Mentoring Preservice Teachers: Before you begin

I am about to begin working with my 3rd student teacher.  I have always found it to be a rewarding experience that requires lots of extra work on my part.  Here are some things that I recommend doing before you even begin.

1.  Contact the person.  Let them know you are looking forward to working with them.

2.  If possible meet with them and have them spend the day with you to get a feel for your teaching style.  This is also a great time for your students to meet them.

3.  Share your daily/weekly schedule.

4.  Also make some plans for yourself--when will you meet with them.  Before school?  After school?  How many times each week.  Where will they have some space that is theirs in your room?  A locker?  A table?  A desk?

5.  Communication is key!  Be as clear as you can be for both of you.

6.  Ask your student teacher what they are hoping to get from the experience, and ask her/him what (s)he needs from you.

7.  Plan to treat this person the way you would want to be treated.

8.  Think back to what it felt like for you to student teacher.  It's so easy to forget those feelings of fear the very first time you stood in front of the group of these little people and they expected you to teach.

9.  What role do you want this person to play from the beginning.  You may want them to be an observer, but I would quickly give them tasks related to classroom management and organization.  (Nothing in their training prepares them to check folders, sort office notes, do lunch count, clean off tables after lunch, or get kids into winter gear for recess!)

10.  Accept their limitations and yours.  Everyone has strengths and weakness.  Plan to find joy in their presence in your classroom.  It will make it a smoother more beautiful experience for everyone.

Are you working with a perservice teacher?  What are your tips?

What's Up In Room 14?

So it's hard to believe that the first half of the year is over.  Where did it go?

Tons of amazing and life changing stuff has happened, and I want to share it here, but in small doses.  Here are some of the topics that I have become more familiar and experienced with in the first half of this year:

• Team Teaching
• Differentiation
• 2nd grade
• Whole Brain Teaching
• Social/ Emotional Education
• Class Meetings
• Waldorf Education and Parenting (My Sam is in a Waldorf school for Kindergarten, and it has changed my life!)
• Soul Care for Teachers and Students
• Showing Up to Love our students
• Rafe Esquith's latest book
• Mentoring Teachers
• Mentoring PreService Teachers

It's crazy that with over 15 years of experience, I am still learning so much!  It's an every single day sort of thing for me!  It's overwhelming and exhausting, and I want to share it with you here.  So call out your peeps and invite them over because I'm bringing this bad boy back!

We ended December with our off, off, off, off Broadway production of The Gingerbread Kid Caper.  It is a school tradition, but it was my maiden voyage.  I worked with my team teacher.  She had the brilliant idea of turning the door area of her room (our performance hall) into a gingerbread house with gumdrops with everyone's name.

The students voted to make gifts for everyone who came to our performance.  (It was totally packed.)  So the week before we made yummy cinnamon ornaments.  Our recipe was 1 cup cinnamon (I know it's a ton.  I bought it at Aldi's for a buck a cup!), 3/4 c. applesauce, and 2 - 3 tablespoons of white glue.  I mixed by hand and rolled it out in a gallon ziploc bag.  I only gave the kids 2 cutters--trees and gingerbread.  It was just right. We used toothpicks to make the holes.  A couple parent volunteers ran sweet little strings through--that red and white bakers string.  Our class smelled great!

Looking forward to sharing so much more.

Happy 2015 to us all!
Where are you learning and growing professionally?

Tales of This Second Grade Teacher

I haven't posted any school goodies here for such a LONG time.  I wanted to let everyone know that as of last month, I'm no longer a 4th grade teacher.  I am a second grade teacher!

It's been a fun and wild ride since learning I would be moving.  Although I've taught second before, it's been years, and I was a looping teacher back then.

So if you or anyone you know has some wise advice for a veteran teacher who is new to second, I'm open to advice.  I'm using Everyday Math 4th ed., Reading Street, and a variety or Science and Social Studies.  I am a Whole Brain Teacher.

I'm especially interested on input about a coteaching model of full inclusion of special ed--grouping second graders so that they can get the biggest bang from small group instruction and independent practice opportunities for both Math and Reading/ LA.  I'm also looking for FUN Science and Social Studies active learning units!

Thanks to all those amazing 4th grade teachers who have supported and encouraged me in the past!

Online Art Show

Here are the last few paintings for my online art show.  I've titled the series "February Defrost."  I'm trying to get my creativity flowing and inspire folks just like you while I'm at it.  All of the original pieces are for sale in my etsy shop. 

I hope they provide inspiration!

Seek Joy

This is perhaps my favorite little painting I've put up this month.  Do you ever feel like everything about  the buraucracy of education is trying to suck the joy right out of teaching and learning?  I feel that way almost every single day.

It just means we have to work harder to seek joy for ourselves and our students.  We must be more cleaver in the ways we teach children to seek joy.

I'm hoping soon to get back to sharing some of what has been happening in my classroom this year.  For now, I hope these other bits of art might lift your spirit and invite you to seek joy!

I'm in the midst of sharing a series of little paintings I've created.  I've titled the series "February Defrost."  I'm trying to get my creativity flowing and inspire folks just like you while I'm at it.  All of the original pieces are for sale in my etsy shop.  Please share with anyone you think may be interested. 

Reflect

Reflect on all the positive stuff you have done and are doing, and it will overshadow your doubts!

Becoming

Are you becoming exactly who you are meant to be?

Are you helping your students become exactly who they are meant to be?

I'm in the midst of sharing a series of little paintings I've created.  I've titled the series "February Defrost."  I'm trying to get my creativity flowing and inspire folks just like you while I'm at it.  All of the original pieces are for sale in my etsy shop.  Please share with anyone you think may be interested. 

Will It Still Snow In Summer?

So Sam just asked me if it would still be snowing in summer!  I'm starting to wonder about this myself!

Today I'm posting a little painting that just screams, "Think Spring!"

This one is Bloom 2

 I'm in the midst of sharing a series of little paintings I've created.  I've titled the series "February Defrost."  I'm trying to get my creativity flowing and inspire folks just like you while I'm at it.  All of the original pieces are for sale in my etsy shop.  Please share with anyone you think may be interested. 

So what are you doing to keep your spirits up and hopeful at this bleak time of year?

Courage To Fly

I think it takes sooooo much courage to take flight as a teacher these days--so many rules and laws and musts and shouldn'ts.  So this is a challenge for you, amazing teacher!!  What are you going to do this week that will take some courage and feel like you're taking flight?  Think something amazing for your students, coworkers, yourself or your family.

On your mark.
Get set
Go!

{I'd love to know what you do.  Please leave a comment or email me!}

I'm in the midst of sharing a series of little paintings I've created.  I've titled the series "February Defrost."  I'm trying to get my creativity flowing and inspire folks just like you while I'm at it.  All of the original pieces are for sale in my etsy shop.  Please share with anyone you think may be interested. 

Peace

I'm in the midst of sharing a series of little paintings I've created.  I've titled the series "February Defrost."  I'm trying to get my creativity flowing and inspire folks just like you while I'm at it.  All of the original pieces are for sale in my etsy shop.  Please share with anyone you think may be interested. 

February Defrost Update

Here are the latest paintings in my little online show I'm running all month. . .

Love the quote I shared on the Brave Teachers website to go with "Fully Alive"

Little quote for this one, too.

Read some of my thoughts here

This little one is a great reminder to  me about the imperfection of love

I'm hoping you feel love--with all the imperfection and messiness that entails.  

I'm in the midst of sharing a series of little paintings I've created.  I've titled the series "February Defrost."  I'm trying to get my creativity flowing and inspire folks just like you while I'm at it.  All of the original pieces are for sale in my etsy shop.  Please share with anyone you think may be interested. 

Simplify

I already have big plans for my summer.! I'm going to start out my summer by simplifying the amount of stuff that exists in my life.  {You know I must have a really good friend if she has already said she will do this with me!}

It takes conscious choice and intentional action to simplify anything in our lives.

I do believe the rewards are amazing.

You can see more of this super simple little painting at my estsy shop.

Change

Change is so easy to talk about.  It's so simple, really.  It's so difficult to actually do.

I've lived long enough to realize there is only one person I can change.

I am my own full time change project.

Why are we so afraid of change?  Or am I the only one?

You can check out my little painting "Change" at my etsy shop

What is changing with you today?

Bliss

What is bliss?
For me it's a state of complete and total contentment while I am total present in my life.

{Do I need to add that I don't spend much time there?!}

But I have experienced it enough that I know it's something a desire to return to.

You can check out this little piece of "Bliss" at my esty shop

What does bliss mean to you?

Bloom and Think Spring

So I don't always have internet access, but I will catch up on the number of posts when I get back to it.

Today's February Defrost painting is titled "Bloom."

I love the texture you can see of the paint on the canvas in the closeup!  This was one of the first mini canvases I painted during the summer of 2013, but this seems like a perfect time to share it with a bigger audience.

See more photos and details at my etsy shop.

I don't feel like I'm blooming, but I do feel like I'm germinating lots of rich deep goodness.
Are you blooming or germinating today or just in a state of dormancy?

Today's piece of joy

Would you like a little piece of joy?

Over at my website I said it's always a good day for joy!  Read it here

Check out my "Joy" mini canvas at etsy

Blessed

What makes you feel blessed?

Transformation

Here is the February Defrost painting for today

You can see more pictures or purchase it HERE.

This is a season of transformation for myself and my little family.  It feels pretty messy if I'm honest.  

Part of what is giving me lots of anxiety these days is the whole teacher accountability piece of education.  The whole thing just feels like a spiritual sucker punch to me.  

And then I sent my son to a Waldorf school, and I was blown away by the contrast between what he is receiving in PK and my students receive in 4th grade.  His day is not filled with bells and whistles, but teaching and learning in a beautifully human and ordinary way.  I'm struck by the fact that he is expected to have a higher level of personal responsibility than we expect from 9 - 10 year old.  

It's started to sink into the core of my being.  There is an in insurmountable chasm between teacher accountability and student responsibility.  Will politicians ever figure this out?  Probably not because there is not lots of money to be had when we just do good old fashioned learning and teach kids to be responsible members of a democratic society.  I think that would be transformational education

Dream

What are you dreaming about today?

A career move?
Warmer weather?
Better health?

Whatever it is, dreaming is a healthy and important part of living a full life.

If you're a dreamer (or wish you were) HERE is a blessing for you today.

Today for February Defrost I've posted a little painting titled "Dream" at my etsy shop HERE.

Whatever you may be experiencing today, KEEP DREAMING!

February Defrost

I feel like I've been silent for so long, but life has continued to hurry along.  There have been many changes in family and schedules, school, and what not.

One thing has not changed--February always feels like winter may never end!  This seems especially true this year.  So I've decided to have a little fun with some of my little paintings.

I am making one original mini canvas available at my etsy shop each day this month.

Today you will find "Be The Change."  Enjoy!

What are you doing to chase the cold desolation of winter away from your spirit?