Today was the first day of my 6th graders working with their kindergarten buddies. This is our second year doing this. Last year was such a success that we plan on doing it each year. I have to say that I absolutely love doing this. The kindergarten teachers and I collaborate and pair up 6th graders with kindergartners. Once a week they work with their buddies on various skills. Today the 6th graders worked on helping their little buddies write a sentence. The 6th graders will read books, work on projects, and even work on computer skills with their buddies throughout the year. We culminate the year by taking the 6th graders and their kindergarten buddies to the Indianapolis Zoo. They walk their little buddies around the zoo and help them read signs and talk to them about the animals.
This year's 6th graders were so excited about working with the little people! I am so pleased with how well they did. It is so awesome to see the bond that they form throughout the year, too. Last year we saw the 6th graders act as mentors for their buddies and they looked out for them on the bus, in the school, and even in the neighborhood. It has really given our 6th graders a positive leadership role as well as they must maintain passing grades and be in good standing with all of their teachers in order to participate with their buddy. We talk to the 6th graders a lot about character skills and what it means to be a mentor. They constantly have to be good role models for their buddies during the school day.
Since Kinsey is a kindergartner, I got to watch her work with her buddy today. She has talked a lot about her buddy and I really see the impact that this project has on the little people. Kinsey has been scared to death to eat breakfast in the morning because it is all grade levels in there at the same time. However, she mentioned for the first time eating breakfast with her buddy...which is a major step for her! (**See story below)
I know there are lots of teachers out there. I highly suggest that you try this project with your students. For me, it has also allowed more collaboration and discussion with teachers I normally don't get to interact with because we teach on opposite sides of the building and opposite grade levels.
I forgot to take my camera today but I will bring it next week to get some pics of the kiddos with their buddies :)
**So Kinsey decided within the first few days of school that she would not eat breakfast at school unless I was right by her side. Of course, I couldn't do that because I have morning duties that cause me to have to be in other places in the morning. Consequently, I began having Kinsey take a pop tart for breakfast to eat on the way to school since it is such a long drive. One morning we were in a hurry and it wasn't until we were ready to leave that I noticed we were out of pop tarts. I had Kinsey leave any way without anything and thought that she would be hungry enough that she would eat at school. Oh no! She refused to eat that morning. Of course I told her teacher that she didn't eat breakfast (Kinsey is very much a child that needs to eat breakfast). In her five years of existence, I have never seen her go without breakfast. Needless to say, she had a very bad morning. Her teacher came down to talk to me about during their lunch. Her consequence for her day was that she couldn't go to Jason's softball game.
That evening Ryan (Jason's best friend) came over to pick him up for softball. Jason was telling him on the way why Kinsey couldn't go watch the game and why she was so upset. When they got back to our house, Ryan told me that he needed to apologize to Kinsey because it was his fault that Kinsey had such a bad day. I asked, "Why was it your fault?" He said, "When I was here last weekend, I ate a package of pop tarts and this could have been avoided if I hadn't eaten them."
My response: "Dang it, Ryan!"
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