Thinking about my Curriculum Review Project

I really am not liking the fact that this class gives me the worst wrter's block!! Which five lessons will I choose? Which instructional theory do I follow?

So many more questions!!

I am praying for an epiphany tomorrow!!

Good night for now! Was out coaching swim from 8:45am to 12:30 and I got a tad sunburned. Next time, I must remember the sunscreen!

School Year 09-10 is officially over!

Wow,

What an amazing year with an amazing group of scholars!

Now there's synchro (Anna's last year-sniff), Kaplan studies, and preparing for a 4th/5th combo next year. I better buckle up!

Almost Done

These last few weeks have been CRAZY!

Over half of my fellow teachers at my site have been Pink Slipped, and not all of them have been rescinded yet! It is so sad to see all my good friends and colleagues packing their classrooms, just to unpack somewhere else, when they are so very needed at this site!

On another note, our Synchronized Swim team is back on track, and practice EVERY night and Saturday Morning is KILLING me, especially with my Master's courses, Open House, and Report Cards all coming down at once! Phew, after this week, things should get better.

The Curriculum Mapping assignment was harder than expected. I thought I followed the rubric, but apparently not. :o( I need to step it up if I am to maintain my 4.0 GPA.

Just One major assignment due this Tuesday in Leadership, one major assignment due next Tuesday in Curriculum, and Discussion posts. Then all that's left are the reflective journals. I see the light at the end!

And this is why we teach... from one of my 4th Grade students: (I almost cried)

The Ms. Dedrick Sound Off!
By G.P. Mayo (2010)

I don’t know but I’ve been told,
There’s a teacher’ round here who’s teachin’ ‘bout gold.
She’s great at math and reading and art,
This teacher is tall and really smart!
Sound Off……………..Dedrick
Sound Off……………..C-3
Sound Off.1, 2, 3, 4 …..Learning!

She coaches swim and rides a horse,
Loves to teach and ice cream, of course,
She jokes with her students, it is her gift,
But you won’t catch her playing the game “What if..?”
Sound Off……………..Teacher
Sound Off……………..Leader
Sound Off.1, 2, 3, 4 …..She’s cool!

Strict at times, but that just fine,
She balances it all with the Conga Line!
Sound Off……………..4th Grade
Sound Off……………..Dedrick
Sound Off.1, 2, 3, 4 …..She’s Awesome!

What a Week!

Well, I made it through STAR testing, preparing for and completing the first day of Coaching swim team, second week of Kaplan almost over, and I am so behind on my two assignments! I canceled tutoring this week, just so I could catch up!

However, I really enjoyed the Leadership writing we did, very reflective!

Currently reading By the Great Horn Spoon to my students who are LOVING every minute... "Please do the Praiseworthy accent again, or the Chinese Laundryman, he was funny!" Man, I love this age!

Week 2

Hey everyone, this weekend was a little hectic. I was extremely busy last week and all my assignments piled up.

I enjoyed reading the article for the discussion board, but it had such BIG words and high-level academic language that I got lost a few times!

However, I did post one question about the article, because I did not see where some of the curriculum addresses students’ cognitive development and where the determination of what curriculum is chosen for specific grade levels. I am particularly concerned in the area of mathematics and the fact that our “curriculum” is trying to teach very abstract ideas to young children who may not be cognitively developed to understand this concept. Will this lead to frustration, and possibly a “math anxiety” in later years?


BTW:


The Synchronized Swim team I coach starts tomorrow FIVE NIGHTS a week! JM has to get ready for May Madness! :o)

Hi everyone!

I can't believe I have my own blog... and that I know what it means! ;o)