I have mentioned it many times before in past blogs, how much I loved the program and how I enjoy sharing my time with the Barnard Pre-K children and staff.
Since my best friend's daughter (aka my Goddaughter Josie) goes to Barnard school now, I was compelled to put in my free 2 cents for the cause.
Cathy told me of this years theme for RIF which is "Reach for the Stars", so we choose books like Good Night Mr. Night, By Dan Yaccarino, Good Night Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown, and Happy Birthday Moon, by Frank Asch as well as the children studing the solar system, the sun, moon and stars in the classroom.
This sparked a brilliant idea.
Lets get the Jefferson School Italian CILA (Children's International Language Academy) students to perform Su Nel Cielo (Up in the sky) an Italian song they learned in November for the Barnard Pre-K RIF children as the distribution's activity!
The suggestion was accepted and in a matter of weeks we got it all together. The RIF moms got templates of Clouds, Suns, Moons, stars and rainbows to decorate, color and then wear around their necks to teach the children the names of them in Italian. We sang the song to the children in classrooms and got all the Kindergarteners prepped for the big event!
The Kindergarten class then came in and sang "Su Nel Cielo" for the pre-k and then they all joined in and sang together!
It is such an infectious song that it was easy for the parents and children alike to get it together!
Here is a how it went...
All in all it was fantastic!
I was asked to write an article about it and take pictures, here is a rough draft of the article, please let me know what you think (it is my first time writing for publication outside of my blog and I am a bit nervous). I have a few things that are incomplete, but will be added in when I get all the information.
Here it is: (remember, it is just a rough draft).
Children teaching Children
By Cristina Cerone
On February 25th, 2009 Barnard school’s Pre-K RIF program hosted six of Jefferson school’s Italian CILA Kindergarten class for the second distribution. This year’s theme being “Reach for the Stars” gave me a great idea to get the two programs together with one big payoff, awareness.
Back in November, the Jefferson Italian CILA students were introduced to Dr. Simona* and performed “Su Nel Cielo, Up in the sky” an Italian song that she created and taught to the children. Within a matter of minutes the infectious song was in all of our heads and that sparked the idea for the second RIF distribution activity.
I spoke with Vicki Rashbaum, NYS RIF Ambassador 2008-09/Barnard Pre-K Social Worker about the idea and she thought it sounded great. The RIF Volunteers got busy and within weeks organized the event. Three of Barnard Pre-K classes got to see and participate in the performance. Mrs. Block/Carew, Mrs. Coronious and Mrs Seja's classes all got involved with the singing and dancing and it amazes me how quickly it really did come all together.
It was a huge success. I later asked the children if they had fun and the response was unamious, they sure did.
Here is what a few had to say about it:
**Vicki Rashbaum (Running RIF at Barnard for 16 years, NYS RIF Ambassador 2008-09/Barnard Pre-K Social Worker)- "This gives the kids another perspective that there is a big world out there after Pre-K. It is wonderful to see the older kids (only a year older) as role models for the younger ones."
Patricia Lambert (Principal, Barnard School) "What a wonderful way to bring NR city schools together to collaborate programs like RIF and Italian CILA! This could be the start of something big"
Kim Block (Barnard Pre-K teacher) "Children teaching children models good education and good partnerships, collaborations between schools fosters positive learning experiences."
Cathy Merigliano (parent of Barnard Pre-Ker Josie and RIF Volunteer) " I think it is wonderful that we can get two fabulous programs together that can only benefit from each other."
Cindy Allard (parent of Jefferson Italian CILA student Vinny) "This is reinforcing what we as an Italian community are trying to promote, our rich heritage through our children."
The Miceli Family (parents of Jefferson Italian CILA student Marco) "A special day, special always"
Donna Young (parent of Jefferson Italian CILA student Lily) "New Rochelle is such a culturally diverse city it is nice to see how our children are interacting with each other in a possitive way, and to get a RIF book as well is another plus!"
Bob Dawson (parent of Jefferson Italian CILA student Kimberly) " The more our kids are exposed to all language can only benefit them, it is a critical differential."
Aurora Perez (Grandmother of Italian CILA student Zoe Pena) "I love this, what a nice opportunity to expose this wonderful Italian CILA program to Barnard Schools Pre-K parents and students who may be looking for a program like this for their child after Pre-K."
This was an educational way of bringing children and culture together and it couldn't have been more fun.
* For more information on Dr. Simona...
Photo Credits:
1) Vicki Rashbaum with the Jefferson Italian CILA students
2) Jefferson CILA Students and Parents
3) Mrs. Block, Mrs. Carew with Brook Cerone (Alumn of Barnard Head Start Pre-K / Mrs Block's class)
By Cristina Cerone
On February 25th, 2009 Barnard school’s Pre-K RIF program hosted six of Jefferson school’s Italian CILA Kindergarten class for the second distribution. This year’s theme being “Reach for the Stars” gave me a great idea to get the two programs together with one big payoff, awareness.
Back in November, the Jefferson Italian CILA students were introduced to Dr. Simona* and performed “Su Nel Cielo, Up in the sky” an Italian song that she created and taught to the children. Within a matter of minutes the infectious song was in all of our heads and that sparked the idea for the second RIF distribution activity.
I spoke with Vicki Rashbaum, NYS RIF Ambassador 2008-09/Barnard Pre-K Social Worker about the idea and she thought it sounded great. The RIF Volunteers got busy and within weeks organized the event. Three of Barnard Pre-K classes got to see and participate in the performance. Mrs. Block/Carew, Mrs. Coronious and Mrs Seja's classes all got involved with the singing and dancing and it amazes me how quickly it really did come all together.
It was a huge success. I later asked the children if they had fun and the response was unamious, they sure did.
Here is what a few had to say about it:
**Vicki Rashbaum (Running RIF at Barnard for 16 years, NYS RIF Ambassador 2008-09/Barnard Pre-K Social Worker)- "This gives the kids another perspective that there is a big world out there after Pre-K. It is wonderful to see the older kids (only a year older) as role models for the younger ones."
Patricia Lambert (Principal, Barnard School) "What a wonderful way to bring NR city schools together to collaborate programs like RIF and Italian CILA! This could be the start of something big"
Kim Block (Barnard Pre-K teacher) "Children teaching children models good education and good partnerships, collaborations between schools fosters positive learning experiences."
Cathy Merigliano (parent of Barnard Pre-Ker Josie and RIF Volunteer) " I think it is wonderful that we can get two fabulous programs together that can only benefit from each other."
Cindy Allard (parent of Jefferson Italian CILA student Vinny) "This is reinforcing what we as an Italian community are trying to promote, our rich heritage through our children."
The Miceli Family (parents of Jefferson Italian CILA student Marco) "A special day, special always"
Donna Young (parent of Jefferson Italian CILA student Lily) "New Rochelle is such a culturally diverse city it is nice to see how our children are interacting with each other in a possitive way, and to get a RIF book as well is another plus!"
Bob Dawson (parent of Jefferson Italian CILA student Kimberly) " The more our kids are exposed to all language can only benefit them, it is a critical differential."
Aurora Perez (Grandmother of Italian CILA student Zoe Pena) "I love this, what a nice opportunity to expose this wonderful Italian CILA program to Barnard Schools Pre-K parents and students who may be looking for a program like this for their child after Pre-K."
This was an educational way of bringing children and culture together and it couldn't have been more fun.
* For more information on Dr. Simona...
Photo Credits:
1) Vicki Rashbaum with the Jefferson Italian CILA students
2) Jefferson CILA Students and Parents
3) Mrs. Block, Mrs. Carew with Brook Cerone (Alumn of Barnard Head Start Pre-K / Mrs Block's class)
**Vicki Rashbaum is a Bilingual School Social Worker at the Barnard School in New Rochelle, NY. She has coordinated the Pre K RIF program for 16 years. RIF at Pre K has expanded over that time to include three special needs classes and four Pre K Magnet classrooms in additional to the original 12 Pre K Head Start classes.
Every year, the parent volunteer committee seems larger and even more exuberant than the year before. She is especially proud that many of the most creative parents and grandparents are bilingual. Thus many books are read in Spanish and many songs are taught in both English and Spanish as motivational activities prior to the actual book distributions.
Many people have wondered why a social worker is coordinating the RIF program
Vicki strongly feels that promoting early childhood interest in books is only one component of RIF. The driving force that runs the RIF program is FAMILY INVOLVEMENT. Pre K families at Barnard develop a strength-based network from their work together creating activities, choosing the books to be ordered and read in class, researching information on the theme, songs to be sung in the classrooms and unique ways of decorating the library to engage the students in the theme. Her 30 plus years as a social worker in diverse jobs throughout New York City and being a parent herself of two sons who love to read provide her with the skills necessary to build an exciting, vibrant FAMILY-driven program. She and the students, families and teachers have hours and hours of fun with RIF and isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?
Constructive criticism is requested!
Constructive criticism is requested!
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