Biographies!

I found some really good ideas to use with our Biographies unit. This should be fun for the class. Right now they are in the process of reading their biography choices and then we will begin our project. I think I may change it up a bit for them and make it a bit more interesting and fun! I also found some activities to go with a book called Mary on Horseback by Rosemary Wells. It will go well with the Kentucky Appalachia theme that surrounds our district and it's students. I will have to go to the library and get this book to use as a read aloud but I will try to purchase some copies to have for future use.

Another idea I found was to make a "mystery person" poster. I think the kids would really like to do this one. I may have them to do this with their biography choice.

I love looking up ideas and trying to think of creative ways to make learning better and more exciting for the class. I will try to post examples of their work when we get them completed this week. If you have any ideas feel free to post!!!

Thoughts!

This is the first time I have ever thought about blogging! I guess it is the coming of age for older folks like me. I never thought about putting my thoughts out there for ALL to see. But if this helps other teachers new and experienced then I have done a small part. I am struggling with the idea of moving to 3rd grade next year. Not because of the grade material but because of several other factors. I have taught third grade before, for one year, before the principal moved me to second. I loved that year. The kids were ones I had as first graders so I knew some of them well. But now...there is this thing called OAT (Ohio Achievement Test) that hangs over every teacher from 3rd grade on...how dreadful. I am scared to death to have that hanging there. What if my scores stink....will I lose my job....will I be branded a "bad" teacher...all valid questions in this day and age. Other factors include working with others I haven't worked with before, personality differences, philosophy differences, age differences. All of these things plague my thoughts. I talk with this people occasionally but I LOVE the people I currently teach with, they are some of my closest friends and ones I trust with my thoughts and opinions. These others I know that won't happen and on top of all of this is the almost positive fact that I will only be at this grade for one year again. I am in this position because the district eliminated my classroom because of "low" enrollment. They have added a third and a first. After next year, it is possible they will move me back to second. I don't want to be on this roller coaster between grades for an unknown time frame. I guess I need to not look beyond and borrow trouble as my grandmother used to say. I will begin to look at the curriculum so I am not behind right at the beginning as I have felt for a few years now. If anyone out there has thoughts, please share them even if you have never been in this position.