Question 4 Week Posted July 20th

This weeks question was very hard for me. Version 1: If you had not become a teacher, what other field or line of work would you have pursued? Version 2: If you had to quit teaching tomorrow, what would you do instead? the first thing I would be is miserable. In the past I have worked for a construction company, daycare, theme park, answering service? all before I started teaching kindergarten. when my children were little I stayed home but volunteered at the school. I graded papers , worked in the library, helped with reading groups and math. As my children moved up I moved up a grade. The teachers all teased me and said I should be on the payroll. School is the most comfortable place for me. so possibly a full time volunteer. Lol.or..... When I first started out i wanted to be a park ranger. What was I thinking i love being outdoors but I am afraid of bugs and storms. So i guess if I could not be a teacher I would love to spend my time on the internet searching for ideas for teachers to use in their own classrooms. I could never be as good as cyberman but I could try. I love finding new ideas and sharing them with others and there is so much out there. I would be busy forever but I guess again no money to be made there. Oh well,hopefully I will not have to think about that for a long, long, time!

Tell us about your pet peeves. Do it however you want: write a list of 50 things that drive you crazy, or an essay about just one thing, or story combining several things, or write a song, or some limericks, or an epic poem. A photo essay! A slideshow! Video journalism! Stand up comedy! The sky is the limit, just tell us what grinds your teeth as a teacher

Okay what are my pet peeves?

1.  My first pet peeve is people that say "this is the way we have always done it" or " we don't have time to do all that extra stuff"

2.  Teachers that complain about things and don't want to work to change them.  The ones that say why should I have to do that, it is not my job.  That is not my kid...

3. people that say it is all about the kids but don't really mean it.

4. people who tell me they wish they had an easy job like mine with 3 months off a year. That  I get paid too much.  I love my job but comments like a person telling me that they need a job where they can use their brain so they couldn't teach kindergarten ..aghhh

5. people who bring their kids late to school everyday and then want me to stop and talk to them when they finally get there. 

6.  Teachers who try to discourage  student teachers from getting into the profession. Really then why are you here?

7.  People who jump on you when you make a mistake.  I am trying new things and they are not always going to work the way I thought but I want to try to keep trying new things and growing.

Even though we have pet peeves we still focus on the positive everyday. Think of you in this picture when those  pet peeves get to you ahhhhh

The blog  challenge is :
Tell us about one (or two, or a few) of the classrooms you have had over the years. Not the kids, the ROOMS. What have you  loved? What have you hated? How did you FEEL in the space? What did you DO with the space that, looking back, seems ridiculous? Or brilliant? We all spend so much time in our classrooms, we really do develop a relationship with the physical space. Tell us about that (those) relationship(s)\

I have been in  the same room since I started back teaching.... I took a long break while my children were growing up (they are 20 and 22 now) There are things I like and do not like about it.  It is not a regular shape for a kindergarten. It is now wide but it is long and it only has one  large area rug in front of my smart board.  I have purchased some smaller rugs for the room but  am not able to cover the floor.  Some things I do like about my room are the windows, lots and lots of window and sun, I am right by the playground and  the  black top for play.  I am the farthest room from the the front of the building.  When everything is set up I feel open and happy and most of all comfortable.  When people come to my room they always comment about how open and inviting it is. I want the kinders to feel that way as well.  One thing I do before the first day is to stand in different areas of the room and make sure I can see  all that is happening.  No hidden spots. I want to make sure the kinders have room to move around  freely and get to the things they need easily.  When school gets started my room tends to get a bit unorganized.  Organization is not one of my . I am always looking for ways to help me with this so if there are any tips out there make sure to share.   I looked in my class one morning last week to get my brain working on how to try and organize it this year.The floors are done and the  custodians have set my tables back in the room.  Now I need to see how they need to be moved.  As a kid I moved every year of my life and my favorite part of the move was unpacking and setting up my room.  I guess that is why it doesn't bother me to have to do this each year.  It is my time to reflect on what worked the year before and what did not. 

Strengths

I wish my room was wider and fully carpeted  but I am I can make a happy space no matter what the shape or size.  Once my room is set for the year it gets moved around during the year till I am happy with it.  Can't wait to get started.  My ideas are already starting. Let the fun begin!!!!

Between the By-Road and the Main Road: Part IV Video: MTP: Solving the Mathematics Problem in Kindergarten

Between the By-Road and the Main Road: Part IV Video: MTP: Solving the Mathematics Problem in Kindergarten

what have I learned this year from my class this year? First I learned that everything cannot be perfect. I learned that when I tell my children it is okay to make a mistake because mistakes just show us what we have to learn. I have to take my own advise. I found myself telling children to take a chance, not be scared to try something new, and that it is okay if they are not good at it at first. I have to learn to follow my own advice. Second I learned that children want to help and care for others. They learn to comfort others by seeing comfort. the students in my class saw a particularvELL studnet that needed extra help and on their own started a kind of support group for him. when he got something right they would call him by name and tell him what a great job he had done and how smart he was. Many of them would stop by his table when he was working and tell him how wonderful his work was and that he was such a good writer or reader. This student blossomed by the end of the year because of all the encouragement. When he read the others helped and encouraged him by acknowledging how much he had grown. I was so proud of this group. they gave this support to others as well. they supported another little girl in our room that needed guidance to transition from one activity to another. At times different children would hold her hand and guide her speaking so kindly to her as they helped her get to the right center or get in line. I grew even more proud when they embraced a special needs child who became part of our class everyday for math. They welcomed her into our class and took turns bringing her into their group work without reminders from me. This group of children took the sense of community we developed to heart and worked together through good and not so good. they never questioned the special adaptations given to some children. they seemed to know that they would be supported with what they needed as well. I learned what big hearts children have and how accepting they are. Third I learned that even children that are only 5 live lives they should not have to at this early age. they survive they best can and my job is to be their advocate and make school a safe and wonderful safe haven where they are loved. I learned that I have to take the time to listen so I know what they need and I am able to find all the resources they need to be able to be happy learners. Last I learned that you have to build a whole lot of fun and play into your day. when the kinders are happy the teacher is happy! When the kinders are happy they grow and learn :0)