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Module 1 Manifesto

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  Invaluable Lessons Learned  in Module 1 1. Change is hard. 2. Attitude is everything. 3. If the kids seem glassy-eyed & bored, so is my approach. 4. My students’ attitude toward any given Wit ‘n Wisdom lesson is a direct & transparent reflection of my own. *fix it. 5. Not-being fully prepared is not advisable.  6. Those “repeated readings” that I worried so much about are  more like drive-thrus with a different menu. 7. Planning for Wit ‘n Wisdom lessons more like a menu than a recipe. Remembering this. one. thing. was a game-changer for me. 8. Children will rise to the occasion-- eventually. But they won’t all reach the top at the same time. Trust the process. 9. Every one of my students doesn’t have to “get it” right now. Keep supporting, keep cheering them on, keep trusting that they can, and they WiLL! :) 10. If today’s approach doesn’t yield some sort of tangible evidence for all students, forgive yourself and keep g...
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back on track

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Shame on me. I've neglected my blog for nearly 9 weeks... Getting use to our new ELA curriculum has been a whirlwind of crazy emotions for me. Attempting to keep everyone's head above water and encouraging my colleagues to keep their chins up & their noses to the grindstone has been both exhilarating & exhausting. So far, I love Wit & Wisdom. Once I got into the groove & it began to feel familiar, I was able to relax & teach in the same way that I always have. I honestly love the engagement that my little ones have shown. To tell the truth, Wit & Wisdom lessons are the one time in the whole entire day when my kids' engagement is at its peak! But truthfully, Wit & Wisdom has become, in my classroom, like the Queen Mother, and all other subjects bow down to her. All of the other subjects, in my opinion, have been getting my luke-warm... my seconds... my leftover energy. I've had a difficult time juggling the time demands that Wit & Wisd...
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A Year From Now...

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With just 2 weeks left until I meet my new class, I can't help but try to unravel all the emotions that approaching my 15th, first day of teaching holds. I'm equally as excited & apprehensive about our new curriculum. It's destined to be great! And I'm eager for the new challenges that it brings, both for me a teacher & for my littles. But the truth is... I've had so long to marinate in the idea of its arrival and immerse myself in all-things that it contains, that with nothing that I can other than read some more... & prep some more... I. just. need. to. start! Entering a new school year always brings a great deal of joyful anticipation as I eagerly look forward to the new little hearts & minds that I will be entrusted with in first grade. I can't wait to see their sparkling eyes and their toothless grins as they walk into my classroom that first time... looking around at all that's been set in place for their learning experiences tha...
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My Wish for You...

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To my up & coming-soon - giggly-wiggly-grinning-from-ear-to-ear-singing-at-high-pitches-rolling-on-the-floor-"is-it-snack-time-yet?" 'n "can-we-go-to-recess-now?" kiddos... My wish for you this year is that you walk in to room 132 with an undeniable sense of wonder that won't let go! My wish for you is that you love all the thought that was poured into our room, so that it becomes your new happy-place. My wish for you is that you've been blessed with a joyful summer, filled with blow-up swimming pools, drippy ice-cream cones, lots and lots of tree climbing, bicycle rides, tummy tickles, and sweet dreams of a summer days enjoyed to their fullest! My wish for you is that you never lose the look of awe  & wonder in those sparkly eyes of yours! My wish for you is that you are so excited to learn new things, that learning is an adventure... not a chore. My wish for you is that you fall in love with books and that your imaginations run ...
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Tenacity

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tenacity          noun the quality of being very determined; determination ...searching for just the right word to  frame my reflections as i attempt to chronicle my journey through a fresh new school year. Wow... my 15th year! It's no coincidence that I just moved into the exact same classroom that I student taught in 15 years ago. And I'll have my first student teacher!  Lots of new challenges & changes lie ahead...  lots of new faces. Lots of new adventures are waiting to write themselves in my new classroom. My new crew of characters that will become the stars of the story of my 15th year are quite diverse. They're as precious as can be! I'm anxious to grow to know & love each of them. Each of their little personalities, and quirks... each one with their uniqueness. I can't wait to see how each one of them imagines & wonders in the wonderful world of first grade.  I've been thinking a lot about the tenacit...
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