We rocked the school carnival! That's all for this week partners! Yee HAW!
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Sunday, September 21, 2014
My First Teaching Tears
This week has been quite an emotional week for me. I am trying to come to terms with trusting myself and thinking "I do in fact know what I am doing in the classroom". Teaching and presenting the lessons are coming easier and easier to me. Plus I am receiving great feedback learning from one of the best teachers I could have ever imagined. So why was I crying this week?!
I love the kids in my school. I know so much about them and I feel like I make instant connections with them. I could spend all day talking to them just learning about their little worlds. So this week proved to show me that not all of the kids I am growing to love come from loving environments. Not every adult they meet shows them the love and respect they deserve and my heart hurts when I think about this. My tears came from the frustration I feel when I think that people can't see the wonder in kids. They are such amazing little people with such beautiful minds I could not imagine doing anything else in the world.
I am so thankful to be a truly loving school and seeing that it makes a difference when the kids know their school cares about them
This coming week is going to be a busy one with meetings, class, and observations I hope it all goes smoothly and I get enough sleep!
I love the kids in my school. I know so much about them and I feel like I make instant connections with them. I could spend all day talking to them just learning about their little worlds. So this week proved to show me that not all of the kids I am growing to love come from loving environments. Not every adult they meet shows them the love and respect they deserve and my heart hurts when I think about this. My tears came from the frustration I feel when I think that people can't see the wonder in kids. They are such amazing little people with such beautiful minds I could not imagine doing anything else in the world.
I am so thankful to be a truly loving school and seeing that it makes a difference when the kids know their school cares about them
This coming week is going to be a busy one with meetings, class, and observations I hope it all goes smoothly and I get enough sleep!
Sunday, September 14, 2014
JUST Keep ON Keeping ON
This week really kept me on my toes. I had all kinds of wacky things happen to me like hitting a student in the forehead with a binder clip, having one student exclaim he was my dream come true, and I have students (mostly youngers) who pet my fingernails. I always have my nails painted and I guess it intrigues them because if I lay my hand down on the table they just lovingly pet me. It's a little odd and a little heart warming all at the same time.
I also had an incident this week when I decided to treat myself to a little caffeine. I took a different cup to school so I wasn't really thinking when I dumped my soda into it and sat it on the desk just waiting for the fizzy goodness later on during my plan. I was talking away and popped up the spout when coke went flying across the table all over my hair, in my shirt, and down my capris. Needless to say I will not bring that cup back.
My main laugh this week has been asking student's their names and then not being able to understand what they say. Since I teach art I am faced with the challenge of learning every students name and naturally I don't have them all down so when I ask for a hint there are times I have no idea what the student is saying which can be pretty awkward for both of us.
Over all teaching is going great! No matter what wacky things happen to me I always feel happy teaching and I am slowly learning to just go with the flow. Especially in what I like to call the Zoo which is often referred to as Kindergarten. Now don't get me wrong Kindergarten fascinates me and I have found I know most of their names because I just love their little personalities so much! BUT, there is no doubt about it Kindergarten gets crazy and in the art room it gets very stressful having them all doing what they think is right which has proven to sometimes be wrong. Lucky for me I am not alone in the wrangling and I had a successful Friday teaching them. :)
I just have to remember to keep on keeping on...
I also had an incident this week when I decided to treat myself to a little caffeine. I took a different cup to school so I wasn't really thinking when I dumped my soda into it and sat it on the desk just waiting for the fizzy goodness later on during my plan. I was talking away and popped up the spout when coke went flying across the table all over my hair, in my shirt, and down my capris. Needless to say I will not bring that cup back.
My main laugh this week has been asking student's their names and then not being able to understand what they say. Since I teach art I am faced with the challenge of learning every students name and naturally I don't have them all down so when I ask for a hint there are times I have no idea what the student is saying which can be pretty awkward for both of us.
Over all teaching is going great! No matter what wacky things happen to me I always feel happy teaching and I am slowly learning to just go with the flow. Especially in what I like to call the Zoo which is often referred to as Kindergarten. Now don't get me wrong Kindergarten fascinates me and I have found I know most of their names because I just love their little personalities so much! BUT, there is no doubt about it Kindergarten gets crazy and in the art room it gets very stressful having them all doing what they think is right which has proven to sometimes be wrong. Lucky for me I am not alone in the wrangling and I had a successful Friday teaching them. :)
I just have to remember to keep on keeping on...
My first apple!
Friday, September 5, 2014
Can I smell that?!?
Week 3 started with a three day weekend for teachers, four day for students. That is probably enough information to let you imagine how my week went but I will go ahead and fill in all the fun details for you.
Sunday I had a full blown runny nose, stuffy head, cough, and chest congestion going on so I tried to take it easy Monday and get pumped up for Professional Development on Tuesday. Professional Development had some amazing speakers available for us teachers and I learned about where motor development begins and how choices made from birth by parents affect our students in the classroom. This was something I really knew nothing about and I have applied what I have learned already in my classes!
Wednesday and Thursday were quite the test for me. In fact I felt like the week would never end. I wasn't getting good rest, I didn't make it to the store, I was almost late one morning after locking my keys in my house, and I would start a coughing wave in class every time I even had a tickle in my throat. In the classroom everything went very well! I taught Kindergarten or as I like to call it the Zoo, I taught Mixed Age and Second grade. Each time my confidence has grown and I am so thrilled with teaching I can barely contain myself. I will also admit I am extremely spoiled with the most amazing mentor teacher who has made me feel at home from the first second I walked in the door.
Friday is a much better day for me as I feel much better and we had a very successful day in the classroom. We painted!! All grade levels used watercolors today and everyone did an amazing job. In fact one student asked "Can I smell that?" after the demonstration and since I couldn't smell all week I found this to just make me giggle inside.
Hello weekend!
Sunday I had a full blown runny nose, stuffy head, cough, and chest congestion going on so I tried to take it easy Monday and get pumped up for Professional Development on Tuesday. Professional Development had some amazing speakers available for us teachers and I learned about where motor development begins and how choices made from birth by parents affect our students in the classroom. This was something I really knew nothing about and I have applied what I have learned already in my classes!
Wednesday and Thursday were quite the test for me. In fact I felt like the week would never end. I wasn't getting good rest, I didn't make it to the store, I was almost late one morning after locking my keys in my house, and I would start a coughing wave in class every time I even had a tickle in my throat. In the classroom everything went very well! I taught Kindergarten or as I like to call it the Zoo, I taught Mixed Age and Second grade. Each time my confidence has grown and I am so thrilled with teaching I can barely contain myself. I will also admit I am extremely spoiled with the most amazing mentor teacher who has made me feel at home from the first second I walked in the door.
Friday is a much better day for me as I feel much better and we had a very successful day in the classroom. We painted!! All grade levels used watercolors today and everyone did an amazing job. In fact one student asked "Can I smell that?" after the demonstration and since I couldn't smell all week I found this to just make me giggle inside.
Hello weekend!
Monday, September 1, 2014
WoooHOOOO Labor DAY Weekend!
Can I just say I love me a three day weekend?!
I hope all the kiddos are getting to have fun this -extended- weekend while we teachers get back at it tomorrow!
This week I really had a chance to look at how to handle "mistakes" in the art room. It can be so hard to translate what you see in your head to paper or any other medium really so I try to be understanding with the students who are looking to start over. In our classroom we don't let students start over unless there is no way to "fix" what marks have been made or the student is truly upset with their artwork. Our approach is to take the time to speak with the student about what they were trying to achieve and how they can accomplish that. I love helping a student figure out that their "mistake" is not in fact a mistake but a different approach to get their desired finish product. Not only are we helping students be flexible, solve problems, and think critically we are teaching them that art is beautiful when the effort from the artist shines through.
Wednesday was my first night class which I was very tired during but I love seeing my other future teachers and talking everything out.
Friday was Jeans Day/carry in lunch...man can the teachers in my building cook! I'm still in love with teaching! Bring it on Week 3!
I hope all the kiddos are getting to have fun this -extended- weekend while we teachers get back at it tomorrow!
This week I really had a chance to look at how to handle "mistakes" in the art room. It can be so hard to translate what you see in your head to paper or any other medium really so I try to be understanding with the students who are looking to start over. In our classroom we don't let students start over unless there is no way to "fix" what marks have been made or the student is truly upset with their artwork. Our approach is to take the time to speak with the student about what they were trying to achieve and how they can accomplish that. I love helping a student figure out that their "mistake" is not in fact a mistake but a different approach to get their desired finish product. Not only are we helping students be flexible, solve problems, and think critically we are teaching them that art is beautiful when the effort from the artist shines through.
Wednesday was my first night class which I was very tired during but I love seeing my other future teachers and talking everything out.
Friday was Jeans Day/carry in lunch...man can the teachers in my building cook! I'm still in love with teaching! Bring it on Week 3!
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