Teacher's Lounge Radio Episode 10

Thank you for tuning into episode 10!  Thank you for all the support as this podcast continues to grow!

Book of the Week
The book of the week is How the Brain Learns by David Sousa

Song of the Week
The song of the week is Monkey in the Middle off The Learning Station's Physical Ed

Uncommon Uses for Common Things

Need a place to store stuff? I needed a spot for all the things left on the floor at the end of the day.  Here is my lost and found box made from a baby wipe container.  What can you store?

Website of the Week
Get great resources while supporting fellow teachers at Teachers Pay Teachers

GATE Guru
Think like a.... is a strategy developed by Dr. Sandra Kaplan.   Long Beach Unified School District has posted some great graphic organizers and information about different disciplines.

Feature Teacher Blog

I'm so happy to introduce Emily, the author of http://ilovemyclassroom.blogspot.com/.  Read our full interview below:

First, some basic information: How long have you been teaching and what levels have/do you teach and where do you teach?

This is my 13th year of teaching.  I have taught everything from Kindergarten to 8th grade in some manner or another including a year teaching Special Education/Communicative Handicapped and a year of Elementary Science.  I am presently teaching 4th grade in Northern California.  

What inspired you to begin your blog?  How long have you been writing?

I started I Love My Classroom this past May after the teaching aspects of my family blog took over.  I love teaching and I love sharing what I'm doing in my classroom with others.  My teaching friends told me that the information that I was sharing with them would be good to share with others too.  It's also been a wonderful experience learning from so many creative bloggers out there.      

What is the best part of being a teacher?

My most favorite part of teaching is getting the kids from point A to point Z.  I love being a part of the memories they are making and knowing that I'm teaching them things that they need to know for their future.  I get to help build their foundations.  I get to also help them discover their strengths, and to help them learn social skills.  I love knowing that I'm making a positive impact for our future generations.  

What do you find is the most challenging part of our job?

Can I be honest and say lack of a budget?  I want to create the best environment for my students and it's hard to do when there isn't any money.  We have to fundraise for field trips, copies, and school supplies.  We have to ask for donations of kleenex and copy paper.  I'm in a portable that doesn't have water access, so I have to ask families to fill up the 5 gallon water cooler for me.  This year we have been told that we can't even ask for baby wipes, hand sanitizer, or disinfecting wipes because our insurance doesn't allow us to anymore.   It is hard to create something out of nothing and to stay healthy in the process.  I am thankful for generous families that step forward to cover the gap. 

What advice do you have for fellow teachers?

I think the advice that I would like to give fellow teachers would be to simply remember the reasons that you wanted to become a teacher.  For me, I was 3 years old when I told the world that I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up.  I grew up knowing that I wanted to work with children and make an impact in their lives.  When something in the classroom doesn't work the way you want it to, it's not the end of the world - just change it.  You are in control of your classroom environment.  The kids love to feel needed and respected.  The kids want to have fun.  The kids are kids - they need to learn to be responsible and they are not cookie cutter images of each other.  Becoming a mother changed my outlook on teaching.  It's not all about the long to do list in the classroom, it's wanting to learn about each and every child that is in my classroom on a personal level.  By taking the time to learn about them, they want to do their best for you.  By showing them that they are important and special, they start to believe it for themselves.  Just my thoughts.     

Do you have a favorite professional book?

This past summer I reread the The Daily Five, The CAFE Book: Engaging All Students in Daily Literary Assessment and Instruction, and The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child.  All 3 of them are wonderful books that have inspired me to try things that have worked out wonderfully in my classroom.  The past year I have also found so many great resources in the blogging community, on TPT and Teacher's Notebook.  There is so much out there for teachers!

Best read aloud?

For my own boys (I have 3 sons ages 8, 6, and 2) my favorite read aloud over the years has been How Do I Love You? by P.K. Hallinan.  I can "read" it without the book and I can sing it to them in the dark when I have rocked them to sleep.  So many good memories...

In my classroom - I absolutely love reading  Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing for our first read aloud of the year.  The kids love having anything "4th grade" in the title - and they can relate to so much of the book.