Interview with Mary Linsmeier Schools/Children's Edu-Care Teacher Charlie Christman, Children’s Book Illustrator of “Ivy Grace And The Birthday Monster”. This interview was conducted at the end of October.

What is “Ivy Grace And The Birthday Monster” about? What kind of message does the book present?

 “Ivy Grace And The Birthday Monster” is about a little girl who has a dream birthday party in her mind. When the birthday doesn’t measure up to her expectations she throws a tantrum at the party. The tantrum leaves her monstrous. The book has a good moral at the end of the story.

How did you become an illustrator? What made you decide to illustrate Jamie Vacho Kinsbeck’s book?

 I always find an excuse to draw and print. I have a degree in Art and have been doing freelance illustrations and teaching art. While doing this, I began my position at Mary Linsmeier Schools where I use art as a teaching method for the children.

Reading the book made me laugh and sold me on illustrating the book. Having the monster in the book will appeal to the children and it was fun to illustrate. I love the moral for the children who read the book and hopefully, the moral will be passed on to the children.

What was the most challenging part about illustrating a children’s book?

 I think the most challenging thing was to try to find the author’s vision and bring her ideas into the illustrations. Jamie was a great collaborator to work with and let me run with it.

How long did it take you to illustrate each page?

 The illustration process started in October 2011.  I worked on it during the evenings and over the weekends. I did 2 pages a month with reworks and changes. The final illustration was completed in May 2012. I meet with Jamie every 2 weeks to show her the work and fine tune ideas for the next illustration.

Is this your first illustration that has been published?

 I started doing illustrations for a toy packaging company and illustrated a children’s activity for Children’s Hospital in 2008. I have been professionally illustrating ever since.

What was your favorite scene to illustrate in the book?

  My favorite scene to illustrate in the book was when the monster appears. I asked other people about their favorite scene and it’s either the page were the girl has the dream birthday or the page were the monster appears.

What kinds of conditions did you work in to create the illustrations for this book? Did you listen to music?

 I always work with music. The music has to be upbeat, positive, and gets you moving.

What is the most important tool you use in illustrating? The one thing you can’t work without?

 The most important tool for me is pencil and paper. Drawing inspires me more than painting. Drawing lays the ground work for painting. I drew the illustrations first, then went back and painted them.

What is your favorite color and did you use it in the book?

 Blue is my favorite color. There are 3 predominant colors in the book that have purpose but I can’t tell you without spoiling the story for the readers.

Did anything serve as inspiration to your illustrations?

The children that I teach at Mary Linsmeier Schools served as inspirations in my illustrations.

What are you hoping the book and your illustrations will get across to parents and children?

I hope that anyone who reads the book will identify with the moral of the story. I wanted to make the book vivid, entertaining, and wanted the audience to experience the story, especially the part were she realizes what unkind actions has done to her loved ones.

Are you working on anything projects now?

 I am currently doing illustrations for a local magazine, and showing paintings at M Salon at Walker’s Point. I hope to be working on more projects during the winter.

Is there anything else you like to share?

Persistence is always a winner. Jamie and I took turns keeping each others drive and enthusiasm going on this project.

Teaching Children the Alphabet A through Z by Planting a Garden

The children with the “garden”…they all look adorable!!!!!!

 Mary Linsmeier Schools and Children's Edu-Care in Brookfield are teaching young children the Alphabet in a new way. This summer the children will learn about the rain-forest in conjunction they will be nurturing nature by creating an Alphabet Garden.

The pretty sky and the entire Alphabet A through Z.

The children will be learning the Alphabet A through Z by planting plants which include flowers, herbs, seeds, and vegetables that start with letters of the Alphabet. While children learn the Alphabet they will learn to care, nurture, and investigate numerous aspects of gardening.

From little hands come beautiful things. “Look Miss Anna…Where should I put this?”

The staff hope the garden will give children many opportunities to learn sights, sounds, smells, taste of nature, the environment and take pride as well as enjoying responsibilities and various progressions a garden beholds.

The Alphabet Garden is a center driven project for Brookfield, this project will hopefully enhance and engage the community surrounding the center, establish partnerships with local residents, businesses, and of course the families.

Miss Anna painting (young toddler teacher) containers for our “ABC Garden”….. this project evolved during our April Staff Meeting.  Everyone was very excited to get started.

 “Mm is for Moss Roses”…we have a special plant container for each letter of the alphabet.

As the staff involve the community and residents around them they ask for donations of plants, and are in need of soil. The staff has been fortunate to have all containers donated by a local painter, along with donation of soil for them to get started on planting and plants are prepared to be accepted for donation.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our ABC Garden…buckets, soil donations and plants.  Now, “let’s watch our garden grow”!

Pam (Transitional Toddler Teacher) scrubbing the many donated paint covered buckets we used for planting.  A local painter and paint company donated all of the buckets.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

 

Some of the children have helped already with filling the pails with dirt and helped water the garden. More pictures will soon be available on the Mary Linsmeier Schools and Children's Edu-Care Facebook Page.

The staff at Mary Linsmeier Schools and Children's Edu-Care in Brookfield thank everyone for the continued commitment and support to this center, the community, the environment, and socially sustainable knowledge and values.

Staff of Mary Linsmeier Schools

Their passion for educating young children has lasted for decades!

Mary Linsmeier Schools is celebrating the passion for educating young children that the Fond du Lac Staff has been demonstrating for almost 30 years!  Not only do the staff members have a commitment to children and their families, but they also commit to each other and have become a solid team that produces great results!  

Their longevity is not the norm these days in early childhood.  The newest staff person providing child care has been with us for over 7 years.  Our collaboration with the Fond du Lac School District has provided us with another team member, Jennifer Koenigs,  who is in her second year as a 4K Teacher .

Mary Ann Adler, Director, said, “Our staff makes the difference and I can see it with the successful outcomes of many of the children we have served.”  “Our teachers stay with us because they believe in our company’s mission and want to provide excellence in educating young children.”

Kathleen Lindsley, Assistant Director and 4K Assistant summed it up best.  “I started over 20 years ago because of the quality of the academic program and the professionalism of my co-workers.”  “I am rewarded when I hear stories of children that attended Mary Linsmeier Schools, finishing in the top ten in their class and going off to college or finding successful careers.  I know my co-workers and I are proud to have been a part of their first educational experiences!”  “I know that the great early education offered to each child, leads them on the road to success!”

KK Photography

Mary Linsmeier Schools is pleased to introduce one of our newest partners KK Photography llc! Kathy Kohl, owner of KK Photography, has been taking pictures of the children at many of our locations.  Not only has Kathy’s experience as a professional photographer captured the excitement and enthusiasm of the children as they learn and discover new things in their classroom, but she has also taken some really cute videos that can’t help but bring a smile to the faces of all of us that love watching children grow. 

 

KK Photography is offering a $50.00 discount through December 1, 2011.  This offer is good for all Mary Linsmeier staff and families. Please pick up your discount coupon at any of our Metro Milwaukee locations.

 

It's a Small World and I Love It!

 Photo by Kathy Kohl, KK Photography, LLC

Sue Harenda has positively impacted the lives of parents and children for over 17 years. She is a lead infant teacher at the Brookfield Children’s Edu-Care. I sat down and spoke with her and she was kind enough to share her story.

Susie, you began working for Mary Linsmeier Schools October 15, 1993.  What prompted you to apply to be an infant/toddler teacher?

My Niece, Jenny was an infant teacher in Brookfield with Children’s Edu-Care. She told me about her job all the time and made it sound really interesting. I had previously worked as a secretary for a mortgage company and quit to stay home and raise my son Mark who is now 31 years old.  I guess I really loved being a Mom and thought this position would be fun!

What was your educational training upon accepting the position and what educational training have you taken over the years to become the exceptional teacher you are today?

When I started, I had my high school diploma.  I had gone to work right away out of high school and then worked to put my husband, Bob, through college at MSOE.

When our center went through NAEYC (National Association Education Young Children) Accreditation, I obtained my CDA (Child Development Associates) which was focused mainly on infants.  These courses really helped me flourish as an infant teacher although as I really loved my job, a lot of it came naturally.   

At what point in your time with Mary Linsmeier Schools did you decide that this was your “calling” and your chosen profession?

I knew from the day I was hired that I really enjoyed what I do for a living. Time went quickly!  I don’t think that there was a determining factor that made me say, “This is the job for me!”  It was just a good fit and I love getting up and coming to work in the morning. 

You very rarely, if ever, miss a day of work.  What is and has been your motivation over the last 17 years to be at work every day?

I love my job!  I look forward to seeing the children and parents every day.  I know that the parents really depend on me being at work so they can get on with their jobs without worrying about their most valued possessions.  I also know that the other staff members rely on me to be at work as well.

Talk a little bit, if you would, about your professional philosophy.

I believe that the infants should be loved and cared for the way that I would want someone to take care of my own child if he was in day care.  I want to make sure that each baby is taken care of according to the parent’s instructions.  Moms and Dads know their children the best.  They relay information about their baby to me so that I can provide care in the same way and on the same schedule that the baby is use to at home.  I in turn believe it is my responsibility to communicate with each parent about their baby’s day so they know if any problems or exciting new advances, like scooting or crawling are on the horizon. 

Susie, all of us in early childhood relish the cute things that the children do and the things that gave us joy or just plain made us belly laugh.  Can you share some of your experiences with us?

I smile all the time.  Babies notice when I rearrange the room.  They get very excited.  It is also funny when they first learn to eat table food.  They make the funniest faces at me!  Babies are so cute when they “share” toys.  One baby will just decide that the “sharing” should happen and the first baby will take the toy from the second baby and gently replace it with the one that he or she had.  The second baby looks at his new toy and then at me with the expression of, “we traded, you know.” It is really cute!  I also can’t help but laugh when a baby giggles.

I have special moments every day so it is hard to think of just one.  I also really get excited when a baby is on the verge of doing one of his or her “firsts”.  When they are rocking on all fours and you know they will be crawling or when they stand up and hang on to things and you know they will be taking their first steps.  It is always as much fun for me to hear the excitement in Mom or Dad’s voice when they come in to my room to tell me the good news about the first time their baby has crawled or taken those first steps.

Susie, you have such pride in the Brookfield Center as a whole, can you share with us your relationship with your co-workers?  What makes the center so special?

All of the staff members I work with are great!  They all will jump in and help a co-worker out whenever needed. Our center is lucky to have such a dedicated and educated team that all pitch in to get the job done each day and make our center a great place for the children.

How important is the support of the parents to what you do every day with the children?

The parents are wonderful and very responsive when we need something!  Raising a family and working is a very stressful time in life, but the parents always make time to come to our events at the center and help us with fund raising efforts.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

It really has been wonderful working with all of the children over the years.  I love it when the preschoolers or grade schoolers come back to visit me.  I had a family come back to visit that now has a daughter in her first year of college and a daughter in High School.  It is wonderful to think that I was a part of their early development.

Thanks to all the parents who have allowed their children to enrich my life!

Interview by:

Theresa Smith

HR Director

Mary Linsmeier Schools

Heroes. We all have them. We all grew up with them. Having an example to look up to is very important, especially for children. Even as an adult, I find it important and helpful to have heroic figures in my life who have gone before me. As a teacher, I love taking on this very rewarding role.

Some time ago, I was talking with some friends of mine who are parents of young children and the subject of heroes for children came up. As we discussed this, we acknowledged other hero examples that children have, such as sports figures, actors and characters from learning programs. Eventually we arrived at the obvious and talked about pop culture "hero" characters that are seemingly inescapable for anyone to ignore, especially children.

As with the pop culture, there are many violent examples out there, but we all agreed that traditional "hero'' archetypes with a code of honor were still alive and well. Among them were the obvious Superman, Batman, Spiderman, etc. I realized how much they resonated with everyone as I noticed that my friends' little boys owned toys and accessories with these "superhero" images and logos on them. Sometimes these items would inspire the boys to pretend they were these characters. Just as I began to smile about this, I noticed the daughter of my friends was playing with toys that all had the Disney princess themes. I pointed this out to my friends and they explained that this was still a very popular thing for little girls. I wondered aloud if this was the heroic pop culture equivalent for little girls. The mother of this girl laughed and said the princess theme would not have been her choice but she did say her daughter gravitated to that theme all on her own. The mother had grown up as the family jock and couldn't have been farther away from anything pink or princess. "I certainly didn't encourage this, but, if she likes it, then I'll let her enjoy it!", the mother said. Ultimately, as a mother, she didn't find any harm with it and it certainly was the daughter's expression of individuality from her mother.

As a teacher, I look for materials less pop-culture oriented and introduce the classroom children to books and stories that have universal learning and story book characters that everyone can identify with. I'm less concerned with the "hero" archetypes in pop culture, but I do wonder what messages are being sent to young children outside the classroom. As I write this, I'm immediately reminded that there is a cartoon called "Dora the Explorer" that shows a girl in a positive, self-reliant light that appeals to all children. This cartoon appeals to both girls and boys in a positive learning way.

I am always looking for learning vehicles that children respond to. I certainly would love to find more examples of what I'm referring to regarding positive and heroic examples for girls as well as boys outside the classroom. I invite parents or anyone else to share thoughts on this...

Mr. Charlie

No Ordinary Song and Dance

Use all your resources! Be animated! Throw self-consciousness out the window! That's a lesson I learned some time ago and it has served me ever since. As a parent or teacher it is helpful - even necessary - to climb out of your shell and sing and dance as a part of a child's learning experience.
Before teaching in the Early Childhood field, I was an art teacher who used a pretty straight-forward approach to teaching my lessons. Giving instruction and encouragement to the older age groups left little room for animated performances, much less singing. After all, the creation of art itself was enough creative expression.
Encouraging creative learning in the young mind soon beckoned me, and I shifted gears to become an Early Childhood teacher. During this transition, I was pretty confidant using art as a learning tool for many things besides art itself, and that was my angle when interviewing for positions in this field.
After one fateful interview, I received a call back requesting a "working interview" where I would be observed by the staff as I taught a lesson with the children at the school. I enthusiastically put some lesson plans together and had a good feeling about how they would play out. In preparation, I called a teacher friend of mine who worked with young children and asked her for any feedback regarding the lessons I put together.
She gave me a big "thumbs up" on everything and added that I should sing a particular song to go with the lessons. After teaching me the song itself and the happy motions to accompany this number, I told her, "I'm not singing in front of a room full of people! Nobody needs to experience that - especially me!" She respectfully disagreed and told me how useful singing and dancing are with children as they are learning. "Forget about the adults in the room - they don't exist. It's you and the children and they WILL respond in a positive way to your singing. I promise!" I made no promises of my own at that time.
During my working interview I did indeed have fun and kept the interaction between the children and myself. Nearing the end of the art section I felt things were going very well when a voice somewhere inside me (not thinking it was mine) said, " ...And now I have a great song to teach you that goes with our activity!!!" Before shock and dread could set in I found myself performing this ditty as well as blatantly singing off-key and even messing up the lyrics. I had no time for remorse as I found my audience smiling, laughing AND participating. This had an immediate and universal appeal in our group.
To no surprise, I was told as I was offered the position that "my animated presence really engaged the children". After all, that is the goal when teaching. Now there isn't a day that goes by without a song and dance.

Mr. Charlie