·
Upcoming
Conferences/Workshops/Professional Development Opportunities
·
March 25, 2017
7:30 AM – 4:00 PM University of Wisconsin,
Plattville: smaller conferences, 2 keynotes, with
sectionals, $70 per person
·
April 7 & 8 University
of White Water; larger conferences; Fri & Sat. Theme:
“We Teach Them, They Teach Us.”
Dr. Jean as a keynote; professional development units for both Wisconsin
and Illinois schools along with Gateways
o
$100 per day/$180 two days
·
August 4, 2017
8:00 AM – 3:30 PM Concordia,
Chicago: Theme- “Young Thinkers,
Creators, Communicators, and Collaborators”
by Dr. Rebecca Isbell with 30+ sectionals; Lunch with children’s author Lori Degman
; Online registration, Professional Development Units & Gateway
Credit $110 per person
· State Board of Education Webinars- These webinars are archived and available
on a variety of topics back to 20005.
Immanuel Belvidere use these webinars regularly. Free
·
Preschool
Open House Models
·
Whole School Fellowship Open House- Host a thematic school wide event with some
type of a theme such as Science. Each
part of the building would have a different activity (science experiment) related to this area. Present as well as new
families/students go around the building to experience the various activities
and school personnel. School tours are also hosted by parent
volunteers. At the end of the night a
special “cultural arts” type assembly is hosted in the gym (Laser Show from “Class Acts”). Two fold
objective for the night: Fun fellowship
event for present families as well as an engaging Open House for new families
to learn more about the school and experience the true “climate” of the
school. Present school families enjoy
inviting their neighbors to come to “their school” for this fun evening which
typically runs from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. ( St.
Peter, Arlington Heights)
·
Pre-K Round-Ups- New families with their children are invited
to the school, typically during after-hours time periods, to be able to visit the school’s classrooms
and staff. Usually done in the spring
time during enrollment season. (Immanuel, Belvidere and others)
·
Ministry
Stories & High Points
·
Prayer:
Seeing children growing in their prayer life and offering to lead a
prayer either at school or at homes. The
parents are often touched by these prayers and begin integrating prayer into
their home life when they see their children’s interest in prayer. (Rockford
Academy)
·
“Bicycle Blessing” activity: Used with a traditional Bike-A-Thon activity
in which funds are raised for various causes (St. Jude, etc). The children and their family members from
the various school and church ministries bring their bikes to school on a
Saturday morning. The pastors are there
to bless the bikes. (Christ United Methodist Church, Rockford)
·
Door Decorating Contest: Parents decorate the various classroom doors
using some suggested Bible verses.
Church members are encouraged to come to the preschool wing to view the
doors during weekend worship services.
The doors are photographed and put on the school’s FACEBOOK page. Parents and church members are encouraged to
“share” the school’s FACEBOOK page and vote on their favorite door. The prize is the “bragging rights” to the
winning door. (Trinity (TLC Preschool), Huntley)
·
Creative
Arts with the School & Church
·
Art
Shows featuring process oriented art along with mounted photos of the art
being created. Church and School
families are encouraged to attend and participate in it. Arrange the art projects on the walls using
the child’s first name so all of the projects are mixed together and it looks
like an “art museum” which promotes people looking at a variety of projects and
not just their child’s classroom art. Play classical music in the area where the
art is displayed. Post state standards
for each art project. Add band/choir
concerts, ice cream socials, mini dramas, etc to this evening (Trinity-
TLC, Huntley; St. Peter, Arlington
Heights; Immanuel, Belvidere; Christ United Methodist Church, Rockford)
·
Art in the Classroom Use lots of silly songs from educators such
as Jim Gill. Use videos where the
students are dancing as well as singing.
(Immanuel, Freeport)
·
Music Night Invite members of the congregation, as well
as school family members, to bring in instruments that they know how to play to
an evening event. Have them demonstrate
the instruments and allow the children to come up to them and gently touch the
various instruments. It’s an “Instrument
Petting Zoo. (Grace, Loves Park)
·
Featured Musician Nights Bring in recordings/videos of such musicians
as Louis Armstrong and host an evening of a particular type of genre such as
jazz music with Louie Armstrong or
Christian music from Yancy http://yancyministries.com/
o
(Immanuel,
Freeport and Rockford Lutheran Academy)
·
Promote a Process over Product emphasis- Reinforce this concept to families by posting
state standards for all are areas of the arts in public areas with examples. Include this information in newsletters
(“Creative Arts Links” attached), parent education activities, etc. Use the poem “There’s Nothing in My Bag
Today” (attached).
·
Drama, Music & Art integrated: “Toymaker” imaginative play drama ( Rockford Lutheran) and the “Animal
Boogie” children’s book creative arts activity (St. Peter, Arlington Heights)
·
Singing in Worship Services: Classes
singing during worship services. Use
engaging worship songs and include artwork and movement as appropriate and
available.
“Rockford Lutheran Academy”
Early Childhood
Faculty Staff:
Curtis
Wudtke: Principal & Music Teacher
Mary Cannon: Director of Outreach
Julie Krause: Pre Elementary Teacher
Kelsey
Taglia: Pre Elementary Teacher
Dina Duy: Pre Elementary Teacher
Katie Krause : Drama Teacher
Not Pictured:
Pam
Gillingham Pre Elementary Teacher
Tammy Dunbar Kindergarten Teacher
Jennifer Anderson: Kindergarten Teacher
Recent
Accomplishments:
oMajor curriculum updating in their “Pre
Elementary” department from “Mother Goose” to “DIG” (Abrahams Company)
o
Major joys in ministry: Sharing God and being able to talk about God;
Seeing children helping other children;
having a great team of early childhood professionals including classroom
teachers, administrators, drama & music teachers
o
Developing of a new program called “Ready, Set,
Go” which are kindergarten readiness materials.
They are available to help preschool families with a better
understanding of kindergarten readiness.
Contact Curtis Wudtke 815-226-4947 ext 278 or cwudtke@rockfordlutheran.org for more information about this program.
Creative Arts Links
How Process Art Experiences Support
Preschoolers:
Preschoolers Creative Learning and Development: What to Expect:
6 Ways to Inspire Creativity:
http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/intellectual/why-art-and-creativity-are-important/
1 1. Prepare for a mess.
Set up an art space where your kid can be free to experiment (and get messy!),
Throw a drop cloth or a newspaper on top of your kitchen table or in the
garage. If weather permits, let kids paint outside.
2. Avoid giving direction.
Don't tell your kid what to make or how to make it. Instead of saying,
"Paint a rainbow," encourage her to experiment with mixing colors
using different types of brushes and paper,
3. Speak specifically about art.
When talking to your child about his artwork, try to be precise in your comments.
For instance, instead of giving a generic compliment, say "I see you used
a lot of purple. Why did you choose that color?"
4. Explore your child's process.
Often the best way to encourage conversation about your child's art is simply
to say, "Tell me about what you made," or ask, "Did you have fun
making it?"
5. Don't draw with your child.
When parents draw something representational while a younger child is
sketching, it can frustrate them. It's
better to be near the child and let them know that you're interested and
supportive of their art-making.
6. Let it be. When a child
finishes a piece, don't suggest additions or changes. It's important for a child to feel that what
she's created is enough -- even if it's just a dot on the page.
THERE’S
NOTHING IN MY BAG TODAY
Today I did
my math and science,
I toasted
bread.
I halved
and quartered.
I counted,
measured, used my eyes
And ears
and head.
I added and
subtracted on the way,
I used a
magnet, blocks, and memory tray.
I learned
about a rainbow and how to weigh.
So please
don’t say, anything in your bag today?
You see I’m
sharing as I play.
I learned
to listen and
Speak
clearly when I talk,
To wait my
turn, and when inside to walk.
To put my
thoughts into a phrase,
To guide a
crayon through a maze.
To find my
name and write it down,
To do it
with a smile and not a frown.
To put my
pasting brush away,
So please
don’t say, what, nothing in your bag today?
I’ve
learned about a snail and a worm,
Remembering
how to take my turn.
Helped a
friend when he was stuck,
Learned
that water runs off a duck.
I
looked at words from left to right.
Agreed to
differ, not to fight.
So please
don’t say, did you only play today.
Creative
Arts through the
Integration
of Art, Music, Drama & Dance
With the
book
The Animal Boogie
Illustrated
by Debbie Harter & Sung by Fred Penner
Barefoot
Books
Art-
Make creative animal costumes (animal skins) , props (claws, wings) &
backdrops (jungles) using fur, ribbons,
feathers, cardboard, paints, markers, butcher paper, ribbons, paper plates,
etc.
Music-
An energetic CD and sheet music comes with the book. Repetition and rhyme allows for children to become actively
involved as one of the various animals.....shaking like a bear, swinging like a
monkey, stomping like an elephant,
flapping like a bird, leaping like a leopard, slithering like a snake,
etc
Drama
& Movement- Each group acts out a
different animal and verse with their own version of how the animal moves. Everyone joins in on the refrains and final
verse
Other Related Books:
Over
in the Meadow
Illustrated by Jill McDonald and Sung by Susan Reed
Walking
Through the Jungle
Illustrated by Debbie Harter and Sung by Fred Penner
The
Animal Bop Won’t Stop by Jan Ormerod & Lindsey Garnier
Good information. Lucky me I came across your website by accident on google search..
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