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Issue No. 86 -  10th March 2010

Welcome to Kidz Newz especially to all new subscribers. Kidz Newz is a regular newsletter with information and teaching tips for anyone involved with young children. You are receiving this because you have attended one of my workshops, purchased a book, or you have requested to be on the mailing list. Thank you. Please forward this to anyone you feel it may be of interest to. Feedback is welcome.

Employment Opportunity - Be your own boss!

Looking for a part-time teaching opportunity? Love working with children? Love teaching music and movement? I am looking for people to train to run their own business as Kidz-Fiz-Biz operators. Good returns and lots of fun. If this is something of interest to you now or in the future, please contact me at info@kidzfizbiz.com or phone 0410 642 781.

What Can We Learn From Penguins?

I’ve always loved penguins, especially Emperor Penguins. The way they waddle is hilarious, the way they skate on their fat bellies is remarkable and very clever if you want to get anywhere in a hurry, and they always look so splendidly dressed, as if permanently ready to go to a ball somewhere. The real deal with these penguins though, is their ability to recognize the importance of being part of the team. During winter an individual penguin would die of exposure if he stayed alone, but if they all huddle together for warmth and protection in a big group, they all survive. The way they survive is that they take turns to go on the outside of the group. There appears to be a fairly constant shuffling going on as places are traded, to give everyone a turn at being cozy in the centre of the group and then gradually moving to the outside again. In this way no one penguin is better than or more privileged than any other. The pecking order can be re-established later on but during winter, survival of the whole community is the only consideration. No one needs to be in charge of this organisational structure; no one complains and no one misses out. Extraordinary.

We tend to lose sight of the bigger picture, the group goal, when we focus on ourselves. If we were to take heed of the message from penguins, we would look beyond our own egos and recognize that everyone has a place; we are all cogs in the great wheel, as it were. We all get a turn to ‘shine’ and bask in the warm glow of success and adoration but when it’s our turn to be ‘out in the cold’ again while someone else shines that’s OK because our turn will come around again.

Ponder that thought next time you are driven to distraction by the day’s irritations or when you feel you are being overlooked in favour of another. Perhaps it’s just your perception that needs altering? What role are you playing in the bigger picture?

Quotes of the Week

Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together. Source unknown

I enjoyed the tapping sticks and scarves.  This workshop is great for classroom teachers. Thank you!      

I liked all the ideas for movement and would recommend all colleagues to attend this workshop.

(from PD New Norfolk, Tasmania)

Can you help?

I received an email recently from a subscriber in Tasmania requesting ideas for engaging boys, specifically in a religious education class (Christian). As I have not taught RE before, I wondered if any of you had any great ideas I could pass on. I have recommended a few authors who specialise in working with boys, but beyond that, I was not able to be more helpful. Perhaps you can? I look forward to hearing from you.

Paul Dunn - B1G1

I have had a lot of positive feedback about the recent article Creating the WOW! Factor in Your Classroom (issue number 84). If you are interested in attending one of Paul's WOW! seminars, click on one of the links below.

• Hokitika 18 April: http://wowwestcoast.eventbrite.com
• Chch 19 APril: http://chchwow.eventbrite.com 
• Wellington 20 April: http://wellingtonwow.eventbrite.com
• Auckland 21 April: http://aucklandwow.eventbrite.com 

About The Author

Marlene Rattigan B.A., Dip. Ed. (ECS), CELTA

Marlene Rattigan is an Early Childhood teacher, a teacher of English as a Second Language, and from 1987-2000 was a nationally accredited fitness leader. Her background is in music education. A keen interest in motor development in children led to the creation of Kidz-Fiz-Biz which she taught successfully for 13 years. Marlene also conducts workshops for children, teachers and parents at schools, in the community and at festivals. She has produced teaching manuals complete with audio CDs which are an extension of her ‘Kidz-Fiz-Biz’ program.