Wednesday, September 6th, 2017– A TEACHER’S AUGUST THOUGHTS: ANTICIPATION!
Here are the DEEP THOUGHTS of a teacher at the end of August, just before school starts…With my summer tan in full bloom, it’s hard to believe that in a few short days, I’ll be meeting 19 new sweet souls and their families, with whom I’ll spend the next 10 months. These days just before the start of school are so interesting – and nerve-wracking. The mind goes wild with thoughts: Will they like me? Will they work hard for me and for themselves?Will we build a classroom family built on love and respect?
While I’m sure the answer will be a resounding YES!, these next few days are akin to the final dress rehearsal before Opening Night. The curtain has yet to rise, the show has yet to start, and the applause has yet to thunder in response to a magnificent performance. The mind is riddled with doubt, yet ecstatic about what possible triumphs lie ahead. And it dawns on me that it must feel exactly the same right now for my 19 sweet souls as it does for me…
But let’s flash forward to the end of the show. By June, the entire Cast of Characters in the Watson’s Winners Extravaganza will hit it out of the ballpark. They will win the Tony Award. They will receive a Standing O. They will become legendary in their awesomeness and fabulosity…
And so we look forward to the start of the show, knowing that by the end, the angst, the hard work and effort, and the joy and love shared by each supporting player will result in that MAGNIFICENT performance. Get ready to take a bow…
A TEACHER’S POST-LABOR DAY THOUGHTS: THEY WERE WORTH THE WAIT…
It’s now Day 4 – the Curtain has lifted and the show has begun! And let me tell you, these kids were worth the wait. Despite the sticky heat and the necessary droning on by me regarding all the new routines, procedures, etc., the kids have been engaged, are practicing how to listen well the first time, are asking thoughtful questions of me and of each other, and are increasing their stamina for classroom life. But this week is all about dipping our toes in the pool…
The school pool, that is. Believe me when I tell you that I will challenge your kids this year. But the best way to maximize those challenges is to set them up for success and ease into new expectations one item at a time. Our focus over the next two weeks will be on building a loving, supportive classroom family, learning how to listen well the first time (ask them about “listening with your eyes,” and “ask a friend who listened” strategies), and setting up/using processes and systems for getting work done and staying organized. Finally, a major focus is in asking students to become more reflective about their behaviors and examining how, in order to be respectful, they need to moderate their behavior for the setting and act differently as a member of a community than they would as an individual at home. An idea our class has explored, related to building and maintaining respectful communities, is thatof The Model Citizen. Feel free to ask your child about what it means to be a Model Citizen in any community.
Now to some Factoid Info –
· The “Homework At a Glance” Page in the pink bar above shows nightly homework. Just click on the bright green box and it will pop up bigger.
· The “Parent Place and Student Resource Center” Page (also above) has online copies of many important things the kids will need throughout the year. I do not give out extra copies of these things to kids if they lose them – they can print them from the blog page as needed. There are also docs for parents, such as my Open House Overview and the 5th Grade Supply List.
· Speaking of that, the pre-ordered kits only provide what is common to all classes, but do not include a few things specific to each of us. In the next week or so (if you haven’t already), please pick up the following: A 2nd marble hardcover journal; a 2nd spiral notebook; a 3-pack of Pentel (or similar) 0.9mm mechanical pencils. Thanks!
And so this (almost) ends my post. Your kids are awesome. I fall a little bit more in love each day with these Sweetlings, and I look forward to learning and executing all the ways in which I might help them become their best selves going forward. I have a poster on my door which we discussed as a class that says, “What is Popular is not Always Right…What is Right is not Always Popular.” And while I may not always be popular when asking them to step it up throughout the year, I know in my heart that I will be doing what is right for each of your children for their future success.
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