The Giving Tree That Keeps on Giving

Wow! I've been waiting to share this experience until it was all wrapped up so that I would be able to express every single emotion that came with it. Before I tell you about the best part, I want to fill you in on what lead 50:1 is, and how this was all possible. Lead 50:1 is in its third year among Teach for America corps members and community members. These are young children in middle school and high school that are wanting to volunteer their time in service. A few chosen corps members have a scheduled month where they create a service project for these wonderful children to give back to their community. How lucky was I to be apart of this? I still am in a little bit of shock. 

I stress the importance of kindness and giving in my classroom, and it's only right that I am living what I preach. For my project, I did not want it to benefit MY classroom or ME. I wanted everything to be for my kids, the true rock stars. I decided to go with a theme (everything always has to be in theme form for me) of giving. My class studied the book, The Giving Tree. When I was a kid, this was always one of my favorite books, so I guess things are starting to go full circle. We first studied the word give and created our own definition of what it meant and talked about how it made us feel. My kids summed it up way better than I could have, so here you have it in true seven year old fashion:

"Giving makes your heart feel so big."

"When you give, it makes you feel good."

"Giving means to get rid of things that you don't need anymore, like baby toys, and giving them to someone else."

"You can give hugs, love, and friendship."

"Giving makes you feel like a hero." (My all time favorite)

After this, we talked about the relationship of the tree and the boy. My kids went so deep with this, it was unexpected. I had a few students that were REALLY upset. They had time to talk to each other about what they thought of the book:

"All that boy does is want, want, want and gives nothing to the tree. I don't like that mean boy."

"The tree loves the boy so much."

"The boy is so greedy."

Finally, we talked about how we could give. We talked about how giving means more when you don't buy it. Even though were seven, we have so much to give. They came up with so many ideas: 

Extra food

Hugs

Love

Smiles

High fives

Art projects 

Friendship

Old toys and clothes

We then invited community members into our classroom and "gave" to them by making them bracelets. We learned about how we can make something and even though we want it, it feels so good to give it away. While they were busy making bracelets, the community members and kids had brought in clothes, blankets, shoes, toys, and so much more for the kids. In my initial request, I had mentioned that my goal was for everyone to provide used items that they cannot use, but can make my kids so happy. The idea was to teach everyone the cycle of giving, which ultimately is happiness. Let's just say, the community blew me away. When I walked into the room, it brought me to tears, literally. I can't really express every reason that I was crying. Part of the reason was because I love them with every ounce of my heart, another reason is because of their situations, and finally, because I imagined their grateful faces in their new clothes to keep them warm this winter.

Today was the big reveal, right before our thanksgiving break. I sat them down and talked about giving one last time. They discussed how it made us feel as people, and how important it is. One boy said that this thanksgiving, he wanted to wrap up his old toys and hand them out at his trailer park. Gosh, where does he come from? I did a lesson where I told them how when you love someone, sometimes you want to give them something (just like the tree), and I gave away a stuffed animal to my student. This student said they felt really good, but the lesson continued and they had to give it away. After he didn't have it anymore, he said "I feel good that I gave it away." 

To wrap up the lesson, of course I surprised them with bags that were bigger than them. I was in pure amazement. It's so incredible how your clothes that sit in your basement or closet and bring you no joy, can make someone else the happiest person in the world. Thanks to amazing people, my kids will be cuddling up with a warm fleece blanket this winter. They were at recess with new jackets and tennis shoes and their smiles were unreal. They weren't greedy, and could not find anything negative in the situation, even one girl whose shoes were 4 sizes too big- yes she still wore them to recess. 

They said it was the best day ever, and I hope it is one that they don't forget. I don't want them to remember it as the day they got presents, but the day that they learned how giving leads to receiving and complete strangers love and care about them. For the parents, I left a note inside to explain why I am thankful for their child and how they inspire me. I also wrote that sometimes unexpected situations happen and they cannot be explained, but I would love for them to accept this act of giving, and continue the cycle when their child outgrows it.

This whole day and service project opened my eyes to the meaning behind what I do. While I love being a teacher, what I love more is loving these children. I didn't have expectations of being a teacher, but I had big goals of loving students with all of my heart, however that needed to happen. I know that this experience happened for a reason and I am in Phoenix because that is where my heart belongs.

We have a saying in our class that we repeat, and it's one of our expectations for being positive people. A lightbulb turned on in my students head when he came up to me and said "Miss Abney, now I really do have everything I need." 

With that- we ended the day with our saying, "We might not have everything that we want, but together, we have everything that we need."

College Discussions

Q: In your blog this week, talk about your current strengths, weaknesses, and hopes for the future.

A: I cannot believe the program is coming to an end! I have learned so much about how to be a teacher and how to be MYSELF in the classroom. Looking back, that is the biggest thing I have learned, was how to bring my skills into the classroom, rather than mold myself into something that I am not. We are able to have so much fun in class everyday, and my students and I all bring a different personality into the room. I am still working on my time management, and every day I learn something new that I want to implement. There is just never enough time. As for my future plans, right now I am focusing on my students so that the future doesn't interfere with the now! :)


Q: What types of teaching strategies have you utilized with you ELL student? Of the strategies discussed, which one(s) do you think will implement in the future?

A: I love using pictures and kinesthetic movement with my students! Especially when learning a new vocabulary word, it is so amazing to see how much information they retain when they use their bodies! We sing many songs, have many hand motions, and make sure we are moving. At the same time, we always relate new words to our own lives and draw pictures of them. It is so helpful in remembering what the word means, and putting it into context!




Q: What is your most stressful part of the IEP for you to deal with or work on?

Do you have someone on your campus that you can go to for assistance and support in writing the IEP?

A:  I do not have an IEP this year, but went through the testing last year in which a child was identified. While I did not have to look at an IEP, I had to work with others and research methods to best teach my student. The hardest part was feeling as if I wasn't being "fair" and the "fair isn't always equal" idea. This was as big of a lesson for me as it  was the kids and understanding that their consequences may look different than his because his behavior was based upon a 30-minute time schedule, while there's was in larger increments. It took many discussions as a class to understand this. Also, having to restrain in front of my class was at times difficult because they saw me as a calm teacher, and then also saw me having to restrain angry students. I always had to make sure they were never frightened and understand what I needed to do (stop the lesson, restrain, etc) to make sure that they were safe and the student was not hurting himself.



Q: What is something you want to change about your classroom management?
Be specific and use specific example(s) for this change.

A: I honestly love the way my kids interact with each other. For my management, at this time in the year, my kids have taken ownership and run the classroom without me (in a good way). I definitely have to step in at times due to children wanting TOO much ownership. They sometimes feel that they have the authority to tell someone that they are not being respectful if they choose to break a rule, and that's something that I cannot allow. If I had to change something, it would be our school wide system because I feel that sometimes it can take away from education. Also, if they are in trouble at recess, it is something that I NEVER deal with. This can have its benefits, because I was not there and did not see it, but often times they come back after a big fight and I am not sure how it was handled. I never want inconsistency in their development.


Q: Did you receive training regarding children with Emotional Disturbance? How was it helpful or not? Does your school have an “Emergency Team” for a student with Emotional Disabilities?

A: I went to school for human services, with a minor in psychology and loved studying children and the brain. Prior to graduating, my final internship was as a guidance counselor. Working with the students one on one was the best experience I could have receive. This prepared me more than anything to know how I would react in certain situations, and how I provide an equal education to all students. After having a student in my class with an emotional disturbance, I fell in love with everything about it and wanted to specialize in this! There is a CPI team at my school and we are able to rush to classrooms in emergencies to restrain a child if absolutely necessary. It is so important!






Q: After participating in the webinar about Common Core Standards, what are your concerns? What ah-ha did you have about CCS?  What will you continue to do or do differently to ensure that you are teaching to the CCS?

A: After participating in the webinar, I was definitely thinking about my classroom and the changes that I made this year. I taught common core in my classroom last year, so I am familiar with the standards and strategies. The big difference this year is the way that we are to incorporate reading, grammar, and writing together! That was my big ah-ha coming into this year. It was one of those "Why did I never think of that?" moments. It has definitely made all of the ideas flow more smoothly and help things feel less choppy. I love teaching the foundational skills and will continue to teach and review those throughout every lesson that I have (syllables, rhyming, decoding, etc.). These are so important to make sure that they are becoming fluent readers and can demonstrate the other standards independently.

Q: Have you had to go to your school counselor to
assist in a situation? What was your experience in working with
the counselor? Were you able to get the student or parent the
resources they needed? If you have not had an experience with
a school counselor, after hearing this webinar…what scares you
the most about the topics discussed? What thoughts did you
have reflecting on the content of this webinar?

A:

Unfortunately, we do not have a counselor at my school, which breaks my heart. I completed my internship as a guidance counselor in an affluent area in Indiana, and felt that the workload was so overwhelming because some many students benefited from the services. Coming here, I knew that I wanted to be a counselor to my students in the classroom. I think the biggest thing that scares me is that so many signs of neglect, hunger, etc. go unnoticed because we are so busy as teachers. I think it is so crucial to have somewhere for the kids to go and someone for them to talk to in order to help them solve their daily problems and normalize their situations. Also, I noticed that a counselor is so beneficial for a parent and they need someone to talk to as well. Overall, reflecting on this webinar was refreshing because I am so passionate about the topic, but it was also disheartening to know that most students have cut this position.


Q: How can you incorporate the STEM concepts to a particular
project or lesson plan in your classroom (or a classroom you’ve
been in)?

A: With being a huge fan of science, I try to always incorporate STEM concepts into every ELA lesson. This week, our ELA focus is on non-fiction text. I have decided to focus the unit on earthquakes. For their grammar, we are describing the Earth, it's layers, and earthquakes by using adjectives and playing hot potato with a globe. Friday, they will be creating a blueprint as a writing sample with a group. This blueprint must explain a sturdy building that can survive an earthquake. After they explain the earthquake, they will be creating the building/structure with marshmallows and toothpicks, voting on the structure they predict will stay standing, and we will have an earthquake simulation.

Q: What types of teaching strategies have you utilized with you ELL
student? Of the strategies discussed, which one(s) do you think will
implement in the future?

A: We focus so much on their language and adding a new vocabulary word every day. I give them the opportunities to decide what the word means before I tell them. This way, they are digging into their background knowledge and I have an understanding of where they are at. I use the 7-step model where they then relate it to their lives in a sentence. I also use many pictures and songs as well as realia to help them remember. I try to make every lesson very hands-on for them! Less worksheets, more activities!

Q: How will you address classroom management in the final weeks of school? Will you change anything? What kind of positive incentive plan will you implement in your classroom? How will you communicate it to students and parents?

A: Being the final weeks of the last semester, they biggest thing I am working on is consistency. Especially during this time of year, I think it is easy to let the distraction of the holidays get in the way and allow the kids time to "break." While we are going to celebrate and do exciting Christmas activities, it is important to remind them of the expectations in the classroom. As soon as a teacher allows for the opportunity for children to "slack off," the expectations are lowered. As for positive incentives, we are still doing the same things, nothing different. We earn time together by mastering our math facts and filling up our box of "kind gestures." This way, the motivation is intrinsic and can carry on outside the classroom.

Thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

Thankful: Aware and appreciative of a benefit. This definition describes exactly how I feel about my students and you, for your unending support. Before I introduce you to myself and my amazing students, I want you to know how important your role is in Teach for America. By supporting me in my journey, you are graciously supporting twenty-seven young children who deserve the world. Together, we can lift these children up and help them discover their potential, which I’ve learned is an incredible experience.

My name is Jacey and this is my second year as a Teach for America corps member. I was born and raised in Indiana, and am appreciating that more and more each day. I was also born a Boilermaker, and knew from a young age that I would attend Purdue University. While I left a little bit of my heart there (okay, a lot of my heart), I am happy to cheer on the Boilers from the valley. I graduated with a degree in human services and completed my final internship as an elementary school guidance counselor. The day that I said goodbye to all of my students in Indiana, tears rolling down my face, I knew that I needed and desired to work with children every day of my life. This was when I decided that Teach for America was perfect for me.

I was placed in Phoenix, Arizona at Brunson-Lee Elementary School. Last year, I taught the most amazing first graders, and this year, I have the privilege of teaching a class of first and second graders. This dynamic has opened my eyes to so many things and has allowed me to truly experience the achievement gap first hand. I have ten second graders who are at or below a kindergarten level. Many cannot count to twenty, and I am teaching them their letter sounds every day. My goal for this year is that every second grader will leave my classroom being a confident and proud reader. After meeting with their parents, I have learned that many of these students were previously told that they weren’t smart enough, or would “always struggle.” I do not believe that, and I never will believe that. While their hearts are enormous, their potential is even larger. I refuse to give up on them, and cannot wait to see the smile on their face when they discover all that they are worth.

I cannot express how excited I am for you to be a part of this experience and knew that I owed a big thank you to all of you who support me. Whether it is my reading my blog, sending letters, saying prayers, sending love, or helping out in my classroom, I couldn't do this without you. My student recently decoded a three letter world, and I have never seen a smile so big. He looked at me and said, “Miss Abney, I’m reading.” While I held back tears, I smiled back and said “I knew you could.” This is an experience that I hope continues each and every day, and am confident that it will. I strongly believe that all these children need is someone who cares. Lucky for them, they now have you, also. Thank you so much for supporting me in this adventure. It will be exhausting, rewarding, and incredible all at the same time. Words cannot express my gratitude. My students deserve the world, and together we can help them discover all of the beauty that surrounds them.

Unending Thanks,

Jace

Update!

it's finally time for me to update my blog! first, I apologize for my lack of updates. lately, i have been strictly using this blog for my schooling and the posts have truly been lacking any excitement or passion. but im ready to pour out my passion and love and update you on this crazy roller coaster ride.

warning: this is going to be lengthy so prepare yourself!

There is so much that I want to tell you about this experience. I am officially a first grade teacher. I know i have been a first grade teacher since July, but I am finally FEELING like a first grade teacher and feel confident in my role. I was on a run the other day and 3-D shapes started playing from my iPod, yes this is real.

I have been given so many opportunities here that have both excited me and confused me. When I look back on a year ago to when I was leaving my lovely home in Indiana, this was nothing like the picture I painted in my head. I will be honest, I left everything. I left a wonderful neighborhood, my perfect family, supportive friends, a boyfriend that I loved, a sick grandpa, job opportunities, and a nephew that I was afraid would forget me. I didn't know how much I had until I was miles away from it and I would be completely lying if I said that it wasn't tough. I think that I have completely changed as a person. I don't think I ever realized how selfish I was until I met my students. I am sure it compares to being a parent. When I was in college, every thought seemed to be centered around one thing: me. Will I pass the test? What class should I take? Should I go out tonight or study? Where should I apply for jobs? What should I eat for lunch? Now, everything revolves around my 26 wonders. Would they like this lesson? Are they okay? How can I make them happy? Do they understand? This is my new train of thought, and I am so satisfied with that. However, day in and day out and I constantly struggling with this idea of privilege.

I feel like I am so stuck with figuring out how to run away from all of this privilege that I have been given. The crazy thing about this word is that everyone has it! Everyone is privileged in one way shape or form, because everyone is different and everyone has something to offer. But I am having a hard time figuring out why God chose to give me so much. I feel like he is challenging me to give it all away- and I don't know that I have found out how to do that. My biggest regret that I have had this year is not immersing myself more in my children's culture. I dislike the fact that my kids walk to school completely hungry and I don't. I can't stand the fact that when the bell rings at 3, they are gone back to their lives and I drive home in a new car to a different zip code. I go home to make a healthy meal with organic foods, take a warm shower, and fall asleep on a bed. They go home to a house the size of my room, with no air conditioning, often no lights, no showers, no dinner, and bed bugs on the floor which doubles as their "bed." I promise you that I am grateful for all that I have, but the fact is, I don't need it. I go home to all of these things that really aren't needs at all. The funny thing is, I am so in my element with them. I LOVE walking my kids home from school. When their parents forget them, I get to walk them home and the kids and I both love it! As I walk through their neighborhoods, I smile and wave at the community that I love. I feel so safe there and know that they would always protect me. I have one little boy that I have walked home more than once, and I have been noticing he secretly tries to get left behind so that we can walk together again. Truthfully, I don't mind. I don't like when they have to go home, and neither do they. It is spring break this week and my children were almost in tears leaving Friday afternoon. My sweet boy put his hands on his head and said "NO! I don't want to go to Spring Break because I will miss you so much." The feelings are mutual, I will be thinking about them always. My other young boy grabbed every worksheet he could find to make sure he had something to do. Not ONE of them is going on vacation like the spring breaks I had as a child and they were asking to please take a pencil home so that they could have one at home. They are truly amazing. They love education and are so appreciative of their lives. The world needs more of them.

With all of these thoughts, it's easy for you to see that I want to do more. I love being their teacher, but I feel that God is calling me to go beyond the classroom. My love for these children is beyond words. I would go to the end of the Earth for them. For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to help people. I know that God places everyone on this Earth as part of his master plan. I cannot wait to see what he allows me to do. Maybe he will take me farther, to a place where my students are seen as "rich" and where the people are grateful for each other and the grace of God, because they have nothing else. Maybe he will allow me to create an organization where students get to receive extra services, warm meals, character development, and employment help on the weekends to keep their learning going and provide them with a safety net. Because when I am on home visits or with them outside of school, that is when my passion is on fire! I don't know what this all means, but I know that everything in my life has led up to the now and at the end of it all, I hope to be standing before my God hearing "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

I told you this was going to be long, but there is a lot you need to know! So now an update on my kids! (The best part). I have written about my student with an emotional disability, one that cannot control his anger. It is so crazy to think about him in July. This child would destroy my room daily. Taking down my posters and ripping them to shreds. I remember his kindergarten teacher telling me that she could never have push pins in his reach. She told me this after he pulled one from my wall and stabbed a girl's behind. I remember standing in front of the class each day and writing on the board while he would erase everything I wrote. Did I ever get frustrated? Yes. Not for my sake, but for my other children. But something about this child excited me. I saw an opportunity, and you bet I was going to run with it. This child is my story. We have a mutual love and respect for each other that is undying. When he is himself, he is constantly showering me with love and appreciation. He writes me letters saying "you are so good for me." We ate lunch together while he chatted with me about how he used to be "so bad" in Kindergarten, but he doesn't do that anymore. He is so mature, so loving, and has this need to help others around him.

My other story is a young boy that God laid on my heart. My little boy in my class who came to me with his family on meet the teacher night with the largest smile in the world! Two months later, his world was flipped upside down. He was removed from his home and placed in foster care with a family that speaks Spanish. FYI, this boy does not speak spanish. He was no longer with his biggest fan, his mother. And his little brother was miles away. His behavior began to change immediately. I will never forget the day that he was yelling at me in my face, to the point where I was almost in tears. It was so hard for me to let him react, but I knew in my heart that I was the only stable person for him and he needed to let out his anger somehow. I was so scared that he misunderstood my love for him. He was so confused! When I had to call his foster mom to take him home after a day of misbehavior, he starting screaming and crying "ALL OF THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT. I WILL GO TO A NEW HOME AND IT WILL BE ALL BECAUSE OF YOU!" I hurt for him and stood there, silent, letting him try to face his emotions. He would talk to me about his situation and say, "I pray every night Miss Abney. I pray that my mom will learn to be a better mom." or "When I get mad, I know I can pray." These motivated me so much to show him my unconditional love for him, no matter what. I'm happy to say that our love is mutual and understood. He has made an incredible turn around and amazes me with his coping mechanisms. He is lactose intolerant so I decided to bring him some chocolate almond milk (one of my favorites) to school for our cookies and milk party. He looked at me, feeling so special and happy, and said "Miss Abney, we are so much alike. One day could you pick me up and we can go hiking and drink almond milk?" I was on cloud nine. I spoke with his real mom yesterday, and she said that he already can't wait for next monday when we are back at school.

Those are my two turn-around stories, the ones that every teacher has. However, all of my kids are my stories. I see this amazing potential in them, and qualities that will leave a legacy. We are focusing on what it means to be kind to others in the world, learning that our hearts can hurt because of other people's choices, which is so powerful, but so simple to avoid. We also talk about being positive and never using our energy on negative things. Both play a domino effect and if we choose to stop negativity then everyone around us benefits. We call them "no negative people" in our class, and strive to be that person. 

I have one young girl who is always so positive and goes out of her way for everyone. She never wants anyone to hurt, and will make sure that everyone truly feels happy. She is going to be a teacher, I know it. And she is going to work so hard for her students, until she is physically exhausted. 

I have one young girl who is an artist! When you give her paper and a pencil, she will create a masterpiece, but only if she is passionate about it. She is creating me at home, let's see how it turns out. :)

I have a boy who is so happy all the time and wants everyone to follow the rules. He always walks in late and explains his situation with a smile. "Hey guys! Sorry I'm late! My power went out again!" I'm not kidding, he says this while smiling and toothpaste down his face and shirt. He will be voted Mr. Congeniality.

I have a young boy who has a genuine concern about everyone. He will help them any chance he gets, even if he doesn't know the right answer himself. He also has never eaten a salad... When he saw lettuce on the ground he said "Teacher! What is this?! We do not eat plants..." He was so confused.

I have a young boy who can create math problems in his head. He loves numbers! He will sit in front of the clock just to watch the time, or stand at the back of the line so that he can count students. He is extremely creative and will most likely create a roller coaster at Disney.

My whole class is so special and each and every one of them has an important spot in my heart. They are so kind, loving, and grateful. They literally will change the world. They already have changed my life, I can only imagine the impact they will make.

Lastly, I wanted to place a young girl in your heart. This is a 6th grade girl that was on my soccer team. Not only is she an outstanding soccer player, but she is one of the most inspiration people I have ever met. Remember my young boy who is in foster care, this is his older sister. If you can think about the situation she was placed in, she now has the responsibility of raising her six year old brother. There were mornings she would come to my room and just cry. "I need help. I can't do this. I don't know what to do." I hurt for her, but secretly knew that if anyone could do it, it was her. She knows how to remain so positive when her world is flipped upside down, something that most people could not do. She invited me to a  Mother's Day Brunch at her church yesterday. I sat at the table of all of the important women in her life. I was beaming and felt so honored to be sitting in her presence. Last minute, she decided to sing a song acapella for the audience. As she stood up there shaking, the lyrics surrounded my heart and head. She sang "No Matter What" which was about how even in the hardest situations, God is there no matter what. Even when everything felt so broken, she wasn't alone. I had goosebumps and was reminded of how powerful faith can be.

For those of you who read to the end, thank you for following along on my journey. I know that I cannot change where my student's live or what they go home to at night. I know that I am not able to change this world, but I know that I can change one person, and it will be a ripple effect. The power of love is unstoppable.

All my love and hope,

Miss Abney

Poverty

Have you been impacted by poverty? Personally? Professionally? How can you, personally, make a difference in the life of a  child who lives in poverty? What would you want others to understand about the impact of poverty on children and learning?


As a professional, I am impacted by poverty each and every day. From the moment I walk outside to greet my children, until the bell rings at the end of the day. They are constantly telling me stories that remind me of their struggles. However, they are never telling me these stories out of pity, and most of the time, they are still smiling. The other morning, my student came to school with toothpaste down his face and shirt. He walked in and immediately wanted to explain. He said he was so sorry, but he couldn't see in the dark, and their lights are turned off. Another boy chimed in and said that's okay, they don't have the money for toothpaste, so he cannot brush his teeth right now. My heart was warmed at the fact that the little boy wasn't ashamed, however he wanted to be open and honest with the reasoning for his shirt. I love when they relate to each other with so much understanding and it is so easy to see how much they care about each other.

I used this to make a difference in their lives. I know how important it is to have clean teeth. When student's have a tooth ache, they cannot learn. A sore mouth is SUCH a distraction. Also, an infection is very painful and can lead to further issues. It hit me that brushing my teeth multiple times a day is SUCH a privilege. This was a privilege that my children deserved. With that being said, my mother helped provide them all with toothbrushes at home, and toothbrushes at school. Every Monday, students are able to brush their teeth at school as a reward, and it is one of their favorite days!

What you need to understand is that you can't change if they have electricity at home. You cannot change that they do not have adequate transportation or bed bugs, but you can go deeper and figure out what that means. They don't have a car? Help them with a bus pass, reusable grocery bags, comfortable shoes. Sometimes you have to think about the bigger picture and what the lack of resources mean for them.


All my love,

Jacey

ELL Strategies

What ELL strategies will you implement in your classroom and what outcomes do you think it will have?

After the ELL strategies presentation, I felt like there were so many things I wanted to implement. There were 2 imparticular that really stuck out to me! The first one was the personal dictionaries. We spend a lot of time on vocabulary with the 7-step lesson plan and I fully believe that it works wonders. I would love to add to this and make a personal dictionary center for their writing center to write their own definition, create their own picture, and solidify this definition by creating sentences or a story with this word. They LOVE reading dictionaries and I think they would really love this. They take pride in their creations. :) Also, I want to focus on the positive reinforcement and making sure that it is so clear everytime I am reinforcing anything. I have made it a goal to even reinforce my students for being human, "Thank you for the big smile or thank you for sitting." I want to really focus on making every positive reinforcement count so that they can also notice the benefits that it has.

Professionalism

Q: Have you witnessed staff acting in an unprofessional manner? If so, what can you do to avoid these pitfalls?


A: I would not say that I have witnessed staff acting unprofessional. I am very fortunate to work with an AMAZING group of teachers. What I love most about our staff is that we are very close to one another and will help each other out. With that being said, I don't believe that anyone has the opportunity to be unprofessional because we would help each other out before that could happen. That is one of the benefits of having a small staff. It is very common for schools to witness gossiping between teachers, or what is called "teacher lounge talk." However, it is so easy to avoid. I think that the most important thing to remember in a school setting is to stay positive. There are many things that happen within a school setting that can have teachers hanging their heads. It only takes one person to keep the positivity up, and it only takes one person to tear that apart. It is important for teachers to be that positive energy, even after a tough day.