Halloween Week

From the Star
So, Halloween week and Red Ribbon week at our school have just ended, and boy, was it a crazy time. I never thought that I could get so stressed over a fun week and have so much fun at the same time. This is the first year that I have had a chance to work with a principal who really enjoys the holidays and loves to see the children enjoying them as well.  I LOVE the holidays!  The week started with us dressing up each day for Red Ribbon week and ended with us making a classroom pumpkin, having a parade and making a Halloween/Red Ribbon Week door.

For our classroom pumpkin we choose to make the Chicka Tree from the book Chicka, Chicka Boom Boom. Pretty cute, huh? We also made a door that said "Don't be a Ghost Say Boo to Drugs". The kids really enjoyed getting to participate in making these things and really admired their work when they were done. It was so great to get to see the kids so proud of themselves when the door and the pumpkin were displayed at the school on Friday. We ended the week with a Halloween Parade where all of the teachers and the children dressed up and walked around the car loop while the parents watched. While I admit to being a little embarrassed to be walking in my crayon costume in front of the parents, I also have to admit that it was a great time. I hope that everyone had as much fun as I did at school for their Halloween Celebration!

A New Day

From the Star

So, I know that it has been a while but I am back!  I have to say that things are getting very intense at my school now that observations are beginning. I have had someone in my classroom every day this week.  So have all the other kindergarten teachers.    The new evaluations seem a little intense. It seems to me that the administrators feel like if they don't walk through your room each day, then there is no way that they will be able to mark all the areas on the form.  From what we were told it is worse if they mark "not using the strategy." So I shouldn't complain that they are in my room every day looking for the different areas. I would rather them see all the tools that I have in place.  Plus I can say that I am not as nervous any more when they come in my classroom because now it has become a normal every day thing.

With all of that being said, I can say that I am having a great year. I love my class to death.  They really are a great bunch of kids. I know that I talked about my classroom management a little bit last time that I blogged.   I am happy to report that I feel that this area in my classroom has made a 360 degree turn and the children are really starting to listen and respect the rules. I have found that the best thing that I have set up in my classroom is the marbles jar.  They get a marble anytime they are doing what they are suppose to be doing or when they get a compliment. Then when the marble jar is full I throw them a Popsicle party. The students in my class have really taken to this idea and they get super excited every time they get a marble.  The marble jar has really helped me gain more control of my class and increase positive behavior. I have found that talking with others about your weakness can be a great thing if you use their advice. I know that I was originally very upset to hear someone say that my classroom management was weak,  even though I know that they were just trying to make me the best that I can be.  However, because I was told about it, I had a chance to know what I needed to work on and fix the issues before it spiraled out of control.  All I can say is that when the advice is meant to be constructive and even if it does upset you, if you get over yourself and listen, you really can get improve your skills. thanks to those veterans who took the time to help me talk through some new strategies.  I really did appreciate and respect your advice.

Behavior Management

From the Star
So.... behavior management for a Kindergarten class. Who would have thought that at  such a young age a child would actually purposely choose not to listen? Well, if you teach Kindergarten you know that this is not crazy sadly. I have a child now that I am really struggling with. He is very smart and mature for his age, but he doesn't listen at all. This child not only does what he wants when he wants but he does things that are unsafe. He climbs on chairs and jumps off and climbs on bookshelves. I have spoken to him many times about the choices that he is choosing to make and I have him on a behavior plan. I am finding that while the behavior plan works a little. it's not working well enough. He is hitting other children, still climbing on objects and doing whatever he wants to do during our whole group times.

When he came to my class he was ripping up papers and throwing fits and destroying items in the classroom which is why I initially set up the behavior plan.  That did fix some of the behaviors but not enough of them. I am now at a struggle as to what I should do since now he has other students who are wanting to follow his bad choices. He doesn't seem to care about losing play or recess and he throws huge fits when I get upset with him and usually ends up destroying something in my room.  I have my hands full and I am looking for some advice or suggestions on how to handle a Kindergartner who is struggling to follow the daily routine.


While I am facing these issues with this child I still have to say that I love my job and I will do everything I can to help this child to fit into the classroom routines and learn how to accommodate my own teaching styles to make my class the most safe and positive learning environment that it can possibly be for the success of my students. If you have any ideas, please feel free to share them with me in a comment.. Thanks!

Kindergarten! Wahoo!

From the Star
So, my mom is right.  It really is the year for kindergarten and boy am I lucky that I have so many wonderful people to help me out this year.  I have found that the most successful teachers are those that are open to new ideas and change. I hope that as I continue to teach that I grow and learn each year and never settle to just doing things the way I've always done them. I feel that our children deserve the best that we can offer.

I am truly happy this year that I have my family and so many great Kindergarten teachers at my school. I have found that as I try new things with my class that there is just a bubble of happiness because I truly love what I am doing. My soon to be sister-n-law told me the other day that she had noticed that this is the first year that she has seen me really happy since I started teaching three years ago. I know that in the past years I have been so stressed and overwhelmed with being out of my comfort zone. In previous years I would go home crying wondering when I would actually feel comfortable in the grade that I was teaching. I can honestly say that that day never truly came. While I learned a lot and watched my children learn, I was always ill at ease and wondering if I was doing everything correctly. And, while I think those feelings will always exist somewhat, this is the first year that I am actually having a blast while teaching and teaching without stressing. I can truly say that I am a primary teacher and this is where I hope to stay until I retire! I finally feel right at home. So, when my soon to be sister-n-law said she had never seen me happier I think she meant that this is the first year that I am truly smiling from ear to ear because I am having so much fun and learning so much. This year is truly going to be a great year!!

The New Year!!!

From the Star

So the new school year has begun and I am so excited!!! If you have not heard, this year I am teaching Kindergarten. Yeah!! I finally got into a grade that I like and makes me feel comfortable. Although I have been dreaming of teaching the young ones since I started, I have to say that they really are a lot of work physically. I have been exhausted every day when I get home. But I am not complaining, because I really am much happier teaching Kindergarten rather than the Intermediate grades. Who could have guessed that there would be so many changes in my short career? I do have to say that I am loving my class and my new team. My team has been super helpful, and they are a fun group of women. I feel that I am going to make some great friends. I can say that I am very lucky to have them this year especially since I am teaching a new grade.

There are so many things about Kindergarten that I love! Bring on the dancing and the music, the calendar time - even the potty breaks every 15 minutes. I love it! I can honestly say that I am truly enjoying my first week with the kids and having a blast. I know now that I am meant to be a Primary teacher.  I am overwhelmed but excited for this school year. So let's all have a wonderful year!!

Our Year of Kindergarten Teachers

From the Apple

In our family, this is the year of the Kindergarten teacher.  Not only is my daughter Courtney in her first year as a Kindergarten teacher, but my daughter-in-law has also returned to Kindergarten!  I am fortunate enough to have the room next to her room and get to spend part of the day with her as her inclusion Special Education teacher.  To really make it a family affair, her daughter, my oldest grandchild joined us this year as a Kindergarten student at our school!  How cool is that?!  No, she's not in our class, but we have the opportunity to see her all during the day - at lunch, on the playground, passing in the hall! The picture to the right is my little darling after her first day in Kindergarten.  The mask and cape are part of our school's theme  of superheroes - "empowering the future" and the flowers are from her Dad who couldn't be there for her first day.  It really makes the Kindergarten experience special this year to be able to share it with ALL of my family!

Courtney and I will continue to blog this year about our Kindergarten experiences - 150 miles apart  - Courtney at the beginning of her career as I begin to see the sunset of my own.  What can we learn from each other?  Stick around and see...

So Much to Tell

From the Star

So... it has been a while since I have written. In the past couple months I have had just so much on my plate from planning my wedding (that, by the way, is going to be on February 18th, 2012! Yeah!) to the FCAT's and just wondering how my students did and praying each night that they all tried their best... and passed! I have been wondering if I will be teaching intermediate again or if I will even have a job for next year. This has been a stressful time and I am quite overwhelmed.

I left off last time with a challenging student that I have been working with and let's just say that not much has been working. He has his days and his moments when he shows that he understands his behaviors and why they are wrong. But... 75% of the time his behaviors are very defiant and he has no remorse. I am working now to come up with a plan to help him find alternatives to the behaviors that he is displaying in class. If anyone has any advice on how to deal with behaviors that are defiant, my ears are open. I am really concerned about this child because I feel that his behaviors are progressing and he seems to care less and less about what he is doing. I have found that when I give positive reinforcement that it often has a negative effect. It usually causes him to have an outburst. I am at a loss for what I can do but I refuse to give up on this child because I know that he needs me. I have set a goal for the end of the year to help this child find alternatives to his actions.

Now let's talk about the FCAT's and what my future looks like for next year. As far as the FCAT is concerned I feel confident that most of the students in my classroom did their best. For a 3rd grade teacher, that is all that I can ask. I am very proud of my students no matter how their scores come out on the FCAT. I have seen the gains with my own eyes and know that they have made progress this year. I will have to say that I am very glad that the FCATs are over because for whatever reason, it is a very stressful and uptight time, even though as teachers there is nothing that we can do at that point. It's hard for me to believe that I am actually going to be paid for how my student did in a single week. I kind of feel like it says that it doesn't matter what my students do throughout the year and the progress that they make both emotionally and academically, but instead I am judged on what kinds of test takers they are and how they perform on tests in a single week. I am going to stop there because this is not my expertise and complaining about the situation isn't going to change a thing. I am just going to push my students to learn to their full potentials and hope for the best.

I am still not sure if I am going to have a job next year or what I will be teaching. I know as a teacher that I can teach any grade and give my all to the students, but I just feel that my heart is not in the intermediate grades. They always say that you go to school for something that you have a passion for and love to do and so that is what I did. I went to school to become a Pre-K Special Education teacher and for the past 2 years I have been out of my field. I have been in Intermediate Regular Education. While my last two years have been great and I have learned so much more than I could have even imagined, I can truly say that I am ready to be with the little ones. I have found that intermediate is really not for me and my heart yearns for the little learners. With this being said, if I am in intermediate again I will teach the students and give my students my all, including my heart. I am very passionate about what I do and will make it work in whatever grade I end up next year. Till next time...