Being a teacher is challenging and amazing at the same time! I am sharing some teacher musings with you today.
Stuff My Students Say…
1. “I feel bad for your husband… you nag an awful lot!”
(I asked him twice to put his phone away)
2. “You know, I think we should have another PD Day, who can I talk to about that?”
(Sometimes you just need a four day week, right?)
3. S1: “So you’re telling me, that you had to write when you were in school –by like hand, with like paper and a pen??”
S2: “No, she had to use a stone tablet and chisel, like on the Flinstones!”
(Partial commentary in class to my request to take out a pen and paper for the lesson because the chromebooks weren’t charged)
Hacks…
1. Dollar Store shower curtains (or table clothes) as bulletin board covers
–>I love this because they are inexpensive so you can cover large areas and change them up frequently without depleting your classroom decor budget. Since plastic shower curtains/ tablecloths are more durable than paper lining they can be re-used and of course are so easy to wipe down when things get messy.
2. New Spin on Exit Slips
–>Teenagers are tricky; communicating can be difficult. Typically “exit slips” have focused on lesson content, but this new version broadens the scope: “I WISH MY TEACHER KNEW…” Students can and will tell you so much –it is a great way for them to vent, ask questions, tell you information you need to know, ask for help, etc.
3. Chromebook Colour Coding
–>Our chromebook cart can look like an octopus lives in it; the cords are EVERYWHERE; it’s annoying for kids and teachers. Putting a bit of coloured tape on the chromebook, slot and cord can ensure that the right cord goes to the right chromebook and that the right chromebook goes in the right spot. And let’s face it, life is better with colour!
Latest TPT Buy…
Colour Theory Collaborative Monet Inspired Mural
*My students (junior & senior high) love colouring; it’s fun and relaxing; they enjoy putting the finished sheets together into the mural format to decorate our classroom.
Rewarding Story…
We did our Parent-Teacher Interviews (PTIs) by phone this year because of COVID. I had so many booked and I was just really exhausted; pandemic teaching is really tough! We seemed to be getting dealt a lot of blows; a lot of additional traumas leading up to the PTIs. Midway through the evening of making calls, I was really starting to feel like I just couldn’t do it any more –I just wanted to have a bit of a cry and take a nap. I pushed through because rescheduling the ones I had left would have taken me longer than just simply making the calls. I dialed the number of, let’s call her, Mrs. Smith….
Me: Hi Mrs. Smith, I’m calling from the school; you requested an interview with me. So I am just touching base with you.
Mrs. Smith: Hi! You’re on speaker by the way. I only requested this interview to tell you that I appreciate everything you are doing for the boys and to thank you for all your hard work –it hasn’t been easy but I see you, I see all the work you do. I hope you have a wonderful evening.
That phone call filled my “bucket” and allowed me to be a better teacher because I was renewed. I wasn’t expecting that. I also noticed that her kids were making an effort in class to “see” and acknowledge their peers; spreading kindness in the classroom.