My lovely friend, Tamara, was supposed to be the feature this week, but the girl is on vacation! She'll be featured next week. I emailed her too late to confirm and plan... plus I want her to be able to be around when I post about her. So, today you're getting me instead! Hahaha! I get to be a "Me-Monster" today. Wrarrrrr!!! Have you seen the video? Haha.
This post is out of control, so if you make it to the end then you deserve a glass of wine.
Winners from last week are: Irene Leeby, Crystal Shepherd, and Brooke Kendall! Girls, I've emailed you, so please let me know if you don't receive it.
This post is out of control, so if you make it to the end then you deserve a glass of wine.
Winners from last week are: Irene Leeby, Crystal Shepherd, and Brooke Kendall! Girls, I've emailed you, so please let me know if you don't receive it.
| AboutGrade: 3 EFL classes (5-7 year olds, 10-12 year olds, and teenagers) Location: Switzerland Blogging for: Year & a Half Teaching for: 6 years | Links |
Linky With Latoya!Since this post is kind of personal today, I decided to link up with Latoya too! Today, her topic is favorites nouns: Person: My hubby. He's my world. Place: The lazy river at the JW Marriott in Scottsdale, AZ. Seriously. We used to go all the time when we lived there. Thing: iPad. I loooooove it. Animal(s): Our two pooches, Jackson & Rocco. You can see their cute faces in my sidebar. They're my babies. | 
|
What do you like best about the grade you teach? Least?
We're winding down the year right now and I just LOVE this time of year. Not because it's almost Summer, but because this is the time of year when I can really see huge changes in my students. My youngest class came in knowing how to say "hello." That's it. They can now hold a basic conversation, follow multi-step directions, and their vocabulary is off the charts. I love seeing how much they've grown.
My least favorite part has to be the language barrier. I love teaching them English, but it's so hard when I can't get a concept across or explain it well enough in French. Plus, some of my parents don't speak any English, so I have to get someone to translate instead of sounding like an idiot in French.
My least favorite part has to be the language barrier. I love teaching them English, but it's so hard when I can't get a concept across or explain it well enough in French. Plus, some of my parents don't speak any English, so I have to get someone to translate instead of sounding like an idiot in French.
What are your strengths as a teacher? Weaknesses?
I'd say my strengths are differentiation, flexibility, and organization. We do a lot of centers in my classes. I just find it more engaging for the kids, especially when I have so many different levels. I believe it's so important to differentiate as much as possible. If I had it my way, students would be grouped into classes based on ability instead of age... but that's a whole other rabbit trail. I'm extremely flexible, sometimes TOO flexible, when it comes to scheduling, parents, colleagues, etc. I like consistency, but won't put up too big a fight when someone suggests changing things up. Organization is something else I think I'm pretty savvy at. Right now I don't have my own personal classroom (we rotate based on class size), so it's driving me nuts that I have to lug everything around and can't decorate. My classroom is always organized to the T.
My weaknesses have to be procrastination, priority organization, and overloading myself. I'm such a "yes" person. "Yes, I can do that!", "Yes, let's take on this project." Yes, yes, yes. I really need to learn how to start saying no. I just don't have time for some of the stuff I say yes to. Once I add something to my plate, I tend to do a terrible job at prioritizing it. Grad school paper or edit photos from vacation? Definitely edit photos from vacation. Haha! I tend to gravitate towards the more fun activities first. I've been known to even clean the toilet or give the dogs a bath just to avoid sitting down and getting the "hard" things done. I always cause myself more stress by procrastinating and it drives me nuts that I haven't been able to change that about myself. :(
My weaknesses have to be procrastination, priority organization, and overloading myself. I'm such a "yes" person. "Yes, I can do that!", "Yes, let's take on this project." Yes, yes, yes. I really need to learn how to start saying no. I just don't have time for some of the stuff I say yes to. Once I add something to my plate, I tend to do a terrible job at prioritizing it. Grad school paper or edit photos from vacation? Definitely edit photos from vacation. Haha! I tend to gravitate towards the more fun activities first. I've been known to even clean the toilet or give the dogs a bath just to avoid sitting down and getting the "hard" things done. I always cause myself more stress by procrastinating and it drives me nuts that I haven't been able to change that about myself. :(
What has been your most embarrassing teacher moment?
Oh gosh. Lots. I feel like a walking disaster sometimes. Besides the booger in front of the superintendent, I think my most embarrassing moment has to be when my kindergarteners corrected my pronunciation of "crayons" in front of parents. Omiword. Talk about wanting to crawl under a rock. We had a class event early on in the school year, where parents and students were both invited. I was giving instructions and said "... use your crayons to..." blah, blah, blah. Side note: I used to pronounce "crayon" like "crown." I don't know if it's a Kentucky thing, or just me. Probably just me.
Boy 1: "Mrs. Huge (that's how they say it), we don't have a crown!"
Boy 2: "Yeah, do we get crowns!?"
Entire class: "Yay! Crowns!"
Me: "No, these crowns silly." [holding up a cup of crayons]
Girl: "Oooooohhhh, crAYONs."
Boy 1: "Why do you say it like that?"
[parents laughing]
Me: dying inside a little
Needless to say, I'm a little sensitive to how I pronounce crAYONs now. :)
Boy 1: "Mrs. Huge (that's how they say it), we don't have a crown!"
Boy 2: "Yeah, do we get crowns!?"
Entire class: "Yay! Crowns!"
Me: "No, these crowns silly." [holding up a cup of crayons]
Girl: "Oooooohhhh, crAYONs."
Boy 1: "Why do you say it like that?"
[parents laughing]
Me: dying inside a little
Needless to say, I'm a little sensitive to how I pronounce crAYONs now. :)
If you could change only one thing about your classroom, what would it be? (more room is obvious... haha)
Seriously, the shape of the tables. I have trapezoid (yes) shaped tables right now. My classrooms are tiny and it's like doing a human-size jigsaw puzzle every flippin' class. I've crushed a pinky, stubbed my toe, and have nearly killed myself from rearranging them. I always have to move them back into the original spot because we all switch classrooms.
Don't get me wrong. Trapezoid tables are pretty sweet when you have a big room, but mine is about the size of a Barbie dream house.
Don't get me wrong. Trapezoid tables are pretty sweet when you have a big room, but mine is about the size of a Barbie dream house.
How much time do you spend planning? How often?
I sort of plan weekly. At the beginning of the year, I make a ginormous outline of skills, units, standards, etc. I figure out how much content we need to get through, look at how many days we have, take away days for testing, fun, etc. and then figure out what to do and when. I tend to stay on track, but look at my plans each week and adjust things or swap out some fun activities that my blog buddies share. :) I spend days upon days planning before school starts, so it's pretty easy for me to just plug in activities and assessments each week. I'd say I spend about 2-3 hours each week prepping, printing, laminating, etc.
What's the one part of your job that you dislike the most?
That I'm leaving soon!? Holy guacamole. I can't believe my second year over here is coming to an end. I've really enjoyed it and have learned SOOOO much about teaching students from various cultures, working with teachers from various cultures, and a lot about myself as a teacher. If I had to be serious about this question though, I would say all the admin. stuff. You know... paperwork, putting in attendance and lesson plans online, etc. Not very fun.
How do you see your role of "teacher" changing in the next 5 years?
Heavy question huh? In my current grad school classes, we've been doing a lot of research/reading/discussing/and thinking about how technology is (or isn't) changing our roles as teachers. In the next 5 years, I can see myself becoming more of a "curator" of learning. Kids are learning in so many new ways now, and it's so important that we incorporate all of those fun gadgets and tools. I can see the act of learning sort of transforming into more of an individualized experience, integrated with a lot of technology. Leveled learning modules, online activities, center-based activities, project-based work, etc. I've never really been heavy with the stand-in-front-and-talk and worksheets anyway, but those are definitely on the way out. I find myself doing more and more "curating", especially with kids at different ability levels. I'm stopping there.... I could spend hours talking about how I think a classroom should run. Basically... give students what they need... exactly when they need it. Not before they're ready and not after they've mastered it. [step off soapbox]
If you had the chance to add a certification (or skill) to your list of credentials, what would it be?
I'm certified K-8, have my early childhood endorsement, EFL endorsement, and am currently getting my masters in leadership and technology. I don't know if I want any more! Haha! I'd LOVE to really get into curriculum and coaching more though. My ideal job would be a curriculum coach. I love helping my colleagues find resources and different ways to teach.
If you weren't in education, what would you be doing?
I'd be laid out on a beach somewhere, looking like a leather suitcase, holding a margarita. Just kidding. I'd probably be in interior design. I'm obsessed with houses. My favorite Pinterest category? Home decor.
Favorite Quote:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."
-Proverbs 3:5
And pretty much this whole video is my favorite quote too. All of it.
Morning person or night owl?
Big time night owl. I don't know if it's because of the 6 hour time difference, but I've become a ridiculous night owl in the past two years. I need to get more sleep.
How do you keep your sanity? Or do you?
Praying, coffee, naps, wine, and my husband.
The most valuable piece of teacher advice I've received...
"Be consistent." I find that having a routine, as mundane as it gets, is a life-saver. My kids are whack-o when we forget to do our morning message or something that we do each class. I write the schedule on the board too, which they LOVE. They will call me out on it if I don't check something off after we've done it. Although I struggle with consistency in my personal life, I always make sure I am consistent with my kiddos.
Some of My Products I use frequently in class:
Giveaway Time!
I hope you all have enjoyed getting to know me a little more... as a teacher.
Now it's time for a giveaway. 5 winners will receive the any individual clipart set of their choice! 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 winners in next week's post.
You can see all of my clipart sets here.
Now it's time for a giveaway. 5 winners will receive the any individual clipart set of their choice! 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 winners in next week's post.
You can see all of my clipart sets here.
| |
I hope you enjoyed this ridiculously long post! Haha.
