Over the Moon and Under the Stars

Heidi here! Just a quick note to tell everyone how excited we are about the article in FORBES! Over the MOON excited!!

Everyone in #Kinderchat has been working so hard! To be an Early Childhood Educator is automatically hard work and then on top of that members of the community of #Kinderchat blog, tweet, create projects, engage in (at least weekly if not daily!) Professional Development all while working to integrate some of the most cutting edge collaboration into their curriculums the world (!) has ever seen! Talk about juggling! And they make it all look easy!

Along w #1stchat and #2ndchat, #Kinderchat was also mentioned in EducationWeek and a post from The Asia Society. #Kinderchat is proud to have inspired the grade level chats and proud to continue to build a community of Early Childhood Educators throughout the world.

Building community was and is our primary goal. When Amy and I started out this adventure in the summer of 2010, we focused on creating a "place" where teachers could be free to share failures, successes, trials and all of the authentic challenges that come with working with Young Children. I don't think either one of us dreamed we'd end up in Forbes magazine or, of equal excitement, tweet with the real RAFFI!

While we value reading and math and subject matter, as a teacher I cannot tell you what a relief it is to not constantly be barraged with "reading" and "math" and to instead focus on our craft as a whole and community and meaningful interaction as a value. The relationships between outstanding educators actively engaged in the process of teaching and learning is incredibly motivating, energizing and infinitely entertaining.

#Kinderchat must specifically Thank: all the teachers who are working or worked with their partner in Amy's Kindergarten Around the World project, Matt Gomez for his incredible Symballo and the Famous Family Facebook, Mr Fines for his songs and wonder, and of course the dynamic and brave Play Project peeps: Mardelle Sauerborn for her stunning #skypeplay project, Patty Johnson for her awesome Google docs, Mr Ben Sheridan for his "Stuck in the Mud" instructions and mad cap movies that teach children 'round the world how to play games and have fun, Nikki Cingiser for creating amazing Voicethreads and beginning work on a Children's Google World Atlas, Gail Poulin for the postcards that just keep on comin', Michelle Heibert for always giving a friendly smile and happy greeting and Our Miss Binney, Erin Rocklewitz and her 28 Kinders. But mostly to each one of YOU KinderSTARS who share your genuine stories, smiles, laughter, fears and knowledge each day.

I am proud to call the #Kinderchat my colleagues. I am proud of the amazing work we are doing together. I am proud of the zeal, zest, exhaustion, frustration and love each one of us feels and pours into our daily work.

With Love and Gratitude,
Heidi