October 29th A Day with Mr. Greg and Debbie Clement: Nashville!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! 

October 29th! 

Nashville!!! 

There's something *EPIC* in the making! 

You want to be part of this historic day! 

A FULL DAY OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH 

MR. GREG & DEBBIE CLEMENT!!!

REGISTER HERE

Once upon a time I visited 

Mr. Greg of Kindergarten Smorgasboard fame---- 

at his school. 

A fun time was had by all! 

Whenever we get together we wear our very best..... 

our best hats and our best smiles! 

One year rolls into the next and I just keep finding him -- 

even if he changes schools. 

Every year I look forward to my grand, official welcome. 

We always remember to pose before the day gets started.

The two of us have a mutual admiration society! 

He has used my books (and songs) with his monsters and then with his mustaches.

Mr. Greg has his students create original 

and authentic art work in response 

to my picture books! 

These next pictures are in my power point presentation

as an example of fostering creativity and originality.

I could write volumes on "AUTHENTIC" art..... and I have previously. 

What I absolutely LUV is how completely unique and original 

each and every masterpiece turned out. 

Give them the materials and time and stand back. 

It is a VERY big deal, when I finally arrive 

for our big day together! 

I LUV LUV LUV being part of the morning message!

And then blink and the day gets started in earnest. 

I may or may not be just a tad excited!

My goal is that students get excited about meeting 

an author/illustrator. 

I've shared some glimpses into Mr. Greg's room in the past. 

I know how you like to take a gander into other classrooms. 

This puzzle idea is beyond precious. 

What an amazing way to connect home and school. 

I'm ALL about hopes and DREAMS! 

Seeing these spelled out is so insightful. 

You know how some people are by nature 'over-achievers.' 

Mr. Greg is one of those. 

Truth be told, I may be as well.

He has such a HUGE heart for his students. 

Just as importantly his heart is huge for his teaching peers.  

When Greg invited me to launch his second day of professional development -- 

I was ALL in!

{register here} 

Peanut butter and jelly. 

Glitter and polka dots. 

Brass tacks AND inspiration. 

BRING IT ON! 

Behind the dreamers are the list makers and the i dotters. 

Fortunately for the two of us, 

there is another duo offering lots of support.

Here's a peek at how the day will begin. 

Click right here to see the full agenda and all of the details. 

NEW SONG for End-of-Year Slide Shows & Graduation: Kleenex ALERT!

PINCH ME!!! Look what happened! 

I made it back into the recording studio!!!

Believe in unicorns and pixie dust and happily ever after too! 

I am so very excited. I have BIG news!

My dear sweet husband said, "Yes."
He gave me the most incredible gift. 

The rest is history. 

A couple of years ago I wrote a little poem -- 

as a tribute to teachers.

• I wanted to say thank you in a tangible way.
• I wanted to express my appreciation. 
• I wanted to acknowledge your hard work.
• I wanted to affirm your many feelings. 
• I wanted to offer support.
• I wanted to recognize the milestone.
• I wanted to attempt to capture the emotions in saying good-bye. 
• I wanted to give you a new tool for your toolbox.
• I wanted to contribute to your closure.

So much happens in a school year.

Starting with early fall's delight over new supplies and potential, 

{twinged with just the slightest apprehension of the unknown....} 
There's an onslaught of pumpkins and reindeer,
candy hearts, leprechauns and bumblebees

*****BLINK***** 

and it is all over!  

The ending of a school year is so very poignant.

When the finish line is tangible, 

every moment goes into hyper-drive captured in 'forever' mode.

#Bittersweet

#Memories 

#ExhaustionElationExaustionElationExhaustion 

#Feelings

#Overwhelm
#Touching
#Meaningful

#Good-Bye
#Significance

#Reflections

#Growth
#Sentimental 
#Endings
#Finality
#Graduation
#BoomDropTheMicDone
#Legacy 

People downloaded my poem. 
They thanked me for articulating their experience. 
They told me they cried when they read it.
They tagged their friends.
They were grateful.
They printed it. 
They sent it home. 
They shared it.
They used it. 
  
Then someone said, 
"I wish it had a melody so that I could sing it." 

That one line of feedback started the ache. 
She planted the seed. 
It could be MORE!
It could be a song. 
Songs have legs.
Songs get play-time.
Songs stick with you.
I write songs. 

And a year went by. 
And then another. 

The feedback and gratitude accumulated. 
Like a gnawing water drip.....
so did that one request
ring over and over and over in my head. 
"I wish it had a melody so that I could sing it." 

Going into a recording studio with a poem on a piece of paper is expensive. This last couple years of my personal and professional life, we haven't had the 'extra' to even contemplate considering what it would take to go back into the studio. That's a long complicated story that is mostly sad, where we are still awaiting the triumphant conclusion. BUT......... stay the course long enough and the tide begins to turn. Have faith. Trust. Believe. Pray. Give thanks. HALLELUJAH.

So I squinted and in my best smiling wifey voice, I asked my dear sweet husband if this spring we were in a position to take on a new project. Hubby Allen said, 'yes.' 

Turns out that our efforts over at WobbleSeat.com could provide the financial resources necessary to answer her request to turn my little poem into a song. 

And with that go-ahead I got the nerve to talk to my UBBER talented producer-friend Ronn. His talent is legendary and his heart is even bigger. Ronn would have to agree to work for peanuts, or more accurately for peanut dust.... not even a minuscule fraction of his worth and value in the real world. The man has created brilliance in Nashville and Detroit. I thought he might be willing. I hoped. Just because he's the best. Just because he knows that for me to ask a favor -- it must be worthwhile. And Ronn said yes! 

And with that go-ahead we had to rope in Dan, the owner of the studio. It would take all three of us to bring this little idea to fruition. He too would have to be willing to make me the 'deal' of the century. Just because. As a friend. As an acknowledgement of our nearly two decades of projects together. Dan-the-man has a heart of gold. It would be fun to have the three of us under the same roof at Amerisound.  And Dan said yes! 

TRIFECTA. All three. Everyone on board. Tic-Tac-Toe!

So began the real work by Ronn to create the arrangement out of thin air. That is his specialty. We talked over the role of the song and how I envisioned it being used. We talked over the tone. We talked over poignancy. And then I gave him permission. Create. Use your gifts. Stay out of his way. 

I just had to get myself back to Columbus, Ohio. That's all. We left Vero Beach, FL just over three weeks ago.... driving to Green Bay, WI where I had the keynote. First must make stops in Augusta, Columbus, Cleveland, Green Springs, Ft. Wayne, South Bend and then actually arrive straight on to the Tundra Lodge in Green Bay. After that immediately down to Chicago for two days of work in Schaumberg at their library. Return to Columbus directly, to take the first flight out BACK TO FLORIDA! 

Return a couple days later to Columbus. Final annual school visit of the year in Westerville. Hugs. Hugs. Hugs. Hugs all around. Some of my VERY favorite people in that big road trip loop-di-loo. Some of my oldest and dearest friends.

Then time to drive to Amerisound Studios. TA DA. I could get there blindfolded.

While I was busy traipsing back and forth across the the country, Ronn was in a VERY serious car accident. Just mere days before our scheduled recording session. He testifies that it was his seat belt that saved his life. Angels watching over my dear, talented friend. How close do we come to our mortality on a daily basis? Sobering. 

What a back-drop to creative studio work. To say that we were all just a bit frazzled would be a slight under-statement. So when Ronn started playing his arrangement, it was no surprise that I was an immediate blubbering mortal. I just sat there and cried and cried as he added each track from his keyboard to the studio console. They weren't even the least bit surprised at my response. 

Time to blow your nose and sing, Debbie. It is at that point that I wish I am Celine. Alas. 

The song version required some slight reordering of my poem's origianal stanzas. This is now the completed song lyric sheet. It is in Pdf format in the zipped file that is now available over at TeachersPayTeachers. 

I have decided to make the digital file available for free for right now. HURRY over to get it for FREE!!! 

Pay it Forward. Gratitude. Appreciation. Random Act of Kindness. Anyone that still has school after Memorial Day deserves an extra serving of support. I can't wait to hear your feedback. It would be very kind if you would leave your supportive thoughts at TpT after you download it. 

From the very beginning, I thought that the song version could be used in your slide show overview, as part of the sound track to photographically reviewing your year. Then my friend Maggie, suggested that it could be used as a "Kindergarten Graduation March." I'm excited to hear how you might put it to use! 

Meet Maggy my Mentor: Maggy's Kinder Corner

MARVELOUS, MUSICAL, MAGICAL MAGGIE

Yesterday I gave you the little teaser about my cyber-buddy, Maggie. Now it's time to give you the rest of the story. No. We have not met in real life. Yes. We would LUV LUV LUV to pull that off. No. we are not related. Yes. We are our own mutual admiration society. Yes. We each have lots of kinder-buddies, but its delightfully 'wooo-wooo-kinder-voodoo' how much the two of us have in common. 

Maggie with her GRAND piano 

How you ask? Maggie, author of the blog, "Maggie's Kinder Corner" is a kindred spirit. Let me begin by counting just a few of the ways that we have similarities. 

TOP 10 REASONS I'M WILD ABOUT MAGGIE!!!

We BOTH LUV LUV LUV POLKA DOTS!

1. We're both grandmas!!! (Start with the most important first.) So that also implies that we're both of a certain age maturity. We're two of the zippiest grammies you're likely to meet. On account of that significant milestone alone, we need to be in ka-hoots with each other. 
2. We're both musicians. Maggie's the 'gen-u-ine' music lady. She has a grand piano in her living room and accompanies oodles of performers as they pursue their own music goals. I've heard her play. She's the real deal. Trust me. Thank you Google+ hangouts for our chatty conversations!
3. We both write songs!!! Maggie's really famous for her poems, too..... some of which she also writes melodies to accompany and others are suitable for piggy-back tunes that you're already comfortable singing. We both believe in singing. We both LUV LUV LUV to sing with the kinders. Listen to Maggie's "Days of the Week" YouTube-special! (She's had over 15K views there. I stand in awe!) You can purchase your own copy right here.... on sale for the next couple days!!!
4. We both like rainbows!!! You gotta get over there to her blog and find her 'rainbow spectrum' crayon organizer pictured in that teeny image above. She tells you all about it in her post, with very specific directions for the DIY'er inside. 
5. We're each 'I can make that myself' sort of people. If you're not convinced by her crayon organizers, you've seriously got to take a closer look at her "BUCKET SEATS" that are too clever for words. 
6. We both have a special affection for polka-dots. (Remember the bucket seats? there's more happy polkas spread thru out her classroom. Look here for her happy dot smiles.) 
7. We're both "cheerleaders." We both like to see other people succeed. Maggie  has a huge heart for helping those just learning the ropes. She is kind beyond measure and is FULL of encouragement for not only her students, but her professional peers as well. 
8. We're both the type to seek inspiration on Pinterest! Maggie's got a growing crowd of followers and eager to add more here. 
9. We're both 'growing' our stores at Teachers Pay Teachers. Maggie wins hands down in this category, too. She has 354 followers there, but get a load of this: SHE HAS 88 PRODUCTS!!!  
10. We're also both BIG on Fine Motor and Maggie's created her own materials to support that development. They are the PERFECT follow-up and compliment to my recording, commissioned by Zaner-Bloser of songs and dances to motivate fine motor work. Here's the direct link to Maggie's TpT product: "Are you Ready for Lines?"  

Spring is nearly upon us. My biggest 'digital product' is perfect for Spring! It's all about the metamorphosis of the tadpole to frog to support my 'Pollywog' song. I created five 'quilted illustrations' to support each verse of the song! Oh. Did I mention its on sale at TpT? 

Look at ALL of that Fine Motor

Maggie worked fast and furiously to finish uploading her brand-newest newproduct, "Caterpillar, Caterpillar" so that you can get it downloaded during our sale. Obviously ubber-perfect for spring time!

"Caterpillar, Catterpiller" one of Maggie's piggyback poems with a pocket chart for your kinders. (It obviously can be adapted for younger/older students as well.) The lyrics will work for "Twinkle-Twinkle."  You see that she has everything aligned to the Common Core Standards. I told you that she's a step ahead of the curve! 

Maggie's Leprechaun with Mp3 of the best Leprechaun Music! 

****HURRY! You're JUST in time to get Maggie's  Leprechaun product on sale!  Her Leprechaun file comes with its own Mp3!

Remember the group of us at Kinderland is co-hosting our own little March Madness Sale. For the next couple of days lots of us have our stores at 20% off!! 

20% Off EVERYTHING in our TpT stores! 

It's an honor to introduce you to my kindred-kinder. I know that you'll be super happy with any of Maggie's MANY products that she tests with her own kinder-students. She's got the experience, the talent, the capability and the insight to design just what you've been searching for to augment your student's needs. 

Rumor has it that Maggie is working on additional support material for her oh-too-cute "Teddy Bear Shuffle." Stay tuned. I know she'll remind me and I'll add that news as it breaks. 

Have a great day and shop to your heart's content! 

-- Debbie -- 

President's Day Project Based Learning

Project Based Learning! 

What do you know about this approach to learning? 

I'm learning a whole lot myself!
Click here for a whole explanation of the PBL Approach at Edutopia.  

I have had the great good fortune to spend time in kindergarten recently, where the PBL approach is being explored with vim and vigor! 

With my 'Author/Illustrator Day' to their school on their horizon, 

they investigated Veteran's Day through the prism of my picture book,
"Red, White and Blue." 

Take a look at their patriotic investigation. 

Ramp up your own approach in time for President's Day. 

The anchor chart above was the backbone for the learning that unfolded over weeks of dynamic classroom investigation and instruction. It was still on prominent display in the hallway in time for my arrival. Actually the entire wall was one big anchor chart of learning. (Ohio is one of the few states left that still have many schools that have half-day kindergarten, so you'll notice each chart is duplicated: a.m. + p.m.) 

Surrounding the anchor chart were AMAZING flags created by small groups within the kindergarten program. Lots and LOTS of flags!

Imagine over-sized American flags created by kindergartners, gracing every single inch of public space in an elementary school: bulletin boards and walls alike. THEY WERE EVERYWHERE! 

Flags in every possible combination of media. 

Flags made digitally on the computer. 

FLAGS! FLAGS! FLAGS!

I'm telling you. 

When my friends in Hilliard get on a subject they REALLY explore!

RIGOR! RIGOR!! RIGOR!!!

Following the collaborative flag making work, the kindergarten children proceeded by studing my picture book and in that model, make their OWN picture book -- complete with their own illustrations!

They had it completed prior to my arrival....

and they were SOOOO excited to share it with me. 

You're going to LUV LUV LUV these! 

My friends in Hilliard, OH know how to take an idea and run with it!

Here's a glimpse at a response earlier in the year created by first graders in their study of my picture book. On the left you see the quilted illustration that becomes the 'end-paper' of my book -- where the illustrations are made from fabric. On the right you see the construction paper response from the first graders. These were made on September eleventh of this school year while I was in their midst in Door County, Wisconsin. 

After the students shared their 'book' with me the very next item on the agenda was for them to 'perform' my song for me!!! Just prior to my arrival they had invited all of the Veterans in their school family to come for a grand performance..... so they had given much preparation. Singing my song for me--the author/illustrator/music-lady was just the cherry on the top of months of learning about America, our flag, our history and what makes us great. 

What?!?! You don't know my song? We must remedy that right away. Here's a YouTube video filmed in Illinois at their annual Reading Conference where I presented workshops. The teachers are learning the sign language as the song unfolds.

Here's a look inside my book! 

YES!!! 

I made the illustrations from fabric as small quilts!

YES!!!

I included all of the bits and pieces in the book that teachers have asked for!

If this is your first visit around here, let me tell you that I'm a Pinterest Princess! 

I have a collection of all things patriotic to support your use of my song. 

I have 465 ideas already pinned and awaiting your search. 

Click right here to go to my "Red, White and Blue" board at Pinterest. 

At the end of last week I installed the code, 

so that if you hover over any picture on my blog you can pin it easily. 

Please-o, Please-o, Please-oooooo Pin to your heart's content. 

I now have over 90,000 followers at Pinterest!!!

I'm so grateful for every pin you add out there to the wider world. 

Of course you can always order the picture book directly from my website. 

My growing TpT Store

Or if you are already shopping over at Teachers Pay Teachers today, I have my books listed there as well. I have my books on sale today at TpT..... so hurry because I'll have to ship it to you. If you need the song and sign language chart IMMEDIATELY you can get the digital file with Mp3 versions of both the song and its instrumental accompaniment from TpT as well. 

If you're up for a new shopping adventure, come visit our EARLY EDUCATION EMPORIUM -- brought to you by the authors of our collaborative blog PreK+K Sharing! The digital version is available right here in my own personal EEE! Check out all of the other resources under our umbrella! We are looking for other contributors to the EEE and you have the unique opportunity to list as many items as you'd like for free -- now until the end of June. Come on over and explore!

-- Debbie --