Wow!!!!!!!!!!

If you ask any teacher, especially former teachers (a.k.a. my mom), if you mention the phrase "teacher in-service" faces start squinting and they do anything to change the subject.

My mom's consistent response when I say I had an in-service day is "if you came away with one thing you can use, it was a productive in-service".  See mom, I listen to you.  

So at the beginning of the year, one of our in-service topics was on a fixed mind-set.  I know I am guilty of limiting my kids' abilities and saying they can or can't do something because of their age or what student's haven't been able to do in the past.

If we as educators have a fixed mind-set about what children can or can't do it translates to the kids and they begin to believe that mind-set as well.

My point in this rambling is that today I was SOOOOOOOO guilty of that fixed mind-set.  Today my kids reminded me, ever so gently, that my mind-set was getting in the way of their learning.

I had a lesson plan all ready to go and they proved they could rise to the challenge and, in fact, surpassed my expectations of them.

Backup a minute: Yesterday, was Kindergarten specials.  I had all the K and Pre-K kids and they learned a new song game that is very traditional for this age, "Apple Tree". 

 

A very simple song with a very simple game.  They did a great job learning the song, practicing sol and mi (high and low singing) and even did some audiating (singing through the song but leaving out certain words and only thinking them) and of course, playing the game.

Back to the present:

In my schedule today I had both the full Pre-K class and one of the Kindergarten classes back-to-back.  My Pre-K class came in and the plan was to "review the song, play the game and move on to another game".  As I was beginning this simple plan, one of the boys just started singing the song on his own.  At first I was upset that he was singing while I was trying to talk.  I mean "how dare he!!, right"?  Then when I shut up and just listened to him, I was in awe.  Here is this little 5-year-old who has a beautiful little singing voice, singing the words spot on, matching pitch and great rhythm and beat.  After I picked my chin up off the floor, I realized my fixed mind-set of what they couldn't do had gotten in the way of an amazing class possibility.

After he had finished the first time I asked him if I could record him.  Here is the recording and just "wowed" me.

So then............

After he had finished singing, more wanted to sing by themselves.  15 out of 17 of the Pre-K sang a solo of "Apple Tree".  I was so proud of them.  Singing a solo can be very scary, but this is a great start that it's not as scary as they think.

The next half hour, I had Kindergarten class and was planning the same lesson.   Having learned my lesson previously, I offered these kids a chance to sing with a partner to save on time since they have more students.  All but 4 students chose to sing.  This video was one of my favorites.

So after all that rambling, I love when I continue to learn along with my students.  

It was a really fun day today and so proud of my kids. Lesson learned.