Happy New Year & CURRENTLY for January

Well, as time does, it marched on and it is now January 2015. Wow!

This is the first time I have sat down at this computer since school got out over a week ago. And, I can't really say as I've missed it (or work!)

It's that time again when I link up with Farley for this month's CURRENTLY. Seems like I just wrote the one for last month but that seems to be the way of it these days!!!!

listening...I've got an "Easy Listening" playlist (does that make me sound old or what?!?!) on my iTunes and I have it on right now. It has lots of The Script, Carly Rae Jepson (before she asked for a call maybe), Amy Grant, Mary Chapin Carpenter etc. 

loving...I have been putting together my journal/dayplanner for this year. My friend, Carol, told me about this book called No Excuses Art Journaling: Making Time for Creativity by Gina Rossi Armfield. I was curious and went and bought it. So much fun!!!

I went and bought a dayplanner and have been busy this past week adding in watercolour paper, quotes, monthly prompts etc. I have high hopes for this book. I haven't been as creative lately as I would like and I am hoping that this book will help me to get back to that part of me.

thinking...it is back to work thinking for me. I am meeting with my student teacher tomorrow to plan out this next term. She starts Monday and has to be teaching 80% of the time by the second week or so. I like having a student teacher because it offers me a chance to work differently with students but, I have to say, it is not easy giving my class over to someone else. I spend soooo long getting the class running in a way that works for me and then have to hand it over. It is not always easy but it is always rewarding for me and the students to have another adult working with us.

wanting...as per usual, I got sick once I was on vacation. Typical!!! I have had a head cold for a week or so. It started with a migraine which has finally subsided (thank goodness!) and has meant many days spent sleeping and lots of kleenex (wish I had stock in that company!)

needing...okay, so this doesn't really sound like a need. I mean, I don't need to sew. But, if you were to see the clothes piled up everywhere from my foray to the Sally Anne during their 50% off sale, you would see what I am talking about. I bought shirts, skirts, blazers, t-shirts, all with the goal of being upcycled into something else. I need to do something with them all before they bury me alive!!!!

yes...to sticking with journaling daily. It is only a small box in a dayplanner and easily accomplished so long as I make the 15 minutes to do it a priority. 

maybe...to going to Portland (finally!) with my hubby. I have wanted to go for years. Every time I get some money saved something comes up and the money goes again. I am hoping that this year is THE year!!!!

I wish...One of the benefits of having a student teacher is that I get university class credits in appreciation for the work I do with that student teacher. I have been waiting (impatiently) for SFU to offer the graduate program I want to take on Arts in Education. If they offer it this coming year, I'll sign up. Fingers crossed!!!

And, there you have it! Me, currently, on January 1, 2015!! 

Cheers!

Olwyn

So long, farewell,

auf weidersehen, goodbye...

Last week we bid adieu to our student teacher, Ms. Fusco. Her last day was a week ago yesterday. I meant to get this post written last week but best intentions and all that...

It felt a bit like coming back to school after the summer. With the exception of teaching 40 minutes of writing each day, I hadn't had the class to myself in 8 weeks!


And, boy, could I tell!

So, last week was busy, busy, busy with relearning routines and expectations a la Ms. Hughes.


I think they all realized that Ms. Fusco was really gone when her Happy Club turned into the Unhappy Club (otherwise known as the After School Club) and I told them that from now on they stay after school if they have incomplete work or if they make poor behaviour choices. 

Not that I was a complete ogre last week but they needed to get the idea that time is ticking by...


As of tomorrow, there are only 11 weeks left in the school year and a whole lot of learning left to do!!!!


I told them very clearly that I expect them to be buckling down and working during working time. It's one thing to not understand how to do something. It is a whole 'nother thing when they are just being down right lazy!

Anywho, back to the point of this post...we had to bid a fond farewell to Ms. Fusco. So, we threw a surprise party!!!!

And she was surprised!


Students and their families had sent in money for me to buy Ms. Fusco a gift. I decided to fill a basket with assorted goodies that I wish I had had when I first started teaching. No one tells you to have a mini sewing kit on hand or that packing tape is a teacher's best friend when it comes to book surgery. 


These are important things to know, people!

So, she opened her big, huge gift basket (the basket being a dish tub since teachers never seem to have enough of these either!)



These are a few of my favourite things: scissors, pens, pencils, duct tape, safety pins, measuring tape, packing tape, hockey tape (great for colour coding stuff!)

This mug just screamed out "Ms. Fusco!" because it totally reminded me of all the Kid President videos we have watched with her and how he always says to find your awesome.

Another one that people don't tell you about...thank you cards!

And you can't go wrong with a personalized clip board. No worries about another teacher taking it because it is OOAK (one of a kind) and made with love (and a lot of duct tape!)

And, last but definitely not least, there was the book we made for her. Each of my lovelies wrote a tip on how to be a good teacher and then drew a picture for her. I put them all in a book and had it published on Blurb. I love that site!!!!



I got an extra copy to keep in the classroom for the lovelies to read.

And the title? Well, it comes from my philosophy which I shared with Ms. Fusco. I do believe that students need to feel loved to learn. When they feel loved, they feel safe and worthwhile. When they feel loved, they can do anything!

Cheers!

Olwyn

p.s. Don't ask me why part of this was highlighted in white. Tried to get it to go away but couldn't figure it out! Oh well!!!!

Passing it on...

I recently got a student teacher in my class. It was a last minute thing with the student having been placed in a class (in another school) that just wasn't working out. She came to me at the beginning of the 2nd week of her 13 week practicum. 

My principal came and asked me to take it on and (I won't lie) I really wasn't sure. However, having my new principal say that she wanted the student teacher placed with an exemplary educator was very nice to hear!

Between my daughter finishing school, my Mum and her illness, trying to maintain a marriage while living in two houses and just the everyday stuff of my life, I wasn't sure I had it in me to take on this important task. 

Plus, the last time I had a student teacher (very similar situation with mid-practicum placement) it was HORRIBLE!!!! I was a bit worried about history repeating itself.

But, I talked it over with my hubby and co-worker, and decided to go for it.

And...I am so glad that I did!!!! 

She is awesome! She has a lovely way with the students and is both firm and kind. I have a really good feeling about the next few weeks!

It helps enormously that she worked as Special Ed Assistant for the past number of years (in fact, all of the student teachers in her cohort are coming to the teaching profession after years of being support to teachers and students in classrooms!) because she has so much knowledge already (and can share it with me!)

I know that the students are going to benefit greatly from having her in the classroom. She will be teaching a number of the lessons in coming weeks and that will also free me up to work more 1-1 with a few of the kids who need the extra support. Plus, I'll be able to get more books inventoried for the book room which means more books out of the boxes and in the hands of readers! Yay!

One of the best things (so far) about having her in my class is that it is causing me to do a lot of self-reflection about why I do things that I do. What is my philosophy? How do I believe children should be treated? What should a classroom sound like? Feel like? I feel like I am growing as an educator as I talk to the student teacher and answer questions she has about how or why I did something.

It's a win-win. She gets to start her career in a placement that is working and I get to learn from her as much as she learns from me. Love it!!!!

Cheers!

Ms. Hughes