Spring Break is Finally Here!
Hello everyone!!
Happy Spring Break! I bet you're all happy it's finally here. I know I am!
Well, this was my ninth full week of teaching and I am officially finished planning for my tenth week. How crazy! Graduation is so close and I'm honestly scared. However, this new phase of life will be an exciting and educational one; so I'm ready for that experience.
Overall, I had a pretty good week (3.5 out of 5). Sickness hit me last weekend, so I had to teach through that, which was exhausting and difficult. This long break is much needed, for sure.
One way I addressed Standard I.a this week was pushing my students towards high school graduation. We took pictures of them dressed in a graduation gown and holding a sign of what they wanted to be when they grow up. I got to talk a lot about how I was about to graduate and my dream was to be a teacher. We discussed what their dreams were and how they needed to work hard to achieve their goals. Focusing on their individual dreams and encouraging the students to succeed also helped myself address Standard IIa.
For STEM on Wednesday, we talked about the four seasons and how weather, nature, and people's actions change throughout the year. I integrated ELA in this lesson by including an interactive read aloud, collaborative discussions, and instructed the students to write about the four seasons, afterwards. This skill is something I'm trying to improve in - integrating other subject areas - so I can further improve with Standard III.c.
Thursday was such a slammed-packed, crazy day! I'm still recovering. In the morning, the kids participated in their K-Cafe. I sent home poems a few weeks ago for the students to practice at home. Then, yesterday they showed up in costumes and/or props that reflected the poem. They presented the poem with a microphone as we all watched, resembling a poetry night coffee cafe! I was very proud of everyone, but more so surprised at their participation and skill!! My CE does this every year and I can totally see why. The kids truly did such an excellent job and got experience with how poems are read and public speaking. In my future classroom, I'm totally going to keep this tradition going! This entire experience followed right along with Standard IV.a and b!
Finally, I addressed Standard V all week long by continually reflecting on my lessons. I cannot begin to explain how beneficial this semester has been. I have been so blessed with a great school, CE, assistant, and class. I'm going to be incredibly sad leaving in a few weeks.
Hopefully every enjoys their nice, long, and relaxing Spring Break! We're almost finished!!!!
Gabrielle :)
Happy Spring Break! I bet you're all happy it's finally here. I know I am!
Well, this was my ninth full week of teaching and I am officially finished planning for my tenth week. How crazy! Graduation is so close and I'm honestly scared. However, this new phase of life will be an exciting and educational one; so I'm ready for that experience.
Overall, I had a pretty good week (3.5 out of 5). Sickness hit me last weekend, so I had to teach through that, which was exhausting and difficult. This long break is much needed, for sure.
One way I addressed Standard I.a this week was pushing my students towards high school graduation. We took pictures of them dressed in a graduation gown and holding a sign of what they wanted to be when they grow up. I got to talk a lot about how I was about to graduate and my dream was to be a teacher. We discussed what their dreams were and how they needed to work hard to achieve their goals. Focusing on their individual dreams and encouraging the students to succeed also helped myself address Standard IIa.
For STEM on Wednesday, we talked about the four seasons and how weather, nature, and people's actions change throughout the year. I integrated ELA in this lesson by including an interactive read aloud, collaborative discussions, and instructed the students to write about the four seasons, afterwards. This skill is something I'm trying to improve in - integrating other subject areas - so I can further improve with Standard III.c.
Thursday was such a slammed-packed, crazy day! I'm still recovering. In the morning, the kids participated in their K-Cafe. I sent home poems a few weeks ago for the students to practice at home. Then, yesterday they showed up in costumes and/or props that reflected the poem. They presented the poem with a microphone as we all watched, resembling a poetry night coffee cafe! I was very proud of everyone, but more so surprised at their participation and skill!! My CE does this every year and I can totally see why. The kids truly did such an excellent job and got experience with how poems are read and public speaking. In my future classroom, I'm totally going to keep this tradition going! This entire experience followed right along with Standard IV.a and b!
Finally, I addressed Standard V all week long by continually reflecting on my lessons. I cannot begin to explain how beneficial this semester has been. I have been so blessed with a great school, CE, assistant, and class. I'm going to be incredibly sad leaving in a few weeks.
Hopefully every enjoys their nice, long, and relaxing Spring Break! We're almost finished!!!!
Gabrielle :)
Congratulations on finishing up your 10 week lesson plans. I know you must be so happy. You have worked so hard this semester. I know you will make a great teacher because of your dedication and concern for your students. It sounds like Thursday was a busy day for you and your Kindergarteners. What a wonderful opportunity they had at such a young age to speak in front of everyone. I had the same feeling you had when my students sang a song to our Veterans November 11th thanking them for their service to our country.
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better soon. Happy Spring Break. I hope you get some rest.
Kelly
Gabrielle,
ReplyDeleteI think that is so cute having your little ones dressed in cap and gowns. I would love to hear what your kindergarteners goals are. I cant believe that graduation is around the corner. The last couple weeks just flew by. I really how you are using STEM in your class. I think its awesome that students so young I being exposed to something like STEM. I hope you have a great break, you deserve it.
Wow your week sounds so busy! I bet your students looked absolutely adorable in their gowns! I really like the idea of the poetry cafe. I know when I taught poetry in my class a few weeks ago they all seemed to really despise it before even beginning the unit. I think what you and your CE have done is a great way to get students excited about it and I will definitely have to do something similar in my classroom in the future! I hope you feel better soon and enjoy your break (it is much deserved!!)
ReplyDeleteGabrielle,
ReplyDeleteI love that ya'll are encouraging high school graduation already in Kindergarten! I know that feels like a life time away for those students, but speaking from experience, it will be here before they know it. How awesome it is that they are already planning for the future and making goals that they can carry with them throughout their academic career! Reading your blogs each week, I know that you have done some amazing things throughout your student teaching experience. I know it is a bitter-sweet moment as it comes to an end. Congratulations! You made it!