Skip to main content

It's Time for a Break!

Finally!  A chance to regroup.  A chance to breathe for a couple of days.  Just two more days til Thanksgiving Break....and it's much needed. 

Although I realize that I need a break, I need to get ahead in planning even more.  I would like to return to school with the last few weeks of the quarter planned and organized.  Day by day I am recognizing my growth and I am learning what works in my classroom with my kids, and what doesn't.  I wish that I could go back to my first day and re-teach all of that material.  But, there is not time so I'll keep moving forward and try to build on those skills. 

Each day, I am rewarded by one child or another.  My decision to become a teacher is reaffirmed and I know it's what I am supposed to be doing. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

My license

So...it's the end of November, and I finally received my license.  Although it's only a provsional license....it still makes me feel more official!  Now, I will finally get to sign my contract. 

Conundrums and Impact

This is not the post I planned to publish this month. My intent for this post was to discuss rurality and its impact on Fort Smith teachers (I promise, there is an impact). But, it can wait until next month. Instead, let's chat about uncomfortable and awkward professional moments.  A couple of months ago, I interviewed for a local, rural high school principal position. I was stoked about the opportunity, so I Showed Up  for the interview! To prepare, I studied the population, the community traditions, the instructional strengths and weaknesses, and how the school leadership communicated with the external community. I even familiarized myself with local organizations interconnected with the school community. It was absolutely the best interview I have ever had. I actually drove away, terrified that I may be selected as the instructional leader of a high school when I have absolutely no high school experience.   Fast forward to May 18 and an invitation to interview for...

There are good days....and there are bad days!

So....we are well into the second quarter.  My kids trust me, they talk to me, they help in the classroom, and most of them want to make me proud; HOWEVER, there are the handful who continue to disrupt and I just don't know how to get through to them.  My days are filled with engaging activities, but, I have found a flaw in it:  Our children expect to be stimulated every second of every day and they are not being taught the skill of being quiet and still.  Is this not a skill that they will need to advance to junior high and high school?  College and adulthood?  Are we not doing the children a disservice?  So....my solution is this.  YES, engage them in activities that will assist them in making an emotional connection, but also, have time set aside each day for notetaking and reflection.  Although I realize that I am not supposed to "teach to the test", if I don't teach the test, how do my students know how to successfully take the test?...