Today I'm excited because I was invited to share how puppets have helped me and shaped my school counseling story on a #StoriesInEdu podcast.
Do you have any puppets?
We have a parrot, an eagle, a wolf, a sloth, a bird,
atoucan't toucan, a kitten, two pigs, a turtle,
a bronco, a pack rat, a cow, a bear, a giraffe,
Hi Junior!
a caterpillar, and a pirate.
Am I forgetting anyone?
Here's they are, our Puppet Patrol, hanging out in the Puppet-Tree
that Kaitlyn made for us in an architecture class.
Do you have any puppets?
We have a parrot, an eagle, a wolf, a sloth, a bird,
a
a bronco, a pack rat, a cow, a bear, a giraffe,
a caterpillar, and a pirate.
Am I forgetting anyone?
Here's they are, our Puppet Patrol, hanging out in the Puppet-Tree
that Kaitlyn made for us in an architecture class.
It was such a blast, to go back 18 years and reminisce about Seymour, my first puppet, and remember what happened when I first got to Westwood and forgot to grab that baby harp seal when we evacuated for my first fire drill there.
Who knew that the littles would think the puppets were REAL?
And to talk about how I engage all learners from preK through 5th grade
with our squawker, Winthrup, who tends to worry.
To share about the time that some third-grade girls
gave up recess to gather some rocks for my thieving Pack Rat,
so he has his own and doesn't have to steal anymore.
And to plant ideas for using the puppets as a tool to facilitate conversations, to solve problems, and to integrate them into curricular areas, like writing.
And to let them be kids for a bit and play.
Because play heals.
And it's just flat-out fun
for young and old alike.
And today, this note from a fifth-grade girl
who is going to miss us.
Can you feel the puppet love?
The interview is also available as a You Tube clip:
How do you unleash the power of the puppet?
I'm so grateful to the Bretzmann Group and to Mandy and Josh
for this amazing opportunity. It was great fun chatting with them.
Speaking of gratitude, how will you thank
your favorite teachers next week?
Click the image below to go to a guest post
I wrote for my friends at Prosign Design
sharing some intriguing ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week.
Happy May.
My students love puppets, too. While they make appearances in classroom counseling lessons, I use them most to role play skills and strategies learned in group and individual counseling. As for teacher appreciation week, for my own staff, I devised a "bucket list challenge" and had teachers respond with 3 items on their bucket list. I then chose one for each person and sent out the challenge (multiple choice quiz made in Google Forms) for staff members to match a teacher with their bucket list item. $100 bill goes to the winner who correctly matches the most! For my kids' teachers, every year I have written a detailed email of appreciation and sent it to the superintendent, executive director, and building principal with a cc: to the teacher. It seems to be most appreciated. :)
ReplyDeleteThe Bucket List challenge sounds SO amazing; thanks for sharing, Tanya. Did the Foundation or the PTO donate the cash prize?
DeleteI'm also a big fan of the notes of affirmation to the teachers and their supervisors. Great idea! I appreciate YOU.