This week's spotlight shines on Ms. Crystal Alexander and her early childhood students! Crystal works hand in hand with two paraprofessionals in her class, Ms. Angie Dale and Ms. Angelina Houtman, to help kids gain the vital foundational skills and building blocks they need to become lifelong learners. I was invited in to see the students working on letter acquisition using "alphabet buckets," an activity that builds upon the introduction to the alphabet that they had recently been introduced to:
"Our alphabet knowledge buckets introduce students to the letters of the alphabet using hands-on manipulatives that they can interact with," said Ms. Alexander. "We spent several weeks using the buckets to focus on the shapes of the letters, whether the letters are formed with straight lines, curved lines, or both."
Now, the students will deepen their knowledge of the alphabet and how to write/draw each letter, using a variety of manipulatives that challenge them to pick items and pictures that start with the specific letter they are working on. After a few minutes of working on the hands-on activity, the students were directed to rotate the "bucket" onto their table mates and work on the next hands-on skill. This kinesthetic learning is precisely what creates long-term memory and learning for our students.
"This week and for the next several weeks, we will work our way through the alphabet again using manipulatives to focus on the sounds the letters make and words that start with the letters," said Crystal.
The activity was not only highly engaging and fun for the kids, as most hands-on activities are, but the teachers in the rooms were also having a blast:
"I love the letter buckets, all the different ways we let kids explore writing, building, and making letter sounds," said Ms. Angelina Houtman.
Ms. Angie Dale also commented on how it's more than just a fun time but a chance for students to learn critical reading and writing skills:
"Alphabet buckets are a great learning opportunity," said Ms. Angie Dale
Between the laughing and engagement, it was obvious that the students were having fun, but let's hear directly from them. Here are some quotes:
"We do it to make letters!"
'I like the paint one!"
"I like the letter maze!"
"I think they are fun!"
"I like playing to learn!"
"It's like playing games!"
Ms. Alexander could tell by the excitement and engagement of her students that they were not only having fun but learning and remembering the work:
"I love when students excitedly tell me, 'That letter is in my name' or in a friend or family member's name," said Ms. Alexander. "Hearing the students make connections to the letters and providing them with a hands-on opportunity to explore the letters, I feel confident they will learn and remember them!"