Y'all. I LOVE it when people ask me what I do. Because I love my answer-I'm a kindergarten teacher. It's so much more than simply loving what I do. I get to wake up every single day and know that I'm doing exactly what I was created to do. A stressful morning last week had me wishing that the day would just be over already. And, we've all been there. I overslept about two hours (thank goodness I planned to get to school ridiculously early), was almost late, and spent the rest of the day flustered and feeling unprepared. These days are going to happen. But, I got to take comfort in the fact that, as a first year teacher, I was more than halfway through the first quarter of school before I had one of these days. I got to take a moment to praise God for anointing this journey and placing me in a school where I'm literally excited to be there everyday. That doesn't necessarily mean that every day is a good day. I'm still figuring out what I'm doing. Just like my kids, I'm learning and growing. But, I'm loving it!
Urgent- compelling or requiring immediate action or attention; imperative; pressing (according to dictionary.com).
At QCES, we operate with a sense of urgency to ensure that all students read, write, and problem solve at or above grade level and to promote lives of joy and opportunity. The achievement of my students requires immediate action and attention. It is imperative that my students read, write, and problem solve at or above grade level so that they can live lives of joy and opportunity.
We have a sort of chant that we say every morning in my classroom:
I am somebody.
I was somebody when I came.
I'll be a better somebody when I leave.
I am powerful and I am strong.
I deserve the education I get here.
I have things to do, people to impress, and places to go.
My kids embracing this idea, being invested in their own education and achievement is imperative. Them believing this and living it out is absolutely pressing!
And this huge idea of urgency has been weighing on me lately as I think about how fast time is flying. It literally feels like just yesterday I was setting up my classroom, hanging empty trackers on the walls, preparing for my students to arrive. And here we are, more than a month into school already! I was staring to get a bit paranoid- are we wasting too much time getting in line, getting to the carpet, going to the restroom, etc? What have my kids learned? Are they any closer to being ready for first grade than they were on August 18th? I only have these 180 days with them. And I can only directly affect what happens from 8:00am-3:10pm. It's a scary thought. May will be here before we know it. Every single second counts!
It can be easy to get bogged down by this paranoia. Sometimes we can spend too much time thinking about the big picture. Of course, the big picture is vital to our success. We need to have a vision, we need big goals so that we know where we're going. And, just as important, we need to constantly remind ourselves of that vision, we need to keep those big goals in front of us. However, it's also vital that we identify and celebrate the achievement of the small, day-to-day things we have to do to fulfill that vision and achieve those big goals. I was so encouraged as I updated my class trackers this week (see them below). Have we met our goals? Of course not- it's September. But, we've taken some of the steps necessary to get there. So yes- we have a long way to go. But, I'm going to take a moment and celebrate the strides we've made so far this school year.
Celebrate my Brilliant Babies with me!
Urgent- compelling or requiring immediate action or attention; imperative; pressing (according to dictionary.com).
At QCES, we operate with a sense of urgency to ensure that all students read, write, and problem solve at or above grade level and to promote lives of joy and opportunity. The achievement of my students requires immediate action and attention. It is imperative that my students read, write, and problem solve at or above grade level so that they can live lives of joy and opportunity.
We have a sort of chant that we say every morning in my classroom:
I am somebody.
I was somebody when I came.
I'll be a better somebody when I leave.
I am powerful and I am strong.
I deserve the education I get here.
I have things to do, people to impress, and places to go.
My kids embracing this idea, being invested in their own education and achievement is imperative. Them believing this and living it out is absolutely pressing!
And this huge idea of urgency has been weighing on me lately as I think about how fast time is flying. It literally feels like just yesterday I was setting up my classroom, hanging empty trackers on the walls, preparing for my students to arrive. And here we are, more than a month into school already! I was staring to get a bit paranoid- are we wasting too much time getting in line, getting to the carpet, going to the restroom, etc? What have my kids learned? Are they any closer to being ready for first grade than they were on August 18th? I only have these 180 days with them. And I can only directly affect what happens from 8:00am-3:10pm. It's a scary thought. May will be here before we know it. Every single second counts!
It can be easy to get bogged down by this paranoia. Sometimes we can spend too much time thinking about the big picture. Of course, the big picture is vital to our success. We need to have a vision, we need big goals so that we know where we're going. And, just as important, we need to constantly remind ourselves of that vision, we need to keep those big goals in front of us. However, it's also vital that we identify and celebrate the achievement of the small, day-to-day things we have to do to fulfill that vision and achieve those big goals. I was so encouraged as I updated my class trackers this week (see them below). Have we met our goals? Of course not- it's September. But, we've taken some of the steps necessary to get there. So yes- we have a long way to go. But, I'm going to take a moment and celebrate the strides we've made so far this school year.
Thank God for his continued strength and energy. And a special praise tonight for His encouragement.
You keep the mind that is dependent on You in perfect peace, for it is trusting in you. ~Isaiah 26:3
Celebrate my Brilliant Babies with me!
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| Our Math Tracker- Far left column is "Brilliant Bugs that are working hard toward our goal." Middle column is "Brilliant Bugs that are super close to our goal." Far right column is "Brilliant Bugs that have met/passed our goal." Math Goal: 80% or higher on all tests. |
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| Our Sight Word Tracker- once students learn a group of words, they get to color the corresponding flower/bug. Sight Word Goal: 200 words. |
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| Our Reading Tracker- with each unit passed, a petal is added to the flower. Reading Goal: Unit 14, which creates a full flower. Students are pushed to go beyond Unit 14 and add a second row of petals in a different color. (I'm kind of obsessed with this tracker- it's so fun!) |
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