Those 'Teaching Moments'

It was a long and tiring week. I had my first classroom observation by my supervisor and being a new teacher, I felt pressured to prove myself to him, even though I knew I didn't have anything to worry about. After all, he's seen me teach before. Still, now that he's actually my boss, I had to step up and go the extra mile.

I was being evaluated on my ability to encourage students into higher-order thinking, where every child is constantly engaged and thinking outside the box. I had to teach but at the same time facilitate intelligent conversation between the students. I had to provide some pretty in-depth teaching moments.

It was a challenge, but during those 45 minutes, the class pulled it off. I was so proud of my kids. They showcased their creativity and wit. They spent a great amount of time synthesizing their learnings and going beyond what was taught within the curriculum, and taking it to real life situations and history. A few of them even engaged in a healthy debate. In other words, the lesson was entirely student-centered, which was not only a great thing to share with the principal, but also a memorable teaching moment for me!

I live for those 'teaching moments' at work. I find fulfillment, not in being able to teach kids something new, but in seeing kids teach each other, while I'm just there to mediate or facilitate. I treasure those moments when kids learn to ask meaningful questions and aren't afraid to embrace their curiosities. I love seeing kids experiment and find out things for themselves, with just their hands and their brains to rely on. I love witnessing the magic of light bulb moments when they suddenly figure something out. Oh, the joy in their eyes whenever that happens! It makes everything so worth it,

It's amazing when a big decision instantly turns things around, leaving my old place of employment and moving to this brand new one, with a brand new supervisor and in a brand new environment. Last year, I simply wanted to find the joy that I once lost in teaching again. I can honestly say that now, that joy is back.

Appreciating What I Have: 10 Things I'm Grateful For At Work

Today is Monday, and it was actually a pretty decent Monday for a change! I didn't have such a hard time waking up early today, despite feeling ill this weekend. It looks like I'm coming down with an ear and/or sinus infection, but overall, I still feel pretty okay! There are times when I do feel demotivated at work, when I get consumed in thoughts of my 'ideal scenario', and forget to appreciate what I have now. And although it's imperfect, what I have now is pretty awesome. So, in the spirit of counting my blessings and truly appreciating what I have, here are 10 things I am currently grateful for at work:

1. I am grateful for my students. All 19 of them. My third graders are truly what keep me going whenever I feel demotivated at work. I just think of how much they make me smile and laugh with their quirks. I think of how smart and witty they are and just overall brilliant. I think of how lucky I am to have this particular group of students, because even though they can be quite a handful, their 'youness', for lack of a better term, makes it all worth it. You know how that Dr. Seuss passage goes, "Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than You?" My students are the epitome of that passage. They just make each day so much more bearable, simply for being who they are.

2. I am grateful for where I work, in particular, a 2-minute drive, 5-minute (10 minutes tops) walk away from home. You have no idea how much of a relief this has been, and how much gas money I'm able to save and use for other things, like small pleasures. Oh, how wonderful it is to work so close to home!

3. I am grateful for my boss. For the first time in a long time, I feel like the big boss trusts me and believes in my ability to handle my class. Absolutely no pressure or negativity; only support and encouragement. No micro-managing; only someone who believes in my own independence and leadership. It feels great to be able to enjoy teaching again, and that is mostly because of the leadership we have in our school.

4. I am grateful for my co-teachers, especially since one of them happens to be my mom! I love being able to eat lunch with her everyday. I love seeing her in action and learning from her. I've said this so many times, and I'll say it again -- my mom was born to be a teacher. And although I can't exactly say that about myself, I feel extremely blessed to work side by side this kind of educator.

5. I am grateful for growth. I've been seeing this most especially in my students. Transitioning from the comforts of 2nd grade to the amount of material and depth of expectation in 3rd grade proved quite challenging during the first month of school. August was a very exhausting month for all of us. But now I can say that the kids are adjusting well and starting to get the hang of things. It's amazing to see them improve each day, which makes my job so much more fulfilling.

6. I am grateful for the extra support I get daily from the special education team. I have quite a soft spot for special education, and I am always so thankful for the amazing SpEd professionals who support us regular classroom teachers everyday. It makes my job so much easier to have that extra support, yes, but I think the fulfillment comes mostly from seeing these kids grow and mature under the wing of such nurturing individuals. So, hats off to you, SpEd team!

7. I am grateful for recess! Yes, I am a firm believer in physical activity in between grueling hours of work inside a stuffy classroom. You'll be surprised how even a short, 10-minute health break outdoors can change the disposition of a student, making learning so much quicker and effective.

8. I am grateful for the little things, some of the little pleasures that make even the most mundane things at work so much easier. The teachers' workroom, which houses all our supplies, the printer, and a copier, which is just two doors down from my classroom. Our teacher's lounge, where I actually don't mind spending my lunch with other staff members (someone once said that a happy teacher's lounge makes a happy school).

9. I am grateful for my kids' parents. I've never had this much parent support and involvement before, and I am loving it! I, for one, love keeping in constant contact with my kids' parents. I think this is so important, because I believe success in school is a three-way partnership between the teacher, the student, and their parents.

10. I am grateful for the financial support I am able to give my family for having this job. It's rare to hear about a teacher being thankful for their living, but in the spirit of gratitude and appreciation, you'll hear it from me today. It's not much, but it's still something.

Sigh. That felt great, and now I'm ready for Tuesday.

The first day of school is just around the corner...

Before I visited my new classroom, I had the worst anxiety. I always get anxiety whenever I move to a brand new classroom, because it brings me back to my first year of teaching (at a start-up charter school) where I had to start from the ground up, literally. It's like a first time home owner making a completely empty room more livable with just a few things to start off with. As a new teacher, I haven't really collected as many teaching supplies as, say, my mom, who's been teaching for more than 20 years. So, stepping into my new classroom at my new place of employment was nothing short of a jelly leg experience.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the previous teacher left most of her classroom supplies for the next teacher (moi!) to enjoy! Her cabinets were filled from top to bottom with basic classroom needs, plus a few extras. Her bookshelves were complete with teacher resources and third grade literature. The classroom was clean, organized, and all it really needed was decorating and technology.

My new school isn't so new -- it's actually been around for so many years, even way before I was born. The only two things that needed some work were my low functioning sink with faucet and drinking fountain, and technology. Our lovely custodian, Mr. H, was able to successfully fix the pressure in the faucet, although the drinking fountain still didn't work. I didn't mind that at all, it just meant we had to have water fountain breaks within the day, so students can regularly fill up their water bottles or quench their thirst using the water fountain in the hallway.

Then, I tackled technology. This was probably the most challenging task I had to complete and the first thing I decided to tackle before anything else, because I knew it was going to be a big pain. And it was. I had four student desktop computers, all of which were still running on Windows XP, which makes everything run so slow and prone to viruses. I'm going to send out a help desk ticket for that tomorrow. I also have to replace two keyboards that aren't working at all, which is fine because Mr. H told me storage had a bunch of keyboards to replace them anyway.

The only other thing besides updating the Windows software, is for me to find a teacher's computer. Yes, the classroom didn't come with it. Apparently, the previous teacher used a laptop and had to turn it in when she left. The principal had me try out her old laptop, which didn't work (it also ran on Windows XP, by the way!). So, I'm still waiting for my new work laptop, which is kind of making me a little bit anxious because I use technology every single day for my lessons.

Anyway, I'm sure it will all work out. I have a wonderful principal who is so helpful and kind. I have a great team of 3rd grade teachers to work with, and that includes my mom! The other teachers I've met so far are all incredibly nice and welcoming. I feel quite blessed to be here.

My class web page and teacher blog (sponsored by our district) are almost set up; I just have to add parent members so they can easily access them at home. Other than that, all I have to do, really, is to decorate my classroom! Looking back at what I've written so far, it seems like I still have so much to do, but I'm not worried. Summer break was great, and I wish it didn't have to end so soon, but there's something very exciting about the first day of school as well. I'm ready!

Let Go, You Control Freak!

'Honey, I've been feeling quite troubled lately,' I whispered to my husband in the dark at half past twelve last night. I had to tell someone about it, and I knew my husband would give great advice and comfort in this situation.

I told him I wasn't feeling very happy with my career. And with that feeling came the guilt associated with being ungrateful for even having a career, in a country where decent jobs are pretty hard to come by. I knew I was better off than a lot of Americans, and way better off than most immigrants, but I can't seem to make myself feel satisfied and genuinely thankful for what I have. I had very conflicting emotions that night, and this was something I had been feeling for the past couple of months.

I have a lot to be thankful for. I left my previous work place because I knew that working closer to home would be less stressful for me. That, and, I get to work with my mom in the same grade level. My mom has always been the light at the end of a tunnel ever since I started teaching. Daily stress is always easier to deal with if your mom is there to comfort and guide you.

My new boss is great. He is like a doting grandpa and clearly trusts his teachers, which is, to me, of utmost importance as an educator and employee. He has seen me teach a class in the past, and he believes in my capabilities in the classroom, which he made clear during my job interview. It felt wonderful hearing something like that from someone whom parents, teachers, and the community trust very deeply.

'I am not completely happy with what I am doing', I told Chris. And I am trying each day to make myself like and enjoy what I do, but sometimes, you just can't force it anymore. You end up pretending and we all know trying to disguise emotions doesn't last very long; it will eventually catch up with your reality.

Chris thinks I'm working myself up too much, and quite unnecessarily too. I know I'm a control freak and a perfectionist, especially when it comes to my job, or really, any task given to me. The negativity always gets in the way--I worry too much and don't really give myself a lot of credit. I think it's because I spent fifteen years of my life in Catholic schools where expectations are always high and you always have to achieve a particular standard. If not, you're a failure. Stressing myself out is pretty much the only way I know how to cope and actually push myself to succeed.

But we all know we can't succeed all the time, and during those moments when I failed at something, they build up and I would carry them with me during my next task. It's an endless cycle.

But I think Chris was right--I should relax. I should embrace this year with all its triumphs and failures and allow myself to make mistakes without dwelling on them, but rather, learning from them. I think it's time that the teacher in me be open to being a student again.

I will let my new boss teach me what it means to lead. I will let my mom mentor me during my first year as a 3rd grade teacher. I will learn from my colleagues. I will learn from my students. I have to accept the fact that, although being a teacher comes with great responsibility, I still have to learn to let go.

I think my dissatisfaction and seeming unhappiness with my career doesn't really come from hating what I do for a living. I think it comes from being so uptight when it comes to finishing a task or fulfilling a responsibility. I should learn to relax and let go.

Make Math Fun: Word Problem Scavenger Hunt

I am a big believer of hands-on classroom activities and kinesthetic learning, because I find that kids learn more effectively that way. They apply their knowledge in tangible ways, which makes lesson recall so much better once assessment comes.

This week, I had to do a complete do-over and reteach three-digit addition and subtraction for my class. This is one of the hardest concepts second graders have to master, especially when there is regrouping and subtracting across zeros involved. By the end of the week, we wrapped up the concept with word problems, also a skill that needs much practice. Students seem to find it even more challenging to apply mathematical concepts with real life situations, or when number concepts are put into words. So, I decided to make a quick game out of it to motivate them.

I love using small groups and partnerships in my classroom, something that I wish I took more seriously when I was a student myself, because I personally would rather just work on my own. Bottom line is, collaboration works. If you're a teacher, whether in a regular classroom or if you homeschool, there is true value in interaction. And if your child doesn't have any siblings, be their partner when it's time to apply a concept. Work together and I guarantee that you will see results.

Our class is divided into three small groups, and for this game, they are given a set of instructions and word problems to work on together. Since my small groups are based on the unique learning styles and performance levels of my students, the problems given to them are also tailor made to fit their needs.

Word problems are posted all over the room, and each group will walk around and search for their word problems based on their group's specific instructions. Walking around the classroom while doing work is something that I am also a huge fan of -- there is nothing worse than having to sit for an hour listening to a lecture.

Some problems are located near 'clues', like this area where tips on how to regroup are located...

...while most of them are located in random places in the classroom. In this case, word problem #4 can be found in our language arts corner.

Some of them are located at the back of the room...

...or just right on our door!

For every correct word problem solved, a secret letter can be claimed. Once all groups correctly answer all word problems, the whole class will come together to figure out the hidden message...

...and claim their prize!

Collaboration in my classroom makes me one happy teacher!

The idea that they were solving a mystery to claim an incentive really works great. It's not like you're bribing your kids to master a skill, but rather teaching them that learning can be fun, hard work pays off, and working with your friends is better than having to struggle with a task on your own.

In sum, this activity addresses some of the most important things in successful learning:

• Movement. Kinesthetic learning does wonders in the classroom, especially for young children who just can't sit on their chair for an hour-long lecture. That's pretty much how all of my students are, and how most young kids are, really.
• Problem solving. This is a big performance task that should be addressed as early as elementary. School is about preparing yourself for the world out there, and good problem solving is something that will simply make the real world a lot easier to handle.
• Collaboration. Young students need to be encouraged to work together and not isolate themselves. Interaction helps boost their language and communication skills. I've always believed that if a student can tell another student what a concept means, then I know that they have a good grasp and understanding of a lesson.
• Positive reinforcement. Again, hard work pays off. There is always something awesome waiting for you when something is achieved.

More lesson plan inspiration:

• The Ugliest Rock: an outdoor writing activity