Okay, this is my first post. Just wanted to get things rolling. I've been sitting here during Thanksgiving Break coming up with some new activities that will reinforce the lessons for the next few weeks. When that got exhausting, I started surfing the net.
Maybe it's just the freshness of being a new teacher, but I like to keep my students guessing. I encourage them to step outside the norm by doing something they are not expecting. Like taking a "trip" through history instead of just reading about it (boring). Sorry, if it bores me, it's probably going to bore the students.
Of course, I work for a private school, so I have a little more freedom with what I can do. Not that I am belittling those of you who work for a public school...you guys do an awesome job and have so much to deal with. Most of you though only teach 1 grade. I teach 1-5th grade, though, not at the same time. The other teacher and I have split the subjects we teach. That's the beauty of working in a small school I guess, but then, I don't really have any experience anywhere else besides the time I spent working in an afterschool program in one public Elementary School.
I'm sure some of you who are seasoned are probably thinking "ya, he's a new teacher, he'll lose the passion eventually and not be so excited." I certainly hope that doesn't happen. But, submit to you my 1st year. Perhaps by the end my attitude may change, but maybe not. A smile is contagious and it's amazing how just smiling at a child can brighten their whole day.
God Bless!