Stress Level Much Lower!

As I look back and reflect on the first two weeks of school this school year compared to last school year I am feeling much less stressed this year.  Having worked with eight out of the nine students on my case load last year I am able to predict and prepare for what my students will need as they start a new school year.  I know a lot more about what they can do and what they will need support with.  I am able to set high expectations and I am excited for the growth and independence that I am instilling in my students.  Yes, we still have good moments and bad moments, but we are growing and learning together.  We are learning and working together to fix mistakes and create plans in order to able to function more successfully.  It is so neat to collaborate with the students and hear their ideas about how we can improve their success at school.  A lot of times the students come up with wonderful ideas I do not even think of.  I am so proud of my awesome students!

Technology here I come!

Today our Winskill staff was blessed to have the fabulous Missy Emler come to school and train is on creating Facebook pages for our classrooms. She taught us all the tricks she has learned so we can share our classroom worlds with parents, grandparents, and community members. Missy has recently taken a new position at CESA 3. She has a contest going on where you can win a book called Teach like a Pirate just by liking her CESA#3 Facebook page. In order for anyone to win the book her CESA#3 Facebook page must get 300 likes by the end of the contest. Check it out and like her page. Who knows you might be the lucky winner and if not Missy shares a lot of great and useful information on the page. 

I have also ventured into the world of Google Docs and I am loving it. It is so nice to be able to work from anywhere on my creations. No more flash drives!  I attempted using Google Docs last year but I could not wrap my head around the formatting and application of the tools. This year as I attempted using Google Docs again the formatting and application of tools seems to be coming to mech easier. I still have a lot to learn about what features Google Docs has to offer but I am really enjoying what I know now and how it works for my classroom.

Our principal has informed us that there are going to be many technology trainings like the Facebook training we received today. I am so excited to learn all about different technology that can helps students to learn. A big thank you to Mrs. Whitford, our principal, and all others who are going to make these technology trainings possible!

LEGO building Summer School 2014

Almost forgot to share these. Check out the creative 4K-1st LEGO designs from my summer school class. These students were so creative and worked in small groups with wonderful team work. A big thanks to Michelle Strobush, Vicki Schmidt, Sarah Lolwing, Jocelyn Wiest, and Payton Lolwing. I could not have done this without all of your help!

The Night Before a New Adventure

Tomorrow is the first day of school for the 2014-2015 school year. I am so excited (jacked up) about the new adventure of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) that all students, staff, and parents will be starting tomorrow at Winskill. I have been lucky enough to be a part of the PBIS team. We worked all last school year creating a systematic plan for teaching behavior expectations through common language and providing acknowledgement when expectations are followed. Tomorrow our team will introduce this plan to the students. We will start with an assembly in the gym to get the students as excited about this new approach as we are. I can't wait to see their reactions and to get them jacked up!

Tell Your Story

On Wednesday we had a lunch with all staff at Winskill. We were asked to share our story so we could better get to know each other. I was toward the middle to share. I was all ready with what I was going to share-that I have been married for three years, I have a two year old daughter named Lydia, that I was adopted at two weeks old, and that I have a younger brother that is a lawyer for the NFL network in California. When it was my turn to share I started with I have been married for three years and I have a two year old daughter named Lydia. From there my share took at very different turn. The next words that came out if my mouth were about how every day it is very hard to leave my little girl at daycare because she will grab me, not let me go, and say I want you mommy. When I pick her up from daycare she will lay in my lap for at least 20 minutes and just want me to hold her. The words just seemed to fly out of my mouth and tears started to fall. Until the words started coming out I did not even realize the guilt I was feeling about spending time at school and not with her. Wednesday night I went home and cherished every minute and activity I did with my daughter. After sleeping on my reaction during the share your story time I realized that it is all about creating a balance and really soaking in the moments I do have with my daughter. I take her up to school with me much as possible. She loves it and usually doesn't make too much of a mess!  On Thursday I talked with a colleague who talked to her daughter on Wednesday night and her daughter shared that her 2 year old daughter does the same thing when she leaves and picks her up. It put it into perspective that many 2 year olds do the same thing my daughter is doing.  I published this and then realized that I needed to add that at first I was very embarrassed about how my share came out but then many of my colleagues came to me and showed such compassion and support to me. It warmed my heart and made me realize once again what a great supportive family we have at Winskill. I am so greatful to be able to say I get to teach at Winskill Elementary School. It is an amazing place to be!