By: Sami

December 2, 2004

Immaculate Heart of Mary Grade School

Mr. Hall’s Computer Class

8^th Grade

For the past three months, the Kindergarteners have been extremely busy with Kindergarten Journaling. Kindergarten Journaling meets once every month on a Tuesday morning from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. During this time period, parents and grandparents gather with the students to discuss a topic that Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Nowac, the Kindergarten teachers, have chosen. The topics are either chosen by the teachers or students. In September the topic they wrote about was apples, in October pumpkins, and In November the topic was turkeys. The children then make up a story about the topic and the parents, or grandparents write their feelings down on paper. At the end of the story the students print their name down at the bottom of the sheet. Some of the students are encouraged by the parents to write in detail about the topic chosen, and others are quite open and honest about the paper. Other times, students relate themselves to the topic by telling something that has happened to them from past experiences. Approximately 20 parents or so attend Kindergarten Journal Writing and they write three children’s stories down during that time. Each parent is provided with a class list for that day and they have to choose another child on the list other than their own. Every kindergartener participates in this activity and enjoys the experience. All year the teachers keep the Journal Writings to collect and save them through out the year for a class book. The activity is supposed to be fun, creative, educational and enjoyable event.

Letters were sent home to some parents about Kindergarten Journaling explaining the project that I was working on and if they had time to ask them if they had any opinions. After interviewing some of the parents and students this is what they said.

Mrs. Nelson	Mrs. Sack	Mrs. Shaw	Mrs. Brandle
Mrs. Nelson feels that Journal Writing is supposed to be entertaining, but also helps the students to write stories. She finds the students having a fun time during session. She believes that the students learn how to use their imagination and creative side inside of school as they do at home. She enjoyed discussing bears and pumpkins as a Journal entry with the students.	Mrs. Sack likes to write down the stories that the students dictate. She says the ideas that the students come up with are very clever and creative. She also thinks that the students cooperate with the parents very well and there have been no problems with behavior. She likes listening to the children making up stories on the spot. She loves the “freshness” of their stories. She’s heard stories about The Runaway Pumpkin, Tricky Tom Turkey, and Johnny Apple Seed.	Mrs. Shaw likes writing exactly of what the child expresses. She thinks that Journal Writing is fun for both parents and students alike. She says that the students’ ideas are definitely entertaining. She likes the idea of them being able to escape from school for a while and go into “day dreaming mode.” She’s heard stories from pumpkin seeds, to the adventures with Teddy Bears. She likes the narration of the stories from the kids.	Mrs. Brandle says that the adults enjoy the creative process and interaction with the children. She has listened to many interesting stories about motorcycles, becoming dentists, and even bears at night! One boy told her that the pumpkins came to life and wouldn’t live with the other pumpkins because they didn’t want to be carved. She loves Journal Writing days. It gives her a chance to spend times with her daughter, their classmates, and listen to the fun talks they have together.

(This is a picture of some of the Kindergarteners before Journaling)

(Click this to go to the I.H.M School Website)