Another year ending..

My second year of teaching has come to an end. It’s exciting to say that I’ve taught longer than a year and that I’ve grown from so many experiences and situations. Growing is good. Not only did my class make me grow this year, I had to deal with others that made me grow. I’m happy with how this year has gone; I’ve really seen my class grow and I grow as a teacher and a person. I know that there will be some that will hold onto the memories and things they learned this year and experienced with me. But, I know that their will be a few in time that I will fade out of their thoughts and memories. Hopefully, that won’t be the case, but I do hope that I have given them something that will go with them for the rest of their life. Not only did I teach academics, but I taught life skills.

I thought of being many different things when I grew up, but I’m glad I chose to become a teacher. I know it’s what I should be, but most of all, it’s what I want to be.

Something that made me smile

On my way home today from work, I stopped by Safeway to grab a few things. While I was in the produce section getting some tomatoes, one of the workers was stocking the area and smiled and said hello to me. I say hello back and then he told me the offer on avocados. He paused and then said, "You look like a teacher." I smiled and said, "Well, actually I am, I'm a third grade teacher. He's like, "Wow, really?You just look like a patient person." I smiled and agreed that you have to be one when being a teacher. But how random this was, it came from nowhere.

I must of looked extra teachery today. If teachery is a word... I don't think it is. :) I'm glad to be a teacher and now I know even strangers can tell I'm one too! haha

Grow Grass Grow

We have been working hard in our backyard to prepare the ground for planting grass seed. Chris has been work really hard all week and has a pretty sore hand because of it. He got a new tool to help loosen up the ground since it was so hard and compacted. I've been helping him break up the dirt clumps, lifting up the dirt with the shovel and raking in the mulch and then this morning I raked in the grass seed with the mulch. This is round two for planting grass seed, we tried a few weeks ago, but nothing really came up. We realized we needed to give it a little more T.L.C. because there hasn't been grass in the backyard for over 2 years. The ground got to compacted and hard, plus needed some good mulch added into the soil. We are crossing our fingers!

I am looking forward to the completion of our backyard, even though it's going to take a few weeks for the grass to come up. But, I have gotten some more seeds to plant in my garden area, cosmos, zinnias, corn, and sunflowers. It's fun gardening and doing improvements around the house. I will keep up posted on our grass! Say your prayers and cross your fingers for it to come up!

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.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I felt like had to do what everyone else does on this holiday and go green!

So, Chris and I had a green beer with our dinner tonight! Hope you had a fun St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Flowers are blooming!

Sorry it's been so long since I've last posted something! Life has been busy, but I should try to be better at posting! Here are my first to blooms in my garden! It's fun to see them start popping open, especially since this has been my first offical garden and first time planting seeds and bulbs on my own!

Such a fun way to start the day! I love to look at my garden throughout the day because it's ever changing!

Happy Spring!

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.