Teacher's Lounge Radio Episode 15

Thank you for tuning in for episode 15! 

Uncommon Uses for Common Things
Using fabric and sheets in the classroom

 Book of the Week
Why We Must Run With Scissors: Voice Lesson in Persuasive Writing by Barry Lane and Gretchen Bernabei

Song of the Week
Math Songs I Must Sing by Karl Roemer

GATE Guru
Create a menu!  Below is a sample I created about explorers.


Website of the Week
Weebly!

 Feature Teacher Blog
Q) How long have you been teaching?  What grades and where? A)    I am going into my 4th year teaching fifth grade. I have taught fifth grade each year in Michigan. 

Q) Why did you start your blog? A)    I have always loved reading other teacher blogs! In my first few years teaching, I saw a lot of awesome ideas which really helped me through through my first years of teaching.  I started my blog, “Young Teacher Love” in 2011 because I wanted to have an outlet to voice my own challenges being a young teacher and hopefully provide some support and tips for others as well as share the ideas and materials that have worked for me in my classroom.  Unfortunately, my year was pretty tough and I was as active as I wanted to be with the blog. After the year was over, I started back up in full force in the summer of 2012. When the teacher blogging community accepted me and embraced me so positively, I decided that no matter how busy I get, I would not stop blogging! 

Q) What is the best part about teaching? A)    There are so many reasons why I love teaching, how can I choose?! I know this sounds cliché, but I really enjoy those experiences where my kids are pushed to the limit, and then they have that AHA! moment. I love to see them smile when they “get it” for the first time. It really makes me proud and happy to know that they challenged themselves, accomplished something big, and as a result, felt better about themselves. Another thing I love is the connections I make with my kids. I teach in a tough area outside of Flint and I find joy in being there not only as their teacher, but as someone they can turn to that will always support them. I enjoy going to their extracurricular activities, and seeing them outside of school too! It’s fun to see a different side to them, and to show them that their teacher is a real person too!  Also, I can’t help shed a tear when my past 5th graders come back to visit me and tell me how much they miss having me as a teacher!

Q) What is the most difficult part about teaching? A)    The hardest part of teaching if fitting everything.   I teach all subjects including reading, writing and, spelling, math, and science and social studies.  Getting through all the standards and topics is very difficult.  **Teacher Tip #1** Get creative and start coming up with cross-curricular activities in order to meet all the requirements! :)

Q) What advice would you like to give to fellow teachers? A)    I’m glad you asked this, because this was the inspiration for my blog.  Slow down:  Your students feed off your energy.  If you are going a hundred miles per hour and yelling, students will respond with that same energy (I probably should take my own advice sometimes!) When you slow down, your kids feel it. You may not get to every single thing you planned that day, and that's ok. Your kids will get what they need to get from you and will learn too. Don’t beat yourself up if you need to take a minute to sit and enjoy your kids. The second piece of advice I have for young teachers is to find a mentor.   If you don’t know something, be open and willing to ask questions and find out from someone who does.  Listen to some veteran teachers and don’t re-invent the wheel if you don’t have to.

Q) Favorite professional book? A)    I have two favorite professional development books: Robert Marzano’s The Art and Science of Teaching: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective Instruction, and Donalyn Miller’s The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child 

Q) Favorite read aloud? A)    My all time favorite read aloud that I start my year off with every single year(that never gets old!!) is, Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls.