Last week was the first week of pre-planning for my new year of teaching. It was filled with meetings, trainings, visiting with colleagues and getting the classroom ready. And believe me...I am ready!
I had really wanted to paint my classroom but the furniture is much too heavy to move and I just ran out of time, money and motivation. So I improvised.
Since I teach three different subjects (World History, Geography and American History) to middle and high schoolers, I wanted to have a little corner for each subject. I did my Geography corner first. I placed a large world map on one wall with the words, "Guess what? The world is not just you and me" framing it above and on the right side in bright colored letters. I then placed a poster map of the continents and maps of North America, South America, and Europe along with a colorful poster of Geographic terms in a collage type of arrangement on the adjacent wall. I stuck little globe cut outs here and there and that was done. I will change out the posters periodically depending on what we are studying. The little corner is colorful and not too juvenile for 7th graders.
For the American History corner I placed colorful posters of the Bill of Rights, a map of Indian Territories, a poster depicting scenes from the Revolutionary War and one depicting scenes from the Civil War. I also placed little globe cut outs and some little notebook cutouts with the subject printed on them. At the top of the collage I put a poster that explains why we study history. Not too shabby.
For the World History corner, which is on the wall opposite the American History corner, I placed colorful posters depicting scenes from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. This corner is not quite finished, so I need to come up with some ideas to fill it up. Plus it is behind the door so it can only really be seen if the door is closed. But I will figure out a way to make it look inviting.
Now, I hate blank walls and spaces and I love color. I still had space to fill, so I placed colorful motivational posters on the other wall spaces throughout the class room. I even put one above my desk and one above the white board that I use to illustrate lessons and post assignments. I put up a clock, a colorful calendar, a schedule and a welcome sign on other blank wall space. It looks really nice, even though it sounds crowded.
By the end of the day Friday, I had finished hanging posters, had arranged student desks until I got them where I wanted them and then looked around and was satisfied. I had a few other teachers come in and give me opinions as well. Most said they liked the look. One said "well, if your kids tune you out, they will have plenty to look at on the walls." I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or an insult, but I didn't let it bother me. I think it looks tasteful. I have curtains to hang on the window and books shelves to arrange, but for the most part, I am finished arranging my lovely little home away from home.
My only problem now is...we have another week off before students start school and I am chomping at the bit to get them into the class room and to start teaching. I have at least a week's worth of lesson plans completed and I should have another week or more completed this coming week, but I am anxious to start using the lesson plans instead of just writing them and waiting! While I was "decorating" my classroom, I kept imagining the students in their seats and interaction taking place. I..Can't..Wait!
All the while, I hear my Dad's voice saying, "Don't wish your life away." I know that is true. I should enjoy this last week to relax and reflect. So, I shall wait, and I shall happily greet the first day of school when it finally arrives.
Happy Tales!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
A new start..
Well, summer has finally ended for me, so to speak. I went back to work yesterday for the first time since late May. Pre-planning.....such fun! I am beginning my second year of teaching at the small private school I taught at last year and I couldn't be happier right now.
The summer was long, tedious, and somewaht boring for me for the most part. The reason being, I was "stuck" at home quite a bit and it was too quiet! Though I had plans to "see the world" this summer, I couldn't travel due to the crazy high expense of airline tickets. My mom, my siblings and my children live in other parts of the world (except for my oldest daughter and her family, who live about 14 miles away and with whom I did spend much cherished time this summer), and trying to make plans to get to visit just didn't work out. My granddaughter visited from California and we had a wonderful time. We swam in the pool, shopped at the mall and toured all the great spots here. When she left, I spent lazy days at the pool reading and sunning, worked out at the gym, shopped a bit and I did spend a few wonderful days with friends at little lunches and dinners as well, but most of the days were long and the nights were even longer. I got completely out of my routine, stayed up very late watching TV and reading, slept much too late in the mornings and generally got melancholy by the time mid-August rolled around, so to say that I am grateful to be able to get back to work would be an understatement!
I love teaching and I am enjoying getting my classroom ready for the new school year. I ordered new versions of books for each class I teach, but next year the State will be updating the Social Studies curriculum and I will need to change books again, so I didn't go all out with brand new books, just updated and more comprehensive ones than what I had used last year. I have to prepare new lesson plans and I had started doing that earlier in the summer in order to get ahead and stay in practice. I teach grades 6 through 10 and teach three different subjects. I am finding the 9th grade lesson plans to be the most challenging. These students in my 9th grade class are bright and curious and will be taking World History this year. I strongly dislike the subject of World History, finding there is almost no way to make it as interesting as I would like it to be. This class of new 9th graders were in American History last year and we had a great experience. None of them made less than an 'A' in any semester. They were involved, engaged and frankly, they were my favorite class. Thus the dilemma: keeping them interested and engaged this year with a subject I detest. However, I am a very positive person, and I know there is a way, and I shall seek and find it! I will also spend a lot of time praying for wisdom and guidance to help make World History exciting and challenging for these bright kids.
Because my school is small and I am the only Social Studies teacher in Middle and High School, I will be teaching most of the same students that I taught last year, but I will have a brand new 6th grade class. I CANNOT WAIT for them to arrive!! I LOVE teaching 6th grade. They are impressionable, are young enough that they still want to learn and they soak up the knowledge like sponges. I love molding their minds! They too will be studying World History (from the beginning of civilization to The Byzantine Empire), but I seem to find this earlier era of that subject easy to teach and enjoy. Last year my 6th grade class loved learning about ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome the Vikings, and the Byzantine Empire. We also had fun with "early man", as we discussed how he evolved from a hunter/gatherer to a farmer to a craftsman and trader and how he discovered how to make weapons and fire, clothing and housing. They also loved learning about how civilization actually began and how education and writing came to be. They were so much fun to teach. The other classes (8th and 10th) will be learning American History (on different levels) and that is probably my favorite subject, so I feel confident that it will be a good year for them. 7th grade will be studying Geography. The class is very small and I find the subject of Geography easy and interesting to teach, so I am looking forward to it as well.
So...here I go....diving into the tasks at hand....getting the classroom ready and preparing lesson plans...as well as meetings, training and other tasks.
Here's to a great year with all my classes!
Happy Tales!
The summer was long, tedious, and somewaht boring for me for the most part. The reason being, I was "stuck" at home quite a bit and it was too quiet! Though I had plans to "see the world" this summer, I couldn't travel due to the crazy high expense of airline tickets. My mom, my siblings and my children live in other parts of the world (except for my oldest daughter and her family, who live about 14 miles away and with whom I did spend much cherished time this summer), and trying to make plans to get to visit just didn't work out. My granddaughter visited from California and we had a wonderful time. We swam in the pool, shopped at the mall and toured all the great spots here. When she left, I spent lazy days at the pool reading and sunning, worked out at the gym, shopped a bit and I did spend a few wonderful days with friends at little lunches and dinners as well, but most of the days were long and the nights were even longer. I got completely out of my routine, stayed up very late watching TV and reading, slept much too late in the mornings and generally got melancholy by the time mid-August rolled around, so to say that I am grateful to be able to get back to work would be an understatement!
I love teaching and I am enjoying getting my classroom ready for the new school year. I ordered new versions of books for each class I teach, but next year the State will be updating the Social Studies curriculum and I will need to change books again, so I didn't go all out with brand new books, just updated and more comprehensive ones than what I had used last year. I have to prepare new lesson plans and I had started doing that earlier in the summer in order to get ahead and stay in practice. I teach grades 6 through 10 and teach three different subjects. I am finding the 9th grade lesson plans to be the most challenging. These students in my 9th grade class are bright and curious and will be taking World History this year. I strongly dislike the subject of World History, finding there is almost no way to make it as interesting as I would like it to be. This class of new 9th graders were in American History last year and we had a great experience. None of them made less than an 'A' in any semester. They were involved, engaged and frankly, they were my favorite class. Thus the dilemma: keeping them interested and engaged this year with a subject I detest. However, I am a very positive person, and I know there is a way, and I shall seek and find it! I will also spend a lot of time praying for wisdom and guidance to help make World History exciting and challenging for these bright kids.
Because my school is small and I am the only Social Studies teacher in Middle and High School, I will be teaching most of the same students that I taught last year, but I will have a brand new 6th grade class. I CANNOT WAIT for them to arrive!! I LOVE teaching 6th grade. They are impressionable, are young enough that they still want to learn and they soak up the knowledge like sponges. I love molding their minds! They too will be studying World History (from the beginning of civilization to The Byzantine Empire), but I seem to find this earlier era of that subject easy to teach and enjoy. Last year my 6th grade class loved learning about ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome the Vikings, and the Byzantine Empire. We also had fun with "early man", as we discussed how he evolved from a hunter/gatherer to a farmer to a craftsman and trader and how he discovered how to make weapons and fire, clothing and housing. They also loved learning about how civilization actually began and how education and writing came to be. They were so much fun to teach. The other classes (8th and 10th) will be learning American History (on different levels) and that is probably my favorite subject, so I feel confident that it will be a good year for them. 7th grade will be studying Geography. The class is very small and I find the subject of Geography easy and interesting to teach, so I am looking forward to it as well.
So...here I go....diving into the tasks at hand....getting the classroom ready and preparing lesson plans...as well as meetings, training and other tasks.
Here's to a great year with all my classes!
Happy Tales!
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