and Idefinitely I know people have
said you know, like if you findthe job, that isn't where it
feels like work.
You know you never work a dayin your life.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
I'm very fortunate that I found that.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
That's beautiful.
Thank you so much again.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Thank you, this has been so fun.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
And in case you do not know, we have a gift for you
Everybody who comes toCoffeeCast gets a coffee.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
Well, thank you.
It's probably good that youdidn't do this in the morning,
because I think my team and mywife and everyone else out there
would think you don't want tosee me on coffee, so it's
probably better to get that withno coffee in it right now.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
All right, well, you can use juice, I won't complain.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
I think one day I'll have that coffee.
So thank you very much.
Thank you, jeff, I appreciateit.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Take care, thanks.
Do you have a great podcastidea?
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Grab a cup of coffee and joinus.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
So I am really excited to be here today with
Jeff Wooker from Oak HillElementary and if you could just
start by introducing yourself alittle bit, telling us how long
you've been a kindergartenteacher, how long at Oak Hill
and so forth?
Yeah, thank you.
I've been teaching kindergartenfor 25 years.
(00:48):
I have 26 years in total.
I spent one year in secondgrade, which was a great
experience.
23 of those years, actually,I've been in St Cloud.
I started my teaching career upin Little Falls with all day
kindergarten all the way backthen.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Wow, and 25 years of kindergarten.
That is amazing.
I must say that most peoplewhen we think of kindergarten,
we think of a bouncy littlefemale teacher, right?
How did you choose this path?
How did this become your career?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Well watching the movie Kindergarten Cop actually.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
Are you kidding?
I am.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I'm kidding.
Oh, I fell for that.
No, okay, I'm just teasing.
So no, really, what happened ismy parents were both educators,
aunts and uncles are educators,so I knew I wanted to go into
education when I was in college.
All the way back then,kindergarten was an extra
endorsement, actually, so I hadgone through the elementary
(01:44):
education and for my studentteaching, I ended up going
overseas to Europe and had agreat experience over in England
when I came back.
It was kind of a in-between timebecause school was still
happening, but I was back andthen there was the program for
six weeks where you could getyour kindergarten endorsement,
and so I jumped right into thatjust to check it out.
(02:05):
I got put into actually one ofthe St Cloud area schools with
Jan Kavny and absolutely had agreat time.
I just loved her energy.
I really enjoyed it.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
What school was that?
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Back then.
I don't, that was so long ago Idon't remember.
I'm sorry I knew, but I doremember just the way she
interacted with the kids and Iremember the music and just how
her personality was just soupbeat and full of energy that I
was like, wow, this is reallyfun.
And I was interacting with thekids, just pretty much playing
and getting out there and downto their level.
It was absolutely wonderful.
(02:37):
So I thought, oh, if I wasgoing to look for something, it
could be an elementarykindergarten.
As it goes on, it kind of wentinto construction for that
summer.
In between, as I looked for ajob, my professor called me and
said if I was interested inkindergarten, she knew somewhere
that would be a good fit.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Amazing.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yeah, it just kind of all one thing led to another
and I got put on a really strongteam in Little Falls with a lot
of senior teachers and had agreat time there and yeah,
that's that makes a hugedifference, doesn't it yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Having the team.
What's absolutely the bestthing about your job?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Well, there's so many really positive things with my
job.
First of all it's the kids.
They come to school every dayjust eager to learn.
They bring a high energy, but Ireally enjoy meeting that
energy.
I think for me I always kind ofput the day on.
If I leave tired, they won, butif they leave tired, I got them
.
And you know, here too in thedistrict, just working with the
(03:31):
teams I have, they push you totry new things, get better and
better and it seems that thingshave flowed really well.
But for me, I would have to say, the best thing about my job
would probably be therelationships I make with
probably the families.
For me, growing up in a smalltown, having my parents be
teachers, I know kind of howthey were looked at in the
community and for me it was.
(03:52):
I definitely want to be livingright where I teach.
I've been very fortunate to beat Oak Hill the whole time and
that's where my home has beenthe whole time Amazing yeah.
And I very much enjoy meetingthe parents at their first entry
into school.
They're excited, their kids areexcited, and then kind of
getting them started on thatright foot and really when I
(04:12):
look back almost all of myfriends now are past families
that I've taught and I very muchreally enjoy that.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
That right.
There is a legacy, that yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Wow, yeah, I enjoy that, even just like the grocery
store.
Yesterday I turned around and Irecognize I'm not always the
best with names, but I recognizefaces and just to hear, oh my
gosh, it's been nine years whatthey're doing.
I really appreciate that, evenwith graduation time.
Now, when you get invited tograduations and you think those
kids remember me from way back,then it's really humbling.
(04:44):
And I think those kids rememberme from way back, then it's
really humbling and I thinkthat's kind of the best part of
my job is those relationshipsthat I make year in, year out
and then when you have thosefamilies back and forth, long
lasting, yeah, it's really nice.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
I'm going to ask the hard question, too, about the
most challenging part of yourjob I think about.
Well, my former boss, whohappens to now be the
commissioner of education, right, we know this, Willie Jett.
He used to say you know what,If you're having a rough day,
you go in a kindergartenclassroom.
Right, that, it just turns itaround.
(05:16):
But I taught high school when Iwas a teacher.
I taught high school also inthis district and I tell you
what I would take teenagers anyday of the week, those little
five-year-olds, those adorablefive-year-olds, their energy,
it's such a different kind ofenergy, right, and to have 20 of
them, I know that that wouldjust tip me over.
(05:38):
So you mentioned energy as thepositive, like you know, is it
also a challenge?
What's the most challengingthing about those little
five-year-olds?
I?
Speaker 2 (05:48):
don't know if the energy for me is the most
challenging.
I think one of the mostchallenging things is just where
the kids are coming into.
There's such a wide gap and Iknow that's at every level.
But when you're getting them atthat age and you want to really
make sure you're meeting alltheir needs of the whole class,
sure.
And you want to make sure thatthat first jump into school is
just really positive for thefamilies.
(06:08):
I think that would be it for me.
As far as their energy, I justI really like it.
I think when I see you know,even the ladies I work around
their energy, it's like we'reall.
Every year we get older but itdoesn't seem like we're slowing
down at all, or at least.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
I hope they're feeding your energy.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
That's what I really feel like the hardest part then
I would say too, would just bewith how things are changing
with kids, with devicesinteracting with each other
Kindergarten, you know, as nowwe've had all day K for a long
time but just having those kidsprepared, I think sometimes
parents really don't maybe know,like, what the rigor is
(06:45):
nowadays for those kids.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
You know I was going to ask about that because with
your longevity and expertise,you've you're in a unique place
to take a look at the scope andkindergartens really changed,
hasn't it?
How we do kindergarten isdifferent than probably even 10
years ago, and certainly since Iwas in school.
(07:09):
What are some of those changesthat you've seen?
Speaker 2 (07:12):
Well, when I first started, you know you had the
dramatic play and then you alsowould go week by week through
the letters and you could do alot more hands-on art projects
and games and it just seemedlike you had a lot more time.
Now, when the kids are comingto us, expected to know some
things and those letters reallyare a quick review in the first
(07:34):
two to three weeks and thenwe're off to the races.
It does add a little element ofchallenge to it but honestly,
over the years, at first I was alittle apprehensive, I'm sure
glad that our play has come back.
It left for about six yearsthere and that really worried me
.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah, the play-based I was going to ask about that
because, as you said, we're backaround.
Why is that so important?
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Well, I think you know, with just seeing, with
these kids being, I think, ondevices a little bit more, and
it just doesn't seem all thetime like kids are getting out
like they used to.
I know I also.
You know, coach, I was going tomention when you said you got
your fix of the teenagers I getthat every day over at South and
I very much enjoy it.
So for my longevity inkindergarten I think that's part
of having the middle school,but yet I get the elementary and
(08:20):
it's a good way for me then totransition home no-transcript.
(08:56):
Then you get to see these kidsexplore for themselves.
They make mistakes, Like Ithink of some of the different
STEM projects that they mighthave the ability to go use, and
if something doesn't work, Imean they do get frustrated, but
then working through that orworking with a friend that might
have a different idea, I thinkthat's really good.
The hand-eye coordination it isamazing, you know, when we first
(09:17):
get these kids how some of themI mean a lot of them don't know
how to hold scissors anymore oryou know the fine motor skills
of just holding a crayon or amarker the correct way and I
think it's just they're on adevice so much for the touching
and things that they don't haveto any longer have a book and
draw and write things and copythings, I guess, even when
(09:38):
they're pretending like we havethe magnet blocks and stuff out
and just watching daily, evenwith the Legos.
I brought all my kids Legos andinstead of having instructions
they're like my boys love to do,it's just in a humongous bin
and watching them think up theirown device, asking if they can
keep it for the next day and thenext day and add to it and
design.
I'm really happy that theybrought it back and I hope that
(10:00):
as we go further they see youknow the changes and how
positive that has been.
Speaker 1 (10:04):
That's so encouraging to hear.
What about literacy?
I know that one of the thingsthat we hear and I'm sure our
families have heard this outthere is oh, kids don't read
anymore, they don't want to bewith books anymore.
Do you find that to be theexperience?
Speaker 2 (10:20):
I don't.
Kids absolutely love the books.
No-transcript throughout theday and then they move down to
(10:50):
the mini math lesson and they'realready reading the story
problems or whatever I have upthere trying to figure it out
ahead of time.
So I just love to see theconfidence as far as having
books in their hands.
I really don't see that.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
It's, we have a.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
PACRAP program that we had in the district for how
long and I know we celebratedtoday.
I think our goal was like tohave 8,500 or 8,300 signatures
and I heard the ladies as theywere congratulating the kids.
It was like 23,000 and somebooks and that's just the ones
that got marked down.
I mean we have a lot of them.
That kids take books daily butthey don't come back signed like
they read it or looked at it.
(11:26):
So to have that many signatures, I think, really says that no
families want books.
They want to have that time andmaybe it just is.
We're all busy, but when itcomes home and your kid's asking
to do that, we can all findthat five, eight, 10 minutes of
sitting down and reading.
So I really appreciate the packrat but also the part that
parents are making that apriority I guess each evening
(11:48):
and that routine.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
That really does my heart good, because I a former
English teacher.
When I hear that and unless Iput myself in a kindergarten
classroom or a young classroom,I don't have that daily exposure
right.
So when I hear that, oh it justmakes me, you know, kind of
curl up and and be sad.
So I'm really, I'm really gladto hear that.
(12:12):
Can you describe I hope thisisn't like a loaded question Can
you describe what a typical dayin the kindergarten classroom
looks like?
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Well, yeah, routine, routine, routine.
For me, I think in a lot ofclasses I just even think of I
think that's what to the youngkids, why they love coming to
school.
So much is just that routine.
They know exactly what's goingto happen and when that routine
gets broken it's a little bithard for them.
But when they do show up it'syou know.
I'm out in the hall greetingthem and when they come in they
(12:44):
know exactly what they're goingto do.
It depends on what skill some ofthem are working on in the
beginning of the year, morewriting their first name, their
last name and then talking aboutthe letters in their name or
maybe some of those sounds thata vowel would make.
From there they do get abreakfast and then when we move
into our carpet time or ourmorning meeting time not every
(13:04):
day but we try to get it inwhere every kid gets to share
one thing, but that takes timebecause they all want to share.
But from that we move into ourmorning reading lessons and the
kids absolutely love that time.
I'm really lucky I get to havea co-teacher for EL and it just
really it's kind of like this,where we get to sit down, have
(13:26):
some fun, play off each otherdifferent ideas, and I think the
kids really feed on that too,knowing that we're having a good
time, we're joking around, andonce that's done we move right
into something new calledEssential essentials, and I
really have enjoyed that.
It's more working on the phonics, working on the really quick
(13:47):
letter-based phonemic awareness,and so I've seen really good
things with that.
I think the kids really enjoyit because it's so routine where
they know what's first, what'ssecond, what's third, and then
they know when they're done andthat goes into their center time
where they get to go in place.
I think it's a real nicebeginning to our morning where
it flows really nice.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
And that routine that you're referring to, that both
instills they feel comfort inroutine, but also that helps
build confidence, doesn't it?
Speaker 2 (14:17):
I think so, and that's the one thing we talk
about all the time is just asfar as the transitions, that
transition from one thing to thenext, I think once they know
what they're supposed to do likewhat you just said they're
confident, knowing that if I getthere, this is what's going to
happen, I'll be able to do it.
And even if they don't, we'reworking through it.
I would say that when you talkabout the morning, everything to
(14:45):
me is about the transitions aswell.
If they're quick, it seemseverything in the day goes much
better.
But if we have some transitionsthat start to take a couple
minutes three minutes for somereason, it seems then you start
to lose kids.
So if they know if we get here,we can get started.
And if we get started, it'slike the learning becomes kind
of their play in a way, wherethey're excited to do it, they
know what to expect, becausesome of it's usually a little
(15:06):
bit of review, and then we getthe new, and so you kind of like
what you said you gain theconfidence, but then we give
them the new and build on it.
Yeah, and then you give them alittle bit.
This is what's going to betomorrow and we'll come back to
it, and so they have that littlepart about oh, I'm excited.
I want to come back tomorrowand see what's new.
Speaker 1 (15:25):
You know, one of the things that amazes me about
kindergartners is we expect somuch, right, there's so much,
there's literacy, there'srelationships.
You know, don't touch me thatsort of thing.
Many administrators volunteerin that first week of school
(15:45):
just to come in and help outprincipals and teachers, just
with that first week.
And I've been privileged to beable to do that with
kindergartners actually atWestwood several years in a row
and I remember the first day ofthe first week that I went out
when it got to be lunchtime.
You know, I had a little oneand it was like she was
completely flummoxed with themilk carton, because we only get
(16:09):
milk cartons at school Like she.
What am I supposed to do withit?
Like you know, you forget whenthey're little like that.
You forget how many things theyhave to learn in a day.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
That's true.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
And you said that if they go home tired, you know
it's been a- really goodlearning day and I reflect on
that sometimes and it's kind ofodd.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
That help that you're talking about is wonderful,
like when we do have people,especially that first week or
two, just because it's likethey're learning new things and
then they can be here.
So to have someone there tohelp is really nice.
Speaker 1 (16:46):
I've been really fortunate where I take in a lot
of volunteers, so from RSVP Ihave, sometimes daily In the
older days.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
back when I first started it seemed to be I had a
calendar with parents justcoming in nonstop.
I had an open door policy.
Now it seems that everyone'sbusy everyone's working.
But older adults that arewanting to come in and give
their time and their skills.
It's been absolutely wonderful.
And when they come in, the kidsabsolutely love it.
Because now all of a sudden, ifit is 20 in a class, now we're
(17:14):
down to one on 10.
And then all of a sudden, ifanother one comes in, it just
divides down and I really enjoytaking the college students into
their blocks and next thing youknow, you have two of them
helping and pretty soon there'sone adult at every table of four
and, yes, it does get a littlebit louder, but it's
unbelievable the difference itmakes, not only in all their
attitudes but also in theirgrowth.
(17:36):
They're excited to do something.
I think even like we have agrandma this year who has come
in a lot and she told me on herlast day you know how much it
helped her being there as shewent through some a loss of a
loved one.
But also for one of my harderkids, when she showed up he
screamed grandma, and he'd runand give her a hug.
(17:57):
And then he's like are yougoing to work with me today?
Well, and he'd run and give hera hug.
And then he's like are yougoing to work with me today?
Well, how you know, we taketurns but I was like well,
you're working with him everyday, every day you come, and it
was really good for him.
He made growth.
It was really good for her.
Yeah, it's one of those thingswhere you're really thankful to
have people give their time likethat after they've already put
in all their work hours.
But when you talked about therest of the day, you know it
(18:18):
goes right into math.
The math is a lot of fun.
It's now where we're playinggames.
We're using hands-onmanipulatives.
The kids absolutely love it.
But I will say, like what youwere talking about, it takes
time.
As soon as you put something onthe table, they just want to
start grabbing and exploring andplaying before they actually
(18:39):
can, you know, learn what we'regoing to be doing.
So it's just that routine.
Again, I would say that routineis huge.
The day from there they haveUnited Arts, which they get
their arts, they get their PhiEd, they get their music and
we're real thankful for that.
They love every class.
They're excited when they knowexactly from the morning message
which day it is, because theroutine changes a little bit.
I'm really happy with how ourschedule has flowed, with
(19:04):
academics heavy in the morningand then some more in the
afternoon and then the scienceand social studies.
The kids really love when theyget to do any type of
experimenting.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
I bet.
Speaker 2 (19:12):
Or I have a love for the outdoors so they really like
to hear about the differentanimals or sharing pictures and
things like that for science andreading the books.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
And Oak Hill's got the big woods right, we do, you
get to do a little bit ofoutdoor environment we do.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
It was really nice.
We've been out there even on alittle scavenger hunt that our
glides set up this year and thatwas really fun to get back out
there and go check it out.
We're fortunate to have thetrails through there and that
area that you can go explore.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
I'm going to shift just a second, because you
talked about families a littleearlier and I wanted to circle
back to that, because we knowthat again, when you talk about
change, we know that whenparents are looking for a school
for their kindergartner, again,it's so different from the way
(20:01):
we grew up, where you went toschool in your neighborhood.
Now it's a shopping expedition,right, if I'm that parent of
that five-year-old and a littlebit of excitement, but also
maybe a lot of weariness.
What should those families be,those parents be looking for in
a kindergarten experience?
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Well, first of all, I'd invite them in.
I mean, come and check outthose schools, you know.
Don't just go by word of mouthand what other people are saying
.
Come in for your own experience.
I personally welcome it Ifthey're coming through.
Stop in.
If you stay too long you'regoing to get put to work.
That's great.
But no, I really.
I think they should come in andjust see how it feels to you
(20:42):
when you walk in.
You know, I think you want thatfeeling when you walk into the
building that people are happyto be there.
You want that where people aregreeting you, asking and
noticing you that, oh, what areyou doing here, you know, and
just saying hi, where are youcoming from?
I think of they should bemeeting with the administration
so they know, kind of, what pathis your school going in.
(21:05):
I think of qualified teachers.
As you come in, talk to them,see what are our backgrounds,
what kind of education do youhave, how long have you been
here?
What else have you done?
I think it'd be reallyinteresting for them to know how
many different things teacherswe all have done.
We wear a lot of different hats, that's right.
Talking then to people aboutthe curriculum, like you
mentioned it earlier, it'schanging all the time.
(21:27):
So is a school that you'relooking at, possibly that
friends have talked highly of.
Are they up to the currenttimes with the new curriculum?
Are they meeting the standardsFor me personally, I love
extracurricular, you thinksports, and I do love the sports
, but I'd also be checking intowhat can my kid do after school
(21:49):
if they're not into sports?
about the arts, the music,robotics, theater, so many
opportunities there is in ourdistrict and I think that keeps
kids engaged.
And I've seen it through thekids I've coached where when
they're out of season somethings start to slip a little
bit with maybe their grades ortheir attendance.
But when it is something thatthey're excited to do or it's
something they're lookingforward to do after school, it
(22:11):
seems all of a suddenassignments are getting turned
in, they're more accountable.
So I think, no matter what partof the arts it is to get, you
know, check into that.
I think of also the culture,like when you walk into the
school, how are the kidsbehaving, how are the kids
interacting with each other asyou just walk quietly around the
halls and what do you notice?
(22:32):
And then safety is a big thing,you know.
Are our schools secure whenpeople are coming in?
And just to have that feeling,when you're thinking, ooh,
sending my little one off,what's the protocol here?
Can anyone just come in?
And just having that be restassured, I guess for me a big
one would be if I went around ishow are you going to meet the
needs of my child?
And just because you have somany, but then also have them
(22:54):
reach their full potential,because everyone's full
potential is a little different.
And I would really think if youinterviewed all the teachers
you know in this district we allwant the kids to succeed.
So to have that talk, to knowthat let's have communication If
you're feeling something, justyou know that openness to
communicate back and forth.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
That's fabulous.
I would love families to takeyour invitation right.
More families to take thatinvitation and More families to
take that invitation and they do.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
I will be honest, I see a lot of families walking
through the halls and they dostop in.
I think that is really nicethat they schedule that time to
go around and check it out.
It tells you that theireducation is really important in
what they're looking for, andthen they make the decision that
best fits the needs of theirfamily.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
Now kindergarten enrollment.
We actually start in ourdistrict in January, right, and
I know that you just had youropen house, so probably a
one-on-one interview at thispoint is what we really want
families to do, because wewrapped up those open houses,
but it's not too late to enrollfor next year, right?
(23:59):
What's that process?
How does that happen?
Speaker 2 (24:01):
And we do get a lot of those happening throughout
the summer because if you're newto it you might not know what
the protocol is.
But if you have questions youdefinitely can call your area
school.
But otherwise, if you know yourchild is going into school, it
would be going over to CoreReview, to the Welcome Center
and just checking in there andseeing if you want to fill
something out face to face.
Otherwise, definitely online isanother way to do it.
(24:24):
Online For me I'm much moregoing in and then talking to
people.
But whatever works for you,there are many routes with it.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
And I appreciate that because sometimes families will
do the interview and think theycan enroll right on site.
So it's important that they doknow.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
yeah, there's a process and you're either going
to do it online or you're goingto go over to the welcome center
, and I really like you bringingup the open house, because
we're always trying to figureout how to get more families in
earlier for that, to kind ofhear about all the things we
just talked about.
When members of the team arethere, they're up front
answering questions, they'retelling you what that day looks
like, what to expect, but at thesame time there's other
(25:02):
teachers back in the classroomwith the kids showing them.
This is what a classroom lookslike.
Here's a story.
Let's sit down so it gives themthat first little feel of the
building.
But also it's just that I knowit's a little early, like you
said earlier in January, butours is more in the spring, just
to be open to that and stoppingin and if it's something like
you're still undecided whereyou're going, it's a perfect
time to kind of get that time totalk to teachers Every one of
(25:25):
them Ask your questions.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Yeah, that's fabulous.
We were chatting on the phonethe other week and I brought up
that.
You know there are so manystories.
Do you have a favorite story?
Speaker 2 (25:40):
It's funny when you ask that it just like I was like
oh my gosh.
I always put things so like outof my mind.
So I'm like what happenedyesterday?
I'll show back up to work.
I don't remember that.
There there's so many that Iwish I know people have told me
you should just write them alldown.
It's one thing to the next,next, and you never write them
down.
But I would say a lot of them,I mean, you can't share because
(26:03):
they deal with either someonehaving an accident or puking or
something, but the ones that arereally special.
I think of one where I hadgotten done teaching and I went
over to South where I wascoaching and I was walking down
the hall all of a sudden I mean,I'm not kidding, look like a
grown man.
I mean, he was four inchestaller than me.
(26:24):
So he's six, three, it seems,six four, I don't know twice as
wide as me.
And all of a sudden he came andI recognized him and he's like
remember me?
And I'm like, well, yeah, andhe just gave me the biggest hug
and it was it A funny one?
(26:45):
I was trying to think of a funnyone and then it actually one
happened, and now I already haveput that one out of my mind to
kind of to move on to the, tothe next one, and I think about,
like today, one who was in thehall was a little boy who he was
a first grader and, of course,walking down the hall, he smiled
(27:06):
and I said hi to him and I knowexactly who he was.
Walking down the hall and hesmiled and I said hi to him and
I know exactly who he was, anduh he goes, you forgot, it's my
birthday today oh, and I'm likeI never had seen him with his
you know crown in the hall or Iwas like, oh, I did.
I'm so sorry, happy birthday,but I thought from last year he
remembered how big a day hisbirthday was and you know it was
his special day.
So I I thought that was kind ofcute how they remember those
(27:28):
things that you have said oryou've done.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
Because it matters, it does yeah and they carry.
That is.
That's a great story.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
I do have one other one that you'll love.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Oh good.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
Yeah, and see, now I'm starting to think of them.
It's like things spur it.
Yeah, but this was a cute one.
It happened about two weeks ago.
Kids at school, the birthdaything got me, oh yeah.
So kids come around that you'vehad for past students and they
brought around a cupcake andthey came in and typically I'll
take the cupcake and I'll put itup higher.
But I was teaching and we didcelebrate and congratulate them
(28:02):
and everything, but I justcouldn't grab the cupcake.
So they had a little glove andset it on my desk and I was like
perfect and went on with allthe teaching and everything else
.
And the deal with the cupcakesis typically I save them for the
custodian after school.
He does a great job I enjoy.
He just likes to joke around.
We have a good time, so I'mlike it's always his special
(28:23):
treat.
So at the end of the day wewere over there and then one of
the kids saw Tom, our custodian,and they're like, oh, you got
to get him his treat.
And I went over to get histreat and the whole cupcake was
eaten from the top down.
It was just the perfect wrappersitting there and there was
(28:44):
about a million crumbs around it.
And I'm thinking what happened?
How did that cupcake get eaten?
And I'm looking at all the kidsin the room and no one has
frosting on them and I can'tfigure out who did it.
So then one of the little girlsshe kind of Tom was leaving and
she runs out and said did youeat your cupcake?
(29:05):
And he laughs.
He's like no, I didn't evenknow.
So that day your cupcake.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
And he laughs, he's like no, I didn't even know.
So that day didn't know whathappened to the cupcake, it's
just a mystery.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
So the next day I had my morning message, I added it
in there.
Well, these kids now, like Isaid, they can read and
everything.
So they came right in and theyread you know, who knows what
happened to the cupcake,figuring out.
Well, that just turned intoeveryone just guessing and this
and that and pointing fingers.
All of a sudden and I did havea little part on there that just
(29:33):
said you know, just tell thetruth, it's easy, just tell the
truth, it's fine, you're not introuble.
And they're guessing.
Nope, all of a sudden I'mstanding at, uh, by my desk and
I was checking these numbersthat one of my friends had
written and I look at him and heis the tiniest little guy in my
class and I just kind of wasjoking.
I go did you eat my cupcake?
(29:54):
And he goes yes, and I'm likehe doesn't understand what I'm,
he doesn't understand what I'msaying right now.
He just may thought he wanted acupcake.
So I said no.
I said do you remember thecupcake I got yesterday?
I said I put it on my desk, orthe girl put it on my desk.
I go did you eat my cupcake?
And he goes yes, and it wasfull blown tears and he was
(30:17):
crying and I'm like it's okay,it's okay, you're not in trouble
, thanks for telling the truth.
And I was just like, oh boy, hecould barely see over my desk.
How did he eat that wholecupcake?
But it was a hungry morning.
It was so cute.
So yeah, he got that littlecupcake all the way down.
Speaker 1 (30:37):
Oh, thank you for that.
Like I said, there's nothinglike a kindergarten story.
There's so many and I can'tremember until you say something
, and then that'll.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Oh yeah, I can think of another one.
So yeah, thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
I thought of one other thing when we were talking
about families and also aboutchange and how much our
expectations for kindergartenhave changed over the years, as
well as how we teach and dokindergarten.
So I think, for parents whomight be listening, one of the
questions, if they've never hada kindergartner before, is what
(31:12):
should I do?
What can I do to prepare mylittle one?
You know, are they going to bescared?
Do they know their letters?
Speaker 2 (31:19):
That's a great question and that actually
brought up another funny story.
But we'll get to that one.
But yeah, no, I think one ofthe things that you know for
them is not everyone maybechooses or knows to send their
kids off to a preschool, whichwe have that ability here now
with the three year olds, fouryear olds.
So definitely take part in thatif you can and ask about it at
Quarry View, at the WelcomeCenter.
(31:41):
But if you don't, I thought youknow, just sitting down for a
few minutes and just writing thename with your child, their
name, and then just going overthe letters in their name and if
they get secure, Sounds yeahand the sounds for sure.
And if you are secure with thatfirst name don't think that they
have it because they memorizereally quick Then maybe just cut
it like something simple, thatcutting it, mix it up and say,
(32:03):
now can you put it back like alittle puzzle and then move on
to their last name.
When you give them a snack, youjust, however many are there,
just say, hey, can you countthat real quick before you get
to eat them, let's count them.
And then you know, even asthey're done counting them, say
okay, now eat one and there'sone less than 10.
And just talking andinteracting for those few
minutes with the kid I thinkthat would really be big.
(32:25):
And then like what you broughtup with Pack Rad, but just
finding any kind of book youhave and just reading to them If
you don't have time to do thoseother things, because your day
you're working and you got otherkids and family commitments,
things like that just beforethey go to bed.
Get in that routine of let'sjust sit down for five minutes
and let's read a story togetherand then just asking them some
(32:47):
questions as you do that.
You know you don't have to readthe whole book, just stop it,
save it, but ask some colorquestions, shapes, looking at it
and asking you know the maincharacter, who that is or what
the book was about.
That would be a big one.
It's just taking the time toslow down and have that little
interaction, you know, with yourkids.
I know I'm definitely guilty ofit.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Well, and I think probably one of the things
parents need to hear is thisadvice, isn't pressure right?
This is how you kind oforganically work with your child
and again, it is aboutconfidence.
But if you're reading or doingsome of these things along the
way, that kind of builds withouta checklist.
(33:29):
Yeah exactly A parent checklist.
Okay, I have to do this.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
Well, I think of how much time we spend in vehicles
now going from one place to thenext and just even just counting
things and then counting backwith them.
I mean the kids singing the ABCsong, absolutely, it's just,
they really like it and they'llget that routine.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Although I have to say that if it had been one of
my daughters and I had stoppedat a certain point, I would have
been called out.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
No, you forget, got to keep going yeah and no and
they'll, and they'll let you,you know, kind of go off and
they'll let you.
They'll tell you what they want.
And I think that's, you know,really cool.
Like when you were talkingabout the place centered stuff
to watching kids as the yeargoes on, where it used to be,
just like playing with thetrucks and the dolls and the
magnet blocks and the Play-Dohand the STEM building things.
(34:19):
Now it's like, oh, I think I'mgoing to go over to the math
center and I'm going to grab abunch of the math games, or I'm
going to the reading area andI'm going to grab that.
Or a little boy just yesterdayhe was on the rug and he was
just running across that rug buthe was saying the letter and
the sound and then running to itand then, before you know it, a
couple other kids joined inwith him and they were all
(34:41):
moving around that rug and I waslike, yeah, what a useful thing
that we have around the room.
We typically just sit on aletter for our morning meeting,
but now he's turning it into agame that others really want to
play.
Speaker 1 (34:53):
That made me think of what you see.
Speaker 2 (34:55):
That must be incredible growth, like what you
see in a little person fromthat September date to right now
, when we're letting loose inMay it's amazing and we have so
many kids to coming to us withEL learning English as their
next language.
And it is amazing, like it isunbelievable, the growth when
(35:17):
you're learning another languagebut then also academically, the
growth you make.
It is, it's unbelievable.
It's it's that really makes youfeel good at the end of the
year when you see that growth.
I very much enjoy my job and Idefinitely I know people have
said you know, like if you findthe job, that isn't where it
feels like work.
You know you never work a dayin your life.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
I'm very fortunate that I found that.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
That's beautiful.
Thank you so much again.
Speaker 2 (35:43):
Thank you, this has been so fun.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
And in case you do not know, we have a gift for you
Everybody who comes toCoffeeCast gets a coffee.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
Well, thank you.
It's probably good that youdidn't do this in the morning,
because I think my team and mywife and everyone else out there
would think you don't want tosee me on coffee, so it's
probably better to get that withno coffee in it right now.
Speaker 1 (36:06):
All right, well, you can use juice, I won't complain.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
I think one day I'll have that coffee.
So thank you very much.
Thank you, jeff, I appreciateit.
Speaker 1 (36:15):
Take care, thanks.
Do you have a great podcastidea?
Submit your idea tocommunications at isd742.org.
And thank you for listening to742 CoffeeCast, the best place
to stay informed and be inspiredby St Cloud Area School
District.
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