There was an old lady...

Who swallowed a fly. I don't know why she swallowed a fly, perhaps she will die...

Many early childhood educators know this book. Maybe there is a different version that you like better than the one above (she swallowed a fly, maybe she will cry, she swallowed a chick, it made her sick). Regardless of which version you like, this book addresses several early childhood literacy skills. First, it utilizes rhyming words and second, it can be predictable and repetitive, which allows pre-readers to chime in. I was not specifically doing any lessons or projects around this book, but it has been in the book area on and off throughout the year.

The literacy teacher that my students work with did a retelling activity around this book that resulted in a mini-flip book for the students to take home. One of the parents approached me about the book and explained that she thought it was in appropriate for her son's age. I offered to relay a message to the literacy teacher or suggested that the parent visit with that teacher during our upcoming open house. The ironic part though is that this same child owns and is allowed to watch X men and other movies of that type.

What do you think? With a proper introduction about the story being fictional and silly, is the Old lady who swallowed a fly inappropriate for four and five year old students?

Not quite the recognition I was hoping for

So there are about 200 schools in our district. Our school was on the list of the 22 nastiest buildings from a public health point of view. The schools were inspected by state health inspectors and of all them 22, stuck out as the most offensive. This information was in one of our local papers and broadcast on local network news. I did not know about this distinction and was thrown off guard the other day when a parent had asked if I had read that morning's local paper. She wouldn't elaborate as to why I should but my curiosity was ignited. I found the paper after school and was horrified 1) by the title of the article and 2) to find a large picture of my school building in color on page 5. There were of course other schools on the list, but they show a picture of ours! Lovely!