My greatest accomplishment for the second week of the new school year: successfully using wet bottled glue with kindergarten and first grade. This from the teacher who, last year, spent two full classes practicing procedures for painting WITH NO ACTUAL PAINT. I've learned the importance of song, repetition and anthropomorphism when teaching new skills to … Continue reading Six Year Olds + Wet Glue = Triumph
Category: Uncategorized
It’s Almost Here!
The first day of the school year is right around the corner! It's been a busy few weeks setting up my classroom, preparing lessons and attending meetings. Here's a peek into our soon-to-be messy classroom:
Embracing Change
This school year I will be embracing change like it's a long-lost sister (I will also be having mini panic attacks about it). I came across the 5 Habits of an Effective Teacher while idly browsing Facebook and realized just how much #2 relates to me. Besides the millions of ways I've thought of to improve … Continue reading Embracing Change
Rocky Balboa and Glitter Showers
Tracking Class Behavior Behavior management - I've tried to think of a clever metaphor to capture the magnitude of this in the classroom. If done right, effective behavior management can provide a mutually joyful and relaxed learning environment for students and teacher. My day goes by smoothly, filled with engaged kids and meaningful routines - … Continue reading Rocky Balboa and Glitter Showers
Move from “Crazy Busy” to “Crazy Creative”
This is what I was promised during a recent session at the Florida Alliance for Arts Education Leadership Summit. Was this tailor-made for me? I'm constantly running around - switching materials in the two minutes between classes, creating power points, emailing parents, entering grades - before I collapse on the couch at home with … Continue reading Move from “Crazy Busy” to “Crazy Creative”
First Year Wrap-Up
Well it's June. I survived my first year of full-time, real life teaching! These last 9 months have been some of the most grueling and rewarding of my life. One of my goals this summer was to create a blog about my life as a new teacher. The triumphs and challenges, the ten-hour … Continue reading First Year Wrap-Up
Paint Think Play 