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Podcast episode number 2.
Today’s show is about kindergarten readiness, since it’s August and that means it’s Get Ready For Kindergarten Month!
I’ve got some books that might help with new students, but I’ve also gotten some feedback on my shiny new toll free number – 888-522-1929 and my new podcast app…
And I have a new exclusive review from Betsy Bird.
I started using Libsyn, which is a server for podcasts and included in my monthly fee is an iPhone or iPod app for this podcast. I wouldn’t have charged for it but it’s part of my service contract and anyway, it’s less than a cuppa java. You can get it on itunes… or just listen here for free! (There is an extra bonus PDF in the app for this episode…can’t wait to see if that works!)
Oh, here is the wall of my audio “studio”…aka a mattress pad from WalMart! Lovely, huh?
I’m very happy to hear that my first official episode was well received. I got some lovely support from people. Both Elizabeth O. Dulemba and Uma Krishnaswamy were kind enough to call in and say abso lovely and helpful things! Uma teaches at Vermont College and gav
Oh, here is the wall of my audio “studio”…aka a mattress pad from WalMart! Lovely, huh?I’m very happy to hear that my first official episode was well received. I got some lovely support from people. Both Elizabeth O. Dulemba and Uma Krishnaswamy were kind enough to call in and say abso lovely and helpful things! Uma teaches at Vermont College and gav
Another thing I talk about in this episode is my conversation from Kidlit drink night with Cheryl Klein, Senior Editor at Arthur A. Levine Books (an imprint of Scholastic) and she and I were talking about using dummies to help focus a story. It was interesting…gonna listen now? (Can you hear my evil laugh?)
I cover a lot of kindergarten readiness tips, and here are just a few…
I also talked about some very cute/funny/wonderful books (descriptions are from the flap copy).
This sweet picture book starring an irresistible dog named Rocket and his teacher, a little yellow bird, is perfect for back-to-school! Follow along as Rocket masters the alphabet, sounds out words, and finally . . . learns to read all on his own.
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald and Piggie are best friends.
In Can I Play Too?
Gerald and Piggie meet a new snake friend who wants to join in a game of catch. But don’t you need arms to catch?
Mo Willems’ Geisel Award-winning duo never fails to tickle readers of all ages. Like previous Elephant & Piggie Books, this adventure has been vetted by an early learning specialist and emerging learners themselves. It turns reading into play!
And thank you, Esme Raji Codell, from Planet Esme, for this fabulous list of books! (if you don’t get my monthly newsletter and would like it, these books are included there, among other things…subscribe over there to the left see that signup thingy?)
STAMPEDE! POEMS THAT CELEBRATE THE WILD SIDE OF SCHOOL by Laura Purdie Salas
SPLAT THE CAT by Rob Scotton
EMILY’S FIRST 100 DAYS OF SCHOOL by Rosemary Wells
I’M YOUR BUS by Marilyn Singer
BEST BABY EVER by David Milgrim (will touch parents’ hearts, too!)
LLAMA LLAMA MISSES MAMA by Anna Dewdney
NEW BEAR AT SCHOOL by Carrie Weston
And an oldie but goodie: HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION by Mark Teague
Last, but not least, in a kindergarten epi, I gotta tlak about my own book, Kindergarten Rocks…
Dexter already knows “everything” there is to know about kindergarten. His big sister, Jessie, told him all about it. So Dexter is not scared. Not even a little bit. But his stuffed dog, Rufus, ” is” scared. Actually, he’s terrified. But Dexter–er, Rufus–has nothing to fear: As he’ll soon find out, kindergarten “rocks.”
In fact, I created Get Ready for Kindergarten Month after writing Kindergarten Rocks bc The longer I worked on the book, the more I felt for Dexter, and by extension,
the kids he represents. Of course, not all children are going to have a hard time making this transition, but there are over 3 million new kindergarteners every year. If just a fraction need some support, I hope that the book and Get-Readyfor-
Kindergarten Month will provide it for them and their parents.
I worked on the faculty for SDE – Staff Development for Educators for a long time. Jim Grant, an internationally renowned educator and founder of, highly endorses preparing new kindergarteners. He wrote to me, “Kindergarten Rocks! is an exciting book with a
refreshing look at a critical subject-school readiness-and combined with Get-
Ready-for-Kindergarten Month, will help parents have a better understanding of
the transition to kindergarten and what this means for young children.”
RJ Julia’s is a fabulous indepdent book store in Madison, Ct., and they are amazing there – if you want a signed and personalized copy of any of my books, order from their siteby clicking on the book cover, and when you get to the “special instructions” part of the order, just write in there who you want me to sign it to, and they’ll get hold of me…
And if you’re in the area on August 18 at 10:30 am, I’ll be doing a Get Ready for Kindergarten appearance at the store.
Katie Davis’s 15 Tips to ‘Get Ready for Kindergarten’
Through my research, I created a bunch ‘o tips for prospective
kindergarten families. But remember, each child is
different, so pick and choose which tips will work best for your family.
Imagine. Together, write a story about what school will be like, and
include the morning routine, the trip to school, arrival, goodbyes, and
especially, the return home. Write it down, and have your child illustrate
it.
Smell. Dab a little of your regular perfume on her/his wrist. It will be like
you’re right there all day.
Clue. Tell the teacher about the things your child is particularly scared of,
attached to, or intrigued by.
Exit. Give yourself time to say good-bye in the mornings, and to
engender trust, don’t sneak out to avoid a scene, but exit quickly. It’s like
pulling off a band-aide, the faster you do it, the less painful!
Talk. Try to think up three funny things might happen at school. How
about three things that will smell different? Three different rules?
Participate. Does your school have Get Ready for Kindergarten Month
events? That can help kids make a smoother transition.
Sleep. Ease back into the school night sleep routine, starting about a
week before the first day.
Thank you, Betsy Bird, for your exclusive and fab review of A Nest for Celeste!
1 Comment
Elizabeth O. Dulemba
Katie! The sound is indeed better. And you sound like you're getting more relaxed with it – your awesome sense of humor is coming through more. REALLY enjoyed this week's show. What a treat!
Thanks!
🙂
e