Learning with
Beatrix
Potter: Reflections
Mary Glendening
"Getting children
excited about
reading and writing" is a goal I have for my first graders. One
of the
ways to do this is get them very involved in a project such as this.
First I
introduce the children to the characters and their books by my reading
to them.
Then they read at their reading level to the characters and bond with
the characters.
After the characters have moved to other classrooms in other states
and countries
the children can 't wait to get pictures and messages, just like they
are family
and friends. They go looking in the library for other books by the
same author
and ask me to read them, their parents to read to them or to read by
themselves.
They get to know the characteristics of the various characters and
suggest activities
that certain characters would like to be involved with or shouldn't be
involved
with.
When they write (many
times not
an assignment), the characters are often a part of the poem or story.
Parent
notes in the back of books that my class has written include:
"I am really proud
of Mrs.
Glendening 's class. You are remarkable readers and writers. What a
fun and
wonderful way to learn and to share with each other and other schools.
Our world
is a big place but we can still be connected and unified."
"What fun ideas! Our
whole
family loved haring about Peter and all his friends. It was a very
special day
when Peter visited us."
"What a wonderful
creation!
You simply amaze me with your publications. You all do spectacular
work and
we truly enjoy getting to see your accomplishments. Thanks for sharing
and keep
up the nice work."
I just love watching the
looks on
the children as I read these parents ' comments. They feel so proud of
themselves
and so eager to read. I have done a similar project as this for the
last six
years. Each year it grows a little. I think of new books that can be
included.
Participants have more and more access to technology, so we have more
pictures,
more communication, more sites to visit. I have already received more
applications
than I can accept for this coming year. It simply is a project that my
students
and parents would not let me eliminate.
Editors ' Note: Mary
Glendening
's project, created for her students, earned second place in the 2002
SIGTel
Online Learning Awards competition. The students ' access to
technology resulted
in an electronic presentation of their work. The visuals and sound
clips reflect
the students ' enthusiasm and the advanced vocabulary they gained as
they prepared
and read the script for the slide presentation.
Mary Glendening
Jefferson Elementary School, Pella Iowa
glendeningm@central.edu
|
