Summary

The website content is a personal narrative detailing the author's reflections on their grandmother's 1955 kindergarten lesson plans, highlighting her passion for teaching, dedication to her students, and the timeless value of play-based learning.

Abstract

The author shares a heartfelt tribute to their grandmother, a kindergarten teacher, by exploring her meticulously handwritten lesson plans from 1955. These plans reveal a thoughtful approach to early childhood education, emphasizing the importance of play, socialization, and emotional development. The grandmother's teaching methods, such as dramatization, music, and art, are presented as a blueprint for fostering creativity and confidence in children. The narrative also touches on the personal impact of the grandmother's legacy on the author, who recognizes the profound influence of her teaching philosophy and the significance of reflective practice in education.

Opinions

The author believes that their grandmother's teaching methods, which included play and hands-on activities, were effective and should be remembered and applied in modern education.
The author values the personal artifacts of their grandmother, such as her Scrabble set, glasses, and lesson plan binder, as tangible reminders of her legacy and passion for teaching.
The author emphasizes the importance of reflective practice in teaching, as evidenced by their grandmother's detailed lesson logs and the author's own contemplation of her methods.
The author suggests that contemporary educational approaches may benefit from incorporating more play and critical thinking skills, citing research from the National Education Association (NEA) and Edutopia.
The author admires their grandmother's resilience and determination, as shown by her overcoming the challenge of poor vision to pass the kindergarten teaching exam and pursue her career.

My Grandma’s Lesson Plans

A Story of Passion, Dedication, and Takeaways

This is my grandma. In the first photo, she is with my 6-year-old son, and in the second photo, she is with my newborn daughter. These are her handwritten kindergarten lesson plans from 1955, kept in a binder.

My grandma was proud to say she was a kindergarten teacher, and she loved sharing her stories about her years working for the New York Public School System.

One of her favorite things was when I came over and talked to her about my students — my classroom — my day.

I was so lucky to have her in my life for as long as I did.

My grandma was born in 1913 and at ninety-nine, she was still a voracious reader and a competitive Scrabble player.

When my grandma passed away, in December of 2012, there were just three things that I had to have— to remember her by.

Her Scrabble set. Her glasses. And her lesson plan binder.

For many years, I kept her glasses on my dresser, to talk to her. I now keep them in a drawer. Sometimes, the pain of seeing them every day was too much. But playing Scrabble still makes me smile. It was her favorite game and it is my favorite game too.

I have been thinking a lot about my grandma lately. Maybe it is because a week and a day ago, her eldest great grandchild became a dad.

A few days ago I pulled the binder holding my grandma’s 1955 lesson plans off the bookshelf and started reading.

She wrote in cursive, a blue pen for her lessons and a red pen for her logs. Her logs are in bold.

Week Ending Sept. 23.

The children have just entered school and are trying to adjust to their new world. Talking and doing things about the home and other familiar things makes them feel more secure.

Every day, one child will be allowed to sit by himself and experiment with the drum.

We will dramatize the story of the three bears.

They will paint with water on the blackboard.

They will realize that even if he is scolded the child is loved by his parents. He will realize that everyone gets angry at other members of the family at some time but that does not mean he does not love them.

The mother of _______ told me that when he was 2 ½ years old he had polio which left him with a caved in chest. Until 6 months ago he had not been allowed to associate with any other child. He therefore does not know how to mingle with other children.

Week Ending Sept. 30.

Every day one child will continue to practice on the drums.

In the dollhouse, the children will dramatize their home life.

Week Ending Oct. 7, 1955

They will learn the meaning of the word “rhyme” when we learn the song “Jennie Jenkins”

The children have become quite adept at caring for their tables by covering them with paper whenever paint, clay, fingerpaint or crayon is used.

For the first time __________actually played with other children. After he had allowed some boys to use his toy car, he came to me very gleefully and said “they asked me to play with them.” He joined them at the blocks.

Week Ending October 14, 1955

We will imitate a sail boat.

We will dance like the leaves in the air and fall down.

I will allow the children to experiment with the triangles.

We will listen to the “Nutcracker Suite”

I will watch to see whether or not __________leaves to go on the slide by herself.

I will also see whether or not the twins play ball with other children.

Every day __________’s mother returns something to me which __________has taken home from the classroom. He insists that he is only borrowing these items and intends to return them in a few days.

Friday we borrowed two hamsters from the office. The children were delighted with them.

Since we do not have a piano in our room, on Friday we went to the auditorium for our rhythms and songs. __________, who at first was afraid to enter, joined us and loved the piano.

Week Ending October 21, 1955

We will take a walk in the neighborhood to see the falling leaves.

The children will dance and fall like the leaves.

We had two hamsters and the children loved to watch them. One day they disappeared. We have been looking for them ever since. A mother brought two gold fish but they do not appeal to the children as much as the hamsters.

Week Ending October 28, 1955

We will start a band with the instruments.

The children will begin to distinguish between fact and fiction.

Is your plan for recent weeks as complete as that for earlier weeks? 10/24/55 Signature

My grandma as I remember her. My grandma’s college graduation picture. Rose Schwartzberg. Part of the first graduating class of Brooklyn College. February 1, 1933. She was nineteen years old. She majored in math, minored in physics, and wanted to be a teacher. Instead of becoming a high school math teacher, she decided that she really wanted to teach kindergarten. The first time she took the exam to teach kindergarten, she failed, because there was a sewing requirement and she couldn’t thread the needle because of her poor vision. She practiced, passed the second time, and that began her long career as a kindergarten teacher for the New York Public School System.

What I Learned From Reading My Grandma’s Lesson Plans

“Too many classrooms are sacrificing the discovery and critical thinking skills that arise through play in favor of academics. Educators say it is time to bring more play back to kindergarten.”

“Jotting down short notes after every lesson helps teachers contemplate what worked, what didn’t, and how to improve their skills.”

What I Learned From My Grandma

My grandma showed me that teaching is a profession to be taken seriously. She showed me that being a kindergarten teacher takes hard work and dedication.

My grandma loved, respected, and listened to children.