Welcome the Southwestern Jefferson Co School Corporation 4th annual Summer Reading group.
This summer we will be discussing: Thrive: 5 Ways to (Re)Invigorate Your Teaching by Meenoo Rami.
Discussion of the book will begin the week of June 16th.
Before we get started, please join this blog and introduce yourself to the group Let us know what you teach and what you expect from this group. Since our book is about "teaching", share 2 your favorite "teaching stories" with us. Also..include anything of interest you want to share with the group. (anything that will help us know you a little better).
Please order your book now so that we are ready to start on June 16th. [if you already have the book, you might read the introduction (pg. xvii-xix before you post your introduction].
If you know anyone who would like to join our group, please feel free to invite them to join. (They don't have to be Southwestern folks...everyone is welcome...as long as they join us before the week of June 16th).
Please note...we won't have any weeks off this summer. Past summers have shown that folks want to work through the entire book before school starts. I will be sending out a specific schedule via email, but we will start discussing Chapter one on June 16th.
My contact information:
Angy Northern
812.866.6237 (W)
812.866.2149 (H)
anorthern@swjcs.us
angynorthern@gmail.com
Not sure if this is where you want us to respond to this task, but I figure...why not? I am finishing my 18th year in 3rd grade. I'm hoping to get out of it what the title says...to reinvigorate my teaching. My teaching sidekick for the past 15 years is retiring, so next year will be a big transition. I'm hoping this book will help kick start my "2nd half" of my career.
ReplyDeleteTwo stories? I'll go with ones I've shared recently. A few years ago, I had a student teacher. She didn't seem to enjoy it much, so one day I asked. "Do you even like doing this?" To that she replied, "It's okay." I was taken aback. If you don't enjoy the ease of student teaching, then the reality of your own classroom and total responsibility probably won't bring you joy either. [FYI, I LOVED my student teaching experience and thoroughly enjoy my career...even the challenging years.]
My 2nd story would be a chat with a student this week. As they were urging me to move to fourth grade and declaring how much they'd miss me, two comments made me smile. A boy uttered, "If you're not moving to fourth, could I just stay in third with you?" I reminded him that he'd be fine and would see me in the hallway. A girl said, "I'm going to miss you so much." To this I chuckled, "You see me every Sunday and sometimes on Friday evenings." (We go to the same church.) Her reply, "But, I really like seeing you every single day, and I'll miss that." Aww, my cup runneth over.
Yep..Miss P - you posted in the right spot. Great stories...looking forward to reading the other members stories too.
ReplyDeleteI have been at Southwestern for 7 years. My youngest daughter and I started in the "big" building the same year. She is graduating next week and I am certain I will be lost next year without her. I've had students volunteer to be "adopted" so that I won't be lonely. No matter how gloomy every day has lots of bright spots. The last few years my motto has been "focus on the kids". I am passionate about my job. I'm looking forward to reading and blogging with all of you this summer.
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to think of a good "teaching" story to tell, but I'm not sure where to start. So much has happened in the last 15 years. Teaching is a huge part of who I am. Teaching has brought me tears of joy, tears of laughter, and tears of frustration. Sometimes all in the same day! I dedicate a lot of time and effort into trying to become a better teacher each day. Teaching is one of those professions when there isn't any "off time". Teachers are always thinking about ways to improve and change to help their students. I've enjoyed doing this blog the last couple of years and I am looking forward to sharing ideas again this summer.
ReplyDeleteIn just one week, I'll be able to sit on my front porch or back swing and enjoy the warm sunshine! I can't wait to get a little outside time.
I have been teaching French for 20+ years, the last four at the HS level, of which the last two have been at Southwestern. Southwestern is the first chance I have had to teach English as a full course (I have taught literature in French, and in English as part of a Humanities course on Gothic Paris). While it is fun to work with students who catch on right away and want even more of a challenge, some of the most rewarding teaching moments in my experience have been with students who have had to struggle to understand the connections - that "aha!" moment is worth so much!
ReplyDeleteOne recent teaching moment had nothing to do with French or English. After a student in one French class was out for several days due to a car accident while many of the students in French 1 were beginning Drivers' Ed classes, I talked to the Fr1 class for a few minutes about how important it is to be careful. I told them that I didn't want to come into class in the future to hear about any of them in an accident, because I really care about them. When I said that it is almost like having my own child in an accident, they all seemed genuinely shocked. One of the girls said something like, "Wow, you really care about us!?" Of course, even the ones who are the most challenging. In the end, they are like family - you don't really get to choose the ones that you get, but you do your best to help them spread their wings and fly. I know that it gets lost in the everyday effort to keep order and to push them to progress, but letting them know that I do care about them beyond the classroom was a moment that was just as important to me as teaching one more verb!
Third time I hope is the charm for this post. I just finished my 29th year of teaching. All but 2 years have been spent teaching emotionally disabled children in public, private, or residential schools at all levels k-12. I just finished my fifth year at Southwestern Elementary. I believe that in order to survive and Thrive in education one has to recognize when change is needed. That is why next year I will be changing positions. SSU has now made the Behavioral Consultant position a full time position instead of part time, so I've applied for it. I believe that in order to Thrive and survive in education a teacher needs to recognize when change is needed. So with faith and trust I will embrace this new adventure. I am going to try and post my stories later.
ReplyDelete