Ep. 8: Jeff Wucherer: Creating Magic in the Kindergarten Classroom

What makes a kindergarten classroom truly magical? Join us for an enlightening conversation with Jeff Wucherer, a veteran kindergarten teacher with 25 years of experience, as he shares his journey into the world of education. Influenced by his family's teaching legacy and a transformative stint in England, Jeff brings his wealth of knowledge and heartwarming stories to our podcast. From recognizing familiar faces in the community to attending former students' graduations, Jeff paints a vivid picture of the joys and challenges of being a constant presence in his students' lives.

Consistency is key in Jeff's classroom. We explore how routines and transitions play a crucial role in building children's confidence and creating a positive learning environment.  Jeff sheds light on hands-on learning techniques, especially in subjects like math, and the importance of integrating arts and physical education to keep young minds engaged.

Ever wondered how to make everyday activities a fun learning experience for kids? Jeff offers practical and creative tips for parents to engage their children outside the classroom. Discover how simple actions like turning name letters into puzzles or counting snacks can significantly boost a child's confidence and skills. Jeff shares his observations of incredible growth and the joy of witnessing their progress. We invite listeners to submit their podcast ideas to the St. Cloud Area School District. Don’t miss this inspiring episode of the 742 CoffeeCast!

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

The 742 CoffeeCast is your ultimate destination for insightful conversations, thought-provoking ideas and innovative strategies in St Cloud Area School District. Your host is Director of Community Engagement and Communications, tammy DeLand. Grab a cup of coffee and join us.

Speaker 2: 0:27

So I am really excited to be here today with Jeff Wooker from Oak Hill Elementary and if you could just start by introducing yourself a little bit, telling us how long you've been a kindergarten teacher, how long at Oak Hill and so forth? Yeah, thank you. I've been teaching kindergarten for 25 years. I have 26 years in total. I spent one year in second grade, which was a great experience. 23 of those years, actually, I've been in St Cloud. I started my teaching career up in Little Falls with all day kindergarten all the way back then.

Speaker 1: 1:02

Wow, and 25 years of kindergarten. That is amazing. I must say that most people when we think of kindergarten, we think of a bouncy little female teacher, right? How did you choose this path? How did this become your career?

Speaker 2: 1:18

Well watching the movie Kindergarten Cop actually.

Speaker 1: 1:22

Are you kidding? I am.

Speaker 2: 1:23

I'm kidding. Oh, I fell for that. No, okay, I'm just teasing. So no, really, what happened is my parents were both educators, aunts and uncles are educators, so I knew I wanted to go into education when I was in college. All the way back then, kindergarten was an extra endorsement, actually, so I had gone through the elementary education and for my student teaching, I ended up going overseas to Europe and had a great experience over in England when I came back.

Speaker 2: 1:52

It was kind of a in-between time because school was still happening, but I was back and then there was the program for six weeks where you could get your kindergarten endorsement, and so I jumped right into that just to check it out. I got put into actually one of the St Cloud area schools with Jan Kavny and absolutely had a great time. I just loved her energy. I really enjoyed it.

Speaker 1: 2:14

What school was that?

Speaker 2: 2:16

Back then. I don't, that was so long ago I don't remember. I'm sorry I knew, but I do remember just the way she interacted with the kids and I remember the music and just how her personality was just so upbeat and full of energy that I was like, wow, this is really fun. And I was interacting with the kids, just pretty much playing and getting out there and down to their level. It was absolutely wonderful. So I thought, oh, if I was going to look for something, it could be an elementary kindergarten. As it goes on, it kind of went into construction for that summer. In between, as I looked for a job, my professor called me and said if I was interested in kindergarten, she knew somewhere that would be a good fit.

Speaker 1: 2:54

Amazing.

Speaker 2: 2:54

Yeah, it just kind of all one thing led to another and I got put on a really strong team in Little Falls with a lot of senior teachers and had a great time there and yeah, that's that makes a huge difference, doesn't it yeah?

Speaker 1: 3:06

Having the team. What's absolutely the best thing about your job?

Speaker 2: 3:10

Well, there's so many really positive things with my job. First of all it's the kids. They come to school every day just eager to learn. They bring a high energy, but I really enjoy meeting that energy. I think for me I always kind of put the day on. If I leave tired, they won, but if they leave tired, I got them. And you know, here too in the district, just working with the teams I have, they push you to try new things, get better and better and it seems that things have flowed really well. But for me, I would have to say, the best thing about my job would probably be the relationships I make with probably the families. For me, growing up in a small town, having my parents be teachers, I know kind of how they were looked at in the community and for me it was. I definitely want to be living right where I teach. I've been very fortunate to be at Oak Hill the whole time and that's where my home has been the whole time Amazing yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:01

And I very much enjoy meeting the parents at their first entry into school. They're excited, their kids are excited, and then kind of getting them started on that right foot and really when I look back almost all of my friends now are past families that I've taught and I very much really enjoy that.

Speaker 1: 4:20

That right. There is a legacy, that yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:23

Wow, yeah, I enjoy that, even just like the grocery store. Yesterday I turned around and I recognize I'm not always the best with names, but I recognize faces and just to hear, oh my gosh, it's been nine years what they're doing. I really appreciate that, even with graduation time. Now, when you get invited to graduations and you think those kids remember me from way back, then it's really humbling. And I think those kids remember me from way back, then it's really humbling and I think that's kind of the best part of my job is those relationships that I make year in, year out and then when you have those families back and forth, long lasting, yeah, it's really nice.

Speaker 1: 4:55

I'm going to ask the hard question, too, about the most challenging part of your job I think about. Well, my former boss, who happens to now be the commissioner of education, right, we know this, Willie Jett. He used to say you know what, If you're having a rough day, you go in a kindergarten classroom. Right, that, it just turns it around. But I taught high school when I was a teacher. I taught high school also in this district and I tell you what I would take teenagers any day of the week, those little five-year-olds, those adorable five-year-olds, their energy, it's such a different kind of energy, right, and to have 20 of them, I know that that would just tip me over. So you mentioned energy as the positive, like you know, is it also a challenge?

Speaker 1: 5:45

What's the most challenging thing about those little five-year-olds? I?

Speaker 2: 5:48

don't know if the energy for me is the most challenging. I think one of the most challenging things is just where the kids are coming into. There's such a wide gap and I know that's at every level. But when you're getting them at that age and you want to really make sure you're meeting all their needs of the whole class, sure.

Speaker 2: 6:04

And you want to make sure that that first jump into school is just really positive for the families. I think that would be it for me. As far as their energy, I just I really like it. I think when I see you know, even the ladies I work around their energy, it's like we're all. Every year we get older but it doesn't seem like we're slowing down at all, or at least.

Speaker 1: 6:23

I hope they're feeding your energy.

Speaker 2: 6:25

That's what I really feel like the hardest part then I would say too, would just be with how things are changing with kids, with devices interacting with each other Kindergarten, you know, as now we've had all day K for a long time but just having those kids prepared, I think sometimes parents really don't maybe know, like, what the rigor is nowadays for those kids.

Speaker 1: 6:47

You know I was going to ask about that because with your longevity and expertise, you've you're in a unique place to take a look at the scope and kindergartens really changed, hasn't it? How we do kindergarten is different than probably even 10 years ago, and certainly since I was in school. What are some of those changes that you've seen?

Speaker 2: 7:12

Well, when I first started, you know you had the dramatic play and then you also would go week by week through the letters and you could do a lot more hands-on art projects and games and it just seemed like you had a lot more time. Now, when the kids are coming to us, expected to know some things and those letters really are a quick review in the first two to three weeks and then we're off to the races. It does add a little element of challenge to it but honestly, over the years, at first I was a little apprehensive, I'm sure glad that our play has come back. It left for about six years there and that really worried me.

Speaker 1: 7:50

Yeah, the play-based I was going to ask about that because, as you said, we're back around. Why is that so important?

Speaker 2: 7:57

Well, I think you know, with just seeing, with these kids being, I think, on devices a little bit more, and it just doesn't seem all the time like kids are getting out like they used to. I know I also. You know, coach, I was going to mention when you said you got your fix of the teenagers I get that every day over at South and I very much enjoy it.

Speaker 2: 8:13

So for my longevity in kindergarten I think that's part of having the middle school, but yet I get the elementary and it's a good way for me then to transition home no-transcript. Then you get to see these kids explore for themselves. They make mistakes, Like I think of some of the different STEM projects that they might have the ability to go use, and if something doesn't work, I mean they do get frustrated, but then working through that or working with a friend that might have a different idea, I think that's really good.

Speaker 2: 9:14

The hand-eye coordination it is amazing, you know, when we first get these kids how some of them I mean a lot of them don't know how to hold scissors anymore or you know the fine motor skills of just holding a crayon or a marker the correct way and I think it's just they're on a device so much for the touching and things that they don't have to any longer have a book and draw and write things and copy things, I guess, even when they're pretending like we have the magnet blocks and stuff out and just watching daily, even with the Legos. I brought all my kids Legos and instead of having instructions they're like my boys love to do, it's just in a humongous bin and watching them think up their own device, asking if they can keep it for the next day and the next day and add to it and design. I'm really happy that they brought it back and I hope that as we go further they see you know the changes and how positive that has been.

Speaker 1: 10:04

That's so encouraging to hear. What about literacy? I know that one of the things that we hear and I'm sure our families have heard this out there is oh, kids don't read anymore, they don't want to be with books anymore. Do you find that to be the experience?

Speaker 2: 10:20

I don't. Kids absolutely love the books. No-transcript throughout the day and then they move down to the mini math lesson and they're already reading the story problems or whatever I have up there trying to figure it out ahead of time. So I just love to see the confidence as far as having books in their hands. I really don't see that.

Speaker 1: 11:05

It's, we have a.

Speaker 2: 11:05

PACRAP program that we had in the district for how long and I know we celebrated today. I think our goal was like to have 8,500 or 8,300 signatures and I heard the ladies as they were congratulating the kids. It was like 23,000 and some books and that's just the ones that got marked down. I mean we have a lot of them. That kids take books daily but they don't come back signed like they read it or looked at it. So to have that many signatures, I think, really says that no families want books. They want to have that time and maybe it just is. We're all busy, but when it comes home and your kid's asking to do that, we can all find that five, eight, 10 minutes of sitting down and reading. So I really appreciate the pack rat but also the part that parents are making that a priority I guess each evening and that routine.

Speaker 1: 11:50

That really does my heart good, because I a former English teacher. When I hear that and unless I put myself in a kindergarten classroom or a young classroom, I don't have that daily exposure right. So when I hear that, oh it just makes me, you know, kind of curl up and and be sad. So I'm really, I'm really glad to hear that. Can you describe I hope this isn't like a loaded question Can you describe what a typical day in the kindergarten classroom looks like?

Speaker 2: 12:21

Well, yeah, routine, routine, routine. For me, I think in a lot of classes I just even think of I think that's what to the young kids, why they love coming to school. So much is just that routine. They know exactly what's going to happen and when that routine gets broken it's a little bit hard for them. But when they do show up it's you know. I'm out in the hall greeting them and when they come in they know exactly what they're going to do.

Speaker 2: 12:46

It depends on what skill some of them are working on in the beginning of the year, more writing their first name, their last name and then talking about the letters in their name or maybe some of those sounds that a vowel would make. From there they do get a breakfast and then when we move into our carpet time or our morning meeting time not every day but we try to get it in where every kid gets to share one thing, but that takes time because they all want to share. But from that we move into our morning reading lessons and the kids absolutely love that time. I'm really lucky I get to have a co-teacher for EL and it just really it's kind of like this, where we get to sit down, have some fun, play off each other different ideas, and I think the kids really feed on that too, knowing that we're having a good time, we're joking around, and once that's done we move right into something new called Essential essentials, and I really have enjoyed that.

Speaker 2: 13:42

It's more working on the phonics, working on the really quick letter-based phonemic awareness, and so I've seen really good things with that. I think the kids really enjoy it because it's so routine where they know what's first, what's second, what's third, and then they know when they're done and that goes into their center time where they get to go in place. I think it's a real nice beginning to our morning where it flows really nice.

Speaker 1: 14:14

And that routine that you're referring to, that both instills they feel comfort in routine, but also that helps build confidence, doesn't it?

Speaker 2: 14:17

I think so, and that's the one thing we talk about all the time is just as far as the transitions, that transition from one thing to the next, I think once they know what they're supposed to do like what you just said they're confident, knowing that if I get there, this is what's going to happen, I'll be able to do it.

Speaker 2: 14:34

And even if they don't, we're working through it. I would say that when you talk about the morning, everything to me is about the transitions as well. If they're quick, it seems everything in the day goes much better. But if we have some transitions that start to take a couple minutes three minutes for some reason, it seems then you start to lose kids. So if they know if we get here, we can get started. And if we get started, it's like the learning becomes kind of their play in a way, where they're excited to do it, they know what to expect, because some of it's usually a little bit of review, and then we get the new, and so you kind of like what you said you gain the confidence, but then we give them the new and build on it.

Speaker 2: 15:16

Yeah, and then you give them a little bit. This is what's going to be tomorrow and we'll come back to it, and so they have that little part about oh, I'm excited. I want to come back tomorrow and see what's new.

Speaker 1: 15:25

You know, one of the things that amazes me about kindergartners is we expect so much, right, there's so much, there's literacy, there's relationships. You know, don't touch me that sort of thing. Many administrators volunteer in that first week of school just to come in and help out principals and teachers, just with that first week. And I've been privileged to be able to do that with kindergartners actually at Westwood several years in a row and I remember the first day of the first week that I went out when it got to be lunchtime. You know, I had a little one and it was like she was completely flummoxed with the milk carton, because we only get milk cartons at school Like she. What am I supposed to do with it? Like you know, you forget when they're little like that. You forget how many things they have to learn in a day.

Speaker 2: 16:20

That's true.

Speaker 1: 16:21

And you said that if they go home tired, you know it's been a- really good learning day and I reflect on that sometimes and it's kind of odd.

Speaker 2: 16:31

That help that you're talking about is wonderful, like when we do have people, especially that first week or two, just because it's like they're learning new things and then they can be here. So to have someone there to help is really nice.

Speaker 1: 16:46

I've been really fortunate where I take in a lot of volunteers, so from RSVP I have, sometimes daily In the older days.

Speaker 2: 16:51

back when I first started it seemed to be I had a calendar with parents just coming in nonstop. I had an open door policy. Now it seems that everyone's busy everyone's working.

Speaker 2: 17:02

But older adults that are wanting to come in and give their time and their skills. It's been absolutely wonderful. And when they come in, the kids absolutely love it. Because now all of a sudden, if it is 20 in a class, now we're down to one on 10. And then all of a sudden, if another one comes in, it just divides down and I really enjoy taking the college students into their blocks and next thing you know, you have two of them helping and pretty soon there's one adult at every table of four and, yes, it does get a little bit louder, but it's unbelievable the difference it makes, not only in all their attitudes but also in their growth. They're excited to do something.

Speaker 2: 17:39

I think even like we have a grandma this year who has come in a lot and she told me on her last day you know how much it helped her being there as she went through some a loss of a loved one. But also for one of my harder kids, when she showed up he screamed grandma, and he'd run and give her a hug. And then he's like are you going to work with me today? Well, and he'd run and give her a hug. And then he's like are you going to work with me today?

Speaker 2: 18:02

Well, how you know, we take turns but I was like well, you're working with him every day, every day you come, and it was really good for him.

Speaker 2: 18:09

He made growth. It was really good for her. Yeah, it's one of those things where you're really thankful to have people give their time like that after they've already put in all their work hours. But when you talked about the rest of the day, you know it goes right into math. The math is a lot of fun. It's now where we're playing games. We're using hands-on manipulatives. The kids absolutely love it. But I will say, like what you were talking about, it takes time. As soon as you put something on the table, they just want to start grabbing and exploring and playing before they actually can, you know, learn what we're going to be doing.

Speaker 2: 18:41

So it's just that routine. Again, I would say that routine is huge. The day from there they have United Arts, which they get their arts, they get their Phi Ed, they get their music and we're real thankful for that. They love every class. They're excited when they know exactly from the morning message which day it is, because the routine changes a little bit. I'm really happy with how our schedule has flowed, with academics heavy in the morning and then some more in the afternoon and then the science and social studies. The kids really love when they get to do any type of experimenting.

Speaker 1: 19:11

I bet.

Speaker 2: 19:12

Or I have a love for the outdoors so they really like to hear about the different animals or sharing pictures and things like that for science and reading the books.

Speaker 1: 19:21

And Oak Hill's got the big woods right, we do, you get to do a little bit of outdoor environment we do.

Speaker 2: 19:27

It was really nice. We've been out there even on a little scavenger hunt that our glides set up this year and that was really fun to get back out there and go check it out. We're fortunate to have the trails through there and that area that you can go explore.

Speaker 1: 19:39

I'm going to shift just a second, because you talked about families a little earlier and I wanted to circle back to that, because we know that again, when you talk about change, we know that when parents are looking for a school for their kindergartner, again, it's so different from the way we grew up, where you went to school in your neighborhood. Now it's a shopping expedition, right, if I'm that parent of that five-year-old and a little bit of excitement, but also maybe a lot of weariness. What should those families be, those parents be looking for in a kindergarten experience?

Speaker 2: 20:21

Well, first of all, I'd invite them in. I mean, come and check out those schools, you know. Don't just go by word of mouth and what other people are saying. Come in for your own experience. I personally welcome it If they're coming through. Stop in. If you stay too long you're going to get put to work. That's great. But no, I really.

Speaker 2: 20:39

I think they should come in and just see how it feels to you when you walk in. You know, I think you want that feeling when you walk into the building that people are happy to be there. You want that where people are greeting you, asking and noticing you that, oh, what are you doing here, you know, and just saying hi, where are you coming from? I think of they should be meeting with the administration so they know, kind of, what path is your school going in. I think of qualified teachers.

Speaker 2: 21:07

As you come in, talk to them, see what are our backgrounds, what kind of education do you have, how long have you been here? What else have you done? I think it'd be really interesting for them to know how many different things teachers we all have done. We wear a lot of different hats, that's right. Talking then to people about the curriculum, like you mentioned it earlier, it's changing all the time. So is a school that you're looking at, possibly that friends have talked highly of. Are they up to the current times with the new curriculum? Are they meeting the standards For me personally, I love extracurricular, you think sports, and I do love the sports, but I'd also be checking into what can my kid do after school if they're not into sports?

Speaker 2: 21:49

about the arts, the music, robotics, theater, so many opportunities there is in our district and I think that keeps kids engaged. And I've seen it through the kids I've coached where when they're out of season some things start to slip a little bit with maybe their grades or their attendance. But when it is something that they're excited to do or it's something they're looking forward to do after school, it seems all of a sudden assignments are getting turned in, they're more accountable. So I think, no matter what part of the arts it is to get, you know, check into that. I think of also the culture, like when you walk into the school, how are the kids behaving, how are the kids interacting with each other as you just walk quietly around the halls and what do you notice?

Speaker 2: 22:32

And then safety is a big thing, you know. Are our schools secure when people are coming in? And just to have that feeling, when you're thinking, ooh, sending my little one off, what's the protocol here? Can anyone just come in? And just having that be rest assured, I guess for me a big one would be if I went around is how are you going to meet the needs of my child? And just because you have so many, but then also have them reach their full potential, because everyone's full potential is a little different. And I would really think if you interviewed all the teachers you know in this district we all want the kids to succeed. So to have that talk, to know that let's have communication If you're feeling something, just you know that openness to communicate back and forth.

Speaker 1: 23:12

That's fabulous. I would love families to take your invitation right. More families to take that invitation and More families to take that invitation and they do.

Speaker 2: 23:21

I will be honest, I see a lot of families walking through the halls and they do stop in. I think that is really nice that they schedule that time to go around and check it out. It tells you that their education is really important in what they're looking for, and then they make the decision that best fits the needs of their family.

Speaker 1: 23:38

Now kindergarten enrollment. We actually start in our district in January, right, and I know that you just had your open house, so probably a one-on-one interview at this point is what we really want families to do, because we wrapped up those open houses, but it's not too late to enroll for next year, right? What's that process? How does that happen?

Speaker 2: 24:01

And we do get a lot of those happening throughout the summer because if you're new to it you might not know what the protocol is. But if you have questions you definitely can call your area school. But otherwise, if you know your child is going into school, it would be going over to Core Review, to the Welcome Center and just checking in there and seeing if you want to fill something out face to face. Otherwise, definitely online is another way to do it. Online For me I'm much more going in and then talking to people. But whatever works for you, there are many routes with it.

Speaker 1: 24:32

And I appreciate that because sometimes families will do the interview and think they can enroll right on site. So it's important that they do know.

Speaker 2: 24:40

yeah, there's a process and you're either going to do it online or you're going to go over to the welcome center, and I really like you bringing up the open house, because we're always trying to figure out how to get more families in earlier for that, to kind of hear about all the things we just talked about. When members of the team are there, they're up front answering questions, they're telling you what that day looks like, what to expect, but at the same time there's other teachers back in the classroom with the kids showing them. This is what a classroom looks like. Here's a story. Let's sit down so it gives them that first little feel of the building. But also it's just that I know it's a little early, like you said earlier in January, but ours is more in the spring, just to be open to that and stopping in and if it's something like you're still undecided where you're going, it's a perfect time to kind of get that time to talk to teachers Every one of them Ask your questions.

Speaker 1: 25:27

Yeah, yeah, exactly. Yeah, that's fabulous. We were chatting on the phone the other week and I brought up that. You know there are so many stories. Do you have a favorite story?

Speaker 2: 25:40

It's funny when you ask that it just like I was like oh my gosh.

Speaker 2: 25:44

I always put things so like out of my mind. So I'm like what happened yesterday? I'll show back up to work. I don't remember that. There there's so many that I wish I know people have told me you should just write them all down. It's one thing to the next, next, and you never write them down. But I would say a lot of them, I mean, you can't share because they deal with either someone having an accident or puking or something, but the ones that are really special.

Speaker 2: 26:09

I think of one where I had gotten done teaching and I went over to South where I was coaching and I was walking down the hall all of a sudden I mean, I'm not kidding, look like a grown man. I mean, he was four inches taller than me.

Speaker 2: 26:24

So he's six, three, it seems, six four, I don't know twice as wide as me. And all of a sudden he came and I recognized him and he's like remember me? And I'm like, well, yeah, and he just gave me the biggest hug and it was it A funny one?

Speaker 2: 26:45

I was trying to think of a funny one and then it actually one happened, and now I already have put that one out of my mind to kind of to move on to the, to the next one, and I think about, like today, one who was in the hall was a little boy who he was a first grader and, of course, walking down the hall, he smiled and I said hi to him and I know exactly who he was. Walking down the hall and he smiled and I said hi to him and I know exactly who he was, and uh he goes, you forgot, it's my birthday today oh, and I'm like I never had seen him with his you know crown in the hall or I was like, oh, I did.

Speaker 2: 27:18

I'm so sorry, happy birthday, but I thought from last year he remembered how big a day his birthday was and you know it was his special day. So I I thought that was kind of cute how they remember those things that you have said or you've done.

Speaker 1: 27:32

Because it matters, it does yeah and they carry. That is. That's a great story.

Speaker 2: 27:37

I do have one other one that you'll love.

Speaker 1: 27:39

Oh good.

Speaker 2: 27:39

Yeah, and see, now I'm starting to think of them. It's like things spur it. Yeah, but this was a cute one. It happened about two weeks ago. Kids at school, the birthday thing got me, oh yeah. So kids come around that you've had for past students and they brought around a cupcake and they came in and typically I'll take the cupcake and I'll put it up higher. But I was teaching and we did celebrate and congratulate them and everything, but I just couldn't grab the cupcake. So they had a little glove and set it on my desk and I was like perfect and went on with all the teaching and everything else. And the deal with the cupcakes is typically I save them for the custodian after school. He does a great job I enjoy.

Speaker 2: 28:19

He just likes to joke around. We have a good time, so I'm like it's always his special treat. So at the end of the day we were over there and then one of the kids saw Tom, our custodian, and they're like, oh, you got to get him his treat. And I went over to get his treat and the whole cupcake was eaten from the top down. It was just the perfect wrapper sitting there and there was about a million crumbs around it. And I'm thinking what happened? How did that cupcake get eaten? And I'm looking at all the kids in the room and no one has frosting on them and I can't figure out who did it. So then one of the little girls she kind of Tom was leaving and she runs out and said did you eat your cupcake? And he laughs. He's like no, I didn't even know. So that day your cupcake.

Speaker 1: 29:11

And he laughs, he's like no, I didn't even know. So that day didn't know what happened to the cupcake, it's just a mystery.

Speaker 2: 29:13

So the next day I had my morning message, I added it in there. Well, these kids now, like I said, they can read and everything. So they came right in and they read you know, who knows what happened to the cupcake, figuring out. Well, that just turned into everyone just guessing and this and that and pointing fingers. All of a sudden and I did have a little part on there that just said you know, just tell the truth, it's easy, just tell the truth, it's fine, you're not in trouble. And they're guessing.

Speaker 2: 29:40

Nope, all of a sudden I'm standing at, uh, by my desk and I was checking these numbers that one of my friends had written and I look at him and he is the tiniest little guy in my class and I just kind of was joking. I go did you eat my cupcake? And he goes yes, and I'm like he doesn't understand what I'm, he doesn't understand what I'm saying right now. He just may thought he wanted a cupcake. So I said no. I said do you remember the cupcake I got yesterday? I said I put it on my desk, or the girl put it on my desk. I go did you eat my cupcake? And he goes yes, and it was full blown tears and he was crying and I'm like it's okay, it's okay, you're not in trouble, thanks for telling the truth. And I was just like, oh boy, he could barely see over my desk. How did he eat that whole cupcake? But it was a hungry morning.

Speaker 2: 30:32

It was so cute. So yeah, he got that little cupcake all the way down.

Speaker 1: 30:37

Oh, thank you for that. Like I said, there's nothing like a kindergarten story. There's so many and I can't remember until you say something, and then that'll.

Speaker 2: 30:46

Oh yeah, I can think of another one. So yeah, thank you.

Speaker 1: 30:49

I thought of one other thing when we were talking about families and also about change and how much our expectations for kindergarten have changed over the years, as well as how we teach and do kindergarten. So I think, for parents who might be listening, one of the questions, if they've never had a kindergartner before, is what should I do? What can I do to prepare my little one? You know, are they going to be scared? Do they know their letters?

Speaker 2: 31:19

That's a great question and that actually brought up another funny story. But we'll get to that one. But yeah, no, I think one of the things that you know for them is not everyone maybe chooses or knows to send their kids off to a preschool, which we have that ability here now with the three year olds, four year olds. So definitely take part in that if you can and ask about it at Quarry View, at the Welcome Center. But if you don't, I thought you know, just sitting down for a few minutes and just writing the name with your child, their name, and then just going over the letters in their name and if they get secure, Sounds yeah and the sounds for sure.

Speaker 2: 31:54

And if you are secure with that first name don't think that they have it because they memorize really quick Then maybe just cut it like something simple, that cutting it, mix it up and say, now can you put it back like a little puzzle and then move on to their last name. When you give them a snack, you just, however many are there, just say, hey, can you count that real quick before you get to eat them, let's count them. And then you know, even as they're done counting them, say okay, now eat one and there's one less than 10. And just talking and interacting for those few minutes with the kid I think that would really be big. And then like what you brought up with Pack Rad, but just finding any kind of book you have and just reading to them If you don't have time to do those other things, because your day you're working and you got other kids and family commitments, things like that just before they go to bed.

Speaker 2: 32:38

Get in that routine of let's just sit down for five minutes and let's read a story together and then just asking them some questions as you do that. You know you don't have to read the whole book, just stop it, save it, but ask some color questions, shapes, looking at it and asking you know the main character, who that is or what the book was about. That would be a big one. It's just taking the time to slow down and have that little interaction, you know, with your kids. I know I'm definitely guilty of it.

Speaker 1: 33:07

Well, and I think probably one of the things parents need to hear is this advice, isn't pressure right? This is how you kind of organically work with your child and again, it is about confidence. But if you're reading or doing some of these things along the way, that kind of builds without a checklist. Yeah exactly A parent checklist. Okay, I have to do this.

Speaker 2: 33:33

Well, I think of how much time we spend in vehicles now going from one place to the next and just even just counting things and then counting back with them. I mean the kids singing the ABC song, absolutely, it's just, they really like it and they'll get that routine.

Speaker 1: 33:46

Although I have to say that if it had been one of my daughters and I had stopped at a certain point, I would have been called out.

Speaker 2: 33:55

No, you forget, got to keep going yeah and no and they'll, and they'll let you, you know, kind of go off and they'll let you. They'll tell you what they want. And I think that's, you know, really cool. Like when you were talking about the place centered stuff to watching kids as the year goes on, where it used to be, just like playing with the trucks and the dolls and the magnet blocks and the Play-Doh and the STEM building things. Now it's like, oh, I think I'm going to go over to the math center and I'm going to grab a bunch of the math games, or I'm going to the reading area and I'm going to grab that.

Speaker 2: 34:27

Or a little boy just yesterday he was on the rug and he was just running across that rug but he was saying the letter and the sound and then running to it and then, before you know it, a couple other kids joined in with him and they were all moving around that rug and I was like, yeah, what a useful thing that we have around the room. We typically just sit on a letter for our morning meeting, but now he's turning it into a game that others really want to play.

Speaker 1: 34:53

That made me think of what you see.

Speaker 2: 34:55

That must be incredible growth, like what you see in a little person from that September date to right now, when we're letting loose in May it's amazing and we have so many kids to coming to us with EL learning English as their next language. And it is amazing, like it is unbelievable, the growth when you're learning another language but then also academically, the growth you make. It is, it's unbelievable. It's it's that really makes you feel good at the end of the year when you see that growth. I very much enjoy my job and I definitely I know people have said you know, like if you find the job, that isn't where it feels like work. You know you never work a day in your life.

Speaker 1: 35:37

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 35:37

I'm very fortunate that I found that.

Speaker 1: 35:40

That's beautiful. Thank you so much again.

Speaker 2: 35:43

Thank you, this has been so fun.

Speaker 1: 35:45

And in case you do not know, we have a gift for you Everybody who comes to CoffeeCast gets a coffee.

Speaker 2: 35:55

Well, thank you. It's probably good that you didn't do this in the morning, because I think my team and my wife and everyone else out there would think you don't want to see me on coffee, so it's probably better to get that with no coffee in it right now.

Speaker 1: 36:06

All right, well, you can use juice, I won't complain.

Speaker 2: 36:11

I think one day I'll have that coffee. So thank you very much. Thank you, jeff, I appreciate it.

Speaker 1: 36:15

Take care, thanks. Do you have a great podcast idea? Submit your idea to communications at isd742.org. And thank you for listening to 742 CoffeeCast, the best place to stay informed and be inspired by St Cloud Area School District.