Sometimes you just have to jump!

For the past 5, maybe 6 years I have gone back and forth about whether to pursue further education to be an administrator. I have had many people tell me over the years that they think I would make a good principal. Now maybe they just wanted to make me feel good, but who knows. So numerous times in those past 6 years I have researched what the certification requirements are and where I can take the classes and each time I have chickened out. I think partly because I worked so hard to get my Master's degree and become a teacher in the first place. I didn't want it to seem like I didn't want to be a teacher. Just for the record, I love teaching and love my students!!! I love that my students know my favorite color is purple and that I would like to be a princess. One student this year asked me several times why I wanted to be a princess. Each time I told her that I wouldn't have to cook or clean so why wouldn't I want to be a princess. Sorry I digress. The fact of the matter is I have always felt inside like I might be able to use all that I have learned as a teacher to have a direct impact on more students and teachers. So why did I keep dragging my feet.....one simple word....fear.

Fear of what people would think. Would they laugh and say who does she think she is. Why does she think she should be an administrator.

Fear of making the wrong choice.

Fear of people thinking that I don't like teaching or my students. Or thinking that I should just be happy and content being a teacher.

Fear that I will fail. What happens if I try and I really can't do it? THIS IS THE BIGGEST ONE FOR ME!!

This summer something clicked. One day my wonderfully supportive husband said just the right words I needed to hear (I am sure he has said it before, but the timing was right this time). "I think you would make a great administrator." From that moment on I decided not to let my fear win. I applied and got accepted back at UNE. I have a plan to take 5 classes (while teaching full time of course) between August 30, 2017 and August 19, 2018 which should make be eligible to be an Assistant Building Administrator. Now of course at some point in the future I will need to actually get hired as an Assistant Principal, but these steps that I am taking feel good. They make me not afraid, okay who am I kidding I am still extremely afraid I will be terrible as an administrator, but I am happy that I am at least trying. 

Today while I was filling out paperwork for school and looking at certification requirements I received a text message from a friend. This is what it was. 

                                       

This could not have been more perfect. I do not know where my journey will lead me, but what I hope is that those people around me will see that I tried even if I was afraid. 

~Erica

Just realized I haven't posted since August. Hmmm

Hello Blog Readers (let's hope some people are still reading my blog), 
   
      It has been many months since I last blogged about my classroom experiences. This has been an interesting year. Thankfully I have wonderful students who make me smile every day. This year has been a significant learning curve for me as it is my first year teaching first grade. First grade is significantly different than other grades I have taught. I think part of that is due to the age and developmental level of the students versus the high standards and curriculum demands. It is also the year in which students get the most (in my opinion) interventions outside of the classroom. This is the part that makes it complicated as students really need the interventions, but that means they are missing instruction in the classroom. The balance of trying to get students access to everything they miss when out of the room is one that I struggled with. In the end, I worked to do the best that I could with the time those students were with me. 
     What I have learned this year as a professional is that being flexible and creative in thinking about how to organize and plan for instruction is the key to success in the future. I think that as we move towards more standards-based instruction teachers will need to be flexible in how they think about grade levels and how they group students (and maybe mix their students with another class). It will involve some people getting out of their comfort zones. I think even though it can be stressful that it's also exciting. 

     Do you do any end of the year "fun" activities? I have a plan for this year that involves this book. 

Our two first grades are currently one happy family at some parts of the day (I told you it was an interesting year) so now I need 27 large boxes for my end of the year project. Wish me luck in finding this many boxes. Just thinking about this project makes me smile. 

   So hopefully I will remember to blog again before seven more months have passed. I thank you for reading this. Have a great day!
~Erica

     

The letters must go out and school products that I LOVE!!

   I had to go to school yesterday to print and send out my welcome letters to my new first graders. I hope they are getting excited about school. 

    I send home a parent survey so that when the students come to me I have some information about their child. Do you ask parents to provide any information about their child at the beginning of the year? 

   Here is a little peak into one thing I got started in my room after I mailed my letters. This is a sad curtain that I made out of a sheet. I need to either get a steamer or take them down to iron them. The picture doesn't show the right side that I still need to finish. I have decided that my bulletin boards will be black background and these large shelves will have grey curtains. 

   I read another blog recently where they shared their favorite back to school supplies (for teachers) so I decided to share mine. 

Last year I was introduced to Flair pens! I had a variety pack of colors, but there was only one purple in it. So I went on Amazon and found a box with just purple!! LOVE!! 

Another thing I was introduced to last year (thanks Cassie) was Planbook online.  I love having my lesson plan book online. You can easily add standards to a specific lesson or move a lesson from one day to the next. I use to use google docs to do my lesson planning, but I will be using Planbook.com again this year as I love it. Oh and did I mention it's only $12 a year. 

I will never be without my own laminator again. A few years ago I bought this laminator at Walmart for $19.96 (it's even less expensive now). I use it a lot and it is worth every penny. You can get the laminating pouches at Sams Club or Amazon (which is where I have found the best prices). 

This year I decided to order twistable crayons for all of my students as I realized that regular crayons have so much waste. Basically, the kids use them until the tip is dull and then they don't want to use them. Hoping these new crayons, although more expensive, will end up being worth it. 

   These are a few of the things that I can't start the school year without. Feel free to comment about the things that you can't be without. I love hearing what other products people like to use. 

~Erica

A work in progress

So yesterday I worked in my room for a few hours and realized it is certainly a work in progress. I have a lot to do! In 11 years of teaching, I have switched rooms 8 times so I am used to having to redo my room. I know teaching is not about the room, but I can’t focus on instruction until my room is organized and inviting. Today I also put my son to work taking the plastic off new clipboards and whiteboards. Not his favorite task, but he did it. Below are some pictures of my room (before and after of my few hours of work).

Before

After

 

 Before

  

                 After

Not sure if you can tell from the pictures, but this year I am going to have three tables with different types of seating. I am hoping to allow for student choice with this, but not sure yet if first graders will be able to appropriate select their seats. Time will tell. One table will have regular chairs, on will have stools (some regular stools and some woobly stools), and then a table lowered so students can sit on cushions.  I am hoping this will help to keep kids engaged and stay focused.

I will post more pictures of my classroom once it looks a little less like a bunch of piles of stuff. 

For now, I will leave you with this Kid President video. Now please remember he is a kid so some of the things are rather silly, but number 4 and 1 are my favorites. 

One more thing! Here is the link to my Amazon wishlist for my classroom.  https://amzn.com/w/3HUMBSO67XGSY

Just in case anyone wants to help out my classroom. 

~Erica

I think I have been in denial.

So yesterday I went to my classroom and realized I have a TON of work to do before it will be ready for students. Now I know I still have time, but I have a feeling I will need to be there at least once a week if not more in order to be ready and that's just the time needed to organize the space the way that I want it. I still have some things to buy as well (like black sheets for the bulletin boards). I will post pictures once my room is a little more presentable, right now there are lots of piles. 

I have been in denial about having to switch grades again. It's a bummer when I look at all the TPT stuff I bought last year for second grade and now I get to buy more stuff this year for first grade. I am sure I will love my first grade students, but I don't really love the idea of learning a whole different grade level again. Oh well I guess the magic student fairy didn't bring more second graders to our school so first grade here I come. Now to go TPT shopping for first grade stuff. 

~Erica