December 2015

Casey Wednesday, December 23, 2015 2 comments

1. Teachers forfeit their weeknights and weekends to prepare resources and lessons for their class.

Teachers all across the world will agree that teaching isn't a 9am to 3pm job like many outside the profession believe it to be. Many teachers spend countless hours outside of the classroom preparing resources and lesson plans for their classroom. It can be hard to maintain balance throughout the year so I aways tried to 'clock off' by dinner time during the week.

2. Teachers don't get to enjoy a nice long lunch break until their school holidays.

Is it just me or is there always a million things that need to be done during your lunch break? Marking student work, tidying your desk, putting up displays, photocopying, checking your pigeon hole in the office...the list goes on!

3. Teachers endure sickness after sickness throughout the school year, especially when they work with little ones!

During my first year of teaching Prep/Foundation, I was sick so often that by the end of the year I had been on 12 courses of antibiotics. That's just insane! Cut down on the sicknesses by wiping surfaces with Glen 20 as often as possible and wash your hands frequently especially in the cooler months.

4. A teachers pay cheque is never their own until the school holidays!

I can't be the only teacher who is guilty of spending her pay on her class or classroom. As a new teacher, it takes sometime to collect resources and it's certainly not a cheap task either. After my first year of teaching, I set a budget of $50 per week for school related purchases (printer ink, paper, laminating sheets, picture books, resources etc) to try and cut down.

5. Teachers keep stationery stores in business

My favourite Christmas present ever was a gift voucher for Officeworks. I don't think I need to say anymore!

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Even though we really, REALLY look forward to the school holidays after a year of super hard work, we are always *itching* to get back into the swing of things with a brand new class at the beginning of each year.

A wonderful teacher cannot be measured by the results of her class, but by the love of learning she instils in her students. All teachers deserve a medal at the end of the year, simply for shaping young minds and creating a better future for all.

Casey

Steph Saturday, December 19, 2015 1 comment

It's summer time and I'm definitely going to relax and enjoy my time off. Even though I'm spending 98% of my time visiting family in the United States, I'll still be preparing for the upcoming school year! Here are some great ways to prepare for the upcoming school year and some helpful blog posts out there!

Steps to Get Prepared:

1. Out with the old! I'm a BIG believer in "If I haven't touched it in years, then it may be time to get rid of it." I'm not a hoarder because it just piles and piles up on me and I can never find what I need. Before school ended I spent Weeks 7 & 8 cleaning out the store room. (This was my outfit those days!)

It's a trackies and comfy shoes kind of day! #aussieteachers #australianteachersblog #2daysleft

A photo posted by Stephanie (@fishingforeducation) on Dec 15, 2015 at 2:22pm PST

2. Moving Rooms = Moving Tubs! I moved rooms this year and I made sure to put everything in a tub. (My favourite place to go for storage is The Reject Shop!) I had organised each tub and made sure they all fit in my cupboards. This way they were ALL out of the way for the cleaners.

My old room is now totally packed up! Bye old room 👋🏼 #teachersfollowteachers #iteachtoo #aussieteachers

A photo posted by Jem Luck (@jemluck) on Dec 18, 2015 at 2:45pm PST

3. Got My List! I got my list and a few notes from previous teachers to get me a bit prepared for my upcoming class. I take in what they noted, but I make sure to start the year FRESH with each student (even my 7 kiddos moving up with me), no judgements. I'm already making a Welcome sign and preparing labels. (Check out this cute door made by MissGirlingsClassroom)

My door is up! 😍🎈I just need to fix one balloon (only noticed it once I took the photo!!) and it's all ready for 2016! Hopefully the kids like it! #iteachthird #primaryteacher #teacher #teachersofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #teachingideas #classroomdoor #up #aussieteachers

A photo posted by M I S S G I R L I N G 🍎 (@missgirlingsclassroom) on Dec 17, 2015 at 5:34pm PST

4. Room Theme Decor. I keep an ocean them in my class, goes along with my website. It may not really be THAT important, but I know my students enjoy an inviting room. However, some may go out and buy things, I either make them or get them off TPT to fit my classroom needs. There's a theme, but also a PURPOSE for each. I like to keep in mind "How will this benefit my students?" when putting up decor.

Make sure you head over to my @missjacobslittlelearners Facebook Page for the chance to win yourself a VIC modern cursive font #classroomdecor pack!! Bundle on sale until the end of the day :) #missjacobslittlelearners #aussieteachers #tpt #iteachtoo #downunderteachers #teachersfollowteachers

A photo posted by Miss Jacobs Little Learners (@missjacobslittlelearners) on Dec 18, 2015 at 1:14am PST

5. What worked this year? What didn't? I like to take a step back and think about what worked for my classroom this year. I think about the benefits and student outcomes to help decide if I keep it or change it. There were also things I wanted to try that didn't work for me. (And not even my students.) Things I like to focus on for the upcoming year: Parent Communication, Homework schedule, Literacy & Maths rotations, and Classroom jobs.

Plenty of Idiom Fish in the Sea! Our unit display! #kgfonts

A photo posted by Stephanie (@fishingforeducation) on Oct 29, 2015 at 2:08pm PDT

6. REST & RELAX! Best thing you can do to prepare for the new year is to rest up! Let your mind take a break and get plenty of sleep! Go off and have fun! Experience life and bring stories back to your students!

#smores #firsttaste

A photo posted by Paula's Place (@paulas_place) on Dec 7, 2015 at 9:48pm PST

Helpful Blog Posts

Here are some helpful blog posts out there to help teachers prepare for a new school year!

Enjoy your summer!

Steph

Paula’s Place Wednesday, December 02, 2015 2 comments

Hello, Paula here from Paula's Place

and this week I am blogging about what makes a writer succeed.

Setting the scene

As teachers we think and rethink our classroom set up for hours (read days).

We consider the flow of the room, the light, where posters will go, how will the tables and chairs fit, who will sit with who. That's the tip of the iceberg really.

The routines for how our class works, impacts on the writing sessions we have (well everything we do really).

So setting up our Writing Centre and Six Traits Plus 1 reference charts is vital.

The listing of what happens in 'Work On Writing' time and what happens at conference time, just makes for a smooth writing time.

Word Walls are necessary for children to be able to check in with at any age.

Then we think what will I teach?

We look at Curriculum, past teacher judgements, we participate in writing moderation and look at samples of work. We consider what should be next and then devise a plan of action. So armed with all this research we begin to plan our lessons.

Writing is a cycle

This is an agreed cycle that my grade and I put together and we revisit it and make changes as we need to.

Even though we call it a cycle - with some tasks we don't always get to the publishing stage.

The writing phase

With early writers they need to be able to have a topic that is relevant and for some they just cannot write about their choice. I am a huge advocate of using Discovery Learning (you may call it by another name). This way they will always have something to write about.

Our students need to have plenty of options.

These books are ready for them to record in and add an illustration.

They share them with a buddy or a group and get feedback before the book goes back for someone else to use.

We also use writing groups where there are tasks for them at point of need - these are driven by the conference time and setting goals.

Displaying writing creates better writers

If you can, display as much writing as possible. Display it in a variety of ways - books, charts, on walls, hanging and let them interact with the texts.

We conference - and we set goals

Conference time means being super organised.

Students need to prove what they know and explain how it has changed their writing.

Students need to walk away from a conference knowing their next goal. It needs to be in student friendly language and accessible to look at before they start their next text.

I like being able to look back and be able to share with parents and the student how fa they have come over time.