I Packed a Suitcase To…
My students are working on 50 states project. One of the pieces they are working on is a travel suitcase! They had to pick three destinations in their state to research. Then, they had to think of 5 items they would “pack” to each of those destinations. After the research is all done, they will create this travel suitcase. Each compartment will hold the items for a destination! The brown part you see is the suitcase cover, for which the students will need to design a “sticker” for each of the destinations. When you open it up, you see that first yellow compartment!
I’m really excited. This is my model to show them tomorrow.
Mostly reblogging because Pittsburgh.
This website is really helpful! Education Certification Map allows you to click on each state and view a list of the requirements for certification in that state, as well as which state certifications have reciprocity.
I’m not confirming if it is completely accurate, but as a first source, it is easy to use and has a lot of information!
Wow, that’s really cool!
I wish we had something similar here in Oz - though to be fair, we’ve only got 7 states and territories to worry about.
for future reference? hopefully?
So y’all, when’s that education picnic going to happen this summer? I’m free June to mid-July…
Holler. I was thinkin’ the same thing.
Guess what I’ll bring.
I need help planning it in Ohio.
Open request for ideas.
Out of curiosity, this is happening in Ohio? Is there a reason for that?
I will be in Ohio for the summer, sans car.
Ohmuffins will also be in Ohio this summer.
World-shaker lives in Ohio.
There are also other Teachers from Tumblr in Ohio and Pa.
Basically, if I’m going to attempt to put it together, I’d like to be able to attend. Without a car, and lack of funds, Ohio is basically where I can afford to plan it.
Coming out of hiatus to maybe suggest multiple location-based picnics?
Hi all,
I had a meeting this week, and I found out that teaching is a goal that is going to have to be (temporarily?) suspended. I’ll be able to graduate this May in a degree in ‘Educational Studies’, since I’ve done all the coursework (other than my thesis, which I should be working on right now), but won’t be certified to teach.
It’s disappointing, but I’ve got incredibly supportive people in my life who are consistently reminding me that I have other opportunities still open, so I’m trying to stay positive about this unfortunate setback. (My Team Teacher buddy has been incredible, too! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your support <3).
In the meantime, I’ve put in an application to work as an assistant young adult librarian at the local library, which has been my secondary dream job, other than teaching, for a long time now, so I’m hoping for the best!
<3
Anonymous asked: You haven't posted in a while! Is everything ok?
Not really. I’m taking a hiatus from this blog and student teaching for health reasons.
New school today!
Except, you know what I’ve been forgetting? It’s not a new school. I was there last semester. I’m student teaching in the 1st grade, which means some of the kindergartners I worked with last year are going to be in my class, which is such an awesome thing!
Updates tonight. Wish me luck on the actual teaching, finally. (not that I’m anticipating much of that right off the bat.)
There was a mandatory district meeting for student teachers that we had to go to today. 7 consecutive hours of listening to people in suits talk at us ohgod.
The first person to speak was the keynote speaker, and he had some really interesting, empowering thoughts, except near the end, it ended up sounding like some weird dietary infomercial. He kept talking about these weird energy boosters, with links to e-books and product names and all these completely unscientific claims that came from his personal experiences and ugh.
The second speaker was actually a professor at a local university. She gave us a little packet of great classroom management strategies. She was one of my favorites. Her session had adorable cute kid stories sprinkled throughout, and she recognized that we were just starting out and weren’t perfect and needed all the help (and humor!) we could get.
The third speaker read directly off her powerpoint, and her powerpoint came directly from the school district website and why do powerpoints exist?
Then we had lunch. I like being fed. This was the highlight of the meeting.
After that, there was a panel of a few local principals. That…was terrifying. I almost had to leave the room (and should have. I ended up rolling my eyes and looking miserable and uh, the principals saw me and, without naming names, called me out on it) because of anxiety. They kept talking about how we should always bring our “A-game” to the class, and I honestly do not think that is going to be possible, especially since I am just starting out. I can do the best I can do, under strenuous circumstances, but I cannot be perfect, and expecting perfection is not a very healthy idea. This one principal talked about how, if you experience a death in the family, they’d be there to support you, but you still have to be doing your best work in the class and how is that humane? Look, I get that it’s a rigorous job. I get that we’re working with students and impacting their lives in powerful ways. But I think one of the most important ways to impact our students’ lives is by acknowledging that we teachers are human beings as well.
There was one younger principal on the panel who seemed to be more…down-to-earth, realizing we were just starting off, and told us positive things, like the importance of smiling and how we were going to leave positive impressions on some kids, and to think of and emulate that one teacher that got us into teaching in our own classrooms. It’s funny how the other principals preached positivity, but weren’t doing a great job of modeling it themselves. One of them straight up told us that if we were unable to deliver in the classroom, we should walk out of the room and find a different profession. I wanted to walk out and not look back. As it stands right now, of course I’m unable to deliver in the classroom, considering I’ve barely taught, among a whole host of other things. Isn’t the fact that I am trying my hardest and willing to learn, isn’t that enough? Apparently not…
So after that, we had an hour long lecture on equity. The woman who spoke was a pretty powerful, confident speaker, and her lecture was interesting and sparked some fascinating discussion. Mostly felt like a repeat of my Teaching in Multicultural Settings class though.
Anyways, so tomorrow I start at my new school, in 1st grade, with actual teaching ohgod. I’m terrified, but excited, but terrified. I’ll keep you posted?
1. It was another sticker day.
2. I ran a center activity all on my own. I wrote out a lesson plan, and it went fabulously. (They made ‘groundhog glyphs’)
3. I don’t know, I felt useful. I did things on my own, even classroom management things.
4. The question of the day was “Do you speak animal?” Over half the class answered yes.
5. Everyone was so nice today. The teachers gave me a gift, and I thought I’d get out of it without telling the kids I was leaving, but the teachers told them at the very end of the day. I made it out without crying, but only because I was laughing too hard. A. started singing some Disney song or something, about how we’d meet again, someday. W. shouted out, “BYE, SWEETIE PIE” which is his new phrase (boy, that kid has an interesting future). I am really going to miss these kids. I haven’t read the card that came with the gift yet, because I know it’ll make me cry. The teachers gave me their contact information if I ever needed anything, and told me to come back and visit, which I hope I’ll get to do at the end of the semester.
