I can finally close the book on this school year. It’s been a long year, and there have been ups and downs, smiles and tears, snow storms and tornado warnings. Reflecting is a huge part of teaching for both students and teachers. As we look forward to our summer vacation, it’s hard to want to reflect about the past nine months…all we see are the 2½ months of summer ahead of us; vacations, spending time with kids (our own), friends, barbecues, weekend getaways… In May, the possibilities seem endless.
On October 1st my world changed forever. Our daughter Margaret Ann was born at 12:48 that morning. She came 3 weeks early, and I was not completely ready for her to make her debut, but I’m happy to report that although she was tiny, she was perfectly healthy. She weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces and was 19 ½ inches long. I realize that she wasn’t really all that small, but compared to my son who was 8 pounds and 22 inches when he was born, she seemed so little.
From the first tantrum your child throws in the middle of Border’s, you have the agonizing dilemma of how to fairly discipline them. Sometimes, it’s easy and there is a natural consequence; other times, you may find yourself in the middle of a battle.
Every child is different, every day is different. What worked for a child one day might not the next. As both a parent and an educator, I’ve had a lot of unique experiences with my own child and my students.
My son just turned four, and, like many four year olds, he loves coloring, drawing, and writing his name.· For a while I struggled with what to do with all the papers we had lying around our house with scribbles, people, shapes, and W’s all over it.· Save it…pitch it… The sentimental part of me says KEEP EVERYTHING, it is part of his journey as a child. The organizational part says IT’S TAKING UP TOO MUCH SPACE!
A push in the education world is Service Learning. Service Learning is a method of teaching in which students apply their academic skills and knowledge to address real needs in their own communities. Students solve real world problems and apply classroom learning in a real context.
More Articles...
Page 1 of 5
