Today’s lesson: Mom, in a word

Christine Carrillo

Attempting to read sentences they helped concoct, kindergartners at

College Park Elementary School in Costa Mesa used their mothers as

their muses.

Creating sentences like “My mom is special because she takes me to

my grandmother’s house” and “My mom reads me stories every night,”

these kindergartners got a chance to brag about their mothers while

they learned a thing or two about reading.

Preparing for the momentous Mother’s Day holiday, two kindergarten

classes honed their singing talents on Wednesday while they practiced

a little ditty for their moms.

Whether they sang as a group or sang a solo with the aid of a

karaoke machine, each of the 18 students was learning more than just

a song for their moms.

“We really stretch them, but they have a lot of phonemic

awareness,” said Arlene Trask, one of the kindergarten teachers. “One

of the things kids need to know are reasons for reading. This gives

them a reason.”

The students started off by highlighting words in the song that

they recognized and finished by singing encore after encore, all the

while getting lessons on blending sounds and reading words.

While the kindergarteners got these lessons without their

knowledge, they were aware of the subject matter they sang about.

Mother’s Day “is about making your mom special,” 6-year-old Jackie

Villalvazo said. My mom is special “because she takes me everywhere.”

Incorporating different holidays and occasions into the curriculum

has become a regular process for the two kindergarten teachers.

Enjoying their enthusiasm has been an added bonus.

“Your mommy’s are going to be so happy,” said Carol Mansukhani,

the class’ other kindergarten teacher. “She’s probably going to

squeeze the stuffing out of you.”

* IN THE CLASSROOM is a weekly feature in which Daily Pilot

education writer Christine Carrillo visits a campus in the

Newport-Mesa area and writes about her experience.