My Classroom

Here we go again! I am so happy to be in my third year of teaching and teaching 3rd grade for the second year now. I feel so much more organized and know what to expect! In the picture above is me showing off the beginning process of setting up my classroom. This has been the third year in a row that I've had to move my classroom, I'm hoping I won't have to anymore now!

Here is my awesome classroom tree that my brother Jeff painted for me! I’ve always wanted it painted on the wall, but didn’t get around to it until now. I had a paper trunk in the past, but this just looks a million times better and more realistic! It’s nice to have such an artistic family. This tree changes with the seasons. Soon it will be having fall leaves by the end of this month. It's a lot of fun and I like to give it a personalized touch with my students help! Each apple on this tree has one of my student's name on it, I have 21 little apples in my class. 8 of them I had when I taught 1st grade, so that's a lot of fun! It's really cool to see how they have grown academically and that I get to help with that again!





This is a picture of my workshop board that I change every week to go with the story we are reading, math we are working on, and many other activities for my students to do independently during reading group time. I am all about reinforcing things and giving them as much exposure to it so they can master the skill. You can also see the homey touch I like to add to
my classroom. I have a classroom job that is a gardner, they are the ones responsible and who oversee the plants and make sure they are watered weekly. I want my classroom to be as welcoming and enjoyable place as possible for my students to learn and comfortable.


Lastly, I will end with another view of my classroom. This is my classroom library area and my desk. I have tons of books on other bookshelves just ready to be read by my students. I have to pillows on the floor under the tree that you can't see, that my students ask everyday to go sit down there and read. I had to start making a list of who's next to sit down there. Can't beat a class that loves to read! I think it is going to be a great year! I already feel like we have connected with each other and that the respect is there. They know what is expected of them and know what the consequences are if they break those expectations. I feel that I keep learning new things and know what I show implement and do to makes my students have the best learning environment possible. I want to make sure that I teach them the best I can academically, yet make sure that they learn life skills and relationship skills that will better them for the rest of their lives. I am excited to watch them grow! It is the greatest to be giving tons of hugs, notes that say 'you're the greatest teacher ever', and that they are so happy to be in my class. It's pretty nice to have kids say they are sad to go, that they want to stay at school. It is nice to be in a profession that is so rewarding. Believe me, you will be hearing plenty more!

I was told a story once, about a boy who was on a beach throwing starfish back into the sea. A old man came up the boy and asked him what he was doing. The boy said to the man, 'I’m trying to save them.' Then the old man said to the boy, 'They’ve been here awhile, I don’t think they’ll make it. 'The boy replied, ‘As long as I save one of them, I will be happy.’

I put a lot into my job, a lot that produces an ample amount of joy and tiredness. But I wouldn’t change a thing. I see how what I do has changed some and how the respect has been built within my students, some it has taken them longer than others. I feel that I have saved a starfish this year, actually a few. And that makes me happy. That is why I keep wanting to come back, even after the bad days, hard days, and certainly the good days.

Teacher stuff & other stuff

It's been a nice day off, went to a fabric store and Joann's with my mom this morning..didn't really get much but some Valentine's Day pencils and bags for my class. Speaking of Valentine's Day, I finished my felt heart for Chris. I think it turned out cute and will be fun to use to write him notes to tell him I love him or to have a good day!

I have also been busy with school stuff, I have my observation tomorrow by the principal. This will be my last formal observation for the school year, until next year. I will be doing it during science time. We have just started our plant growth and development unit. It's going to be a lot of fun for me, since I love gardening and plants in general. Tomorrow my lesson will be on "What is inside a Seed?" The students will observe their soaked Lima bean then get to open it up to see the parts inside that make it grow. They will also be drawing a scientific drawing of the bean and doing some journal writing on what their predictions are and what they have learned from that lesson. I feel that it will go well since I've done the material before and I'm confident in my teaching and the effort and passion I put into it as well.

Here is what I get ready every week for my workshop board. The students complete 20 different things that are based off of what we're learning or have been learning in all different subject areas. I really want my students to grasp concepts, not just with the lesson, but by repetition and seeing it and doing it in different ways. My favorite thing this week on my workshop board is my Power Test. It's where I get my students up and moving and helps to get their ants out of their pants too. The will be doing the YMCA song actions and then the bicycle for 2 minutes (that's where you lay on your back and peddle with your legs!) They really enjoy doing the whole workshop and I see them really grow from doing it! That's the best part.

Back to Work

Back into the swing of things again..dragging a little bit though. It was all in all a good first day back to teaching and my class seemed well rested and ready to go with the second half of the school year. I reminded my third graders that they are half way to becoming fourth graders, I got several wide eyes, thinking like whoa. But I had to tell them it is important to focus and get into gear because they want to be successful for these next two quarters. I am quite surprised as to how fast the school year is going. I think the whole past year went fast in general.

It did not help that Monday was a very rainy day for us. This meant, kids having to "go to the bathroom", but in reality, just wanting to go out into the rain. This also caused lunch recess and and afternoon recess to be held inside my classroom, just when you need a break from them, you can't get one! I survived and they were pretty well behaved with not being in the swing of things because of the break and because of the rain.

I had my class journal write about some goals they wanted to make for this upcoming year, 2008. I told them it would be good to have at least three goals, one for home, one for here at school, and a personal goal, like their character. Here are a few of them:

*To stop arguing with my friends
*To have better handwriting
*To work on my frustration
*I want to get up earlier
*To be more organize
*Less talking at school
*Fixing my bed in the morning

I thought this was a great way to get their mind thinking of ways to make life better for them and to get them in a good mindset for life in general.

My feelings so far for 2008 are great! I things organized here at my house and then at work..I'm going to try to stick to that. I want to learn how to cook new things, master knitting, and so much more. I'm excited to see what this year brings!

Kids in my class..

Teaching can be a very tiresome job, but truly, it is a very rewarding job. Especially when you have kids in your class that come up to you and give you a random hug, just because or draw you a picture over the weekend.

My favorite line that was told to me today was..
"I think you are the bestest teacher I have ever had before, I mean it really..you are."
Two other girls are at her side and say, " Yes, we think you are too."
They all three give me a hug.

All you can do is smile when you think about that and have that said to you.