10 Things I've Learned from Teaching




1. Create an Ouch Pouch.  Unless it's a gusher, kids realize they really DON'T want to write about their ouch before receiving a band-aid. FYI, They don't have to ask, they just write and receive!

2. Tell kids what you think you might forget.  They WILL remind you at least 100 times before the end of the day!

3. On the flip side, DON'T inform the kiddos about the things you CAN'T follow through with.  They WILL remind you at least 100 times each day of the week until the end of the school year!

4. Rubrics Change Everything!  Embrace, Create, and Teach THEM. Results will follow!!!

5. Learn the Flamingo when wearing open toed shoes.  It will save you from having your metatarsals from being smashed!  Bless our kidlets little loving hearts! 

6. Students will cut, poke, tear, or misplace their eraser.  I  now cut the pink erasers in half at the start of the school year.

7. Allow students to take ownership of their learning and make decisions on what or how they learn.  The rewards will exceed your expectations. 

8.  Hand a student a camera or video recorder and allow your students to capture their classroom from their perspective.  It will teach you a thing or two and GUARANTEE a GIGGLE.

9. Art is soothing to ALL.  Add more projects to your curriculum. 

10. Anticipate 20 minutes but Plan for 30!!  Murphy's Law...

Experience is not what happens to a man, it is what a man does with what happens to him.  ~Aldous Leonar

7 comments:

Jena Snowden said...

#2 and #9... So true, so true. I love it!

Jena
1st Grade with Miss Snowden

The Schroeder Page said...

The eraser idea rocks! I am totally cutting today!
Monica
www,theachroederpage.com

Mrs. Randall said...

I have embraced # 9 this year and my kids and I love it! It gives my 3rd graders a creative outlet after major projects. The ouch pouch sounds like a good idea to help cut down on the amount of kids "needing" bandaids when they don't need bandaids!

Kelley-3rd
http://randalllearninglibrary.blogspot.com/

Jennifer said...

Tell me more about the Ouch Pouch!
http://rowdyinfirstgrade.blogspot.com/

Cassie Thompson said...

I love #10!! As a first year teacher I am definitely learning this quickly! Great list :)

Mrs. Thompson
Adventures in Teaching

Mrs. Scoma said...

OMG... #2! I forget something EVERY day it seems! I've definitely learned to ask my kiddos to "freeze please" while I tell them a completely random thing, b/c if I don't do it then, it won't get done!

~Laura
www.firstgradeFUNdamentals.blogspot.com

Mrs. Berg said...

I totally do #2 ALL the time. If I have a student who is changing their form of transportation, I make sure the rest of the class knows because they WILL remind them at the end of the day. It sure beats them missing their bus =)
First Grade School Box