Brand New Blog!

Hi! My name is Carolyn Kisloski. I have been teaching Kindergarten for 9 years.  I taught 4 years, stayed home to raise my children, and  returned 5 years ago for my second go-round.  Although a lot has changed academically from the first time I taught Kindergarten, the most important elements remain basically the same: sweet, enthusiastic, four, five, and six year olds full of wonder, ready for anything, and excited to learn!  What could be better?

When I taught Kindergarten in the late 80's  (yep!), we didn't even finish teaching all of the letters and sounds in one year.  Now, my kids end the year reading at a Level D!  WOW! We have Smart boards, computers, and iPads in the classroom. Common Core Standards are creating a more cohesive environment across the country, which has been wonderful for sharing ideas and learning from others who are teaching the same content.  Technology has made sharing these ideas as easy as a click of a button, instead of ordering books with ideas or writing down clever ideas I could "steal" from classrooms when I substituted while I was in college! 

But to me, the precious children I get to teach every day are the true "common core."  This has not changed.  The world changes.  The economy changes.  Style changes.  Technology changes.  Even the definition of "family" changes.  Children have access to more and more things, but honestly, the child hasn't changed.  Children come to Kindergarten excited to learn and grow, love and be loved.  Thank goodness that hasn't changed. 

"Children don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care," is my favorite quote.  I really try to remember this all the time in all that I do.

We may as well extend it to everyone- because it's really true for everyone.

I have enjoyed reading so many fabulous blogs, trying so many fun and creative ideas, and spying on different classrooms via blogs.  I am excited to share ideas I use in my classroom!

Thank you for looking! 

 Happy Teaching!