Just A Few Days Left of Summer

Just a few days left of summer break.  I will be getting my classroom keys next Wednesday to begin my 12th year of teaching. In the meantime I have been doing my usual preparing for the new year at home and at workshops.The first workshop I attended (last week) was the OERB workshop.  I took the class for Pre-K to 2nd grade called Little Bits.  At the end of this workshop I came away with a complete kit to lead activities I learned during the class as well as $50 and a free field trip for my students.  (Free is always good, since we don't get to take trips anymore due to budget cuts.)

Then I got to meet my new principal at the PBIS training for our school district.  Along with others from my school we listened to each other and planned ways to improve school climate, attitudes, procedures, and so much more.  That same week I meet with a team of 6 of my peers and our principal to plan the schedule and other procedures for the coming year. (Crossing my fingers the changes work.)

Today I went to two of four trainings on the use of a Promethean Board.  I finally got my board the last two days of school and I am so ready to use it with my students.  During the training I got to learn the basic uses of the board as well as so really cool ideas to use.

I have the newest model (Not sure which one but it looks like this).  With the software there is a resource library with tons of templates, games, and activities for student or teacher use.  One of the things I liked was an ABC activity where the students can move the letters with their pen onto the screen.  I then had a thought to save the students work from the board into a electronic portfolio for each student. There are many times I wanted to save something they did but there was no way of saving their work unless I took a picture of it.  The ideas then just started pouring into my head.  I plan on using the Promethean Board as a center but then I realized I could use it with small groups as well.  For example if I have a small group of students who are having trouble with tracing, I can create an activity for them to practice tracing on the board then I can save their work to show growth.

Another thing from this workshop I learned about Promethean Plant. And that I can upload the things I need to work at home and then transfer it to my work computer with just a flash drive.  Tomorrow I will be attending class 3 and 4, learning more about the Promethean Board. On Friday I will be traveling with my BFF to Norman to attend Ag In The Classroom workshop.

Yesterday I meet with my two Garden Gal friends to have a bio-weekly meeting on our school garden.  We had a lady from our service center who helps with grant writing come sit in on our meeting and help us find and ways to write grants to get money for our garden.  We have come up with two major items we need that will cost the most on our wish list.  A Shed and a picket fence.  So let the grant writing begin.  On that note, our garden gal group received our donorschoose.org project funding for a compost bin.  YES HAPPY DANCE!!!!!

Reflection Question #2

What is something you tried in your classroom this year for the first time? How did it go?

I been reflecting on last year's class and answering questions to help improve myself and to help better my students' learning.  One thing I tried last year was the year long theme "Around the world with Pre-K". It was a bit of a challenge for me.  Why you ask?  One thing that was a challenge for me was to continue the theme throughout the year.  I wanted learning to connect to countries but not over whelm my students.  Another thing was finding material that was appropriate for my group.  As I have been reflecting about this theme, one question pops up in my mind "Should I do this theme again?"  I have been tossing that one back and forth.  I found some great ideas from Pinterest with this theme.  Some ideas running through my head: learning the countries letters and numbers, reading books and then mapping where the book took place on our map.  Much more things but save that for later.

 The whole class holding the chain that they measured the room with.

 Students using connecting cubes to measure the height of the plants and the length of our garden bed.

Another new thing I tried was gardening and connecting it with learning.  This was a big success with this group.  Two things I love gardening and teaching.  One concept that the students picked up on was measuring and for my age group they measure with objects not rulers.  But I introduce rulers to my students cause I saw that they were ready for it.  They ran away with it.  They took measuring the plants and garden bed from outside and brought it into the classroom with measuring the room, the chairs, the tables and so much more.  I got to see their minds grow.  It was a great feeling to see the learning they got from a ruler and a garden.

I am going to take this question a step further and ask myself what new things do I want to do this coming school year?  Here is my list:

1. getting to work with a Promethean board  (YEAH!!!)

2. using a new lesson plan format

3. laying out my classroom differently (have to since I have a Promethean board now. Have to arrange room to best utilize it)

4. re-vamp my learning centers both for literacy and math.

5. bringing writing into the gardens (having them labeling and journal more)

6. blogging in a PLC group. (saw this from another blogger and thought this is a great idea) so I am going to try it. here is the info:

                                    #4 Blogger for a PLC!

Have teachers create and contribute to a blog - together! Don't think of this as necessarily the type of blog with others outside of your PLC read (although they can and this can be great support/feedback), but more of a virtual meeting space to discuss practice and learn together. They can upload video, pictures and text to share ideas, challenges and solutions. This helps alleviate the, "When can everyone meet?" or lack of common planning time. Another great outcome is that all of your "meetings" are automatically archived. So all learning and brainstorming can be referenced throughout the year - and years - to come. Here is an example of a virtual PLC we did this year around our technology integration. In our first year, we set it to private - just for us to learn and collaborate - but are now considering opening it to learn with the world.

We will see how the new changes will affect me as a teacher and the students' learning.

Starting to Brainstorm

I woke this morning from a dream...the dream was about the up coming changes to my school.  We are losing several  great teachers through either forced trims or new adventures in teaching, we are also losing our principal, she is retiring.

The dream was putting me in a totally new school but with no control on my class.  I was more like a teacher aid than a teacher.  I even tried to call my BFF in my dream to talk about it but that was no good.

I received an email from our new principal last week.  She was introducing herself giving some of her stats in the profession.  She is coming from a High School down to Elementary.  That scares the hell out of me.  I worry about will she be early childhood friendly (know the importance of early childhood in education).  So I am saying my prayers that this coming school year will be a smooth transition into new leadership.

As summer is slowly coming to a close and the new school year is just a few weeks away, I am starting to think about new ideas for my classroom.  I want to do new things instead of the same things I have done in the past.  I also am not sure if I should keep the theme "Around the world with Pre-k" or choose another theme.  If I do keep the theme I want to make it better than last year.