Inspiration

The opening activity in health class today was to read through a list of inspirational quotes and choose one to record in our health journals. Here's my pick from an unknown source. Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

Room With a View

A common question teachers are often asked is, what do you like about teaching? The obvious answer is the kids. After all, we wouldn't get much satisfaction from teaching if we didn't like spending time in the company of children or teens. But now that I am back in my own classroom after having 10 years without one, I realize one of my favorite things about teaching is having my own classroom. It's so much more than an office. It's like having a second home. You decorate, you arrange the furniture, you create a family in the space. It's a little like an artist's canvas. It displays each teacher's unique vision. I design my space so it fosters creativity, encourages teamwork, and provides a safe place to make mistakes and learn from them. I'm comfortable in it and I hope my students are. I have had 7 different classrooms since I started teaching in 1978. My first was a spacious room overlooking the Yukon River. I didn't think it could get any better than that. But 6 rooms later, I have the best classroom ever. Four full kitchens, sewing machines and yoga mats in the cupboards, and a big window overlooking the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi. Teaching heaven!

Happy New School Year!

Achievement: I've remembered to take attendance every day. Respect: I know all the names of students in my health classes. Now I'm working on learning all the names k-4. Fun: listening to students, planning lessons, writing on the whiteboard, walking the track, snack time...it's all fun. Freedom:having a classroom again.