This week was unsual but refreshing. In preparation for the upcoming TAKS test (sigh) our principal offered teachers in the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades the opportunity to have primary teachers work with their students. I have 6 years of TAKS experience so I offered to do this. At first it seemed that I was only going to work for about an hour with 4th grade writing on Tuesday, while Jen worked with my second graders. Then it turned out that while Jen was out having an hour and a half for lunch (kidding...she was at a training) I would cover her classes and her sub would be in my class for the day. This would be on Wednesday and Thursday. As it turns out I ended up being out all day on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I got to work with many of my former students. I wanted to share a few of the tings that I heard them say. I never realized how much they remember about what you said to them or what happened in class. They are so cute and too funny.
Tuesday AM: Work with 3rd graders on TAKS reading: I worked with C, T, and H. C was in my class last year. He always was my favorite. Everytime I did something he would say: "Miss Garcia doesn't like that, Miss Garcia likes it when..., Stop, pay attention because Miss Garcia is going to teach us..., or I remember you taught us to...." He cutely remembered that I LOVE the San Antonio Spurs. When we played a fact and opinion game and his statement said: Basketball is a sport, he thought I gave him that one on purpose. It made me realize that even when you think they aren't paying attention they are.
Tuesday PM: Work with 5th graders on TAKS reading: I worked with C, I, A, and a few others. C and I were former students in 3rd grade. (C is the former student that brought me cupcakes for my class on my birthday). This is a conversation between the two.
C: Yes, the best teacher I've ever had.
Me: Shhhh! (because his current teacher was about 3 ft away.)
I: I know. It's a shame you didn't win teacher of the year.
Me: Shhhh!!! Giggle, giggle, giggle.
I did manage to get their attention long enough to do the fact and opinion and main idea activities.
Wednesday and Thursday was fun because I got to work with teachers I usually have little or no interaction with. And I got to see more students that I had before. It was a tiring schedule because it's constantly walking. I also realized that now that I teach a primary grade I really am getting my little ones ready for the upper grades.
In the end it was a rewarding experience. I will say that I was SO HAPPY to be back in my own class with my own kids on Friday. D, the same girl that write about so often, would come up to me whenever I came into my room to get something. She would take a big whiff of me. (I don't know why she likes to smell me.) And then she would ask...Who hugged you? I would tell her no one and she would be relieved. She would say: Good! Only we can hug you. So cute how possessive kids get of their teachers.
Tuesday AM: Work with 3rd graders on TAKS reading: I worked with C, T, and H. C was in my class last year. He always was my favorite. Everytime I did something he would say: "Miss Garcia doesn't like that, Miss Garcia likes it when..., Stop, pay attention because Miss Garcia is going to teach us..., or I remember you taught us to...." He cutely remembered that I LOVE the San Antonio Spurs. When we played a fact and opinion game and his statement said: Basketball is a sport, he thought I gave him that one on purpose. It made me realize that even when you think they aren't paying attention they are.
Tuesday PM: Work with 5th graders on TAKS reading: I worked with C, I, A, and a few others. C and I were former students in 3rd grade. (C is the former student that brought me cupcakes for my class on my birthday). This is a conversation between the two.
C: Yes, the best teacher I've ever had.
Me: Shhhh! (because his current teacher was about 3 ft away.)
I: I know. It's a shame you didn't win teacher of the year.
Me: Shhhh!!! Giggle, giggle, giggle.
I did manage to get their attention long enough to do the fact and opinion and main idea activities.
Wednesday and Thursday was fun because I got to work with teachers I usually have little or no interaction with. And I got to see more students that I had before. It was a tiring schedule because it's constantly walking. I also realized that now that I teach a primary grade I really am getting my little ones ready for the upper grades.
In the end it was a rewarding experience. I will say that I was SO HAPPY to be back in my own class with my own kids on Friday. D, the same girl that write about so often, would come up to me whenever I came into my room to get something. She would take a big whiff of me. (I don't know why she likes to smell me.) And then she would ask...Who hugged you? I would tell her no one and she would be relieved. She would say: Good! Only we can hug you. So cute how possessive kids get of their teachers.
Posted by
7 comments:
What a great week you had. I just love how sweet children can be.
Won't we all breathe a collective sigh of relief when TAKS is OVER!!!
I gotta share this with you... I recently sent off a letter to my 8th grade math teacher thanking him for showing me much needed kindness during a hard divorce. I haven't seen him in over 20 years but always think of him when the word teacher comes up. I'm hoping it finds him or his wife.
So yeah for your students showing you a little love. :)
Validation rocks! I'm so glad that even though it was sort of a hassle with trying to get all of the classes covered, you still enjoyed it.. And TAKS was involved!! What the?
Yes, the big kids take the ELA next Tuesday, and then we're done till April when they have three days in a row of testing. It's probably the same for the little ones. The good news is our seniors get to come to school late. Unfortunately, the senior teachers (i.e. me) do not get to.
congrats on getting through the week. it sounds busy and exhausting.
Hi!
Stopping by from SITS!
I liked your post.
Thanks for the visit to the my blog.
First, I am normally a Mon-Fri Recovery Room nurse, but for two weeks in a row I have been cancelled on Wed and Thrus. (not enough patients for all the nurses to work.) Anyway, I worked agency last night,12-8am to make some $ (I have ink to buy for goodness sakes) the point=I hope I make sense of the stamp advice.
1. Ink:
Versa fine is great for detail-like words, intricate detailed stamps.
Mememto ink is great for drying fast, I like to use Copic Markers and the ink does not smear.
But you can use regular markers for coloring in your stamps. You can color in your stamps with several medias. I like Stamp' Up and Prisma color pencils using water to blend the color. I also use watercolor crayons, point you don't want your outline stamp to smear. I just purchased Gamsol for blending colored pencils, I have not tried it yet. It was a little difficult to find, had to make a trip to the fine art store.
2. Stamps:
My suggestion would be Easter stamps for a start.
I buy my stamps according to the season, it is amazing how fast your collection grows.
I use wood block and acrylic stamps with no preference, as I am in the market for what I find cute or appealing (and can buy with a coupon).
The advantage to acrylic is of course much easier to line up as you can see through it.
Coloring books are a good soure for cardmaking since you might have access LOL!
You can copy, resize, etc. to fit a card front, color in and embellish=Easter cards! (I might add you can put a piece of cardstock in the printer to print your design on) You might consider buying some flower stamps for Easter and you could use them for springtime cards too.
I hope this helped and made sense. I am flattered you asked my advice.
Have fun!
Ladybugsinthegarden.blogspot.com
Post a Comment