Winners from last week: Siraya Gloudemans, Laura Martin, & Amy Swan!
| About:Grade: 2nd Location: Villa Hills, Kentucky Blogging for: about 9 months Teaching for: 4 years Other grades taught: K | Links: |
What do you like best about the grade you teach? Least?
"I love that I can joke with these students and hold conversations with them. I have taught them how to be responsible and know that their efforts directly correlate with their success. Second grade is a grade that still can have tons of fun while starting to learn challenging reading standards."
What are your strengths as a teacher? Weaknesses?
Strengths: organization, technology, differentiation {Daily 5 really helps all of those strengths}
Weaknesses: worrier, huge procrastinator, not the best with documentation
Weaknesses: worrier, huge procrastinator, not the best with documentation
What has been your most embarrassing teacher moment?
"One day, my Kindergarten students were doing their morning work and singing 'This Old Man' over and over and over again. I was SO tired of hearing it, so I asked them to quiet down.
Well, they didn't stop singing (of course) and I had one little boy in my class (everyone has that one little guy) who decided to start screaming the song at the top of his lungs.
Boy: "This old man, he played one, he played........"
Me: (fed up with the screaming song, turned around to scream boy's name and ask him to hush, but when I turned around to scream "{NAME}", I turned around and screamed.....) KNICK KNACK!!!
Instead of saying the boy's name, I finished his song for him at the top of my lungs. My teaching assistant and I lost it and I was mortified to say the least."
Well, they didn't stop singing (of course) and I had one little boy in my class (everyone has that one little guy) who decided to start screaming the song at the top of his lungs.
Boy: "This old man, he played one, he played........"
Me: (fed up with the screaming song, turned around to scream boy's name and ask him to hush, but when I turned around to scream "{NAME}", I turned around and screamed.....) KNICK KNACK!!!
Instead of saying the boy's name, I finished his song for him at the top of my lungs. My teaching assistant and I lost it and I was mortified to say the least."
If you could change only one thing about your classroom, what would it be? (more room is obvious... haha)
"I really miss my bean shaped table from my Kindergarten room! I really wish I had more space to meet in small group. I'm usually meeting up with groups on the floor and sometimes teaching outfits don't do so well on the floor."
"Also, I'd love revamp my room using School Girl's Style's inspiration."
"Also, I'd love revamp my room using School Girl's Style's inspiration."
How much time do you spend planning? How often?
"Since I am a TPT seller, I always tie my products into my classroom lesson plans, so I spend about and hour or two a day planning lessons, plus an EXTRA hour or two creating those products!"
"My friends tease me saying that I am always stuck to my laptop... which may be true!"
"My friends tease me saying that I am always stuck to my laptop... which may be true!"
What's the one part of your job that you dislike the most?
"I dislike that teaching has become very focused on the state/national assessment. We aren't supposed to "teach to the test", but we are finding that it is expected for these students to be prepared for these standardized tests before they even get into the 'testing grades'."
How do you see your role as a "teacher" changing in the next 5 years?
"I believe that my innovation and creativity will grow over the next few years even more than it has already. With technology on the rise and expectations higher and higher because of our new teaching evaluation system, being a "boring" teacher just isn't acceptable anymore! I am currently practicing brand new teaching strategies in the classroom and I don't believe that I'll ever be satisfied settling for what I did the year before. I'll always be improving and changing."
If you had the chance to add a certification (or skill) to your list of credentials, what would it be?
"I actually have a certification in Gifted and Talented and absolutely love it, but they are cutting all sorts of funds for that. So if G/T goes out the window, I would love to add Spanish to my list. I adore my Spanish speaking students and wish I could be more helpful with Spanish families."
If you weren't in education, what would you be doing?
"If I wasn't a teacher, I'd be a wedding/party planner in a big city."
Favorite Quote:
"Be who you are because those who mind don't matter and those that matter, don't mind."
-Dr. Seuss
Morning person or night owl?
"Night Owl!"
How do you keep your sanity? Or do you?
"My sanity is kept by four things: working out, white wine, friends, reading."
The most valuable piece of teacher advice I've received...
"What they taught you in college will NEVER fully prepare you for what you will find in the classroom."
"This still holds true after four years of teaching."
"This still holds true after four years of teaching."
Some of Jessica's Products I like:
Giveaway Time!
I hope you all have enjoyed getting to meet Jessica a little more! We are definitely going to meet up at some point because she's also a Kentucky girl! :)
Now it's time for a giveaway. 1 winner will receive the two prizes below. All you need to do is enter via the PunchTab box below. The giveaway will end tonight (Monday) at midnight (Pacific time), so be sure to enter before then! Good luck! I'll announce the winner in next week's post.
Now it's time for a giveaway. 1 winner will receive the two prizes below. All you need to do is enter via the PunchTab box below. The giveaway will end tonight (Monday) at midnight (Pacific time), so be sure to enter before then! Good luck! I'll announce the winner in next week's post.
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