I finished my first ever pastel painting. I hope I photographed it okay.
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 23, 2008
Summer time, and the living's easy!
Wow... this is the time that I really love being a teacher. Though finances are tight, and I still had to teach summer school and get another part-time job to make these distant ends meet, I am loving the lazy days of summer. I can read whatever I want, [technically] get up whenever I want (Karma actually makes sure I get up earlier for our morning walk, but then I just take a nap afterwards, so does it really count?), and basically just lounge around the house, thinking, watching mindless television, etc. Right now I'm in the classroom, just making sure that when I return in the end of July I won't have a million loose ends. My goals for today are: 1) organize all of my overhead paraphenelia (I can't believe how the overhead has changed since I was in school... such a simple piece of technology that can be manipulated in a trillion ways) and 2) file all the papers I decided did not need to be filed right away during the school year.
In educational news, a state mandate was passed that says that all ELD students need to have four hours of reading instruction, divided in specific segments depending on their ranking (Pre-emergent, Emergent, Basic, Intermediate). I don't have the numbers in front of me, but it makes lesson planning a little more difficult, with specific minutes for conversation, writing, reading, verbal, and grammar. Plus, all ELD students are supposed to be in the same class, so I will have only ELD students in my class (which isn't a far cry from my class last year).
Karma after hair-cut:
In educational news, a state mandate was passed that says that all ELD students need to have four hours of reading instruction, divided in specific segments depending on their ranking (Pre-emergent, Emergent, Basic, Intermediate). I don't have the numbers in front of me, but it makes lesson planning a little more difficult, with specific minutes for conversation, writing, reading, verbal, and grammar. Plus, all ELD students are supposed to be in the same class, so I will have only ELD students in my class (which isn't a far cry from my class last year).
Karma after hair-cut:
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Summer School
Day Two of Summer School:
Although I have the largest summer school class in the school (14 students enrolled), this has been my most positive experience yet. I'm finally organized, prepared, and armed for anything summer-school-related. Last year, when I foolishly expected given curriculum and/or general expectations on what I was to teach, I found myself scrambling for something to fill what seemed like an eternal four hours of school. Now, my students are saying, "We go home now?" as if we'd only been in class for an hour.
For those of you on a similar conflict, here is my schedule:
8:00- Attendance and Sonday System (phonics review program)
8:30- Computer
8:55- Journal writing with Mix-Pair-Share
9:30- Centers (while I pull them for reading fluency testing)
9:55- Reading of decodable book, copied so they can take home
10:30- Make Your Own (a time where we make our own flashcards)
10:50- Math (On a stroke of pure genius, I have purchased a set of playing cards for each student from the dollar store. Each day, I teach them a new review game they can play with the cards. Then, they can take it home and practice the games... So far, so good!)
11:30- Lunch
11:50- Review
12:00- Dismissal
P.S. I am picking up my dog at 2:30 today! News to come on that front, I suspect!
Although I have the largest summer school class in the school (14 students enrolled), this has been my most positive experience yet. I'm finally organized, prepared, and armed for anything summer-school-related. Last year, when I foolishly expected given curriculum and/or general expectations on what I was to teach, I found myself scrambling for something to fill what seemed like an eternal four hours of school. Now, my students are saying, "We go home now?" as if we'd only been in class for an hour.
For those of you on a similar conflict, here is my schedule:
8:00- Attendance and Sonday System (phonics review program)
8:30- Computer
8:55- Journal writing with Mix-Pair-Share
9:30- Centers (while I pull them for reading fluency testing)
9:55- Reading of decodable book, copied so they can take home
10:30- Make Your Own (a time where we make our own flashcards)
10:50- Math (On a stroke of pure genius, I have purchased a set of playing cards for each student from the dollar store. Each day, I teach them a new review game they can play with the cards. Then, they can take it home and practice the games... So far, so good!)
11:30- Lunch
11:50- Review
12:00- Dismissal
P.S. I am picking up my dog at 2:30 today! News to come on that front, I suspect!
Monday, July 9, 2007
Actress/Teacher
Who knew that taking a couple of drama classes in high school and developing a severe case of stage fright in front of my peers would lead me to being a teacher... or really, just an actress with a perpetual audience of eight- and nine-year-olds? So often that's what being a teacher seems to signify. Sure, I attend conferences, staff meetings, and other meetings with vague purposes; I spend too much time grading and entering grades, creating rubrics; I read more children's literature than a children's book editor; I plan lessons during every waking (and sometimes slumbering) moment; but when it comes to opening the door in the morning to a class of expectant third graders, the actress kicks in and takes over. I am replaced by a character called "Miss Sells" who has all the answers, a bottomless pit of energy and enthusiasm about everything from fire drills to fractions, and a great skill of improvisation. Through it all she has a smile on her face, except when the teacher-look is necessary.
I was inspired to create this blog because of my wonderfully eloquent elder sister's influence. Plus, I would like to have a place dedicated to thought and experiences dealing with my professional life (which, let's face it, is my life).
Of course, now it's the summer: that supposed "vacation time" that makes the occupation of teacher enviable to everyone with normal 9-to-5 jobs. Right now, however, I am in my classroom, trying to sort out all of the files, articles, magazines, both inconsequential and overbearing tasks that I decided to put off so I could check out early. I just sigh and look around thinking about everything that needs to be done: schedules to be made, lesson plans to be created, desks to be arranged, re-organizing and pre-organizing, phone calls and e-mails and letters to write- all of a sudden I seem very tired. Aren't I still on vacation?
I was inspired to create this blog because of my wonderfully eloquent elder sister's influence. Plus, I would like to have a place dedicated to thought and experiences dealing with my professional life (which, let's face it, is my life).
Of course, now it's the summer: that supposed "vacation time" that makes the occupation of teacher enviable to everyone with normal 9-to-5 jobs. Right now, however, I am in my classroom, trying to sort out all of the files, articles, magazines, both inconsequential and overbearing tasks that I decided to put off so I could check out early. I just sigh and look around thinking about everything that needs to be done: schedules to be made, lesson plans to be created, desks to be arranged, re-organizing and pre-organizing, phone calls and e-mails and letters to write- all of a sudden I seem very tired. Aren't I still on vacation?
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