Only as a Teacher...

I came across the following reflection on teaching that I had written during my time in ACE. (I did take a few lines out, but mostly this remains in tact.) Some things never change...

Only as a teacher does one find time and derive pleasure from curling up with a good children's book for most of a weekend afternoon...  
Only as a teacher is it possible to get children so worked up about a crazy dance with singing and body movement (darn you banana dance!) that they ask about it all the while they should be focusing on something else... 
Only as a teacher is it possible to admire and be frustrated by a single child's actions at the same time... 
Only as a teacher is it likely to both long for summer with open arms and feel bittersweet about the ending of another year... 
Only as a teacher can one feel like a mom to so many children at once... 
Only as a teacher does one tie (and re-tie) so many shoelaces... 
Only as a teacher does one's actions truly speak millions of times louder than one's words (kids see everything!)... 
Only as a teacher is it routine to rise before the sun (even when it wakes up before 5:30!) and head home after the sun sets... 
Only as a teacher do corny humor and crazy read aloud voices/enthusiasm never get wasted... 

Yes, as as another year gets ready to begin, I am convinced that only a teacher can feel this way and experience these things... And this fourth grade teacher surely does.

(And I came across this "poster" on Pinterest - it sums up some truths about teaching as well - see below.)

What's the Purpose?

As a self-contained 4th grade teacher, I often come across all kinds of acronyms, anchor charts, and visuals for teaching many subjects and materials.

Here are some examples:

There are acronyms for when to capitalize -

There are visuals for the water cycle -

Some choose to use charts for teaching reading strategies -

Then, there are acronyms for teaching purpose -

And what is purpose? As defined by dictionary.com, it is "the reason for which something exists or is done, made, used, etc."

Well (and sorry for the rather rough transition, here), when I originally started blogging, first during ACE (through LiveJournal) and then post-ACE (through Blogger), my purpose was two-fold:

1) To reflect on my teaching experiences;
2) To reflect on my spirituality journey

As of late (and maybe I should just chalk it up to summer vacation), I seem to have wandered from these two things. And that's something I want to change so that I can refocus on the things that matter and the things that, when looking back on them, will bring smiles, tears, and laughter.

Now, that's not to say I'm not going to include some random/funny/crazy posts from time to time - sometimes the creativity just flows...and then there are those other times when it, well, doesn't...

So here goes nothing. Time to start again - new school year, new reflections.

So Call Me Crazy

It's gotta be good to get back to school next week - obviously I have too much time on my hands, as evidenced below with my altered lyrics to "Call Me Maybe."

(After you read this, you might just want to call me crazy, but that's your call.)

Personally, I think it would be quite a hit with the libraries.

Here's a link to the original song (sung by Carly Rae Jepsen - but with the Olympic swimming team doing their own take) in case you need to get it in your head. Or you could probably just turn on the radio.

"At the Library"
(*Note - the first two stanzas include names of famous upper elementary book authors)

Jerry Spinelli's* all right
Kate DiCamillo's* in sight
for Rick Riordan* you'd fight
so don't get in the way

Creech, Cleary, Clements* and more -
Without books life's such a bore,
But all these you can't afford.
Is there some other way?

New books you're trackin';
Reading's fun and back "in,"
But your cash is lackin' -
What you gonna do now, baby?

Chorus
Hey, if you want books,
I know it's crazy,
but now you should go
to the library.

And all the books you read,
you'll get there for FREE,
When you stop by the
local library.


Hey, if you want books,
I know it's crazy,
but now you should go
to the library.

And all of the book stores
will try to tempt thee,
but access is free
at the library.

So many books you can choose,
So tell me, how can you lose?
More books than you'll ever use,
it might just rock your world.

So stop resisting, give in.
Think of the treats you're missin'.
To not join would be a sin -
it's for all boys and girls.


New books you're trackin';
Reading's fun and back "in,"
But your cash is lackin' -
What you gonna do now, baby?

Repeat Chorus

Before local libraries
I missed 'em so bad
I missed 'em so bad
I missed 'em so so bad.

Before local libraries
I missed 'em so bad
And you should know that
I missed 'em so so bad.

Repeat Chorus

But access is free
at your library!

We've reached the final countdown

Tomorrow marks the ONE WEEK COUNTDOWN until in-service begins. And the communication with my co-teaching 4th grade team has already started - in fact, we've decided to get a list going of the routines and organization ideas we implemented in the classroom last year, including room in our list for a description, evaluation, thoughts to keep or try again, and additional comments for each one.

We're facing the facts - Some of the things we did last year were great, and we shouldn't change them. But others left much to be desired and need to be changed.

I love the fact that we're starting now. And I really like the fact that we're able to be so honest about it all with each other.

And I know that no matter what, our focus is going to be on developing respect and relationships with our students - with those key pieces in place, the learning will follow. I have faith in that.

UPDATE - Addition to Book List for Life

25. The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

Just finished (as in, on August 6, 2012) this one, which was (by far) my favorite of the summer. It's a fictional account of a newspaper based in Rome in a time when the written press is becoming somewhat obsolete. It weaves together the stories of many individuals somehow involved in the paper, from the foreign correspondent to the corrections editor to the publisher. It's very poignant, and it is rather funny at times. The cover is what caught my eye - and I'm sure glad it did. Read it!

See the original post here.

"Following" Audrey Hepburn

I stumbled across the following quote by Audrey Hepburn on Pinterest today:

And so, I was (naturally) inspired to find a few more (even though these can't all be credited to her for first speaking/writing them):

And, if Audrey Hepburn was on Pinterest, you'd be darn right that I'd "follow" her.

If you're interested, you can follow me on Pinterest by clicking here: 

Bring it back

If I could only use one word to describe my family's trip up north, what would it be? What word could sum it up so well that no other words would be necessary? Would that even be possible?

Relaxing? (For the most part, this is true...)

Peaceful? (Yes, but not always...)

Beautiful? (Absolutely, yet too simple/vague...)

Nostalgic? Hmm...I like the sound of that...so true, so true.

Ok, that's what I'm going with - Nostalgic. That's my one word. Reminiscent of summers past, favorite places & family traditions.

Oh, but there I go, breaking my own self-imposed rule, using more words to qualify my choice of one word. Oops.

Maybe I should just use some pictures to back myself up:

Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes (overlooking Lake Michigan)

Sunset at Betsie Point

Petoskey

downtown Mackinac Island

Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island

dinner on the island

ice cream & fudge at world-famous Ryba's - yum!

the ferry took us to and from Mackinac Island