The First Six Weeks...

On Saturday, I ran into a lady who teaches in a nearby county. She had some really great suggestions and ideas. One of her suggestions was to check out the Responsive Classroom website, and sign up for their free newsletter. She also suggested purchasing The First Six Weeks of School by Paula Denton and Roxann Kriete. You can check it out on Amazon.com. I ordered the book and the free newsletters, so I just wanted to pass along a suggestion I found helpful!

Interview Questions

With an interview in a little over a week, I've been searching the 'net for potential questions, etc. I found this website today (click here). It's a list of interview questions Virginia Tech put together. I copied and pasted them into a word document, and I've been typing my answers.  I think this will give me something to look over the night before my interview.  

Interesting

Today, I read something about poetry being neglected in elementary schools.  As I thought about my student teaching experience, as well as my literacy classes in college, I realized that poetry was not a priority.  As I read, I was motivated to begin looking for quality poetry to utilize in my future classroom.  

One way the article mentioned to use poetry is for "brain breaks."  When you're about to transition into a new subject or just need a few minutes for the kids to clear their minds, 3 minute poetry breaks would be a great idea.  Kids love to hear a poem or two from one of Shel Silverstein's collections.  You could look beforehand for a poem that goes with the content you will be teaching or simply select one you believe your students will enjoy.  

Great Teaching Book

If you have never read The Librarian Who Measured the Earth by Katheryn Lasky, it is a really good book.  It's a picture book, but it has unbelievable content!  I would use it in a lesson on ancient Greece or Athens, geography, science, or the like.  It could be used in so many ways. You should check it out and consider adding it to your stash of "teaching books."  

The School Library Journal said: 

Grade 2-5. This picture book covers the life of Eratosthenes of Cyrene, a geographer who estimated the circumference of the Earth in around 200 B.C.. Though he was in fact a librarian, he is famous for his scientific accomplishments. Since little is known about his personal life, Lasky describes his early years in general terms. He liked to ask questions, loved learning at the gymnasium, and sailed off to Athens to further his studies. He became tutor to the son of King Ptolemy III of Egypt, and eventually became the head of Alexandria's magnificent library. Readers don't come to know the subject intimately, but they do get to know his times very well. The narrative is filled with fascinating details about his world. Hawkes's illustrations make a large contribution, as they contain authentic examples of the art, architecture, and social structure of ancient life. His paintings are rich and warm and filled with touches of humor, making the people, as well as their environment, come alive. The pictures combine with the text to give a clear explanation of how the man came to make his key discovery about the Earth's circumference. A fine combination of history, science, and biography.

Very First Interview!

I have an interview!  

The date:  4.7.2008

The time:  1:30 p.m.

The school is one of the top private schools in the nation (or so I've heard), so that is encouraging. I printed out the scope and sequence charts for various grades to look over before my interview, and I'm going to make sure I'm familiar with the mission statement of the school, etc.  I'm really hoping that the interview goes well.  If all else fails, I simply want to have one interview under my belt.  

Welcome!

As a future teacher (looking for a job), I am certain that there are others out there just like me: recent graduates (or soon-to-be graduates) of a teacher education program.  Even though we don't have jobs, we are teachers.  We have a desire to be the best teachers we can be. Here is where I will share my teaching ideas, job hunting escapades, and various teacher stuff. If you are in the same boat, and would like to join me, let me know, and perhaps this could be a collaborative blog!