Uncommon Uses for Common Things
 |
| Cereal boxes as mailboxes |
Book of the Week
If You Don't Feed the Teachers They Eat the Students: Guide to Success for Administrators and Teachers by Neila A. Connors
Song of the Week
They Might Be Giants: No!
GATE Guru
Here is an example of a Tic Tac Toe sheet I made for sixth grade students
Website of the Week
World Atlas
Feature Teacher(s) Blog |
| Teacher Bits and Bobs |
How long have you been teaching and what levels have/do you teach and where do you teach?
This is my seventh year teaching, and my sixth year in kindergarten! I am currently teaching in Newport Beach, California and I love my little kinder kiddos!
What inspired you to begin your blog? How long have you been writing?
Hmmm . . .what inspired me to begin to blog . . . Well, that would be my better half: Kerri B. Kerri and I always say we are like peanut butter and jelly . . . peas and carrots . . . Batman and Robin. (Obviously I would be Batman . . .) You get the idea. So a year and a half ago when Kerri decided to start a blog she invited me to join, and now here we are! It has been the most wonderful experience and I am so thankful to her every day for dragging me along and fulfilling this crazy dream together!
What is the best part of being a teacher?
The best part of teaching for me are the relationships. There is so much more to teaching than
subtraction or reading comprehension or good handwriting. My plan book has a quote on it by Carl Jung that reads: “One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feelings. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.”
What do you find is the most challenging part of our job?
The most challenging part of teaching for me is finding the balance between work and family time.
Unlike most jobs, teachers are always on the clock: answering emails, prepping art projects, planning instruction . . . even cutting yards of lamination on the couch in your PJs at midnight! As the mommy of a 1 year old, I am working on being intentional about how I spend my time when I am at home with my family – making the most of our time together in the evenings, and being far more efficient in getting things done at school. Or at midnight.
What advice do you have for fellow teachers?
My best advice for fellow teachers is to plan, prepare and then be able to laugh when things just DON’T. TURN. OUT. RIGHT. We’ve all been there. No matter how much time and planning went into your lesson you just never know when little Tommy will decide to give himself a haircut in class, or when Suzy will throw up all over herself AND her neighbor. Or when that crazy bird will fly into your classroom, poop on every available surface area and then fly out. It happens. Don’t sweat it. Someday far, FAR in the future you might even be able to look back and laugh at your terrible, horrible, no good, very bad lesson. Tomorrow is another day.
Do you have a favorite professional book?
Even though I read it many moons ago, I love and still refer to Harry and Rosemary Wong’s The First Days of School: How to Be an Effective Teacher
. It has sooooo much teacherific goodness. If you’ve never read it, I highly recommend it.Best read aloud?
My favorite read-aloud is Thomas' Snowsuit by Robert Munsch. My class and I enjoy reading and re-
reading this hilarious tale about a boy’s obstinate refusal to put on his snowsuit. The ending is hilarious. A must read to add to your classroom library!
No comments:
Post a Comment