I am officially a 2nd grade teacher! Whoo hoo!

Mealworm experiments

Notes of thanks!

Thanks to everyone who supported me emotionally during the student teaching!! What an amazing, blessed experience!!

Today I recieved a mini bunt cake from a student and a very important note I will cherish always. This note is important to me because 1.) I never loved the way anyone taught math. 2.) I struggled with math as an elementary student 3.) This student is a high math student (she actually loves, loves, loves Math.) So, this means, my math anixety is gone, as a teacher. Praise the lord. I’ve been cured?!

The last week of student teaching is here!! I am so busy this week with things other than student teaching. I can’t believe it is over already. What an amazing time of growth. I feel secure in finding a job even though the odds are against me this year. I keep promising myself I won’t freak out until late summer. Then I’ll sub like a mad woman until I find a job.

Until then, real life, not swamped with two schooling experiences, here I come.

Week one was like trial by fire. Classroom management: hardest, hardest thing. Now I’m bribing them with sticker charts and all they can do is complain about the darn stickers. Augh! New rule: complain about stickers–lose stickers.

I have been teaching poetry and today we did a poem that involved opposites and patterns. One girl decided to pick the opposites of rich and poor, because, and I quote “We’re very wealthy.” Well, GLORY BE Vercua Salt!!! I cringed but told her, that they were indeed opposites and she could continue with her Paris Hilton-inspired poem.

Here is my fake version of her poem using the pattern.  Maybe I’ll show it to her tomorrow. It might make her think.

Rich

wealthy, monied

spending, charging, splurging

carefree, luxury — not much, meager

scrimping, moonlighting, praying

value, save

Poor

So this little girl is so very “wealthy” because  her father is a Doctor of Urology. When I told this story to my co-operating teacher I had to make the joke “So, when say your family is wealthy you really mean urine the money?” Okay, lame. I’ve been reading to many knock, knock jokes.

Today begins my three weeks student teaching my class on my own. I’ve very nervous even though I feel prepared. I think I’ll leave early today and get my bearings about me. Will I be attacked by the wolves? Will they listen? Will this be a glorious ending to a already wonderful student teaching experience? Hopefully, only the last.

Actually, I’ve talked to more than one person who had such a horrible student teaching experience that they didn’t want to be a teacher right away. Sad. Instead of getting you ready to go the teacher freaks you out. I am very thankful I have a teacher who oozes grace and compassion.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it onto completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6
Right now I’m inspired to learn about positive talk, educational encouragement and how to tap into that self talk and make it work for children. There is much talk about how we live in a society with too much praise. We are praised when we get last place. We all are winners, we all are superstars, etc. But there is also a lot of self-doubt among children. They are very sensitive at a young age to labels, feelings of being a disappointment or feeling less than the whole. What are we not saying, or saying correctly, to really encourage children to have faith in their abilities and find their own intrinsic motivation to learn?

Today our sermon in church was about how Jesus took 12, essentially flawed, very human men, and through his belief and confidence in them (and of course his amazing teaching) helped them transform into great teachers, leaders and men. As teachers, we too are only limit children by our own expectations of them. What kinds of things do we say to help them see that we see their potential and that we have strong faith in the their abilities and future accomplishments if they choose to try and work toward being their very best?

I am thinking of ways that I can try and make that connection in words that don’t sound too canned, too overly-praising and hit the buttons of self confidence and intrinsic motivation. Of course, I’ll need many ways to say things and many opportunities to say them. That’s probably why there are millions of books on teaching. One day, when I’ve read a dent of them, it will be time for me to retire. But until then, I feel like its a good experiment to continue to throughout my teaching.

A study was conducted where certain teachers were told that they were teaching a group of gifted children. They were not allowed to tell the students they were gifted or tell others about the students gifts. At the end of the study the childrens’ test scores rose significantly versus the teachers who were not secretly told their students were gifted. Of course the students were normal and the teacher’s perception of the students was the only thing that was altered. What amazing changes! In the time of testing, testing, testing and labeling, labeling, labeling, isn’t it amazing what something as simple as not knowing everything about a student and assuming only the best can do for students?

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

Still kicking!

 Just a quick note. I’m still teaching math! Whew, no math anxiety when it comes to 2nd grade math. That came about 5th grade for me. I’m learning the Smart board and more smackdown classroom management.

Athough I am enjoying everyday, part of me is ready for spring break!!

 Hope everyone is having a good snowy spring.

There is no reason for posting these pictures other they made me laugh.

Ha, he “he will have aged gracefully.” Not so much.