A Message To Their Peers

A note I found on my board at the end of the day.

Journey is Home!

A special package arrived at school last Thursday! When we opened it, we found our traveling classroom bear, Journey! He was curled up with Baguio City coin purses for everyone and some interesting artifacts for us to study and they came all the way from the Philippines! Journey has spent several months visiting a 1st grade class there and we have been learning about life in a country 8000 miles from us through his journal entries and pictures he has sent us since school started. You would have thought Journey was the most important person they had ever met when he popped out of his bag. Their faces lit up and they could hardly stay in their seats.
I love 2nd graders! They are still willing to pretend and "believe" even though they know the difference between fact and fiction deep inside. It makes my job a lot more fun.
Oh... Journey also brought a snack for us. At first the class thought it was a bag of potato chips. Not quite! It was actually a snack of green peas called Munchers. They were a little surprised! :) We will be trying them tomorrow!
My experience with Journey has taught me some things about motivation for learning. I believe he has had a larger impact on my students by NOT being here for students to meet before he left on his trip to visit my cousin's class in the Philippines. There was an intrigue and anticipation that built over the last 3 months. They had pictures of him, read his travel journal entries and got to know him that way. I witnessed students studying maps and finding the Philippines on our globe. Getting them to write was a cinch when I asked them to write to Journey.
Now that he is home, the challenge will be to find new ways to incorporate Journey into what we are doing and keep that motivation going.

 I wonder where he could journey to next?...

 A couple of weeks ago my friend, Lisa, came to cook with us. I have a student with a peanut allergy which was brought back to the attention of the class when Lisa told him that she had brought him another treat. Soon after, I saw another little boy lean over and start to talk to him. As I moved closer to quiet him, I overheard what he was saying. With the most serious face, he said, "I'm allergic to cats and if I eat one, I will die!"

Coming Up For Air!

I'm not much of a swimmer and have never been in a race, but if I had, I can imagine that it might give me the same sensation as I have had during the last 4 weeks. I prepared for this race most of the summer. The first weeks of August were full of planning and preparing. I was doing what I could, but nothing that would help me enough to allow me to win the race without getting in the water. I feel like it shouldn't be a competition but that is exactly what it feels like so I'll continue using it.

On the morning of August 17th, I plunged in, along with all of my other colleagues, and began the underwater portion of this race. I wanted to avoid the word "race" when writing this because  It has taken me several weeks to feel like I might finally be coming to the surface for a breath of badly needed air.

Teaching has definitely changed since I was last in the classroom. As a coach, my brain always knew that teachers were being asked to step it up more and more each year. I admire all of the teachers I have worked with over the years for their hard work and expertise. It truly is one of the most taxing jobs I know of, although worth the labor because of the people who benefit - our students. 

It's the sudden dive into the water after so long, the unnerving silence as I realize how much responsibility I have in the final outcome, the struggle to keep my eyes on the goal while staying aware of where I am in my lane by constant assessment and observation. The knowledge that, as a former coach, there may be people watching to see what I have to offer to the team. The long pull as I force myself to work as hard as I can before I catch that first breath in hopes that it will get me out in front by the time I reach the surface is exhausting. I'm longing for that anticipated first breath and signal that the race is off to a good start.

I believe it will be worth the effort if I remember to swim strong and smart without panicking and flailing. The rewards will follow.

In the meantime, I want to enjoy this experience. I love the feel of the water as I move among my students and get to know them. The exhilaration of flexing my muscles as I craft my lessons and deliver them, and the small reward of a move ahead with each successful strategy that pulls us forward in the trip across the pool in our first lap, motivate me to keep on swimming.

Coming up for air and still swimming!

Still Busy!

Until further notice, this is my "home away from home." With 26 second graders to keep me busy, I feel like I'm not seeing much of my real home. After 10 years without my own classroom and then moving into a new classroom with an entire curriculum that I have never taught (except for a lesson here and there in another teacher's classroom) it is expected.
I'm sure it will get better and the planning and organization of all of the materials will fall into place soon. Then I may be able to have my old life back. You will probably see me then!

Busy!



My Workspace

 I'm sitting here at the Ford dealership waiting while my car gets serviced; with my laptop. I have so many things on my mind that I want to create for my classroom that I think I caused the service assistant's joke to sink like a lead balloon. He "jokingly" said that he could get me out of here in 3-4 hrs. And, I said with a smile, "Okay, I have my laptop along. I'll just work." From his expression, I guess that wouldn't be the usual response!
Free wireless, free lunch, giant diet Dr Pepper, 70's music, comfy chair, big table... Who could ask for more on the Saturday before school starts?
"Sir, please don't call me too soon. I'm busy!"


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone which is a very advanced skill! ;-)

Journey's Journey

This is Journey. Judy, one of my long time teacher friends who retired this year, got him for me for my birthday. The plan is for him to travel home with a different child each weekend. He will have to return from his latest trip before he can get to know my class. Today he embarked on an exciting adventure to the Philippines with my cousin, Glenna, who will be teaching there this year. As I write this, he is somewhere over the Pacific keeping Glenna company.



When he comes back I'm sure he will have lots to tell us!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone which is a very advanced skill! ;-)