Wow!! What a GREAT first day back to school. I'm almost finished with my room (YAH!!!) , I got to see all of my amazing co-workers today, and I met Ron Clark at our convocation. He was so inspiring!! He reminded me about the real reason why I teach. He was gracious enough to sign my book and take a photo with me.
I going to step on my soapbox for a minute... Anyone can teach in at an "easy" school. It takes heart, passion and determination to teach kids from the "wrong" side of the tracks. I am determined to make a difference for these kids. That is where my heart is and that's where I've always chosen to teach. I know God has led me here because this is where I can make the greatest impact. I believe that the children deserve and need excellence in the classroom just as much as students whose parents have money. I wish they had excellent funding as well :)
Well enough about that...
I was also inspired by Deanna Jump's Core Standards charts and decided to do something similar with my classroom rules (the ribbon was the cutest thing ever!) I made six charts and will use ribbon to connect them. I hope it will be just as cute. You can get them from my store by clicking the link below.
Well, we have a full day of training tomorrow and I'm going to try to sneak in a few minutes in my classroom. So until later...
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We should be best friends, as we share the same passion for our students "from the wrong side of the tracks" who can not help where they come from or what they go home to. They bring it with them, though we help them learn how to build on the positive qualities they have and channel the negative energy into productive avenues. This not always easy, as you well know. Not all of my students live in the projects, but unfortunately we are still a school in my town that many teachers would NOT choose to come and work. That is okay, because with that mentality, they would not make a difference in "our kids' lives" inspiring them every day to be more than they think they can or deserve to be.
ReplyDeleteI also met Ron Clark this year when we visited his school (got my picture with him and he signed my book, too - Woo Hoo!!!). I have a lot of respect for Ron Clark and have followed him since the media picked him up many years ago. I love his way of thinking and inspires me to continue on my path that is definitely not the easy road taken.
I truly believe that GOD has placed me with the children I teach to love, nurture, inspire, motivate, and yes, even to be their friend, when they feel they have not a one. I am not easy on my kids by any means being raised military, but this has helped me set very high expectations for my students. We may not be 90/90 yet in my classroom (98% F/R yes, but not yet 90% academically), but when our class test scores meet or exceed our county test scores that include many more advantaged schools, I am a very happy teacher, and I celebrate these results with my students. We don't brag, but we do wear it proudly.
Thank you for being a teacher who is not afraid to take the hard road to give students a chance and path to become successful in life, given all the "real" barriers they face every day. This is really what teaching is all about :)
I would love to have this in word so it can be edited to fit my school's rules for the cafeteria.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get the font you used for the titles on these rule pages? I love it and wish I could use it in my own classroom!
ReplyDelete