Tinokla Scribbles and Doodles » Teaching Resources

Thinking About THINK AHEAD

tinokla — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 16:19:21 +0000

Think Ahead is one of the offerings we have for this summer. Just like our other programs, it will run for about a month, 22 days to be exact. As per what I’ve written in the brochure, Think Ahead will offer advanced lessons in Reading and Math, in a stress-free and encouraging learning environment.

Teachers at this point might say, yeah right, easier said than done. Yup, I admit that this program is not going to be a walk in the park. On the contrary, it will be complicated and tricky. It will involve a lot of thinking and planning. Reading and Math encompass a lot of skills. Hence, time pressure is imminent. I have to produce evident results in less than a month. To make matters more challenging, I’ve been handling toddlers for quite some time now and suddenly, I am to make a 360 degree turn, and teach the oldest preschoolers. Honestly, I am nervous as hell… but, thankfully, the adventurous me is all hyped and excited. I am looking forward to planning and conceptualizing the program. It will be tough but I am ready to face it. Hence, I started this topic to document my activities as I go through the whole Think Ahead process. Hopefully, the end-product of it all is an effective and reliable program for reading and math.

Preschool Worksheets: Animal Friends Theme

tinokla — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:57:28 +0000

Animal Friends is a wonderful theme that children truly enjoy! You can inject lots of activities to make the topic more engaging for the kids. In our school, we organized a field trip to Hansa Toys Factory, Animal Show and Tell, and Animal Puppet Show. The kids had a blast!
Here are the coloring and general readiness worksheets I made for my pre-nursery babies!

Worksheet 1: Farm and Farm Animals Coloring Pages

Worksheet 2: Match the Same Farm Animals

Worksheet 3: Animal Coloring Pages from Supercoloring.com

Worksheet 4: Animal Coloring Pages from Supercoloring.com

Worksheet 5: Circle the Correct Number of Animals

Halloween Costume Blues

tinokla — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 04:25:29 +0000

Seriously, it is soooo difficult to find the right halloween costume for kids. Yeah I know… it should not be. However, I could not help but think once, twice, or more, before I buy something for my Amber! For one, I feel that the costumes available in the malls are not aesthetically satisfying. The money we spend on them is not truly worth it! Secondly, if you buy ready made, there is a chance that you will bump into somebody wearing the same thing! To eliminate these halloween costume blues, we, mommies, have no choice but to let the creative juices flow! Seek inspiration from current trends and fad… Mix and match anything that is readily available and come up with something simple but explosive…

That is just what I did! I was sifting through available costumes in the market with my eldest, Pauline. She saw this wig and said it looks like Lady Gaga’s hair… Upon hearing that, I had a sudden burst of inspiration! I could not really imagine it by that time but I still went along with the idea. So I grabbed the wig, paid it, and searched the net for Lady Gaga’s images.

Then I realized that it is not as easy as it seems. I mean, seriously, Lady Gaga’s complex personality extends to her wardrobe! I got all jittery and nervous, my confidence dwindling rapidly that I was so tempted to back out at the last minute and run to SM and buy a Snow white costume. But then I thought, I do not need to exactly copy her. Hello, this is Lady Gaga we are talking about! I just need to think weird, sexy, shiny, and pretty!! So that’s what I did!

I dug up an old white leotard and asked my eldest to stick several pieces of silver foil paper on it. I wanted to buy some fishnet stockings but they do not have anything on Amber’s size so I decided to do without it. Then, I did her make up and asked my husband to draw Lady Gaga’s signature lightning bolt on her face using liquid eyeliner. Then, we put the wig on her and amazingly, it was magic! She was so cute and pretty and true enough, her entrance in the venue created quite a stir! She received plenty of compliments and made many people smile!

Here is a picture of my pretty Lady Gaga!

Preschoolville Update: Spooky Fun Party 2010

tinokla — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:02:12 +0000

As we await the launching of our website, I’ve decided to share my thoughts about recent experiences we’ve had in our school- Preschoolville Learning Center. I should have done this a long time ago… The bum in me has been waiting for some free time to get things done. Now, I realized that there is no such thing as ‘free time’. We alone can ‘make time’. Anyways, along side this, I vow to start mapping out the beginnings of what our website should look like… better watch out for this because we promise to make it explosive!
Well, just a few hours ago, we have successfully concluded our Spooky Fun Party in school. This is when we celebrate Halloween with a bang- dance presentations, games, snacks, trick-or-treat, and bonding with friends and family. Two years ago, I would not have said the same thing… But ever since we modified and improved the Halloween Program we have been accustomed to in another school, I have grown to really appreciate what we have done. See, our Spooky Fun Party does not have any element of competition since there are no best costume winners here… As what we always do, we put the children at the center of the whole thing- from the planning, organizing, and implementing. And in the process, without really trying so hard, we get to impress our parents, too.
Parents’ support are imperative to ensure the success of any program. Our reputation for pulling out effective activities have enabled us to rightfully earn their trust. Later on, whenever you seek their help, they know and believe that what you are doing are for their kids’ benefit.
Check out some of our Spooky Fun Party pictures!

I will really do my best to update my readers about the recent happenings in Preschoolville! Until our next program! Ciao!

My Low Budget Costume for International/UN Day

tinokla — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 09:40:07 +0000

It’s October again and a lot of Kapampangan folks flock to Plaridel to find their kids national costumes to wear in their school programs. Good thing, this area is loaded with shops that rent out a wide range of costumes. So basically, if you have the budget, you will never run out of something to wear. The problem is, once the demand is high, the supply becomes limited, and prices skyrocket. This fact makes moms like me think thoroughly about the practicality of the situation. I mean, would I rent a costume for 400 pesos just for a 2 hour program? There are ways to alleviate this concern. For one, rent early. Early birds have the luxury of choosing from a wide array of choices and at a fair price. Second, buy your own. SM department stores have costumes that are as cheap as 399 pesos. At least you get to keep it for future use. Third, improvise! I knew a mom who came up with her own ensemble of clothing, and ended up making a Mexican costume for her daughter.

Well, that’s what I did with my costume… I improvised! As a teacher, we are also required to be in any national costume. Now this is pretty much stressful for me… with me being so pregnant and all. Good thing pregnant ladies seem to get all the luck. I have a friend who lent me a preggy gown that with a little bit of imagination, can be transformed into a national costume for India. Though it was a bit big, I settled for it. This leaves me with a second dilemma. Indian women are heavily accessorized. If I were to buy chunky gold earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, I might as well go back to Plaridel and rent a 500 peso Kimono. I was determined to make everything low cost that’s why I came up with an ingenious plan. I bought 2 yards of fancy gold ribbons (the ones with plenty of glittery embellishments) and made my own. Also, I bought a pack of gold sequins and a false eyelash glue. The next day, I woke up early and rigidly put together what I had been imagining all night. After less than two hours, I believe I have almost perfected the looks of an Indian woman… for only 100 pesos… I am so proud of myself!

So you see, with a little bit of money but plenty of ingenuity and imagination, you can make anything happen!

Clker and Philipmartin.info: A Teacher’s Best Friend

tinokla — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 03:42:26 +0000

Searching for classroom materials and images is now a lot easier- thanks to these wonderful websites: http://www.clker.com and http://www.phillipmartin.info/clipart/homepage.htm.
Even with the enormous amount of images that is free and downloadable in the net, I find myself relying on these two sites. For one, the images are more child-friendly. Second, they are absolutely free, no watermarks, no anything… Just make sure that the images will only be used as classroom resource materials and not for profit or anything… If you have other wonderful discoveries, I will very much appreciate it if you can share them as well… Ciao!

All About Shapes!

tinokla — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:43:29 +0000

This school year, I am back to teaching toddlers, yipee! I so love teaching babies and I am now compiling a hefty number of activity sheets that are specifically suited for 2 to 3 year old kids.
However, before I upload my toddler materials, here are a few nursery worksheets that I made last year… this page will specifically contain worksheets about shapes!

Worksheet 1: Cut, stick, and sort the Pictures according to Shapes!

Worksheet 2: Trace and Color the Shapes

Worksheet 3: Find and Color the Shapes

Worksheet 4: Color the Shapes:Heart, Cross, Crescent, Drop, Half-Circle, Star

Worksheet 5: Hearts_worksheet

Worksheet 6: All About Stars

Worksheet 7: Match the Same Shapes

Worksheet 8: Put the Shapes Together by Tracing the Broken Lines

Worksheet 9: Cartoon Shapes Coloring

Worksheet 10: Shapes Booklet- Reinforce Shapes at Home

Worksheet 11: Shapes Booklet-Reinforce Shapes at Home

More to come!

Free Printable Preschool Classroom Flashcards

tinokla — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 10:16:27 +0000

I am aware of how difficult it is to search the internet and local bookstores for instructional materials such as flashcards. Faced with that dilemma, I decided to make my own by sourcing the net for images, doing my own lay-out, printing, and laminating. As I was doing this, I realized that even if there are a thousand images ready to be copied, most are water-marked… I guess not all artists are really willing to share their pictures to us. However, with a few editing, I managed to come up with a decent number of cards for lessons we tackled in class. Flashcards are valuable tools in the classroom, especially when it comes to building vocabulary and comprehension skills. So here below are some flash cards I used in my own class… feel free to print and use them.

Flashcard 1: communityhelpers_flashcards
*images courtesy of philipmartin.info

Flashcard 2: Pictures that begin with the Letter F

Flashcard 3: Pictures that begin with the Letter L

Flashcard 4: Pictures that begin with the Letter M

Flashcard 5: Pictures that begin with the Letter S

Flashcard 6: Pictures that begin with the Letter T

As with my other free resources, this list is also a work in progress… I will be inserting more in the coming days… Please be reminded that these are for classroom use only… tnx and ciao!

First Term Report Card Remarks/Comments (General)

tinokla — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:23:17 +0000

My stats tell me that there is a growing demand for report card remarks/comments that serve as good references during assessment. I was able to salvage some of these in my laptop and thought of adding them to the list I made before… These are 1st term remarks that I made for my Nursery students…

George easily grasps new ideas presented in class. He listens attentively and participates actively during discussions. He also appears to be inquisitive- often asking questions about things that interest him.
Shiela works on assigned tasks with minimal promptings. Her patience when working with table assignments indicates a sense of maturity for her age. She is encouraged to display the same demeanor when playing and conversing with peers.
JonJon is seen to be more confident to express his thoughts in school. He is now observed to initiate and sustain conversations with a few of his classmates and is starting to build relationships with them. He has also become quite participative in class as he readily answers simple questions.
Janey is starting to be more lax and comfortable in class. She now seeks other children during playtime activities and seems to enjoy mingling with them. Her growing confidence is also manifested in her willingness to participate in classroom discussions.
Marge enjoys being given duties and responsibilities. She often volunteers to do particular tasks but sometimes, gets upset if other children are called. She is, however, learning to be more patient.

Trish is gradually becoming independent- she now works on tasks by herself even with her caregiver around. She is encouraged to be on time when she comes to school so she can be fully adjusted to the classroom setting.
Rose is gradually building a good number of vocabulary presented in class. She can name familiar pictures and can associate them to their functions. She is, however, still urged to be more participative in many classroom tasks.

Preschool Worksheets/Activity Sheets/Table Activities: Transportation

tinokla — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 09:41:35 +0000

Our theme for the month of January is “Ways to Travel”. I am now in the process of coming up with some worksheets related to the topic. Will be adding more in the coming days.

Transportation

Worksheet 1: Counting Things that Go (1 to 5)

Worksheet 2: Color the Cars (Reading color words)

Worksheet 3: Big and Small Transportation

Worksheet 4: Park the Cars! (Tracing Broken Lines)

Worksheet 5: Circle the Same Pictures (Transportation)

Worksheet 6: Land, Water, and Air Transportation (Color and Sort)

Worksheet 7: Matching Colors to Colorwords (Trucks)

Worksheet 8: Trucks and Letters( M,S,L,F,T,H)

Worksheet 9: Cars and Numbers (Matching)