Fuzzy fun and alphabets

Suzie Harrison

It’s not all fun and games anymore, there’s plenty to be learned once

a student starts a learning career. Just because it doesn’t have

number to decree the grade level, doesn’t mean it’s not complex.

It’s kindergarten -- the blueprint for the future where children

learn basic skills and social development.

In these formative years students often learn through play, but

some lessons must be taught. Such is the case at Top of the World

Elementary School in Myrna Heitel’s class.

It’s the first weeks of school and Heitel’s class is working in

language arts. She asks the class if anyone remembers what they

circled in their workbooks, they were learning nouns.

Then it was time to discuss what an object is.

“An object is something that can be moved but is not a person or

animal,” Heitel said.

The selection to choose from included a cat, a house, a girl and a

ball; a student quickly raised her hand and said the correct answer

was ball.

“Sit in your square like a cute little bear,” Heitel sang to the

class.

She put her hand beyond her ear and signaled that she had heard

something, it was as cat and a cat was meowing behind the closed

shelving.

Opening the door there was Reader [a lion puppet] and he couldn’t

wait to come out and sing the alphabet song with the class. Their

version had the special ending with the words, “Now I never will

forget how to sing the alphabet.”

The use of Reader is part of a program called Open Court, which is

a new state-adopted reading program.

She said the class uses Reader almost every day.

“It’s a very organized, complete, very interesting program with a

lot of energy to it,” Heitel said. “It’s very detailed and precise to

what you’re teaching.”

With the class it was obvious by the reaction of the kids that

Reader is well liked and they have a lot of fun learning with him.

Mia Salvini, 5, said she likes Reader best when he’s silly and

bumping his head into the letters on the wall.

“He sings with us,” Mia said. “I like it when he does, he helps us

with our ABCs. Usually we get to pet him.”

“He’s kind of funny because he bangs into the ABCs, which is

really funny,” Katie Bartz, 5, said. “He’s smart-- I’m learning

reading and my alphabet.

“I was excited to meet Reader,” said Stuart Webb, 5. “Actually I

just moved here form Atlanta,” Stuart said. “I’m learning how to sing

the alphabet and staying in line.”

Singing along with Reader while he bangs into the alphabet cards

is what Jacob Duffy, 5, likes most.

Heitel said that this prop helps the class listen better and pay

more attention.

“Later on in the year he teaches us the sounds and how to put them

together to actually read as the year progresses,” Heitel said.