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I was sitting with my kindergartner today doing a project and I was just struck at how cool her teacher is. And not only that, but how cool all the elementary school teachers have been.
I know there is a lot to complain about in the public school system in America. But, I think there is a lot of good stuff going on too.
Here's some examples:
Her classroom has walls covered with huge painted murals - scens from Where the Wild Things Are It's almost got a magical feeling to it. The teacher's desk is angled, not against the wall, but right among the students so she's accessible to them.
Tonight we read a story to Beary. Beary is a teddy bear who goes home each night with a different student. He has a bag, with his pajamas and his journal, and you dress him in his pajamas, read him a story, and then in the journal you write down what you read to him, whether or not Beary liked the story ,and draw a picture from the story.
There's a computer lab they go to, where they work on the Writing to Read program. I thought Natalie was an early reader and a good one. Emily is even beating her older sister. Both my girls read well above grade level. Emily can read dozens of sight words, and sound out virtually anything.
Natalie (5th grade) today in her gifted class had a bartering day, they got to design a booth, create a product, and then go on trading missions with the other students. Natalie made chocolates. She did very well. This was incorporated with a study of ancient cultures.
I wish I were back in school. I think we should applaud the job teachers are doing these days, the news is not all bad. Anybody else have stories to share? Good ones?
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Well, if anyone remembers, CR was having a hard time in the beginning of his Kindergarten year. I was a little freaked out, and didn't know if I wanted to trust what the teacher was telling me (he'd always been in Pre-School and Daycare, so I was confused about why he should be so disruptive and sad in Kindergarten). I was worried that the school was trying to pigeon-hole him as a 'difficult' kid.
His teacher (and the rest of the staff) worked with CR, and he's like a different kid at school now (they say). His improvement is amazing.
I don't get to be in his class as much as I would like (despite a liberal workplace, I *do* work during the day while he is at school, and don't like to take time off unless he is sick or if there is a special program), but I got to be there for his birthday, and it was amazing and beautiful to watch these women (teacher and teacher's assistant) with the kids. Not just my kid. They are loving and firm, and I want to be Mrs. Guris when I grow up. *grin* But with black painted fingernails and a collection of punk music. Hehe.
Anyway, I don't have any concrete anecdotes to relate (too late at night for me), but I wanted to echo Belle's happiness.
I'm glad for me, and CR, and Belle, and Belle's kiddos. Yay!
Posts: 1545 | Registered: May 2002
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My third teacher, Mrs. Bright, was great. She was a huge influence on my reading activities. She had a giant claw-footed bathtub in the back of her room full of pillows where we could read and be comfy.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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Our oldest begins Kindergarten this next school year. I am so excited for him. This is a whole new realm for him and us, and I am sure we will gain an appreciation for the wonderful people who teach him.
Posts: 7050 | Registered: Feb 2004
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quote:Tonight we read a story to Beary. Beary is a teddy bear who goes home each night with a different student. He has a bag, with his pajamas and his journal, and you dress him in his pajamas, read him a story, and then in the journal you write down what you read to him, whether or not Beary liked the story ,and draw a picture from the story.
My kid's class does this too. I must be a grouch or something...I think sharing stuffed animals is icky. I don't even want to think about the germs. *pulls a face*
Posts: 1676 | Registered: Jul 2000
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I agree that elementary teachers are amazing. I teach high school but I have the opportunity to go to the elementary school about three days a week to observe my students who are TA's.
They put so much time into preparing lessons and learning materials. One teacher that I've been working with has murals in her room also (large garden scene on one wall and a zoo on the other side), she writes songs to go with lessons and she has textbook perfect classroom management skills. She makes teaching look easy and fun. Of course it took her 20 years to get there.
I am constantly humbled by quality teachers and what they can accomplish. It gives me something to aspire towards.
(this, coming from me, the teacher who let her 5th period have a paper airplane fight today because their brains were fried from testing)
Posts: 862 | Registered: Oct 2003
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We had a teddy bear party in kindergarten... everyone brought their favorite teddy bear (or stuffed animal) in. Then, when we got back from lunch, all the animals had "miraculously" moved-- now they were playing cards, building blocks, etc. We had to find our teddy bear and talk about what they must have been doing while we were at lunch. It was really fun. We did a lot of stuff like that in elementary school. *Sigh* I wish high school was as fun.
Posts: 274 | Registered: Apr 2002
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In my first grade class, we had a pet iguana named Sparky...
In my second grade class, my teacher would whip out his guitar and play and sing for us in class...
In my third grade class, we had four pet guinea pigs in the class, and my teacher constantly thought up all these fun projects...
After that, I moved to England (those of you who live there, ignore this next bit) and all the fun ended. Posts: 7877 | Registered: Feb 2003
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I learned from my one of my elementary teachers that it is so important to recognize when your students just need to relax...especially after a day of inane testing -- she used to let us have paper airplane fights too Posts: 862 | Registered: Oct 2003
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![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
,and draw a picture from the story.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I think we should applaud the job teachers are doing these days, the news is not all bad. 
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