Counting Down

The last two weeks of summer break are upon me, and as I look back on the long days full of anything but school work, I question if I spent my time wisely. Like most other teachers I had a long list of things I wanted to accomplish that would prepare me for the new school year. Write inspiring lesson plans. Compose interesting units. Create innovative uses for technology in the classroom. These would be in addition to reading the latest 'teacher' books, such as “Returning Civility to the Classroom” and “Discipline in the Responsive Classroom”.
But alas, the only thing I have crossed off my self-imposed to-do list is read. The aforementioned books and much more, such as monthly peer-reviewed publications and several teacher community blogs and websites, have been thoroughly reviewed and committed to my personal favorites. All of this reading has left me wondering: What is it that I need to take into the classroom with me this year to be an effective teacher?
After much thought I have come to the conclusion that among all the gimmicks and gadgetry that is hyped as the next best thing in education that will make my profession completely fool-proof, one thing is missing—passion. The desire to teach is not just about making annual yearly progress, which makes the administration happy. It is about the passion of teaching that comes from the desire to take young minds and fill them with knowledge that will support them on their journey in this world. Sure, learning different strategies to add 2 and 3 digit numbers is important, just as learning about how to use word chunks to help decode an unknown word is valuable. But to inspire a child to WANT to learn to add and read is what teaching is really about.
So, as the break draws to a close I choose to see my to-list as mostly complete. No, I do not have any lesson plans or units ready for the first weeks of school, nor do I have the ‘it’ that will make my teaching headline news. But what I do have is the passion to face another group of children as though they are small sponges, understanding that it is my passion for teaching that will provide them with the knowledge to soak up all they can while in my classroom.

Technology in Early Ed

This past semester was my last as a graduate student and in my Educational Technology class I was introduced VoiceThreads. As I was the only elementary teacher in my class of seven, I was hard-pressed to come up with a viable use of such cool technology. One day while lamenting that my students were not 'getting' the writing process, I thought about how to incorporate what they knew (their school environment) and what they were good at (talking) to create an audio/visual interactive writing experience.
First we toured the school to take pictures (on my cell phone). Once the pictures were transferred to my laptop, uploaded to a new VoiceThread, and then the students chose in what order to place each picture. Next, the writing. For each picture the students described the location in the school and added a small detail about that location. I typed the words (guided writing) and they told me what to add or delete. Then, once all the words were typed, I would read the caption aloud and they would practice saying it together. This was fun because they got to hear themselves: It was amazing to watch and listen to their conversations about how they needed to speak slower and not shout out! Last, I recorded the students 'telling' about their school.
When it was complete the students couldn't wait to show off their accomplishment! They were very proud that they had made something so cool, and the pride of ownership in their learning transferred to their subsequent writing activities.
For more information about VoiceThreads, check out http://www.voicethread.com/.
Check out their finished project at http://voicethread.com/share/1930066/

Some of My Favorite Things

http://r.smartbrief.com/resp/cXguBYpSlUCahvpSCidalqCicNzxdF?format=standard

http://www.readwritethink.org/  (International Reading Association)

http://www.abcteach.com/

http://www.starfall.com/

http://www.scholastic.com/

http://www.theeducationcenter.com/  (The Mailbox)

http://www.ascd.com/

www.printables.scholastic.com/printables/home

http://www.exchange.smarttech.com/  (SMART board lessons)

http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/

http://www.awesomelibrary.com/

Waiting...

August will be here faster than I know it, with all the back-to-school chaos teachers endure. This year again be crazy for me as I will be moving into yet another new school and classroom. While the move itself is a promotion, the classroom size is much smaller (and the students will be bigger!).  Being selective in what I put into my room is going to be no small chore for me, as I have WAY too much stuff! Do I take all my books, so carefully divided into colorful and sturdy crates by genre? What about all the odds and ends that made my room the 'store' others would come to shop in last year? Will there be enough room to have both literacy work stations and traditional play-based centers? Where will I put all the my stuff and still have room for the students and their stuff? As these questions (worries? concerns?) swirl around in my mind I take the slightest of comfort in knowing that this soon will pass, and I can commence to fretting about something else! To most people all this nonsense about having 'nothing' to do and being 'lazy' sounds a bit off. However, I am happiest when I am working on something, such as planning for a new school, class, grade. I like it even more when I am able to see fruits of my labor (moving stuff from one place to another!) and, alright I admit it, I love, LOVE reading while lying by the pool (only if it is 'teacher' reading). For now I will (must!) be content in making schedules, setting up class websites, and planning procedures.

Memories of the Past Year

A teacher's life is full of reflection. As I reflected on what went well, what could be done better, and what NOT to do at all, I found myself thinking more about the individual children I had the pleasure to hang out with for 180 days. Some of my favorites...
   Ty (all names are changed) was very loud & rambunctious. He couldn't spell his name, couldn't write his name, and had some seriously funny ways (read=inappropriate) of expressing his feelings. By the third week of school and after much practice, he came in one morning and said, "Ms C, look at this!" He proceeded to locate his name on the class list posted on the SMART board. This was amazing because there were a total of four other names that began the same as his! If this was not enough, Ty took a pencil and wrote his name! WOW! But the best part was as I was hugging him, expressing my pride at his accomplishments, he looked at me and said, "Ms C, you taught me that!" The tears were flowing!
   David was a veteran kindergartner. Surely he must know the basics, like letters and numbers, right? NOPE! By Christmas, he too was writing his name, matching letters and counting to 20. On the last day of school he grabbed me and said, "Ms C, you're the best teacher! Thank you for teaching me to read and count!" I'm going to miss him!
   Jane came to my class right after Christmas break. Her huge brown eyes revealed her anxiety, as well as her spectacular amount of energy! It was very tough creating a relationship with her, but as she became more comfortable in the classroom, her true personality emerged. Fun loving, quick to respond, and with a razor-sharp sense of humor, Jane was a source of frustration and amazement. When she left the class shortly before the end of the year, I found myself truly sad. No more would I spend my day calling her name--"Jane, stop that! Jane, come here. Jane, please SIT DOWN!" But also no more would I have a warm smile and tight hug every morning and afternoon from such a trusting and sweet little girl. Her squeezing my hand as she got on the bus and saying "I love you Ms C" will forever be in my heart!
   I was very concerned about Mike. He did not seem to progress at all through the year. I considered retaining him. A short meeting with his mom seemed to be a turning point. Suddenly, Mike was writing, reading, and counting. I can't claim all the success, but he was 'mine' so I beamed nonetheless. By the end of the year, Mike was ready for first grade. At the Kindergarten Celebration (graduation), I was beamed even more...his expression of pride in himself was priceless!
So as I look to begin a new grade level at a new school, I know I will encounter many more children that will take a piece of my heart. But the memories of my first year in teaching will always be with me. Thank you to the children and families that made 2010-2011 a fantastic, memorable, wonderful, amazing...year. I love you all!

 Mrs C's Kindergarten Class

Pumpkin Picking Field Trip

October, 2010

So, Now What?

I just finished reading the 72 comments to a teacher on the Scholastic FaceBook page. She was beginning her first teaching job on August 1, didn't get into her room until July 22, and was wondering what she needed to do in between! After gleaning some awesome ideas for myself this year, I commented about putting dates into her calendar during the most hectic of times throughout the year, like conferences, report cards, Christmas Break, state testing, and spring break.  Now, all I have to do is take my own advice!
Also after reading another teacher's comments of her amazing work done thus far (she's been out for 3 weeks), I am spurred into gear, actually accomplishing all the things I want to do this summer instead of looking back in October and saying "Why didn't I do that?!?" Step one will be to create a master list (journal!) of things 'to do', 'want to do', and 'wish to do'. Next, adding to that journal will be all the things I can do now, before I get into my new classroom. Sub plans, parent letters, classroom procedures, first day & week activities, and, oh yes, writing those all important 'me' dates in my new pink day planner (thanks Mo!!) Then, I will take those books we are 'supposed' to read & hang by the pool. Wong's "First Days of School", "What Great Teachers do Differently", "Brain Based Teaching", "Teach Like a Champ", and of course, my favorite, "First Day Jitters".

Off to make that list...

Start of Summer Break

Starting summer break is full of mixed emotions. First, there is relief that FINALLY the school year is over. Next comes the desire to change just about everything for the up-coming year. Interspersed is the realization that the break is only so long, and that there is never enough time to become fully prepared for the beginning of school rapidly approaching. Then, over-stimulation: What should I change? What should I keep? Where will that poster go? What new ideas do I feel must be tried out? Finally, the experience of planning and reflecting take over, and the 'zone' is entered.