So this week I stopped a fight a 3 year old started. Luckily enough I was able to remove him physically, if it was a older child, I don't know what I could have done. It's all sorted now but it was scary.
On a slightly better note, I have a child draw a picture of me, my first picture of the year. I was smiling from ear to ear.
I realize that these things will happen, some great moments about being a teacher and some not so great ones. I'm learning tons from my students and I hope that I'll have more of the later and less of the fighting. I realize that sometimes, you can do as much as you can to give positive reinforcements and praise good behavior and give choices and be a good role model and explain but it just doesn't go your way.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Every Wednesday
I have shared duty with my paraprofessional for lunch and recess since the rest of the school is at Fillmore Art Center every Weds. I have so much fun. One, I get to see the lunch habits of the students and two, I get to see them play amongst themselves without having the share the playground with 50 other students.
Lunch habits, my students won't try new foods/vegetables, whatever thing they can't pick up with their fingers. I have tried on numerous occasions to get them to taste new dishes. My para and I have even taken a small portion to demonstrate the deliciousness of school lunches. Our school lunches are quite nutritious with plenty of veggies. Hopefully they will come around.
Recess, my favorite time with them. This is the time I can watch my students and actually see how they play without the restrictions of a classroom and classroom rules of a game. They play and get rough. I even have overlooked some rough and tumble play because sometimes they just need it. I have watched a step show given by a four year old and played a game of monster while scaring and chasing children around the playground. I noticed how the children are dominate or become submissive during a game of pet store or house. I get to see the social aspects of play without being a part of it and the pecking order is quite amazing. How the quietest student become the loudest and most dominate in a game of house or the most vocal student "hangs out" on the sideline with the teacher.
Hoping to not get jaded by the expectations of ME (master educator) observations and feedback.
Lunch habits, my students won't try new foods/vegetables, whatever thing they can't pick up with their fingers. I have tried on numerous occasions to get them to taste new dishes. My para and I have even taken a small portion to demonstrate the deliciousness of school lunches. Our school lunches are quite nutritious with plenty of veggies. Hopefully they will come around.
Recess, my favorite time with them. This is the time I can watch my students and actually see how they play without the restrictions of a classroom and classroom rules of a game. They play and get rough. I even have overlooked some rough and tumble play because sometimes they just need it. I have watched a step show given by a four year old and played a game of monster while scaring and chasing children around the playground. I noticed how the children are dominate or become submissive during a game of pet store or house. I get to see the social aspects of play without being a part of it and the pecking order is quite amazing. How the quietest student become the loudest and most dominate in a game of house or the most vocal student "hangs out" on the sideline with the teacher.
Hoping to not get jaded by the expectations of ME (master educator) observations and feedback.
Meetings!!!!
So at my school we've been having tons of collaborative planning meetings and PDs, unfortunately the school is so small that sometimes the the collaborative meetings end up consisting of PS-G2 teachers and the PDs are about general usage of DCPS technology.
I am open to collaborating with other teachers but when their immediate or my immediate issues does not effect them, it makes our time together useless and meaningless for one or more group of individuals. I have already brought this up and luckily, other senior teachers have expressed this concern. Instead of meeting 3 times a week (M, W, F) we will only met for 30 minutes once a week.
As for the PDs (T,TH), I have sat through 3 half hour meetings learning about google calendar, creating an event and inviting people to the event. I must say that these meetings were useless for me and could have used my time in a more meaningful manner. I don't want to get upset but I have tons of documentation that can be completed during this time and time to set up my classroom before the children arrive.
This means that every morning I have a half hour meeting before the children arrive to school. I don't like meaningless meetings because all it does is a half of complaining on one party or another. Rather I would like productive meetings in which issues are discussed and matters are solved, that people are held accountable for the time outside of the classroom.
I am open to collaborating with other teachers but when their immediate or my immediate issues does not effect them, it makes our time together useless and meaningless for one or more group of individuals. I have already brought this up and luckily, other senior teachers have expressed this concern. Instead of meeting 3 times a week (M, W, F) we will only met for 30 minutes once a week.
As for the PDs (T,TH), I have sat through 3 half hour meetings learning about google calendar, creating an event and inviting people to the event. I must say that these meetings were useless for me and could have used my time in a more meaningful manner. I don't want to get upset but I have tons of documentation that can be completed during this time and time to set up my classroom before the children arrive.
This means that every morning I have a half hour meeting before the children arrive to school. I don't like meaningless meetings because all it does is a half of complaining on one party or another. Rather I would like productive meetings in which issues are discussed and matters are solved, that people are held accountable for the time outside of the classroom.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Freaked out
So this week at our school, we will be hosting several master educators, whom will be visiting all the classrooms. I don't know what they are expecting and how much of their visit will affect me but this is freaking me out. Not to mention that I got an email that there's is an early childhood rubric for my teaching assessments which I will not receive until Monday morning, as promised.
On top of that, my borrowed computer at school has a virus which means I can't check any emails and the classroom never received computers. Yes, freaked out.
Luckily, my students and my para-professional makes everything all better when I see them, it doesn't solve the problem but at least it subsides the pressure momentarily.
On top of that, my borrowed computer at school has a virus which means I can't check any emails and the classroom never received computers. Yes, freaked out.
Luckily, my students and my para-professional makes everything all better when I see them, it doesn't solve the problem but at least it subsides the pressure momentarily.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Stevie Wonder
There's a child who absolutely loves to sing and do dance motions with his eyes closed, shaking his head while singing. It's the most hilarious thing. I called out his name while he was doing this, wanted to make sure he was just really getting into the music and he looked up at me like I just stopped him from having fun. I will not stop my children when they really get into the songs we sing and the motions we do. I can't wait for traveling yoga adventures!! I wonder what he'll do?
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