Our work, or perhaps I should say “FUN” at Furry The Penguin, all started because of a little boy named Mac. He is a fine boy with many, many challenges. At six years old, he joined the Penguin Kindergarten Classroom. Without the gifts of love and time from many people, this story is impossible.
It is a true story. Do Stuffies really talk? Well, maybe in Kindergarten, so it might not all be real, at least to adults. Together, we learned about the importance of Stuffun La Muffins. In Kindergarten, we learned to accept differences and understand that everyone needs a friend.
Thank you from Mac, the Stuffies, and Teacher in the Little School That Could, in the Little Town That Would.
Furry: The Little Penguins that Could is written by two moms who believe in Friendship, Ability, and Inclusion. If we teach Acceptance and Kindness in kindergarten, maybe we can stop Bullying and show everyone that They Matter.
Meet the Moms
Ann Yurcek is the mom of 12 children, 6 with special needs, and Nana of 6 more. She is an international and national advocate, an award-winning author and researcher. Ann views adversity as a gift and an opportunity to learn new things. Ann is the author of Furry. She runs the support group Parenting FASD Kids on Facebook (Read More)
Jodee Kulp has enjoyed the role of foster mom, adoptive mom, kinship, and host mom to 20 children. She is an author and illustrator, currently working with individuals with neurodiversity through her Expanding Mindz with Canine program, which utilizes dogs as emotional support partners to develop executive function skills. Jodee is the artist of Furry. (Read More)
Meet Mrs. C, our favorite retired elementary school teacher. Marcia Chambers taught young children for thirty-two years at Winskill Elementary School in Lancaster, Wisconsin. Mrs. C was Mac’s kindergarten teacher, and her loving classroom was the inspiration for the book, Furry, the Little Penguins that Could. Mrs. C was involved in the Friends of Winskill’s parent/teacher organization, where she wrote grants for field trips and technology, and is still known for her kindness as a Kindergarten teacher. Mac’s family continues to be a loving extension of her own. (more about Marcia)
So what REALLY happens when you mix two moms of medically complex children, a special ed teacher, adults with significant life challenges, and two incredible people with doctorates in specialized education together?
- Laughter, friendship, inclusion, and acceptance
- New ideas because we shared insight, experience, and perspectives freely
- A TEAMS approach to learning
– Try
– Enrich
– Access
– Make it happen
– Solve - You get our all-new Furry developmental curriculum, and we are SHARING IT RIGHT NOW FOR FREE!