Well... We started school on Thursday. It actually went really well, although by the end of the day I'm completely drained!
Our kindergartner kept saying "ARGGG...I'm a Pirate!" all afternoon.
Our classroom theme is frogs. We've been learning the song "Five Green and Speckled Frogs" and the kids love it. Today, we made our five little frogs out of green cotton balls and added some googly eyes, painted a paper towel roll brown, and a paper plate blue and made our frogs on the logs by the pond. It was interesting. I only had one student try to eat his paint.
I'm sure I'll have more experiences like these to come through the year.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Got a Job...actually TWO!
I recently accepted a job as an instructional assistant in a special education classroom. It wasn't what I expected to be doing this next school year, but it's a job and I'm so thankful for it! I had been praying for a job to open and time and time again, they would close soon after applying.
Getting an interview as an elementary teacher is a hard thing, since there are so many other elementary teachers looking for jobs as well.
This time was different. I was planning on having lunch with one of my cooperating teachers from student teaching. Before we were even going to meet up, she texted me asking if I was interested in being an instructional assistant in the special education classroom. I of course was! I didn't even know this job was available, and they were interviewing that day! She spoke with the principal and asked if she had thought about me for the job. She thought since I was certified I wouldn't want to take on a classified job since the pay is less.
I don't care about the pay...that's not why I became a teacher anyways! The principal went on to speak with the special education teacher, since she had worked with me a lot when I was a substitute, and they discussed the possibility of hiring me.
Hours went by and I hadn't heard anything. They had completed interviews already and still nothing... I finally received a call later that night from the principal. She asked why I was interested in the job and if this is really what I could see myself doing this year.
I answered saying, I have considered getting my masters in Special Education, or Early Childhood Education and was really torn between the two. I said this would be a really good opportunity to see if Special Education was right for me and I had already worked with these students so much last year. It wouldn't be much of a transition for them at all, because I wouldn't be that much of a new face to any of them. They all already knew me. She said if I wanted her to put me through as the new instructional assistant she would! I was thrilled!
The following weekend rolled around and I attended my friends wedding. At the reception I sat next to a lady that works at our Board of Ed. for Kids Crew (an after school program for students). She was asking if I'd found a job and what I'd be doing. I told her. She said she also had an opening. It would be four days a week, one hour a day and it would be after school. She was needing a tutor for these students and she had no applicants at the time for the job. We were to start school five days later so she desperately needed someone for the job. I told her I would think about it, check with my principal and teacher and make sure there would be no conflicts with the two jobs.
The following Monday (one week after accepting my first job) I accepted this job as well.
I'm so excited. School starts tomorrow, and I can't wait to see the looks on my students faces when they realize "Mrs. Frizzle" (from the previous post) is one of their new assistants!!!
Getting an interview as an elementary teacher is a hard thing, since there are so many other elementary teachers looking for jobs as well.
This time was different. I was planning on having lunch with one of my cooperating teachers from student teaching. Before we were even going to meet up, she texted me asking if I was interested in being an instructional assistant in the special education classroom. I of course was! I didn't even know this job was available, and they were interviewing that day! She spoke with the principal and asked if she had thought about me for the job. She thought since I was certified I wouldn't want to take on a classified job since the pay is less.
I don't care about the pay...that's not why I became a teacher anyways! The principal went on to speak with the special education teacher, since she had worked with me a lot when I was a substitute, and they discussed the possibility of hiring me.
Hours went by and I hadn't heard anything. They had completed interviews already and still nothing... I finally received a call later that night from the principal. She asked why I was interested in the job and if this is really what I could see myself doing this year.
I answered saying, I have considered getting my masters in Special Education, or Early Childhood Education and was really torn between the two. I said this would be a really good opportunity to see if Special Education was right for me and I had already worked with these students so much last year. It wouldn't be much of a transition for them at all, because I wouldn't be that much of a new face to any of them. They all already knew me. She said if I wanted her to put me through as the new instructional assistant she would! I was thrilled!
The following weekend rolled around and I attended my friends wedding. At the reception I sat next to a lady that works at our Board of Ed. for Kids Crew (an after school program for students). She was asking if I'd found a job and what I'd be doing. I told her. She said she also had an opening. It would be four days a week, one hour a day and it would be after school. She was needing a tutor for these students and she had no applicants at the time for the job. We were to start school five days later so she desperately needed someone for the job. I told her I would think about it, check with my principal and teacher and make sure there would be no conflicts with the two jobs.
The following Monday (one week after accepting my first job) I accepted this job as well.
I'm so excited. School starts tomorrow, and I can't wait to see the looks on my students faces when they realize "Mrs. Frizzle" (from the previous post) is one of their new assistants!!!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Nick Names
I've gotten to sub in all grade levels now and only one class of students has given me a nickname. Why they chose this one I will never know, but each time they see me at school I'm called by it. My child in the modified classroom is sent to this classroom for science time and he has now heard them say it enough that I am now called by the nickname instead of my real name when I sub in his classroom.
My students now call me Mrs. Frizzle...yes the teacher off the Magic School Bus! They will see me and immediately yell out MRS. FRIZZLE!!! They usually follow that with "Are we going on a field trip today?"
I love it. All the other classes I sub in ask why they call me that and I just say it's their way of having a little fun and they're the only class that can call me that.
My students now call me Mrs. Frizzle...yes the teacher off the Magic School Bus! They will see me and immediately yell out MRS. FRIZZLE!!! They usually follow that with "Are we going on a field trip today?"
I love it. All the other classes I sub in ask why they call me that and I just say it's their way of having a little fun and they're the only class that can call me that.
Modified Classroom
So, as a first time teacher, the only experience I have had in the classroom was student teaching. I then became a substitute and was averaging 3-5 days a week at one of the local elementary schools. I got a call one early morning and one of the instructional assistants was sick from the preschool and they wanted me to come in and sub. I did. The experience was great with all the kids and one little boy stuck to me all day long. He has down syndrome.
He wanted me to play with him in the little house and go down the little slide, which obviously was way too small because it was made for preschoolers. He was the sweetest little thing ever.
Subbing for an instructional assistant later led to me subbing for other assistants as well. This led me to the modified classroom at the elementary school. I had never worked with students with severe special needs and knew there was a reason for me being placed in that room.
The first day there was a little rough. One of the little boys is in a wheelchair. I already had my own expectations picked out. He can't do what others do...I'm sure he's not treated as nicely as the others...how is this going to work out.... All these things ran through my head. I wasn't giving the best expectations for this child and had no idea what he was capable of. This is where his lesson to me comes to play.
I was asked to help him with his morning work. I was very glad to. The teacher and other assistants explained what I needed to have him do. I walked over, introduced myself and sat down next to him. To my surprise the first thing I get in return from him is spit in the face... This is something common that he does. He doesn't mean to or mean anything by it, it's just what his brain tells him to do. It's a very rare and strange disease that he has.
The day went a little rough and when I got home I was absolutely exhausted!
I then got called to go back again in the following weeks. This time I was going to be there at least 3 days in a row. I was in for it.
All I could do was pray. Pray that God would help me through those days, pray that I would have the strength to make it through the day with this student, and pray that he would finally accept me being in his classroom.
Amazingly, I was no longer spit on, he would ask me to take him to the bus at the end of the day, and he would ask if I would be back the next day. I had broke through the chains. He wanted me there and I was amazed. My expectations had completely changed in those days as well. He's EXTREMELY smart. It may take him a little longer to get his answer, but when he does he's usually right. He's an awesome little guy.
I now looked forward to being in that room when I subbed. I looked forward to going and surprising him.
I learned a lot from this child and he is an absolute gift from God, not just for his family, but for all of us too!
He wanted me to play with him in the little house and go down the little slide, which obviously was way too small because it was made for preschoolers. He was the sweetest little thing ever.
Subbing for an instructional assistant later led to me subbing for other assistants as well. This led me to the modified classroom at the elementary school. I had never worked with students with severe special needs and knew there was a reason for me being placed in that room.
The first day there was a little rough. One of the little boys is in a wheelchair. I already had my own expectations picked out. He can't do what others do...I'm sure he's not treated as nicely as the others...how is this going to work out.... All these things ran through my head. I wasn't giving the best expectations for this child and had no idea what he was capable of. This is where his lesson to me comes to play.
I was asked to help him with his morning work. I was very glad to. The teacher and other assistants explained what I needed to have him do. I walked over, introduced myself and sat down next to him. To my surprise the first thing I get in return from him is spit in the face... This is something common that he does. He doesn't mean to or mean anything by it, it's just what his brain tells him to do. It's a very rare and strange disease that he has.
The day went a little rough and when I got home I was absolutely exhausted!
I then got called to go back again in the following weeks. This time I was going to be there at least 3 days in a row. I was in for it.
All I could do was pray. Pray that God would help me through those days, pray that I would have the strength to make it through the day with this student, and pray that he would finally accept me being in his classroom.
Amazingly, I was no longer spit on, he would ask me to take him to the bus at the end of the day, and he would ask if I would be back the next day. I had broke through the chains. He wanted me there and I was amazed. My expectations had completely changed in those days as well. He's EXTREMELY smart. It may take him a little longer to get his answer, but when he does he's usually right. He's an awesome little guy.
I now looked forward to being in that room when I subbed. I looked forward to going and surprising him.
I learned a lot from this child and he is an absolute gift from God, not just for his family, but for all of us too!
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Lessons Learned from Students
Through my student teaching experience and experience as a substitute, I have had many teaching and learning experiences. My fifth grade students have been some of the best teachers. Not only did they give me a hard time while student teaching, they also gave me a hard time as a sub. Not all of them, but a select hand full of them.
I had a couple of tough cookies in my class and they made sure to make me as miserable as possible when I was at school. They would do anything and everything to find my buttons and push them and all I could do was pray to get through the day.
I'm not bashing my students or anything, just simply explaining how one of my students really came around at the end of the year. One of my girls was always getting into trouble. It was practically a daily routine for her to visit the office because of something she did, said or was caught doing. Nothing changed her attitude and she was sure to give me a challenging day. I have extrememly high hopes and dreams for her, as she is an amazing writer and a great student, but her negative attitude always out shine these positive aspects.
Well, the last day of school was approaching, and I had a job interview at the school the day before. One of the questions I was asked was what grade I least liked teaching and why. I admitted that fifth grade had been quite a challenge, but it wasn't the curriculum or subjects that had been the challenge. I told of my experience and how I had a student that had repeatedly told me she hated me. This occurred through my student teaching ad through subbing. I had never done anything to this girl and no one else had a problem with me. The principal said she understood what I had went through and said that sometimes the students that give you the hardest time are the ones that love you the most but haven't found the right way to show that love.
With this being said, I remembered it as I walked to the gym on the last day of school for intermediate awards day. I had just been told that I didn't get one of the two jobs I had applied for and was pretty disappointed, but I wanted to be there for my students. I watched as many of my fifth graders received AR awards, AM awards, and many other awards during that hour.
Finally awards were over and students were sent back to their classrooms. I walked down the fifth grade hall one last time to go see my students. It was quite bitter-sweet, as my babies had all grown and will be middle schoolers. I talked to several of my students and one came up and told me he was going to miss me and didn't want to leave. I looked over and my lovely little girl that gave me so much trouble was sitting at her desk alone. I walked over and told her that no matter what we had been through that year, that I was going to miss her regardless of everything that had been said. She said she'd miss me too.
I talked to several of my other students and before everyone lined up to leave my little trouble maker walked over to me crying and said she would miss me...of course I burst into tears as well.... This was a huge deal! She had finally shown she really did care for me!
I went to the principal and had to tell her what had happened. She said, see I told you.
Lessons can be learned not just from our teachers, but from out students as well.
I had a couple of tough cookies in my class and they made sure to make me as miserable as possible when I was at school. They would do anything and everything to find my buttons and push them and all I could do was pray to get through the day.
I'm not bashing my students or anything, just simply explaining how one of my students really came around at the end of the year. One of my girls was always getting into trouble. It was practically a daily routine for her to visit the office because of something she did, said or was caught doing. Nothing changed her attitude and she was sure to give me a challenging day. I have extrememly high hopes and dreams for her, as she is an amazing writer and a great student, but her negative attitude always out shine these positive aspects.
Well, the last day of school was approaching, and I had a job interview at the school the day before. One of the questions I was asked was what grade I least liked teaching and why. I admitted that fifth grade had been quite a challenge, but it wasn't the curriculum or subjects that had been the challenge. I told of my experience and how I had a student that had repeatedly told me she hated me. This occurred through my student teaching ad through subbing. I had never done anything to this girl and no one else had a problem with me. The principal said she understood what I had went through and said that sometimes the students that give you the hardest time are the ones that love you the most but haven't found the right way to show that love.
With this being said, I remembered it as I walked to the gym on the last day of school for intermediate awards day. I had just been told that I didn't get one of the two jobs I had applied for and was pretty disappointed, but I wanted to be there for my students. I watched as many of my fifth graders received AR awards, AM awards, and many other awards during that hour.
Finally awards were over and students were sent back to their classrooms. I walked down the fifth grade hall one last time to go see my students. It was quite bitter-sweet, as my babies had all grown and will be middle schoolers. I talked to several of my students and one came up and told me he was going to miss me and didn't want to leave. I looked over and my lovely little girl that gave me so much trouble was sitting at her desk alone. I walked over and told her that no matter what we had been through that year, that I was going to miss her regardless of everything that had been said. She said she'd miss me too.
I talked to several of my other students and before everyone lined up to leave my little trouble maker walked over to me crying and said she would miss me...of course I burst into tears as well.... This was a huge deal! She had finally shown she really did care for me!
I went to the principal and had to tell her what had happened. She said, see I told you.
Lessons can be learned not just from our teachers, but from out students as well.
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