Sorry it's taken me so long to get this done, that's one thing I'm learning during my first year of teaching...not giving up! If there is one important thing I've learned it would be not giving up. Not giving up on myself and my capabilities and my students and theirs. I am team teaching with a wonderful partner and it has enabled me to focus really hard on math and science. I am also teaching two totally different classes. One is half AIG and the other is an inclusion class ... so I am learning how to teach the same lesson many different ways. I even have one student who has MS and a severe vision problem (she sees two different things - one with each eye)and I have to come up with a way to teach her along with my other 33 students. There have been days when I look up and it's close to 6 o'clock and I still need to get ready for the next day! I've finally found a routine and it's working for my students and myself. I'm very flexible and ready to take on whatever the student's throw at me but I do love the fact that I FINALLY found a routine that works.
As a student, I hated math! So when my principal told me he wanted me for the math and science position...I was so shocked! I had always pictured myself as a reading and writing teacher and social studies would just be a bonus. I'm sure my mother is laughing in heaven above at the fact that I am teaching math! I have really surprised myself at how much I am loving math. I love seeing the "ahhh ha"moment. We just received our 3rd nine weeks math scores and my morning students scored 100% and my afternoon class scored 94.11%! I have never been so proud of my students! They have worked so hard. We even have tutorial twice a week for an hour each with 8 of my students. All of the hard work is paying off and it's because none of us have given up...we are sticking with it and finding what works.
Another way I show them I'm not giving up on them is by being available to my students all the time. I made a magnet for every student with my name, email address, and phone numbers where they could reach me at any time with questions about homework or life in general and I gave that to them during open house. They know I care about each and every one of them and am not going to give up on them just because it's 3:00 and I'm done for the day. Some of my co-workers think I'm crazy...but it works for me so I'm sticking with it.
I think by sticking with what I have learned over 14 years as a teacher assistant and yes...a bus driver, I am a better teacher. I stuck with attending school FOREVER to become a teacher and now I'm enjoying each and every day with my students.
Blog posted by April writer Sheri Hale, 5th grade teacher at Fred Anderson Elementary School in Bayboro, NC.
As a student, I hated math! So when my principal told me he wanted me for the math and science position...I was so shocked! I had always pictured myself as a reading and writing teacher and social studies would just be a bonus. I'm sure my mother is laughing in heaven above at the fact that I am teaching math! I have really surprised myself at how much I am loving math. I love seeing the "ahhh ha"moment. We just received our 3rd nine weeks math scores and my morning students scored 100% and my afternoon class scored 94.11%! I have never been so proud of my students! They have worked so hard. We even have tutorial twice a week for an hour each with 8 of my students. All of the hard work is paying off and it's because none of us have given up...we are sticking with it and finding what works.
Another way I show them I'm not giving up on them is by being available to my students all the time. I made a magnet for every student with my name, email address, and phone numbers where they could reach me at any time with questions about homework or life in general and I gave that to them during open house. They know I care about each and every one of them and am not going to give up on them just because it's 3:00 and I'm done for the day. Some of my co-workers think I'm crazy...but it works for me so I'm sticking with it.
I think by sticking with what I have learned over 14 years as a teacher assistant and yes...a bus driver, I am a better teacher. I stuck with attending school FOREVER to become a teacher and now I'm enjoying each and every day with my students.
Blog posted by April writer Sheri Hale, 5th grade teacher at Fred Anderson Elementary School in Bayboro, NC.
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