Nautical

Thursday, July 24, 2014

New school year, new job title

It's official. I'm a 4th grade teacher. I am so excited about the upcoming school year. This week, I took the first step in making the transition. Different grade levels in our school occupy different halls. Our halls are named after different Ivy League schools. Last year, I was on the fifth grade hall, which is Stanford.

Goodbye Stanford..
Yesterday I journeyed to my new fourth grade hall...
Hello Harvard!
Harvard here I come!!!!
I opened the door to my new classroom and here is what I was greeted with...
The front of my classroom
Left side of class
Side view 
Talk about a blank slate. Now the fun begins. Our school theme is SMILES and we have to incorporate smiley faces into our design. I have also decided to use chevron patterns with an emphasis on the color teal. I will be doing a lot of rearranging to maximize space. The room is pretty big so I'm excited to see what I come up with. Stay tuned for the outcome.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Back to Blogging


I've decided to reenter the blogging world. Things were way too hectic in my life and blogging took a backseat but...I'M BACK!! I currently hold the position of a K-5 Special Education teacher but I have been offered opportunity to teach 4th grade this upcoming school year. My decision on this proposition will take place within the next 2 days and I am very excited and optimistic about the upcoming year. I enjoy my school and the colleagues that I get to interact with on a daily basis. I'm looking forward to sharing information about my trials and tribulations in the classroom and I will work hard to keep this blog updated weekly.
Option #1 involves remaining a special educator and continuing to service those with disabilities. It entails Individualized Education Plans (IEP) meetings, charting IEP goals for each individual student, reteaching and testing students in various grade levels in ALL subject areas, co-teaching Math and English/Language Arts (ELA)  and communicating effectively with different teachers to ensure that my students are receiving the proper services that they deserve.
Option #2 involves teaching and assessing all subject areas in the 4th grade curriculum while only being responsible for planning two subjects (Science and Social Studies). I will be working with a team (colleagues whom I have previously worked well with) to plan and tailor lessons for all 4th grade students. I will be responsible for molding and shaping students who are required to pass statewide assessments. I will have a class of about 14-15 students and I will be allowed to incorporate character education into my classroom as I see fit.
I love teaching in general  and either position will be a great one but it all comes down to which position I see myself teaching next year. I have been reassured that I will always have a place at my current school and if I choose to return to special education at the end of this year, I will be allowed to do so. The administrators are impressed with my performance and feel that I am the right teacher to take these students where they need to be.
Decisions, decisions....