Confessions of a First Year Teacher, Part I: Just keep swimming.

As I sit here, looking at this blog that was created with the best of intentions, I recognize the fact that my goal of keeping up with posts throughout my first year of teaching was a lofty one. I intended to post lessons and updates and anecdotes on a somewhat regular basis, but--as is the case with many things in my life this year--my good intentions weren't enough to make it happen. 

So, here I am, nearing the end of the 5th Six Weeks of my first year of teaching. (50-something school days left this year. What?!) 

Dory gets it.

I've learned so much in this whirlwind of a year. I've only recently begun to feel as though I have some semblance of a handle on things. One day, earlier this year, while working on some STAAR Test strategies, one of my students turned me onto a quote from Dory, Ellen Degeneres's character in Finding Nemo. "You know, Miss C," started the student, "we just have to keep working hard. Like Finding Nemo. 'Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming...'" [Beaming with pride at that connection. How true!] This precept also proved applicable to my method of survival this year... although, at times, my tactics were more just-keeping-head-above-water (and sometimes frantically panicking at the prospect of drowning) than swimming...

While doing so, I learned some valuable lessons. As it turns out, most things that I thought would be important weren't...and vice versa. So, in true teacher form, I've gathered a few of the lessons learned throughout the swim... 

1. It's perfectly okay to go to bed before the ten o'clock news is over.

I could fake it in previous desk jobs with lots of coffee and a little extra lip gloss...but, keeping up with these kiddos, day-in and day-out, requires more rest than I ever thought possible. Seriously. Go to bed!

2. Stay on top of grading and grade posting. 

I got in the [bad] habit of keeping up with grades in a paper grade book [?] and waiting until the weekend grades are due to enter most everything into my district's grading system. I should have never done this. I repeat: I. Should. Have. Never. Started. Doing. This. It provides for a stressful couple of days at the end of each grading period. Trust me on this. Next year = new ballgame.

3. Even your sweetest, kindest, most respectful, well-mannered, well-behaved kids...are still kids. 

...and you're still their teacher, who bosses them around everyday and assigns their homework. In their minds, you are an enemy to a certain extent...even if you've established great rapport with them. They may love you, but they won't always like you. So, you may overhear two of your precious students discussing your "crabby" disposition in class one day. A student may write a simile about you describing you as "as tall and scary as a monster." I love my students and I try to give them the best version of myself everyday, so I can't take comments like this to heart...even though tall, scary, crabby monster-teachers have feelings, too.

4. Embrace the 'plan'ny-ness.

It was never my style. Where some people might see my reluctance to plan things months in advance as irresponsible or flaky, I've tried to make it a strength--after all, you can't get bent out of shape when you're flexible! [wink and point] Now, I am in a career where planning is not only a huge part of my job, it's a LIFE priority for many in the school biz. I know I'll never completely convert to a plan-your-day-in-15-minute-increment types...but I have learned that a little tentative planning is a necessity.

5. Keep it simple.

New classroom behavior systems, new homework ideas, new grading plans, etc., all seem like such great ideas at the time. "This is going to positively change my classroom climate, motivate my students, and greatly enhance my quality of life! Yeah!" If only that was always (ahem...ever) true. The question I have learned to ask before implementing a new system is: Is the benefit to my students worth the time and energy it will take for me to keep up with this? Is it worth it? Bottom line. While we're being honest, I am still working on finishing up a daily Random Acts of Kindness project that we started in January. We should have finished in March, but it's been really difficult to get everything in! We'll muddle through and get it finished, but, in hindsight, the parameters of the project weren't exactly realistic. Live and learn.

6. Nobody "gets" what you do.

The earlier you understand this, the better off you'll be. Sadly to say, the general public--[people who do not work in public education]--often consider the workload of a teacher to be a cakewalk. And, unfortunately, this will never change. No matter how close someone is to you...no matter how often they listen to you describe aspects of your job in detail...they won't get it. All they see is the paid time off and the perceived notion that we get to go home at 3:00 everyday. I used to think this myself, before I was a teacher. So, I've learned to keep the venting to a minimum amongst non-educators, and not let things get too heated when others have "opinions" on public education. Appreciate those who appreciate you, be thankful to have a job that you enjoy, and move on. :)

Until next time...

-The crabby, tall, scary monster-teacher with the mouth full of saltwater 

1 week down...

So, as I come up for air after my first whirlwind week of teaching, I am happy to report that 1) I'm alive, 2) I have the greatest group of kids! 3) ...this great group of kids is accompanied by a great group of parents! 4) I am impressed everyday by the staff I get to work alongside this year, 5) I actually taught--real lessons--all week, with minimal behavioral issues. 

Yes, I am still pinching myself. 

Feeling incredibly blessed, to say the least. :) 

So, as I sit here, happily (nerd-ily) grading papers, I thought I'd post a few photos of the classroom. Sorry for the blurriness. 

Above: View as you walk into my classroom. (Gosh, I love that giant ipod.) I opted for a black bulletin board background, bright color border theme in the room.

Above: better view of my giant ipod. My favorite new playlist = a list of my students names "displayed" on the ipod "screen." For the earbuds, I used a large styrofoam ball (more expensive than you'd think! $13 at Hobby Lobby. 40% off coupon, please...), cut in half with a large bread knife. Then, I painted the inside with silver acrylic paint and dug toilet paper rolls (previously painted white) into the rounded part and secured with hot glue. The "cord" is plain white clothesline, found at Dollar Tree. 

Above: Daily Schedule. Pocket chart purchased in the Target Dollar Spot, I made the "Daily Schedule" sign, and the labels were part of an amazing classroom decor packet purchased from The Clutter Free Classroom. (The "Bright Cheerful Bundle: Polka-Dot Theme") The welcome pennant banner shown in previous photo + nameplates + word wall letters + various labels used around my room = also part of this packet. Check it out--this teacher seriously has it going on. So many great ideas, so many great products... 

Above: Our classroom Twitter feed. A class favorite already! To my surprise, my students have used and updated and used and updated their Twitter "statuses" all week long, with little prompting from me at all. I am already anticipating a fabric change to black and new quote bubbles. (After a week?!) As you can see, the dry-erase markers have "erased" onto the fabric around some of the quote bubbles. 

Anyway, this bulletin board set (header/poster and quote bubbles to be laminated) is posted in my Teachers Pay Teachers Store for...free! Get it here.

Above: This bulletin board is right beside the door, so I thought it would be a good place to post reminders about things going on at school. (i.e.: "Spelling Test tomorrow!" "No school Monday!") Then, it just seemed logical to place my calendar nearby. The August label is also part of one of my Teachers Pay Teachers products. Get the Chevron Print Monthly Calendar Labels here.

Go Time.

Well, I reached my goal--I finished my classroom. (Pictures to come...) Lockers are assigned. Copies are made. Desks are clean. Birthdays are printed on birthday chart...

Oh wait. No, they're not. 

The birthday chart in my classroom is now blank. It is blank because four students came to me during our teacher meet & greet on Friday evening and informed me that their birthdays--written on the chart in perfect teacher handwriting--were incorrect.

So, the intended "I-feel-special-because-my-teacher-knows-my-birthday" feeling--completely cancelled out by its replacement with the opposite: "my-teacher-thinks-my-February-birthday-occurs-in-December" feeling.

Awesome. 

I also introduced myself by my first name to the first 4 kids who stepped through my classroom door. :) Oops. 

Other than that, my first meeting with most of my students went well. I have some brilliant, adorable kiddos and supportive parents who I'm excited to be working with this year. 

And, tomorrow is D-Day. The first day of school. Will I sleep well tonight? Probably not. 

But I definitely need to get those birthdays back on the chart early tomorrow morning. Correctly. :)

Under Construction

So, here it is: my classroom in its current state. My goal: cabinets/bookshelves cleaned out, organized, labeled; bulletin boards decorated in 5 days. (Wish me luck...)

In the meantime, take a peek at the awesome puzzle I found while cleaning out some cabinets. I've been looking everywhere for a 500 piece deli meat puzzle! (The pic doesn't really capture its amazingness.) 

Putting this one back for a potential gag gift in the future...

("Gag" in the literal and figurative sense...)

  

The Tallest Teacher in the World

"Miss Teacher, why you so big?"

"Can you touch the ceiling?!"

"I have the tallest teacher in the world!"

If I had a dollar--or even a quarter--for the comments made regarding my height since I began teaching young children, I'd be writing this post from a penthouse apartment overlooking the Champs Elysses in Paris. In fact, if I had a dollar for comments made regarding my height in general, throughout my life, I'd own Paris.

Standing at 6-feet tall (flat footed) since age 14 has lent itself to many discussions about my abundant blessing in height. Some see it as a freak show. I see it as an icebreaker. A calling card. An unforgettable characteristic...(Oh yeah, the TALL girl!)...yet unfailing frustration while shopping for jeans. 

So, when I decided to start a blog, I had no problem deciding on a title. The obvious choice for a title would be just that: my title, as deemed by the most outspoken students, in every school in which I've ever set foot. Because I'm, apparently, the tallest teacher in the universe. 

These things students say, like the blog title, have been one of my favorite aspects of my newfound career path in education. Prior to this, education was...well...it wasn't my first choice. I ignorantly viewed it as a college major chosen by students who don't know what else to do, or (*advance apology*) a good fit for someone who enjoys being bossy.

(Sorry, teacher friends. I plead ignorance!)

(For more on my decision to become the newly-certified-teacher-freak that I am, see the previous post: Stepping (Falling) Off the Ladder.)

I am now a complete convert, to the point of complete teacher dork-dom. I now scavenge the Internet for classroom organization ideas, behavior management ideas, lesson ideas, craftivity ideas, bulletin board ideas...and ideas and ideas and ideas. I registered for four teaching workshops over the summer without being required to do so. (Whaaat? Who am I?) 

I even started sharing my classroom creations at TeachersPayTeachers.com. (Check out  my TPT store here.) And while sharing these creations has been fun, I decided I needed more room to blah blah blah about implementing them in my classroom, so here I am. 

On this blog, you will find:

• pictures/descriptions of activities I've tried in my class (successful or not)
• assignments I hope to try
• must-have classroom supplies that I stumble upon
• links to other teachers' blogs

So, thanks for stopping by. Things will start picking up as I begin the daunting (yet exciting) task of putting together my first classroom. [Clapping hands like a wild banshee!] I hope you find something you like here. And, of course, please don't be shy in sharing your thoughts. :) 

-Kinsey, aka: The Tallest Teacher

Stepping (Falling) Off The Ladder

I wanted to be a corporate snob. 

I wanted to click-clack my 4-inch heels down marble hallways, shake hands firmly with CEOs as I place just-signed contracts safely in my Birkin work bag and head to happy hour with my downtown cohorts. I would sigh in satisfaction upon sitting down at the bar while reflecting upon the fact that I am absolutely dominating my company's bonus structure to the point of destruction while simultaneously planning my next vacation. Success was sweet. 

...the way I dreamt it. 

Reality was a bit different. There were 4-inch heels...that wore down to the exposed metal after clomping upon downtown sidewalks everyday. There were marble floors...that often provided slips and skids in my exposed-to-the-metal 4-inch heels. There were business meetings...which prompted anxiety attacks. And there were Happy Hours...my saving grace...spent venting to girlfriends and apologizing for my lack of funding for previously planned weekend trips. This was reality.

As the daughter of a career educator/administrator, working in education never appealed to me. I witnessed first-hand the hard work and long hours required and was told of the legendarily skimpy teacher/coach paychecks. Skimpy wasn't the plan. So, when I decided on a major, Education simply wasn't an option. I ended up choosing Advertising, thinking it would satisfy my need to do something "creative." I stuck with it and never wavered. I landed internships with my university's newspaper and athletic departments which would, no doubt, help earn me the job of my dreams.

Right?

Well...I got jobs. I'd even consider them to be good jobs. Great jobs, in some cases. But, in hindsight, I see that my "dream job"--whatever it was--was unrealistic. Maybe these career dreams got mixed up with my childhood dreams of candy canes and lollipops and shopping sprees and swimming through pools of hundred dollar bills in giant rooms filled with gold. (90's kids say haaaay! Only you will get my Scrooge McDuck reference...) I see now that my expectations were definitely skewed. Even still, it was tough when things didn't exactly pan out the way I had hoped. 

When my company began layoffs around the time my apartment lease was up, I moved home (12 hours away) out of desperation and hoped to formulate a plan. In my panic about moving home, I stumbled upon an immediate opening as a teaching assistant and accepted the minute it was offered to me over the phone. It was a job. It was a change of scenery. And, besides, how difficult could it be? Kids are so...cute!

I learned quickly--while simultaneously singing, dancing, scrubbing glue off of art tables until my fingernails ached, listening to tales of future birthday parties, sniffing out potential potty accidents, and being vomited on (twice on one occasion), that I had no idea what I was getting myself into upon accepting this job. "Difficult" doesn't begin to describe what teachers face on a daily basis...and the general public has no idea. Granted, I was teaching 3 and 4-year olds out of the gate, so this assignment was a crash course in the life of an educator. But, to the surprise of everyone close to me (and myself)...I came to love it. 

Watching students' eyes light up as they suddenly "get it," listening to the amazing (and often hilarious) observations they make, and coaching a child through the very first book they've ever read...those moments began to outweigh the boogers and hissy fits and sucked me in. Big time. I realized eventually that I could no longer care (or pretend to care) about the bottom line, bonus plans, cubicle politics and Starbucks orders. It took me a minute, but I eventually realized that I was never going to be good at a desk job, or a sales job, when the end product--the big picture--was solely about me.

In short, a few snot-nosed kids changed everything for me. Forever blessed and cursed, I often say. 

I am now a certified teacher, beginning my first year of teaching in my own classroom this fall. With fourth graders, I doubt I'll be wiping noses as much as I did with my 3 and 4-year olds, but I'm sure there are other..."eccentricities"...to be discovered of this age group. I can't wait. :)