I noticed the title for this post in a string of comments at TeAchnology that I've been reading in regards to Kindergarten retention. I thought the title sums up my confusion perfectly.
I've just completed my first year as a Kindergarten teacher. I know there are varying policies regarding retention in the school districts around mine, but my particular school district suggests retention for students who are unable to achieve certain academic goals by the end of Kindergarten. Each teacher made a list of students who we thought would benefit from Kindergarten retention. Since this was my first year, I met with all the other Kindergarten teachers and we looked over samples of each of my students' work. We then met as a committee that included all the Kindergarten teachers and our principal to decide which children would be recommended for retention. At our final conferences of the year, we presented our suggestion for retention to the parents of these children, but ultimately the decision was up to the parents. I was surprised how many parents disagreed with our suggestion. Knowing that there are conflicting opinions regarding retention in general, I've set out to look at some of the research to determine if I can come to some better conclusions about the efficacy of Kindergarten retention.
Regardless of the research, I must say I'm a little confused at the proposition that retention is always harmful. I have students who are still unable to identify numbers above six, who can't identify or write all their letters, and are unable to write any words phonetically. The students MUST have these skills when they enter first grade. Doesn't it intuitively seem that these students won't do well in first grade if they don't have these basic skills already? I can somewhat understand the rationalization if the argument is to promote a student who is academically ready but not developmentally ready. (i.e. the student possesses all the academic skills for the next grade, but may not be able to sit still or quietly or complete work without constant reminders to stay on task). But how can a student catch up in first grade if they are already behind at the end of Kindergarten? I understand the push for differentiation in the classroom and I agree that some level of differentiation is needed within a classroom. However, it is unreasonable to expect a teacher to be able to provide effective differentiation for students if they are on such different levels. That would be like expecting a teacher to effectively teach 20+ children that are on a K, 1, and 2nd grade level. In theory, differentiation is a wonderful idea. In practice, it is much more difficult to implement. Especially when you are teaching a younger grade and the students really aren't very independent. My K students can barely read and can't remember more that two or so directions at time, so they basically need me to help instruct them at all times.
So far, I've heard antecdotal evidence from my coworkers of the benefits of Kindergarten retention. However, I wanted to look at some of the current research to see if research backs up their evidence. I have not had a chance to fully read the journal articles that I have found, however, most of the abstracts suggested that Kindergarten retention is harmful.
Knowing that (some) research suggests Kindergarten retention is harmful, my question is this: Are there comparisons between cohorts of students who were recommended for retention and actually retained and those students who were recommended for retention and not retained? Because it seems to me and students who are retained are often at-risk to begin with. Therefore, I do not think it is surprising that these students would continue to perform poorly as they progress through school. We hope that another year in Kindergarten will help students to become confident learners, but we can't guarantee that. And how do these studies know that the extra year in Kindergarten did not help at all? It could be that after an extra year, a child still performs poorly in first grade. However, if that same child did not repeat Kindergarten s/he may have done even worse in first grade.
I realize that my post offers no actual opinions or decisions at this point. After reading some of the actual research, I will post again and hopefully have some more conclusive answers. I'd like to have antecdoctal evidence AND research-based evidence to present to parents next year if (or when) I have to suggest retention for their child. Are there other educators out there who can offer some advice on this dilemma? I'd especially like to hear from educators who have looked over research in this area.
I've just completed my first year as a Kindergarten teacher. I know there are varying policies regarding retention in the school districts around mine, but my particular school district suggests retention for students who are unable to achieve certain academic goals by the end of Kindergarten. Each teacher made a list of students who we thought would benefit from Kindergarten retention. Since this was my first year, I met with all the other Kindergarten teachers and we looked over samples of each of my students' work. We then met as a committee that included all the Kindergarten teachers and our principal to decide which children would be recommended for retention. At our final conferences of the year, we presented our suggestion for retention to the parents of these children, but ultimately the decision was up to the parents. I was surprised how many parents disagreed with our suggestion. Knowing that there are conflicting opinions regarding retention in general, I've set out to look at some of the research to determine if I can come to some better conclusions about the efficacy of Kindergarten retention.
Regardless of the research, I must say I'm a little confused at the proposition that retention is always harmful. I have students who are still unable to identify numbers above six, who can't identify or write all their letters, and are unable to write any words phonetically. The students MUST have these skills when they enter first grade. Doesn't it intuitively seem that these students won't do well in first grade if they don't have these basic skills already? I can somewhat understand the rationalization if the argument is to promote a student who is academically ready but not developmentally ready. (i.e. the student possesses all the academic skills for the next grade, but may not be able to sit still or quietly or complete work without constant reminders to stay on task). But how can a student catch up in first grade if they are already behind at the end of Kindergarten? I understand the push for differentiation in the classroom and I agree that some level of differentiation is needed within a classroom. However, it is unreasonable to expect a teacher to be able to provide effective differentiation for students if they are on such different levels. That would be like expecting a teacher to effectively teach 20+ children that are on a K, 1, and 2nd grade level. In theory, differentiation is a wonderful idea. In practice, it is much more difficult to implement. Especially when you are teaching a younger grade and the students really aren't very independent. My K students can barely read and can't remember more that two or so directions at time, so they basically need me to help instruct them at all times.
So far, I've heard antecdotal evidence from my coworkers of the benefits of Kindergarten retention. However, I wanted to look at some of the current research to see if research backs up their evidence. I have not had a chance to fully read the journal articles that I have found, however, most of the abstracts suggested that Kindergarten retention is harmful.
Knowing that (some) research suggests Kindergarten retention is harmful, my question is this: Are there comparisons between cohorts of students who were recommended for retention and actually retained and those students who were recommended for retention and not retained? Because it seems to me and students who are retained are often at-risk to begin with. Therefore, I do not think it is surprising that these students would continue to perform poorly as they progress through school. We hope that another year in Kindergarten will help students to become confident learners, but we can't guarantee that. And how do these studies know that the extra year in Kindergarten did not help at all? It could be that after an extra year, a child still performs poorly in first grade. However, if that same child did not repeat Kindergarten s/he may have done even worse in first grade.
I realize that my post offers no actual opinions or decisions at this point. After reading some of the actual research, I will post again and hopefully have some more conclusive answers. I'd like to have antecdoctal evidence AND research-based evidence to present to parents next year if (or when) I have to suggest retention for their child. Are there other educators out there who can offer some advice on this dilemma? I'd especially like to hear from educators who have looked over research in this area.
Who knew that we started judging grades in Kindergarten? I sure didn't. Until now, my kids had been oblivious on report card day. Probably part of that was my fault, because I never really made a big deal of it when report cards were to be sent home. I didn't think I needed to, because it seems to me that most of my students were working up to their potential and the report card was important to let parents know about their child's progress. But today, I happened to mention report cards were going home in folders. The way my students reacted, you would have thought I had just said, "Oh, by the way, you'll find $5 in your daily folders tonight." They were so excited!
As they packed up to go home, I caught multiple students pulling out their report cards. I didn't really understand this because a) they can barely read and b) do they really even understand what all those slashes and marks mean? My heart sank a little when I heard one student say "N's are bad." I hate that my students already have that mentality. I don't feel as if "N's should be considered bad" because all my students who received N's were trying their hardest. An N doesn't mean that you are bad and didn't pay attention. It just means that, for some reason, your brain works a little slower than some other people's and it's taking longer for you to learn your letters. I don't want my students to ALREADY be categorizing themselves according to grades.
Along those same lines, I don't want my students to think that "P's are good" and "because I got P's I'm good." Everything we learn seems to click naturally with a few of my students, but I get so frustrated when they do the bare minimum and don't apply themselves at all. When I tell my students to "journal and write two sentences or more", my bright and capable students will write two sentences and that is it. I can not convince them to write more, even if they are able. It frustrates me at times that classroom achievement is boiled down to a letter. (Although, I see why this is necessary, because I already spend WAY too much time on report cards...this system does make it as simple as possible.) It just seems discouraging when I fill in a report card with all N's, but the student has made tremendous progress in the past 6 weeks- just not enough to warrent a P. And I hate putting down all P's knowing a parent will read that and think, "My child's doing just fine, I don't need to encourage them to do any more".
This is probably an age-old complaint and I understand the need for some kind of standard. I guess I was just shocked at how quickly students absorb the implications of grades. Let's hope they don't take them too seriously yet...they have plenty of time in the future to be worrying about grades!
As they packed up to go home, I caught multiple students pulling out their report cards. I didn't really understand this because a) they can barely read and b) do they really even understand what all those slashes and marks mean? My heart sank a little when I heard one student say "N's are bad." I hate that my students already have that mentality. I don't feel as if "N's should be considered bad" because all my students who received N's were trying their hardest. An N doesn't mean that you are bad and didn't pay attention. It just means that, for some reason, your brain works a little slower than some other people's and it's taking longer for you to learn your letters. I don't want my students to ALREADY be categorizing themselves according to grades.
Along those same lines, I don't want my students to think that "P's are good" and "because I got P's I'm good." Everything we learn seems to click naturally with a few of my students, but I get so frustrated when they do the bare minimum and don't apply themselves at all. When I tell my students to "journal and write two sentences or more", my bright and capable students will write two sentences and that is it. I can not convince them to write more, even if they are able. It frustrates me at times that classroom achievement is boiled down to a letter. (Although, I see why this is necessary, because I already spend WAY too much time on report cards...this system does make it as simple as possible.) It just seems discouraging when I fill in a report card with all N's, but the student has made tremendous progress in the past 6 weeks- just not enough to warrent a P. And I hate putting down all P's knowing a parent will read that and think, "My child's doing just fine, I don't need to encourage them to do any more".
This is probably an age-old complaint and I understand the need for some kind of standard. I guess I was just shocked at how quickly students absorb the implications of grades. Let's hope they don't take them too seriously yet...they have plenty of time in the future to be worrying about grades!
It's hard to believe that I am a month away from completing my first year of teaching. This time last year, I was in the midst of filling out applications and contacting principals, wondering where my first teaching job would take me. I was hoping to find a job in a new town, with new opportunities. However, my plans did not work out the way I had hoped. I ended up returning to my home town (where I had only applied at the last minute as a "back-up") and it has turned out to be a wonderful first year experience.
I can't say enough good things about the school that I have ended up at. I have an incredible principal, who has supported me as I find my way this year. I have found wonderful colleagues who have patiently answered every question I've pestered them with. And, for the most part, I have had a great class that has helped me decide what I should (and shouldn't!) prepare for next year.
I've learned quite a lot from my first year. I always thought that the education field was unique in that you got real-world experience before you actually had a "real job." I've found that student teaching does give you a glimpse of what real teaching is like, but it is no where near the same thing.
For one, student teaching NEVER shows how many mundane, time-consuming things teachers have to complete every single day. I guess my cooperating teacher was kind and didn't bother me with every single email/card/miscellaneous faculty memo that was passed around. I SWEAR I spend so much time dealing with things that are urgent, but in no way important. For example, there is ALWAYS filing to be done: filing all the tardy slips, filing notes from parents, filing homework. In case you don't know, filing is really time consuming. (I think I could present a relatively well-backed argument proving that teachers need secretaries.) I don't understand how teachers keep their desks clean during the day, because there are so many things handed to me during the day that I can't look at while I'm teaching and I have to just set on my desk. At the end of the day, my desk is always piled high with papers. I try cleaning at the end of each day and in the mornings, but it never fails to pile high with papers again each day.
Another thing I've discovered with Kindergarten is the inordinate amount of time you can spend putting pictures on the wall and taking pictures down. Last week I spent an hour and a half just to put pictures on my wall. I'm frequently putting pictures up on our hall walls since we do so many crafts in Kindergarten, but I was required to put these pictures up because of an art show. I love to display my students' art, but when my time is limited, it seems like I am wasting time when I have to spend hours putting art up when I could be working on lesson plans. I now know that next year I will need to utilize parent volunteers much more. Since I will know what events are coming up and what to expect from them, I will be able to enlist parent volunteers to help me out with things like putting pictures on the wall, so that I don't have to try to do it all.
Another thing that you never think about in student teaching is how difficult it is to set up a classroom from scratch. It is a challenge in itself to figure out how to arrange your room within the space you are given and using the furniture you have. It is difficult setting things up before you've ever taught in that classroom, because you can't predict exactly how you will come to use the room and how you will want things to be set up so that they work best for you and your class.
I also found it a challenge to create things like my schedule and my classroom procedures and routines. I did not realize how frustrating it would be to come up with a schedule when half your day is already dictated based on the school's scheduling of your lunch period, resource times and computer times. And that isn't even taking into consideration trying to plan around student pull-outs for ESL, speech, guidance, or PALS.
Then there's creating your routines and procedures. We talked about the importance of routines and procedures in many of my college classes. We practiced creating routines and procedures for an imaginary classroom. I read books this summer that stressed the importance of routines and procedures. I remembered learning that the first week of school should focus on teaching the students your routines and procedures. However, I now strongly believe that it doesn't really matter how many classes you take on classroom management and routines and procedures, because when it comes to your first year of teaching, it's very hard to know exactly what your routines and procedures should be. Sure, I sat down and thought about what I wanted the students to do. But, you don't really know what to expect before the year starts. Starting out the year, my bathroom philosophy was that students should be allowed to go whenever they needed to. We have a bathroom in the classroom, I have Kindergarteners...I wanted to prevent accidents if at all possible. Well... I didn't realize how loud students would be when washing their hands after using the bathroom. I didn't realize that students would turn the sink on full-force, which is super loud, then get water all over the counter. I didn't realize that other students would spend 15 minutes wiping up that water around the sink, instead of returning to the floor where I was attempting to teach. I didn't realize that students would go into the bathroom and sing (or sometimes just scream), which was still very audible in the rest of the classroom. I didn't realize that my students would find it impossible to enter or exit the bathroom without talking/laughing/giggling/touching the next person in line. All in all, I didn't predict how disruptive my "use the bathroom whenever you need to go" policy would be during the times when I am trying hard to instruct my students (and maintain the focus of minds that take very little persuasion to be distracted!) I somewhat changed my procedure for using the bathroom halfway through the year, but because it hadn't been drilled into my students from Day 1, they still have trouble remembering the new rules. So, that's one thing I'll be prepared for when year 2 rolls around.
So, I'm definitely looking foward to the end of my first year. It's been an exciting year, but definitely different from what I expected. I am definitely ready for summer, but I'm also looking foward to beginning my second year of teaching. I believe that a summer break really is necessary for teachers, because it gives you time to rejuvenate and replenish your patience. I'm looking foward to next year, because there are already so many things I've learned from this year that I want to try to change, to improve for next year and I'm hoping that my second year will go more smoothly because of all the things I've learned in my first-year. Overall, it's been a great first year, but it will be awfully nice to not have to tell parents anymore that it's my "first year!"
I can't say enough good things about the school that I have ended up at. I have an incredible principal, who has supported me as I find my way this year. I have found wonderful colleagues who have patiently answered every question I've pestered them with. And, for the most part, I have had a great class that has helped me decide what I should (and shouldn't!) prepare for next year.
I've learned quite a lot from my first year. I always thought that the education field was unique in that you got real-world experience before you actually had a "real job." I've found that student teaching does give you a glimpse of what real teaching is like, but it is no where near the same thing.
For one, student teaching NEVER shows how many mundane, time-consuming things teachers have to complete every single day. I guess my cooperating teacher was kind and didn't bother me with every single email/card/miscellaneous faculty memo that was passed around. I SWEAR I spend so much time dealing with things that are urgent, but in no way important. For example, there is ALWAYS filing to be done: filing all the tardy slips, filing notes from parents, filing homework. In case you don't know, filing is really time consuming. (I think I could present a relatively well-backed argument proving that teachers need secretaries.) I don't understand how teachers keep their desks clean during the day, because there are so many things handed to me during the day that I can't look at while I'm teaching and I have to just set on my desk. At the end of the day, my desk is always piled high with papers. I try cleaning at the end of each day and in the mornings, but it never fails to pile high with papers again each day.
Another thing I've discovered with Kindergarten is the inordinate amount of time you can spend putting pictures on the wall and taking pictures down. Last week I spent an hour and a half just to put pictures on my wall. I'm frequently putting pictures up on our hall walls since we do so many crafts in Kindergarten, but I was required to put these pictures up because of an art show. I love to display my students' art, but when my time is limited, it seems like I am wasting time when I have to spend hours putting art up when I could be working on lesson plans. I now know that next year I will need to utilize parent volunteers much more. Since I will know what events are coming up and what to expect from them, I will be able to enlist parent volunteers to help me out with things like putting pictures on the wall, so that I don't have to try to do it all.
Another thing that you never think about in student teaching is how difficult it is to set up a classroom from scratch. It is a challenge in itself to figure out how to arrange your room within the space you are given and using the furniture you have. It is difficult setting things up before you've ever taught in that classroom, because you can't predict exactly how you will come to use the room and how you will want things to be set up so that they work best for you and your class.
I also found it a challenge to create things like my schedule and my classroom procedures and routines. I did not realize how frustrating it would be to come up with a schedule when half your day is already dictated based on the school's scheduling of your lunch period, resource times and computer times. And that isn't even taking into consideration trying to plan around student pull-outs for ESL, speech, guidance, or PALS.
Then there's creating your routines and procedures. We talked about the importance of routines and procedures in many of my college classes. We practiced creating routines and procedures for an imaginary classroom. I read books this summer that stressed the importance of routines and procedures. I remembered learning that the first week of school should focus on teaching the students your routines and procedures. However, I now strongly believe that it doesn't really matter how many classes you take on classroom management and routines and procedures, because when it comes to your first year of teaching, it's very hard to know exactly what your routines and procedures should be. Sure, I sat down and thought about what I wanted the students to do. But, you don't really know what to expect before the year starts. Starting out the year, my bathroom philosophy was that students should be allowed to go whenever they needed to. We have a bathroom in the classroom, I have Kindergarteners...I wanted to prevent accidents if at all possible. Well... I didn't realize how loud students would be when washing their hands after using the bathroom. I didn't realize that students would turn the sink on full-force, which is super loud, then get water all over the counter. I didn't realize that other students would spend 15 minutes wiping up that water around the sink, instead of returning to the floor where I was attempting to teach. I didn't realize that students would go into the bathroom and sing (or sometimes just scream), which was still very audible in the rest of the classroom. I didn't realize that my students would find it impossible to enter or exit the bathroom without talking/laughing/giggling/touching the next person in line. All in all, I didn't predict how disruptive my "use the bathroom whenever you need to go" policy would be during the times when I am trying hard to instruct my students (and maintain the focus of minds that take very little persuasion to be distracted!) I somewhat changed my procedure for using the bathroom halfway through the year, but because it hadn't been drilled into my students from Day 1, they still have trouble remembering the new rules. So, that's one thing I'll be prepared for when year 2 rolls around.
So, I'm definitely looking foward to the end of my first year. It's been an exciting year, but definitely different from what I expected. I am definitely ready for summer, but I'm also looking foward to beginning my second year of teaching. I believe that a summer break really is necessary for teachers, because it gives you time to rejuvenate and replenish your patience. I'm looking foward to next year, because there are already so many things I've learned from this year that I want to try to change, to improve for next year and I'm hoping that my second year will go more smoothly because of all the things I've learned in my first-year. Overall, it's been a great first year, but it will be awfully nice to not have to tell parents anymore that it's my "first year!"
Differentiation. It's one of those education "buzz words" that seems to constantly be floating around. Many of my curriculum and instruction classes focused on differentiation in the classroom. I thought I understood the concept; I thought I had a firm grasp on how to implement differentiation in my classroom.
However, I'm discovering that the real-world application of differentiation is very difficult. We just finished our third six-weeks' assessments with the kids. By this point in the year, I can almost predict what my students will be able to do. The majority of my kids are right where they are supposed to be, but then there are a few that have been struggling since the very beginning and keep falling farther behind. I want to do my best to help these students succeed. But I'm not sure what to do. Maybe I'm just using this as an excuse, but it seems to be extra hard to create differentiation in a Kindergarten classroom. The difficulty is that my students are unable to do much independent work. If I give them directions for an activity, they can only remember one or two directions at a time. They can't read well enough for me to give any kind of directions on paper. So, I have difficulty finding time to work one on one or in small groups with these students that need extra help.
My students that need extra help are especially weak with their numbers. My students are supposed to be able to identify numbers 1-50 at this point. A few of my students still are unable to identify the numbers 1-10. I have some time to review with them during centers, but all the students look foward to centers so much that I hate to pull these kids out during centers and burn them out with extra review.
So, basically I'm at a loss for what to do to help these students have a chance to catch up in time to be ready for first grade. Any suggestions for real-world proven techniques that work in Kindergarten to help students?
However, I'm discovering that the real-world application of differentiation is very difficult. We just finished our third six-weeks' assessments with the kids. By this point in the year, I can almost predict what my students will be able to do. The majority of my kids are right where they are supposed to be, but then there are a few that have been struggling since the very beginning and keep falling farther behind. I want to do my best to help these students succeed. But I'm not sure what to do. Maybe I'm just using this as an excuse, but it seems to be extra hard to create differentiation in a Kindergarten classroom. The difficulty is that my students are unable to do much independent work. If I give them directions for an activity, they can only remember one or two directions at a time. They can't read well enough for me to give any kind of directions on paper. So, I have difficulty finding time to work one on one or in small groups with these students that need extra help.
My students that need extra help are especially weak with their numbers. My students are supposed to be able to identify numbers 1-50 at this point. A few of my students still are unable to identify the numbers 1-10. I have some time to review with them during centers, but all the students look foward to centers so much that I hate to pull these kids out during centers and burn them out with extra review.
So, basically I'm at a loss for what to do to help these students have a chance to catch up in time to be ready for first grade. Any suggestions for real-world proven techniques that work in Kindergarten to help students?
After five days away from school, it was finally time to return to the chaos of Kindergarten today. We had a wonderful four day weekend thanks to Lee-Jackson Day and MLK Jr. Day and then yesterday we had our first snow day of the year! I'm ashamed to admit that I was thrilled to find out school was cancelled. Being a teacher, I suppose I should be upset about missing days of school. I know the research that states how much children regress after just a few days away from school. But, the thrill of having an entire day free from responsibilities is just as exciting as a teacher as it was when I was a student! Interestingly enough, I didn't actually see any snow yesterday. The county I teach in is rather spread out and while some parts of the county received a "dusting" of snow, other parts (i.e. where I live) were completely clear. So, I survived my first snow day...even without the snow!
While I was not a happy camper when my alarm went off this morning, I was excited to return to my class. Believe it or not, I do start to miss my kids after being gone for so many days. One of my favorite things about Kindergarteners is their unfailing love for their teacher. (Yes, I realize it is pathetic that I need validation from 5 year olds, but it makes my day so much brighter!) While I have some regular "huggers" in my class (you know those students...the ones who hover next to you every ten minutes in anticipation of a hug?), today the whole class seemed to have gotten the "hug bug." I couldn't go more than five minutes without a child latching onto my back, middle, leg, arm, or whatever body part was closest to their reach. It makes me smile to see how many times they come up for hugs...however, I'm still trying to find the appropriate balance between letting students come up for hugs and keeping them in their seats long enough to learn something! Ah...the things I never realized I'd be contemplating....
While I'd love to muse a little more about my day's events, I must return to report cards. (I'm beginning to think that nine week grading periods are better than six week gradings periods solely for the reason that you would not spend as many hours entering report card grades!!!!) Hopefully next time I'll be able to share some more delightful stories from my students!
While I was not a happy camper when my alarm went off this morning, I was excited to return to my class. Believe it or not, I do start to miss my kids after being gone for so many days. One of my favorite things about Kindergarteners is their unfailing love for their teacher. (Yes, I realize it is pathetic that I need validation from 5 year olds, but it makes my day so much brighter!) While I have some regular "huggers" in my class (you know those students...the ones who hover next to you every ten minutes in anticipation of a hug?), today the whole class seemed to have gotten the "hug bug." I couldn't go more than five minutes without a child latching onto my back, middle, leg, arm, or whatever body part was closest to their reach. It makes me smile to see how many times they come up for hugs...however, I'm still trying to find the appropriate balance between letting students come up for hugs and keeping them in their seats long enough to learn something! Ah...the things I never realized I'd be contemplating....
While I'd love to muse a little more about my day's events, I must return to report cards. (I'm beginning to think that nine week grading periods are better than six week gradings periods solely for the reason that you would not spend as many hours entering report card grades!!!!) Hopefully next time I'll be able to share some more delightful stories from my students!
I had all but given up on continuing this blog. I began this blog over 2 years ago to fufill a requirement for one of my education classes. I found blogging a useful outlet for all my experiences and I also enjoyed the feedback that readers often left.
However, as my last year of college rolled around, I found that I had little time left for my blog. This scarcity of time continued through the summer as I went into desperate job-seeking mode. Fortunately, I was able to find a job (better late than never!), but the whirlwind of preparations, lesson plans, paperwork, cutting, gluing, and sending notes to parents hasn't slowed down since the day I was hired. As I approach Christmas Break, I'm finally beginning to feel as if I have things a little more under control. And thus, I think I finally have some free time to reflect on my past four months as a first-year teacher.
Let me back up and quickly review the past year. In May, I graduated from my beloved college and entered into the "real world." I was still under the assumption that "teachers are needed everywhere" and I wouldn't have a problem finding a job. Despite many interviews over the summer, August came and I still didn't have a job. Thankfully, through a series of unexpected events, I got an interview at a school close to my home. I was offered a job teaching Kindergarten and after a weekend considering my options (teach Kindergarten in my home town or stay jobless), I enthusiastically agreed to teach Kindergarten.
The first few weeks seemed to drag by, but after I made it through September, the months seemed to pass quickly. I'm finally to the point where I feel that I sort of know what to expect each day and I'm beginning to see progress with many of my students. So far, I'm loving Kindergarten and I'm looking foward to the rest of the year with my students!
So, there's the synopsis of my life after my year-long hiatus from blogging! I plan to post again on some of my experiences in Kindergarten (because, boy, are there some interesting stories I can tell!!!), but I'll leave that all for another night!
However, as my last year of college rolled around, I found that I had little time left for my blog. This scarcity of time continued through the summer as I went into desperate job-seeking mode. Fortunately, I was able to find a job (better late than never!), but the whirlwind of preparations, lesson plans, paperwork, cutting, gluing, and sending notes to parents hasn't slowed down since the day I was hired. As I approach Christmas Break, I'm finally beginning to feel as if I have things a little more under control. And thus, I think I finally have some free time to reflect on my past four months as a first-year teacher.
Let me back up and quickly review the past year. In May, I graduated from my beloved college and entered into the "real world." I was still under the assumption that "teachers are needed everywhere" and I wouldn't have a problem finding a job. Despite many interviews over the summer, August came and I still didn't have a job. Thankfully, through a series of unexpected events, I got an interview at a school close to my home. I was offered a job teaching Kindergarten and after a weekend considering my options (teach Kindergarten in my home town or stay jobless), I enthusiastically agreed to teach Kindergarten.
The first few weeks seemed to drag by, but after I made it through September, the months seemed to pass quickly. I'm finally to the point where I feel that I sort of know what to expect each day and I'm beginning to see progress with many of my students. So far, I'm loving Kindergarten and I'm looking foward to the rest of the year with my students!
So, there's the synopsis of my life after my year-long hiatus from blogging! I plan to post again on some of my experiences in Kindergarten (because, boy, are there some interesting stories I can tell!!!), but I'll leave that all for another night!
I'm smack-dab in the middle of the job-search process. I had been forewarned that most counties don't hire until summer, but it is still frustrating to realize how true that is! I've had a few principal interviews, which is encouraging, but they've all been in the same county. I'm still waiting to hear back from the other counties that I've filled out applications for...
Does anyone have any particular tips on how to really make yourself stand out during this process? I feel like I'm doing everything I can, but I just can't help but be afraid that I'll blend in with all the other candidates...
Does anyone have any particular tips on how to really make yourself stand out during this process? I feel like I'm doing everything I can, but I just can't help but be afraid that I'll blend in with all the other candidates...
So I spent part of my afternoon today braving the last minute Christmas-shopping crowds. My dad had a few last minute items to buy and I decided to tag along for a few things. We ventured into Barnes and Noble where he was looking for a specific book. Seeing as I wasn't planning on buying anything (since I'd much rather just check out a book from the library...), I decided to wander over to the Children's book section.
Let me just say- I LOVE children's books. Since I was little, I have always loved reading (although being forced to read textbooks has made me realize I don't love ALL reading). I believe a large reason that I love reading is due to all the children's books that I read as a child. This is the one part of teaching that I absolutely can not WAIT to do! I am so excited to build up a classroom library, and so excited to read to my students, and so excited to share my enthusiasm for reading with them and so excited to watch each of my students (hopefully!) "catch" some enthusiasm for reading.
I spent some time skimming through some different children's books and found a few I really liked! I personally love the humorous children's books, although I really appreciate the more serious ones as well. There was one book, in particular, that cracked me up today. Walter the Farting Dog was probably one of the funniest books I have read in a while. Unfortunately, I think this book may border on slightly inappropriate for classroom use (I can just IMAGINE trying to settle down a group of kids after reading THAT at storytime!), but I think it's books like this that can be helpful in encouraging kids to read. I can see this story being one that a parent would buy for a child who hates reading, only to discover that the child would sit down and try to read this book...because it's just so funny that you WANT to try to read it. (I realize that's extremely over-optimisitic, but I'd like to think that maybe somewhere, with some child, it would work out that way:))
Besides Walter the Farting Dog, I was also able to read a few other quality books. I read Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! The Pigeon books always make me smile, so I enjoyed reading this one. However, I still love Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! the best!
The last book I read was the story of Owen and Mzee. You may have heard the story of this pair. Owen was a baby hippo that was separated from his pod in the Decemeber 2004 tsunami. After he was rescued, he was put it a wildlife refuge. Because he was so young, the caretakers at the refuge didn't want to put him in with the full-grown hippos, so they introduced him to an area with smaller, calmer animals. One of these animals was Mzee, a 130 year-old tortoise. Owen and Mzee have since formed an amazing friendship. They are seen "snuggling" together, playing together, eating together, and sleeping together. This was unexpected since tortoises aren't exactly known for their nurturing skills. Not to mention that fact that Mzee is a reptile and Owen is a mammal! I thought this book was an adorable story, complete with amazing pictures! This is one book that I loved, and thought could easily be incorportated into many classroom lessons.
These were only the first three books I picked up in the store, and I loved them all! I think I'm in trouble if I go to buy books for my classroom next year...
Seeing as I have yet to begin teaching and I am still getting acquainted with all the children's books, I'd love to hear any suggestions you have! What are your favorite children's books? What books do your students love? What books lend themselves well to lessons that you teach in the classroom? I'd love to hear any and all advice!
Let me just say- I LOVE children's books. Since I was little, I have always loved reading (although being forced to read textbooks has made me realize I don't love ALL reading). I believe a large reason that I love reading is due to all the children's books that I read as a child. This is the one part of teaching that I absolutely can not WAIT to do! I am so excited to build up a classroom library, and so excited to read to my students, and so excited to share my enthusiasm for reading with them and so excited to watch each of my students (hopefully!) "catch" some enthusiasm for reading.
I spent some time skimming through some different children's books and found a few I really liked! I personally love the humorous children's books, although I really appreciate the more serious ones as well. There was one book, in particular, that cracked me up today. Walter the Farting Dog was probably one of the funniest books I have read in a while. Unfortunately, I think this book may border on slightly inappropriate for classroom use (I can just IMAGINE trying to settle down a group of kids after reading THAT at storytime!), but I think it's books like this that can be helpful in encouraging kids to read. I can see this story being one that a parent would buy for a child who hates reading, only to discover that the child would sit down and try to read this book...because it's just so funny that you WANT to try to read it. (I realize that's extremely over-optimisitic, but I'd like to think that maybe somewhere, with some child, it would work out that way:))
Besides Walter the Farting Dog, I was also able to read a few other quality books. I read Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! The Pigeon books always make me smile, so I enjoyed reading this one. However, I still love Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! the best!
The last book I read was the story of Owen and Mzee. You may have heard the story of this pair. Owen was a baby hippo that was separated from his pod in the Decemeber 2004 tsunami. After he was rescued, he was put it a wildlife refuge. Because he was so young, the caretakers at the refuge didn't want to put him in with the full-grown hippos, so they introduced him to an area with smaller, calmer animals. One of these animals was Mzee, a 130 year-old tortoise. Owen and Mzee have since formed an amazing friendship. They are seen "snuggling" together, playing together, eating together, and sleeping together. This was unexpected since tortoises aren't exactly known for their nurturing skills. Not to mention that fact that Mzee is a reptile and Owen is a mammal! I thought this book was an adorable story, complete with amazing pictures! This is one book that I loved, and thought could easily be incorportated into many classroom lessons.
These were only the first three books I picked up in the store, and I loved them all! I think I'm in trouble if I go to buy books for my classroom next year...
Seeing as I have yet to begin teaching and I am still getting acquainted with all the children's books, I'd love to hear any suggestions you have! What are your favorite children's books? What books do your students love? What books lend themselves well to lessons that you teach in the classroom? I'd love to hear any and all advice!
It's about this time of year that monotonous tasks begin to seem more exciting. I'm in the midst of cramming for finals and after sitting in the same position for the last five hours reading psychology text, just about ANYTHING seems more exciting. While I typically resort to checking my email obsessively (just to find that-surprise!!- I've recieved more junk mail at 1:38 in the morning!) or simply checking facebook obsessively, I've decided it's time to come up with a more productive form of procrastination.
Therefore, I decided to actually read some of the blog entries that are currently noted as "new" on my Bloglines account. I set up my RSS feeds (I think that's correct use of the terms, but I could be wrong...) during a "Teaching with Technology" class a few semesters ago. My professor recommended a few educator blogs to add, which I did, but I've been quite lax in actually reading them.
So, I suppose, fittingly, the one blog post I actually have gotten around to reading today was a post by my professor, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach in her blog 21st Century Learning. She posted the most amazing videos from a grad student, Johnny Lee, on how to use a wii remote to make a smartboard! Now, I had a little trouble following the exact instructions, but the possibility of creating a technology tool THAT amazing with materials THAT cheap astounds me. It just further excites me about the possibilities and oppotunities that will literally be surrounding me when I begin to teach in less than a year.
That being said, I must return to actual schoolwork now. I resolve to be much better about reading other educators' blogs, as I do think it is important to keep up with all the current information that's out there (and by looking at the number of unread blog entries I have, that's a WHOLE lot of information!)
Until next time, I hope everyone is having a wonderful evening and a happy holiday season!
Therefore, I decided to actually read some of the blog entries that are currently noted as "new" on my Bloglines account. I set up my RSS feeds (I think that's correct use of the terms, but I could be wrong...) during a "Teaching with Technology" class a few semesters ago. My professor recommended a few educator blogs to add, which I did, but I've been quite lax in actually reading them.
So, I suppose, fittingly, the one blog post I actually have gotten around to reading today was a post by my professor, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach in her blog 21st Century Learning. She posted the most amazing videos from a grad student, Johnny Lee, on how to use a wii remote to make a smartboard! Now, I had a little trouble following the exact instructions, but the possibility of creating a technology tool THAT amazing with materials THAT cheap astounds me. It just further excites me about the possibilities and oppotunities that will literally be surrounding me when I begin to teach in less than a year.
That being said, I must return to actual schoolwork now. I resolve to be much better about reading other educators' blogs, as I do think it is important to keep up with all the current information that's out there (and by looking at the number of unread blog entries I have, that's a WHOLE lot of information!)
Until next time, I hope everyone is having a wonderful evening and a happy holiday season!
As of tomorrow, I will be beginning the search for a teaching job. I'm going to my first job fair and I'm slightly nervous about it. I've done a mock interview, polished my resume, and reviewed my portfolio, but I still feel unprepared. I hate not knowing what to expect- I don't know if I ask the first questions, or if the interviewer will ask the first questions....
Anyways, hopefully things will go fine. Does anyone have any other specific advice regarding the job search process? Any advice would be greatly appreciated:)
Anyways, hopefully things will go fine. Does anyone have any other specific advice regarding the job search process? Any advice would be greatly appreciated:)
I will begin teaching for my first year in a 3rd grade classroom in about a month (yikes!) I was wondering if anyone could suggest any "first-year" teacher classroom must-haves to start the year out right...any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
Just some quick thoughts tonight...
After skimming some other blogs tonight, I realize how inadequate I feel when typing in this blog. Some people are so eloquent with their words, where as I feel that mine just spew and spill out without even making sense. So, bear with me if my blogs seem confusing, tangential, or just plain juvenille.
I wanted to post some quick reflections on my summer job thus far. I'm spending the summer working at summer camp (essentially a daycare kind of program) for the second summer in a row. With the completion of my student teaching last semester, I'm coming back with a slightly different perspective from last year. I think I always assumed that working with children, regardless of the setting, required the same set of skills. I've realized that summer camp and teaching require two completely different personas from me.
Until student teaching, most of the time I spent with kids was probably 80% friend role and 20% adult/authoritarian/disciplinarian role. I love goofing off with kids, playing games with them, talking to them about their likes and dislikes, and just hanging out with them in general. Between Bible School, Sunday School, Church Nursery, Babysitting, and summer camp, I thought that I was pretty well prepared to handle a classroom of students. As a leader in each of these roles, I had to maintain authority over the children, but in retrospect it was a very different kind of authority and relationship in general then the relationship I built with each of my students.
When student teaching finished up last semester, I realized that I didn't know my students that well. Sure, I knew a lot about each of my students because I spent all day discussing them with my cooperating teacher, but I was shocked at how little I really knew about each of their lives. I rarely had time to listen to students share their little ramblings about what their sibling said last night, where they lost their shoe, or how much they liked "Flushed Away." With my camp kids, I hear things like this all the time.
In a way, it makes me sad because I feel like, as a teacher, you don't get to know your students as well as you would like. In a classroom setting, you are one teacher with at least 15 kids. Your main goal is to help each student grow academically, and in order to do this, you have to sacrifice some of this personal time with students. I guess this is one thing I'll have to get used to as a teacher.
Another difference I noticed was my "classroom management" style. It makes me sad how picky you have to be about children's behavior in a classroom to keep that many students in order. I've come to understand how important classroom management is when trying to run a classroom efficiently, but it's so different from all the other "management styles" I'm used to. It seems unnatural sometimes to have students constantly following so many detailed directions...
Hopefully I'll be able to find my stride once I have my own classroom. I really hope that I can find time to "get to know my students" without sacrificing academic time. I also know that I will strive to have classroom management without constantly dictating every movement my students make. Until then, I supposs I'll continue enjoying my summer of essentially playing at camp!
After skimming some other blogs tonight, I realize how inadequate I feel when typing in this blog. Some people are so eloquent with their words, where as I feel that mine just spew and spill out without even making sense. So, bear with me if my blogs seem confusing, tangential, or just plain juvenille.
I wanted to post some quick reflections on my summer job thus far. I'm spending the summer working at summer camp (essentially a daycare kind of program) for the second summer in a row. With the completion of my student teaching last semester, I'm coming back with a slightly different perspective from last year. I think I always assumed that working with children, regardless of the setting, required the same set of skills. I've realized that summer camp and teaching require two completely different personas from me.
Until student teaching, most of the time I spent with kids was probably 80% friend role and 20% adult/authoritarian/disciplinarian role. I love goofing off with kids, playing games with them, talking to them about their likes and dislikes, and just hanging out with them in general. Between Bible School, Sunday School, Church Nursery, Babysitting, and summer camp, I thought that I was pretty well prepared to handle a classroom of students. As a leader in each of these roles, I had to maintain authority over the children, but in retrospect it was a very different kind of authority and relationship in general then the relationship I built with each of my students.
When student teaching finished up last semester, I realized that I didn't know my students that well. Sure, I knew a lot about each of my students because I spent all day discussing them with my cooperating teacher, but I was shocked at how little I really knew about each of their lives. I rarely had time to listen to students share their little ramblings about what their sibling said last night, where they lost their shoe, or how much they liked "Flushed Away." With my camp kids, I hear things like this all the time.
In a way, it makes me sad because I feel like, as a teacher, you don't get to know your students as well as you would like. In a classroom setting, you are one teacher with at least 15 kids. Your main goal is to help each student grow academically, and in order to do this, you have to sacrifice some of this personal time with students. I guess this is one thing I'll have to get used to as a teacher.
Another difference I noticed was my "classroom management" style. It makes me sad how picky you have to be about children's behavior in a classroom to keep that many students in order. I've come to understand how important classroom management is when trying to run a classroom efficiently, but it's so different from all the other "management styles" I'm used to. It seems unnatural sometimes to have students constantly following so many detailed directions...
Hopefully I'll be able to find my stride once I have my own classroom. I really hope that I can find time to "get to know my students" without sacrificing academic time. I also know that I will strive to have classroom management without constantly dictating every movement my students make. Until then, I supposs I'll continue enjoying my summer of essentially playing at camp!
Since I figured summer would be slower-paced than the school year, I've signed up to take the VRA and Praxis this summer. From what I've heard, the tests aren't too rigorous, but I still want to prepare. Any suggestions for studying/etc for these tests?
Yes, I know I have been absent in my writing for several months now. Admittedly, my semester of full-time student teaching has proved to take up the majority of the time. However, the end is on the horizon. This semester has, without a doubt, been the most challenging of my semesters at William and Mary, but also the most rewarding. My students always find a way to challenge me. Anyway, with that said, I am hoping to come back to blogging to document my first year of teaching.
My middle school motto said it best, "Choices have consequences; make wise choices."
As a student teacher, I came into the classroom midway through the year. I naturally assumed the same behavior management system as my cooperating teacher in order to provide continuity for my students. She had been big on "self-regulation" and helping students to understand that their choices all have consequences, good and bad.
This logic seems to simple. You make good decisions and good things will happen. You make bad choices and bad things will happen. Yet, it seems so difficult for first graders to remember. But should I be surprised? How often to I hear directions and not pay attention. How often do I blatantly disregard a rule or law?
Classroom and behavior management have been my biggest challenges thus far. Before teaching, I saw classroom management as a minor part of teaching. Now I realize that it is ever-present and one of the most challenging parts of teaching to grasp.
Coming up with a behavior management system is challenging. I want something that will motivate the kids, without rewarding them unnecessarily and too frequently. I want something that is achievable for all students, yet still rewards the students who make more frequent "good choices." And eventually, I want students to make ke good choices without the bribe of a reward.
So what's the best choice? So far, I've used a few things. I'm continuing my teacher's "marble system." Anytime the students are exceptionally good, do something exceptionally well, etc, they are rewarded a certain number of marbles. Once the marbles fill up the jar, the students get a party. The marble jar is used sporatically, but students are motivated to behave with the thought of getting marbles.
I also began a new system once I took over full time. I segmented the day into three parts, so that students have three chances to redeem themselves. The first time I call down a students during the day, their names goes on the board for that time period. So, if a student gets their name on the board in the morning, they still have the opportunity to keep their name off the board for two more period of the day. Each period that you keep your name off the board is worth a ticket. When students get five tickets, they recieve a sticker. This has worked ok. It's time consuming to put stickers in all the students bags and then count to see who has five. I think there's probably a better system that I"ll try once I have my own classroom.
Just my thoughts and struggles on behavior management for the time being...any suggestions?
As a student teacher, I came into the classroom midway through the year. I naturally assumed the same behavior management system as my cooperating teacher in order to provide continuity for my students. She had been big on "self-regulation" and helping students to understand that their choices all have consequences, good and bad.
This logic seems to simple. You make good decisions and good things will happen. You make bad choices and bad things will happen. Yet, it seems so difficult for first graders to remember. But should I be surprised? How often to I hear directions and not pay attention. How often do I blatantly disregard a rule or law?
Classroom and behavior management have been my biggest challenges thus far. Before teaching, I saw classroom management as a minor part of teaching. Now I realize that it is ever-present and one of the most challenging parts of teaching to grasp.
Coming up with a behavior management system is challenging. I want something that will motivate the kids, without rewarding them unnecessarily and too frequently. I want something that is achievable for all students, yet still rewards the students who make more frequent "good choices." And eventually, I want students to make ke good choices without the bribe of a reward.
So what's the best choice? So far, I've used a few things. I'm continuing my teacher's "marble system." Anytime the students are exceptionally good, do something exceptionally well, etc, they are rewarded a certain number of marbles. Once the marbles fill up the jar, the students get a party. The marble jar is used sporatically, but students are motivated to behave with the thought of getting marbles.
I also began a new system once I took over full time. I segmented the day into three parts, so that students have three chances to redeem themselves. The first time I call down a students during the day, their names goes on the board for that time period. So, if a student gets their name on the board in the morning, they still have the opportunity to keep their name off the board for two more period of the day. Each period that you keep your name off the board is worth a ticket. When students get five tickets, they recieve a sticker. This has worked ok. It's time consuming to put stickers in all the students bags and then count to see who has five. I think there's probably a better system that I"ll try once I have my own classroom.
Just my thoughts and struggles on behavior management for the time being...any suggestions?
This is my first post of the semester, as I've found myself in the midst of student teaching and insanely busy.
With a class specifically focusing on technology last semester, I found it easy to focus on technology in the classroom. However, now that I'm teaching, I realize that technology has fallen by the wayside. As a teacher, I use technology frequently. The internet is my lifesaver. I use it to find lesson ideas, worksheets, collaborate with other teachers, communicate with my cooperating teacher, etc, etc. But, I've found that my students rarely use technology IN the classroom.
I am in a first grade classroom and we have four computers. The computers are connected to the internet; however, the connection is rather slow. About once a week, there is a volunteer that comes into the classroom and helps students on the computers and they get about 15 minutes to play games on the computer. Other than that, we rarely use technology in the classroom.
I'd love to have a projector to project my computer screen on the board, but that's anot feasible. I'm not really sure of other ways to use technology in the classroom right now. I know that blogs are an option, but with only four computers and just me in the classroom...I'm not sure how to manage this.
Any suggestions from lower elementary school teachers of "best technology practices" in your classrooms?
With a class specifically focusing on technology last semester, I found it easy to focus on technology in the classroom. However, now that I'm teaching, I realize that technology has fallen by the wayside. As a teacher, I use technology frequently. The internet is my lifesaver. I use it to find lesson ideas, worksheets, collaborate with other teachers, communicate with my cooperating teacher, etc, etc. But, I've found that my students rarely use technology IN the classroom.
I am in a first grade classroom and we have four computers. The computers are connected to the internet; however, the connection is rather slow. About once a week, there is a volunteer that comes into the classroom and helps students on the computers and they get about 15 minutes to play games on the computer. Other than that, we rarely use technology in the classroom.
I'd love to have a projector to project my computer screen on the board, but that's anot feasible. I'm not really sure of other ways to use technology in the classroom right now. I know that blogs are an option, but with only four computers and just me in the classroom...I'm not sure how to manage this.
Any suggestions from lower elementary school teachers of "best technology practices" in your classrooms?
Thanks to a family friend who is a teacher (and wonderful about sharing tips with me!), I discovered the program Photostory! I'm so excited about the possibilities with this program!
Essentially, Photostory creates a slideshow of your pictures. You can easily add music, text, and narraration. When I first read about it, it sounded similar to something you could do in Powerpoint. But, once I checked it out, I realized how much better it was! Photostory easily compiles all these elements for you.
The teacher who introduced Photostory to me said that she uses it in her Kindergarden class for show and tell. She takes pictures of the children with their belongings and then will post the Photostory on her class webpage. This allows the parents to see their children in school! This is especially good for parents who don't have the time to come into the classroom, because they are still able to see their children in school!
I've just downloaded the program, so I haven't had much of a chance to explore it, but I already have a project I'd like to attempt. I think Photostory would be a wonderful way to create a "virtual field trip." For a field trip lesson plan I had to create last semester, I went to Jamestown. While I was there, I took a ton of pictures. I think I could easily create a "virtual field trip" with these pictures. I could add my own narraration, and tailor the information to meet the SOLs. This would be a wonderful way for students to experience areas that are too far away for a field trip. And it is way more exciting than reading from a textbook!
Yay technology. I'm really excited to be able to try this out in my own classroom.
Essentially, Photostory creates a slideshow of your pictures. You can easily add music, text, and narraration. When I first read about it, it sounded similar to something you could do in Powerpoint. But, once I checked it out, I realized how much better it was! Photostory easily compiles all these elements for you.
The teacher who introduced Photostory to me said that she uses it in her Kindergarden class for show and tell. She takes pictures of the children with their belongings and then will post the Photostory on her class webpage. This allows the parents to see their children in school! This is especially good for parents who don't have the time to come into the classroom, because they are still able to see their children in school!
I've just downloaded the program, so I haven't had much of a chance to explore it, but I already have a project I'd like to attempt. I think Photostory would be a wonderful way to create a "virtual field trip." For a field trip lesson plan I had to create last semester, I went to Jamestown. While I was there, I took a ton of pictures. I think I could easily create a "virtual field trip" with these pictures. I could add my own narraration, and tailor the information to meet the SOLs. This would be a wonderful way for students to experience areas that are too far away for a field trip. And it is way more exciting than reading from a textbook!
Yay technology. I'm really excited to be able to try this out in my own classroom.
I want to have high expectations.
Ever since I started school, I have adored playing the part of the teacher. I set up an entire school room in my basement and scoured Goodwills for old textbooks. I begged my siblings to sit still for more hours of "school" after they got home from "real school" and even had a treasure box to reward those especially good students!
As I've gotten older and come to realize the other considerations that play into a career choice, I've debated the teaching profession. The salary, (sometimes) lack of prestige, never-ending work, and persnickety parents were all factors that led me to reconsider. But, I couldn't envision myself truly waking up excited for any of the other jobs.
So, naturally, I have high expectations for the path I've chosen. I expect that I'll wake up every morning thrilled to be in the classroom. I expect that my students will always make me laugh, giggle, and be excited to learn. I expect that I'll have fun at school everyday, something that is impossible in any other job I could have chosen.
And I'm scared that I'm wrong. This semester I've been in the school about three days a week. I'm starting to get a good feel for what it's all about, and it's not quite living up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying it, but I'm just scared it won't be exactly as I've envisioned teaching.
Next semester, I'll student teach. I'm not going to lie. I'm petrified about student teaching. How will I ever be excited to teach every day if I'm starting out petrified? I'm scared the kids won't learn anything, I'll completely lose control of the classroom, my teacher will think I'm completely incompetent, I'll loose a student somewhere between homeroom and the cafeteria, or I'll simply burn out before I even graduate.
I'm excited, but the petrified feeling has pretty much taken over as I'm closely approaching student teaching. Why? I know I have the potential to do it, but somewhere along the way, I've lost my confidence.
I'm hoping that student teaching will be scary for a little bit, but end up reaffirming my desire to teach. I think of myself as an optimist, so I'd rather not go into this with low expectations. I want to go in with high expectations for myself, my class, my chosen profession.
The vulnerability scares me.
But it's a risk I'm willing to take.
Ever since I started school, I have adored playing the part of the teacher. I set up an entire school room in my basement and scoured Goodwills for old textbooks. I begged my siblings to sit still for more hours of "school" after they got home from "real school" and even had a treasure box to reward those especially good students!
As I've gotten older and come to realize the other considerations that play into a career choice, I've debated the teaching profession. The salary, (sometimes) lack of prestige, never-ending work, and persnickety parents were all factors that led me to reconsider. But, I couldn't envision myself truly waking up excited for any of the other jobs.
So, naturally, I have high expectations for the path I've chosen. I expect that I'll wake up every morning thrilled to be in the classroom. I expect that my students will always make me laugh, giggle, and be excited to learn. I expect that I'll have fun at school everyday, something that is impossible in any other job I could have chosen.
And I'm scared that I'm wrong. This semester I've been in the school about three days a week. I'm starting to get a good feel for what it's all about, and it's not quite living up to my expectations. Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying it, but I'm just scared it won't be exactly as I've envisioned teaching.
Next semester, I'll student teach. I'm not going to lie. I'm petrified about student teaching. How will I ever be excited to teach every day if I'm starting out petrified? I'm scared the kids won't learn anything, I'll completely lose control of the classroom, my teacher will think I'm completely incompetent, I'll loose a student somewhere between homeroom and the cafeteria, or I'll simply burn out before I even graduate.
I'm excited, but the petrified feeling has pretty much taken over as I'm closely approaching student teaching. Why? I know I have the potential to do it, but somewhere along the way, I've lost my confidence.
I'm hoping that student teaching will be scary for a little bit, but end up reaffirming my desire to teach. I think of myself as an optimist, so I'd rather not go into this with low expectations. I want to go in with high expectations for myself, my class, my chosen profession.
The vulnerability scares me.
But it's a risk I'm willing to take.
"As pre-service teachers participating in practica and student teaching experiences in the schools, the SOE students are expected to meet or exceed the schools' expectations of appearance and behavior. Unkempt clothing, shorts, sandals, mini-skirts, bare midriffs, excessive body piercings, t-shirts, bare shoulders...are oftentimes unacceptable for school teachers. Students should dress professionally at all times in the schools, typified by slacks, skirts, collared shirts, ties, closed toed shoes, and the like." excerpt from Student Teaching Handbook
So don't get me wrong. I love sweatpants. I recently told my roomate that I sincerely believed sweatpants should become acceptable as daily casual wear. I'm a big fan of comfort.
But, I'm also a big fan of looking professional. Last semester, we had a long introduction to the School of Education. Somewhere in between testing requirements and evaluation forms, there was mention of appropriate dress. Being the eager student I was, I listened carefully and began mentally planning outfits for my first few visits to the school. Now, maybe I'm just excited to play teacher and dress the part, but I've noticed some slacking in the dress code department at my school.
Elementary school doesn't necessarily lend itself to high fashion. Kids throw up, wet their pants, wave magic markers and wipe their noses on the nearest adult. So naturally, I'm not expecting to see people in their most fabulous outfits. But I do expect to see slacks and a button up shirt,or something along those lines. I've surprised by the number of jeans that I've seen teachers and other faculty wearing. I've seen jean shorts, and even occasionally sweatpants!
Personally, I think we should try to hold ourselves to slightly higher standards. Although we are working with children (who can be more than messy at times), as teachers we are still professionals. By dressing the part, I feel you will demand more respect, and also expect more from yourself.
We've all heard the saying where you know a Mom has given up when you only see her in sweats. It's essentially the same thing when you see a teacher constantly dressing down.
So, here's to a challenge for all the teachers (and student teachers!)- don't forget that you are a professional as well! Dress the part!
So don't get me wrong. I love sweatpants. I recently told my roomate that I sincerely believed sweatpants should become acceptable as daily casual wear. I'm a big fan of comfort.
But, I'm also a big fan of looking professional. Last semester, we had a long introduction to the School of Education. Somewhere in between testing requirements and evaluation forms, there was mention of appropriate dress. Being the eager student I was, I listened carefully and began mentally planning outfits for my first few visits to the school. Now, maybe I'm just excited to play teacher and dress the part, but I've noticed some slacking in the dress code department at my school.
Elementary school doesn't necessarily lend itself to high fashion. Kids throw up, wet their pants, wave magic markers and wipe their noses on the nearest adult. So naturally, I'm not expecting to see people in their most fabulous outfits. But I do expect to see slacks and a button up shirt,or something along those lines. I've surprised by the number of jeans that I've seen teachers and other faculty wearing. I've seen jean shorts, and even occasionally sweatpants!
Personally, I think we should try to hold ourselves to slightly higher standards. Although we are working with children (who can be more than messy at times), as teachers we are still professionals. By dressing the part, I feel you will demand more respect, and also expect more from yourself.
We've all heard the saying where you know a Mom has given up when you only see her in sweats. It's essentially the same thing when you see a teacher constantly dressing down.
So, here's to a challenge for all the teachers (and student teachers!)- don't forget that you are a professional as well! Dress the part!
I would like to do something similar to one of my classmates and reminisce about the past few months. This semester has been a busy one, but if we just think about this spring - when we get to teach all day our wonderful kids, it is inspiring. The 9 other people in my education classes have been wonderful companions and I, like Tiffany, hope we stay in touch for a long time. We are all quite different from each other, yet we all want the same thing - to be teachers. I realize today, after eating lunch with my cooperating teacher and the other first grade teachers at my school, that I am almost one of them. I feel almost like I am accepted in their group. One step closer to my dream.
I had this longer narrative planned, but at this time, this will suffice.
I had this longer narrative planned, but at this time, this will suffice.
These are the blogs of preservice teachers.
archives
sources
- Be all that you can be. Find your future--as a teacher.
- Beginning at 50
- From Student to Teacher
- I Want to Stay in Kindergarten Forever
- Nobody need wait a single moment...
- Precious Moments
- prof a l'avenir
- success is a journey not a destination.
- Teaching to Learn, Learning to Teach
- Technology Teaches
- the First Year
- (Subscribe to this page via RSS!)