I can't believe we are half way through the week. These days are just flying by. Having school in such a busy place sure keeps me on my toes. I was absolutely blown away today when I heard our kids practicing their Spanish conversations. I expected fabulous things out of our old timers but the new kids who have only had Spanish for 3 days were amazing. I could not believe that they could already speak the language, even if it is only a few words. Wow!!
I met with the Discovery Center today and we began brainstorming some things our kids can do to help the museum. Mrs. Duncan suggested that we meet with her instructors in a few weeks and pick their brains on new ideas of how to use the museum more effectively. I suggested that we also train the students as museum curators and on high traffic days they could be stationed at the exhibits and help visitors understand the ins and outs of the exhibits. She really liked that idea.
When I walk through this place and realize the opportunities it is a "goose bump" moment. There are so many teachers that would love to be in my shoes and then I realize I am in my shoes and then....I can't believe it!!!!
Our history lessons have been on JFK this week and I have really enjoyed reliving some of my past. It is amazing how much JFK and President Obama correlate with one another. It is also creepy how close we came to a war with the Cuban missile crisis. I remember hearing about this event when I was a kid but I had no idea what the real deal was. Thank God, or I would have been so scared I probably would have never gone to sleep. You see, I am from a military family background!!!
Well it is almost time to wrap up another school day. It has been good and in a few minutes I have a staff meeting with my favorite middle school teachers in the world...The Dream team!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Saturday, August 22, 2009
August 22, 2009
Well, the first half week of the 2009 school year is over. It went by in such a blur I am having trouble remembering all that took place. This year I work two jobs for the Summit, one as a full time teacher and the other as a part time administrator. I come home for the day after working as a teacher to then spend the next few hours working as an administrator. I am having trouble adjusting to this schedule and suppose it will get easier as I get more in the groove.
This afternoon I have to figure out what the school lunches will be next week. I have never had to do this job and quite frankly I don't like it. I have enough trouble trying to figure out what my family will eat each week. You know, when you go to school to become an administrator there is a whole lot of stuff they forget to tell you about that naturally comes with the job.
Not only will I be figuring out school lunches but I also have to go purchase a pencil sharpener and a marker board for Mr. Keech. I have to wait to hear from Mrs. McNew as to whether I will actually be installing the board at the dance studio tomorrow.
Classes went well this week. The first day was pretty much a lost cause since we didn't have Internet but all in all it worked out. I love the lesson plan I came up with for middle school. I had the students put their name in the center of a word document and then list the first memory they have of their life, the first time they remember getting in trouble, their first best friend, and the first trip they remembered taking. They then put a graphic with each item that described the item. Then we went around the room and shared our lists. I learned a lot about my students from this activity. Next week we will take this exercise and write our first piece. Hopefully this was adequate brainstorming to get a pretty good essay about some firsts in life.
I met with a parent this week who is going to help me with the high school class in creating a podcast. I am very excited about this opportunity as I will be a learner as well. I am so glad that I understand that I will never be too old to learn and I don't know all the answers. It makes the classroom stimulating for me and helps me stay fresh.
Since I need to hunt and gather supplies for next week I will close these reflections and move on to yet another part of my life.
This afternoon I have to figure out what the school lunches will be next week. I have never had to do this job and quite frankly I don't like it. I have enough trouble trying to figure out what my family will eat each week. You know, when you go to school to become an administrator there is a whole lot of stuff they forget to tell you about that naturally comes with the job.
Not only will I be figuring out school lunches but I also have to go purchase a pencil sharpener and a marker board for Mr. Keech. I have to wait to hear from Mrs. McNew as to whether I will actually be installing the board at the dance studio tomorrow.
Classes went well this week. The first day was pretty much a lost cause since we didn't have Internet but all in all it worked out. I love the lesson plan I came up with for middle school. I had the students put their name in the center of a word document and then list the first memory they have of their life, the first time they remember getting in trouble, their first best friend, and the first trip they remembered taking. They then put a graphic with each item that described the item. Then we went around the room and shared our lists. I learned a lot about my students from this activity. Next week we will take this exercise and write our first piece. Hopefully this was adequate brainstorming to get a pretty good essay about some firsts in life.
I met with a parent this week who is going to help me with the high school class in creating a podcast. I am very excited about this opportunity as I will be a learner as well. I am so glad that I understand that I will never be too old to learn and I don't know all the answers. It makes the classroom stimulating for me and helps me stay fresh.
Since I need to hunt and gather supplies for next week I will close these reflections and move on to yet another part of my life.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
August 19, 2009
Today was the first day at the Discovery Center. School definitely takes on a whole new perspective when you have a whole museum at your disposal. We had a few computer glitches with our macs, but by the end of the day I think most of them are resolved.
The students have been very excited to be in a different setting. This afternoon we found ourselves down at the Kapla blocks area creating architecture and stretching our creative imagination. When the day was over I was relieved that we made it our first day in our new location and nothing horrible went wrong.
I will say the worst part of the day was losing my keys after school and having to comb through my path trying to locate them. The Discovery Center is a big place when looking for a set of keys. Not having my desk is going to be a new learning curve for me and I am certainly going to have to organize my stuff a lot better.
Tomorrow is another day and will bring excitement of its own. Welcome 2009-2010 school year.
The students have been very excited to be in a different setting. This afternoon we found ourselves down at the Kapla blocks area creating architecture and stretching our creative imagination. When the day was over I was relieved that we made it our first day in our new location and nothing horrible went wrong.
I will say the worst part of the day was losing my keys after school and having to comb through my path trying to locate them. The Discovery Center is a big place when looking for a set of keys. Not having my desk is going to be a new learning curve for me and I am certainly going to have to organize my stuff a lot better.
Tomorrow is another day and will bring excitement of its own. Welcome 2009-2010 school year.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
August 15, 2009
I am sitting here in my family room trying to decide what I can do this next year as a writing teacher to inspire my students and develop a love for the written word. There are varying ideas in books, blogs, websites, and textbooks that are good in mechanics but seem to be lacking in inspiration.
My teacher voice tells me that I must come up with inspiration before good writing will be reality. Passionate writing will produce the most positive results, but how to get middle school students passionate about writing is where I am hitting a blank wall.
I have tried all the methods of grammar, writing process, 6+1 traits of writing, etc. which add tremendous support to students who are already writers, but from experience I have learned all these tools just bore the student who simply does not like to write.
In making my lesson plans for this first week of school it came to me that blogging will certainly be more productive for some of my students who do not like pencil and paper than jouranaling in a notebook. I hope it will be more interesting for students to write about what they are doing in the school year and their revelations in a professional blog unlike facebook where the whole scope of their friends can be critical.
It is my desire that I find a writing method for each student that instills some interest and joy when it is time to write.
This is my first entry into the perils of teaching writing and I am sure there are many more to come. I know students write continually in today's world through text messaging, facebook, and school assignments. I sincerely want to harness this writing into a direction that fosters love for the art.
My teacher voice tells me that I must come up with inspiration before good writing will be reality. Passionate writing will produce the most positive results, but how to get middle school students passionate about writing is where I am hitting a blank wall.
I have tried all the methods of grammar, writing process, 6+1 traits of writing, etc. which add tremendous support to students who are already writers, but from experience I have learned all these tools just bore the student who simply does not like to write.
In making my lesson plans for this first week of school it came to me that blogging will certainly be more productive for some of my students who do not like pencil and paper than jouranaling in a notebook. I hope it will be more interesting for students to write about what they are doing in the school year and their revelations in a professional blog unlike facebook where the whole scope of their friends can be critical.
It is my desire that I find a writing method for each student that instills some interest and joy when it is time to write.
This is my first entry into the perils of teaching writing and I am sure there are many more to come. I know students write continually in today's world through text messaging, facebook, and school assignments. I sincerely want to harness this writing into a direction that fosters love for the art.
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