The Swing of Things!

Last week was the first full week back at Seattle Hill, it was so great!

Here are just a couple of quick updates with what has been going on:

- taught my first science lesson and it went really well. Amy had a meeting and wasn't even there so I was "teacher".

- We have now started switching kids for math and reading. I had the chance to be part of the whole process this time in testing the students and diving them up into their different groups. It is a ton of work!

- My professor for my full time student teaching came out to meet with Amy and I. It went really well and I am super excited for when she comes to observe.

- My first observation is on Monday. I will be teaching a mini writing lesson on adding detail to our writing to make our audience more interested. For the first observation it will be only a 20 minute lesson.

- I love going to school every morning and connecting with each student more and more.

- Third grade is such a fun age, they actually get your jokes... its amazing... (they also think your really funny)

these are just a couple of highlights from last week.

Curly Hair

Yesterday, while I was tracing the kid's heads for a project. One of my girls Sara has curly hair and seems to be pretty self conscious about it because, she is the only one in the classroom with curly hair. So, I began to tell her how I had curly hair too but, I just straighten it most of the time. Sara asked me if i would wear it curly tomorrow, and of course I sad yes. When she came in to the classroom this morning, she ran up to me gave me a hug and said your remembered! The excitement in her voice was just enough to know I made her day and that I cared.

I think I will be wearing my hair curly more often.

First Week

Seattle Hill started on Wednesday and so many great things have already happened.

First of all, it is so great to see all the preparation that goes in to getting the classroom ready and planning out the new curriculum at the beginning of the year. It is a LOT of work! I enjoyed every minute of it, and just soaking it all in. I have such a great CT that it couldn't be any better. I also, attened my first back to school all district breakfast and teacher meetings.

Wednesday, was the first day of school. WOW you tell that the kids haven't sat that long all summer long. The majority of the day was going over procedures and how the classroom works. The rest of the day was filled with many little get to know me activities and fun projects. It was so great to see all the kids that I worked with last year and have them in class again. The hardest adjustment for the kids was my new last name. They all know me as Ms. Craig and We had to explain to them that I got married and now have a new last name. They are doing a better job at remembering to call me Mrs. Lee then I am doing in responding to my new name. I guess I will get used to it super fast. The best part of the first day was having all my students coming up to me even after a whole summer remembering who you and giving you a big hug. There is nothing better than that.

Toady, Thursday was equally as great. Our time was filled with going over more procedures as well as some more fun activities that go along with our mystery theme. We also, started beginning of the year assessments to start up our switching groups.

All it all it has been a couple of awesome days. I can't wait to see what this semester will bring!

The School Year Begins!

WOW! I can't believe that school has already started at Northwest at least, Seattle Hill starts on the 8th of September.

This next week I will be working with Amy (my CT) setting up "our" classroom for this next year and attending teachers meetings. The classroom has turned out so great, we are doing a Secret Agents Theme. ( I hope the students get in to it as much as Amy and I have!) I'll have to take pictures and post them. It is pretty crazy thinking that in a week I will be teaching again, and it makes me smile so BIG! I can't wait to start, meet my new students and reconnect with the students I had last year.


Full time student teaching BRING IT ON!!!

Couple more weeks

As the summer begins to come to a close, I have really started to think about the students I'm going to be teaching in just a few shorts weeks. Lately, while I have been driving to work I have been thinking about how I can't wait to shine my light for Jesus for my students and the staff at Seattle Hill. I know I can't change the world but, I can leave a lasting impression on so many students and staff members I come in to contact everyday.

I also, can't wait to become a better teacher and learn so much more about teaching. For my full time student teaching I will be moving up to 3rd grade with my CT and the students I have been working with all last semester. I am excited for a new grade and additionally keeping the students I have already built a relationship with!

This is my prayer for this coming fall semester:

Lord, let me be just what they need.
If they need someone to trust, let me be trustworthy.
If they need sympathy, let me sympathize.
If they need love, (and they do need love), let me love, in full measure.
Let me not anger easily, Lord but let me be just.
Permit my justice to be tempered in your mercy.
When I stand before them, Lord, let me look strong and good and honest and loving.
And let me be as strong and good and honest and loving as I look to them.
Help me to counsel the anxious, crack the covering of the shy, temper the
rambunctious with a gentle attitude.
Permit me to teach only the truth.
Help me to inspire them so that learning will not cease at the classroom door.
Let the lessons they learn make their lives fruitful and happy.
And, Lord, let me bring them to You.
Teach them through me to love You.
Finally, permit me to learn the lessons they teach. 

Class Pcitures!

Here is one of my Second Grade Classes at Seattle Hill Elementary! This is Ms. Grimes Class and of course we had to do a silly picture too!

End of Part time student teaching

Since, my part time student teaching has come to an end I thought I should give a couple of high lights. I know I have not done such a great job keeping up with my blog about my student teaching, it just always seemed to be the thing that never got done.

My last observation of the semester went great! I taught math, which was a little scary. This is because math was what I had taught the lest. I have taught a lot of science, reading, writing that kind of thing but math was the last thing that I taught. So, a week before I started to teach math almost every day that I was there for. Needless to say it went GREAT! Not only did the kids do a great job, they were really in to the lesson. My professor loved the lesson, and said that I'm ready for full time teaching! This was a awesome complement and also a great ego buster! I love teaching, being in front of my students and watching them learn!

Also, the last part of my semester also went really well. There were many projects to get done! Over all, I had a great semester and many of my projects are being used for examples.

It was one busy semester but, a semester full of learning and great teaching!!

I will be going to Seattle Hill one day a week to see the kids and observe in different grades till school gets out. I will hopefully do a better job at keeping up on my blog through these last couple times I am at Seattle Hill.

First Time

Today, I teach math for the first time. I am a little nervous because my teacher won't be there and its just a sub. It shouldn't be to bad. But knowing its the first day of a new math unit and if I do a bad job..... oh man it would not be so good. I'll write later and tell you how it goes.

Spring Break

This week Seattle Hill is on spring break! Which means for me I just have classes this week. Any ways, after spring break I will begin to teach some new things. Such as, Math and Social Studies. I think teaching both will be fun but, I just haven't taught them yet, it will be something new. I have my third and final observation coming up in three weeks and it will be during math. It is so crazy how time has flown by being at Seattle Hill. It makes me sad to think I will be saying good bye to the kids I have been working with all semester. As a teacher I will have to do this every year.

Which brings me to my next point, as of right now it is unsure whether or not I will be doing my full time student teaching in 2nd grade. Because, both of my teachers might be moving grade levels. Scary thought! Here is what Jamie and Amy believe will happen, Jamie will move to 4th grade and Amy will move to 3rd grade. What does that mean for me? Well, I would most likely stay with Amy and move up to 3rd grade. All this means that I would be working with the same group of kids that I am with now, and just continuing on from where we left off at the end of this year. Not as scary as I thought.

Now to go back a little ways, it has been so long since my last blog. I have had my second observation it was during science. Over all it was a success. Except for one part, when the kids took the pinwheels they had made outside to see if there was any wind, a huge gust of wind came taking all of the pinwheels with it. All the kids started to scream and chase after their pinwheel, there was absolutely nothing I could do but laugh. My professor was standing in the back laughing also. So much for good management! All in all ,it was a great lesson the kids enjoyed it and so did my professor.


That about sums up everything exciting in my world of student teaching, so weird to think that I only have 4 weeks left... CRAZY!

Long Time, No Blog

I know it has been well at least a month since my last blog, I have been crazy busy with everything! Here is what has been going on:

First of all during my science lesson I had the Principal, Super Superintendent of the Snohomish School District and a board member come in to Jamie's room. Of course it was while I was teaching, but the kids where really good while they were there (Praise the Lord).

Another exciting thing that happened was Amy had to take an afternoon off and had a sub, I got to be the teacher for the whole afternoon. It was great! I got to re-establish myself as a teacher with the kids. I went over that it was OK that I don't do things like Ms. Grimes because, we are different people etc. The reason I had to do this with Amy's class is there are a handful of kids who are constantly reminding me of how Ms. Grimes does it. Ever since then they have done much better.

Also, even when Jamie and Amy are at school, they have been letting me take over the afternoons while I'm there. I love it! It is giving me such great experience being up in front of the kids. Because of this I have been able to experience the kids when they are behaving really well and not so well.

That's about all I can think of. Hopefully it won't be so long in between my next blog!

Bathroom Break!

This is just a funny moment that should be shared to all,

Yesterday during show and tell a students was telling the class all about his poster because, he is the star of the week. As he was going through his poster Jamie and I noticed that he was wiggling a lot. All of a sudden he stops squeezes his legs together and said, " I have to go to the bathroom." and runs out the door. Jamie and I had no idea what to do other than just laugh. Oh man only in second grade!

Short On Time

Since I have a couple of spare minutes before I am off to Seattle Hill, I thought I would try and catch up on the last week and a half.

Last Friday I had my first observation, it went GREAT!! My professor really enjoyed my lesson even better, the kids really like it too. My lesson was on idioms, I was surprised at how in to it my students were. It was such an energizing feeling. After my lesson was over my professor and I went over my lesson, she had nothing bad to say about. YAY!! such a huge relief.

Also, over this last week I have been teaching science. This has been a great experience and the kids really enjoy it as well. I'll give more detail about the science lessons some other time.

Tayte (my autistic student) just warms my heart. One morning while he was doing his entry task he just started to laugh in the middle and said, "I'm such a funny guy. I'm the funniest guy around." This just put a huge smile on my face.

Yesterday (Monday) I was in Jamie's room all day so, at the end of the day I went in to Amy's room to see my other students. All the students started to ask, "Ms. Craig where have you been?" I told them I was in the other room and they were all so happy to see me. This was the first time any of the students expressed that they missed having me in their classroom. This was such an encouragement! It makes me want to have my own students that much more!!

Catch-up

Can I just say how busy my life has become, and my blog has suffered from it. I don't even remember the last thing I wrote. That is when you know that it has been a long time. So, I will just give you some highlights from the last week and a half.

Over the last week, I have done many reading and phonics lessons which has been a great experience. I also, had the opportunity to take over the afternoon portion of the day last Thursday. I led factoid testing, pack up and took the kids out to the bus. It was a good successful afternoon! Jamie even left the room to work with a student one on one. It was just the students and me - I was a little scared at first but, grew more and more confident at time went on.

Last Friday, I taught my first math lesson. The kids have just started a new unit about data, so we played "guess my rule" with Yakkites (YAK-TEE). A Yakkite is just a fictional alien - and no two Yakkites look the same. It was so much fun. First, I read the story about how they came to earth and started to reveal some on the Yakkites so that the students can begin to see how they are different. Then as a group we played "guess my Yakkite" and the kids were really in to it.

On Monday, while I was helping some students during writers workshop, I met with students and edited their papers. After I was done with a students I looked over my shoulder to see the principal of the school watching me - talk about instant nerves! I said, "hi" and continued on with with my work.

Those are the highlights from the last week or so.

Short Day

Tuesday was a short but good day at Seattle Hill. In the morning one of my professors who observes me during this portion of my student teaching meet with my CT's. It was a good meeting, she told them what to expect and what I should be doing in the classroom at this point. Once, the students started to come in they began their entry task but, shortly after it was time for an assembly. This is the first assembly I have attened at Seattle Hill, it was the Tear of Joy Puppeteers. They use table top puppets and told two different stories it was very entertaining and the kids love it. I was really suprised at how good the kids where, they sat so quietly it was Amazing. After the assembly, it was time for reading which I taught. We started off by finishing "Tikki Tikki Tembo" and did some phonics review on the white board. Before I knew it my time was up and it was time for Math. Math we gave the students a test - nothing too exciting there. After math I walked the kids down to lunch and got them seated at their lunch table and that was the end of my short day at Seattle Hill.

Thursday and Friday

This new schedule has been kicking my rear-end! Almost every day this week I have been in bed by no later than 9:30. Which would explain why I have not been keeping up on my blogging for the week but, don't worry I will catch you up.

Thursday - The Substitute

This Thursday there was a sub in Jamie's room. She asked me if I wanted to teach all day, and of course I jumped at this opportunity. The week before she went over everything that I would be teaching on this day and I took very detailed notes! I arrived at Seattle Hill on Thursday morning and entered into her room and met the sub that I would be working with - she was great and super supportive! We went over the sub plans together and made sure we were both on the same page. As the students arrived I had them started on their entry task and stamped their planners. The day was off to a great start. Soon, it was time for reading - which also went very smoothly. The day just seemed to fly by. The only subject I did not teach was math because, I am still learning about the curriculum. During math I worked with a group of students on their money counting. Once math was over I had the students get ready for lunch and line up. On Thursday afternoons in Jamie's room is always factoid testing. I led the factoid testing and the students did better than I thought. If they get through all their factoid testing with time to spare they get some free time - which of course is a huge deal in the second grade. We got through most of the tests when I noticed that many of student where becoming very restless in their seats. So we did some Ms. Craig aerobics! Ms. Craig aerobics just gives students a little break - I had them run in place - do jumping jacks etc. but the catch was they did it with out talking. Very simple but gets the ants out of their pants. After we finished all the tests and corrected them - they finished early and had 20 minutes of free time. They day just flew by - and before I knew it , it was time to go home. It was one great day!


Friday - Grandparents Day and Buddies

On Friday, after spending all day in Jamie's room I spend the day with Amy. As you can tell by the title it was Grandparents day - oh man can you say chaos! But more about that later. I started the day off by teaching reading. Once, all the students switched in to their reading classrooms - I had the students get started and directed/managed the whole lesson. First, we did some Phonics work on the white boards then some grammar. After, we had phonics and grammar out of the way it was time for oral vocab cards, the students always enjoy vocab cards. Oral vocab cards are a story that include new works that students define from the context clues given in the story. The story was Tikki Tikki Tembo (which is a really fun story if you have never read it). They loved it - the version on the oral vocab card was a little different from the original, so we also read the original and the students helped me pronounce his name every time it came up in the story. After reading was Math and then the craziness of Grandparents day. Right before lunch all the grandparents began to arrive, as we walked out of the classroom and headed toward the lunch room students found their Grandparents. The gym was over flowing with people and so were the classrooms, it was quite the sight to see.

After lunch, the grandparents left and in the afternoon we filled in the students planners for the next week and read a book about Martin Luther King Jr. Once, we were all packed up, it was time fore buddies. Buddies is a sixth grade class that has been paired with a second grade class and once a week they come down to the 2nd grade room and do an activity with the second graders. Each second grade students is paired with a sixth grade student. It was fun to see how all the sixth graders interacted with the second graders. After buddies it was time to go home! Fridays in the Snohomish School district are always early release day.

Once, the students left I went through the Foss Science kit that I will be teaching starting on February 1st to both classrooms.

These are the highlights for the week.

The Begining of the Week

This week, even though it has only been two days have seemed incredibly busy. Not only am I going to my classroom at Seattle Hill but, classes have now started at Northwest. It is going to take a couple weeks to get used to it all.

On Monday, I had my first class at 8 AM, right after class I was off to Seattle Hill. I will only be in the classroom on Monday and Tuesday afternoons and then all day Thursday and Friday. I worked in both my classrooms this Monday. In one room I worked with students on their very first four paragraph paper, they were writing about their grandparents. Students had to come up with three ideas and write them in complete sentences. I finished my day off with filling out paper work for my student teaching binder.

Today (Tuesday) I worked with Amy's students on their first 4 paragraph paper - they also wrote about their grandparents. I worked with a student who is far behind on his writing, we actually go through it all. After they came back from P.E I read the read aloud for the day.

These are the highlights for the past two days. Nothing to exciting, but on Thursday I will be the teacher in Jamie's room because there is a sub... more to come on that later.

Friday!

WOW, I can't believe that I have already finished my first week at Seattle Hill. It went by a lot quicker then I ever imagined. Today was a great day, I spent the day in Amy's room today and taught phonics and reading vocabulary. It went so much better than the last time I taught phonics. I was much more confident and comfortable with what I needed to teach, it was great. But, you could definitely tell it was the students first full week back to school after break and the fact that it was Friday. They we so tired and on edge with all of their classmates, it was crazy. During the math portion of the day I witnessed my first second grade boys fight, and Amy was so nice and asked me to help them work it out. Oh man, they all wanted their own way, in the end they worked it all out and played their math game very well together.

After lunch, I saw Jamie do factoids sense I will be doing them next Thursday with the kids. Thats all for Friday. Fridays in the Snohomish school district are always early release so it was a short day.

Thats the highlights from my first week of part time student teaching! I am so thankful for my mentor teachers and their willingness to let me teach their students so soon. I will have such a great experience at Seattle Hill Elementary!

Learning the Routine

I have just finished up my first full day at Seattle Hill, and it was a great learning experience. I spend the whole day in one of my classrooms to learn their normal Thursday schedule. Because, next Thursday Jamie will be gone and asked me to do the teaching while the sub will be there to assist me and grade papers. WOW, I was a little shocked and excited all at the same time when she asked me to do this. So, I will be teaching reading, math and working with the students on their factoid tests and portfolios then getting them all ready to go home for the day. This afternoon was Jamies planning period, we spent the afternoon going over what I will be teaching next Thursday, was filled in on everything I needed to know about the students, and how different things work in the second grade "pod" of classes ( all the second grade classrooms teach the same thing and work very closely together, Seattle Hill has a very unique program - I'll explain it all some time).

During the day, I worked with another small math group on their odd and even numbers. This group of kids failed their assessment, they needed extra help and practice. The students will be given their assessment again tomorrow, I hope they do well. By the end of our time together all of the students seemed to understand but we will find out tomorrow if they really do or not. During reading I was in charge of the "meet with teacher" station. I worked with a group of high first graders and we worked on their arctic animal reports. We looked through all the information on the animal and high-lighted the important information/what they needed to know. This was very slow moving because, this is the first time they have ever had to research before. But, it was good experiance working with some of the first graders.

At the end of the day Jamie and Amy gave me a list of their students names with pictures so I can begin to learn all the students names for the second grade "pod". Oh man, so many to learn!

Those are the highlights for today.

Encouraging Day

I finished my second day of student teaching and I officially have my own desk! Also, I really began learning the students names in my two classrooms. This will be an on going challenge.

To start my day off Amy Grimes (my other mentor teacher) asked me to teach the phonics portion of the reading lesson. This was a lot of fun. As we began to go through the words and make new words, I made one mistake and I don't think I will ever live it down. These kids keep you on your toes! The phonics program that they use, starts with one word such as "pray" and you ask students to change one letter to make the word "play" and you go on like this with different words. Well, I skipped a word on accedent therefore making the next word not work. Needless to say, they caught me! So, instead of adding a letter to the word we subtracted a letter and it all worked out. But, they made sure to remind me about the word I forgot for the rest of the time I was there.

To follow up on the math group that I worked with yesterday, they all passed their assessment with flying colors! 4 out of the 5 students revived a 100%. This was very exciting.

Walking out of the door to leave the class, one of my students, Haley came up to me and said, "Ms. Craig, I can't wait for you to come back and teach in our class some more, because you are a really good teacher." - how encouraging!

First Offical Day

Today was my first official day for my part time student teaching in my classrooms. There is a 's' because, I have two mentor teachers, Jamie and Amy, and will be working with two sets of students. Its going to be a lot of names to learn. Along with all the names to learn there are two sets of twins and one set of triplets all identical, they already think it is so funny to trick me. These first couple of weeks I will be doing lots of observing as I learn how the classrooms works and familiarize myself with the curriculum.

During math, I had the opportunity to work with a small group of students who were struggling with there addition number strings. I worked with 5 students and saw good progress as we practiced the problems. They will be given the assessment tomorrow. So we will see how they do. I also, helped students as they needed help through out the time I was there.

Over all, I would say my first day was a blast, I can't see myself doing anything else but teaching! One exciting thing that Jamie Roesler (one of my mentor teachers) infomed me of was that I would be getting my own desk!

That raps up my highlights from my first day at Seattle Hill Elementary. Many more highlights to come.

A Teachers Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding me of where to begin and where to return in times of confusion, need, and anxiety.

Thank you for working in me and in my students to create reverence for you and trust in you.

Help me to more effectively share your love with my students.

Amen.

The New Year

What a good way to start of the new year by starting with a fresh new blog. I thought this would be a good news years resolution to blog. Who would have thought. Also, I thought it would be fun for to write down highlights of my student teaching and also the wedding planning... There is just so much happening, I thought this would be a good way to write it all down. So here I go!