Why I Teach

This time of year I believe is all about reflection. What did we do that worked? What could I have done better? I am one of those people who starts planning over the summer for the next group and these things are important, I believe, for me to consider.

In a lot of ways it's a scary time for education right now. If you follow it politically, there could be a lot of changes coming depending on how elections go. If you watch your local news you will see all the horrible things teachers are doing these days.Not to mention how the standards we need to reach just keep climbing higher and higher-do you know that by November in Kinder our students are expected to identify the value of money and use punctuation/capitalization!!! November report cards!!

 So why continue to teach?

For me, it's things like this:

beginning of 1st Grade

last month

This is the same kid beginning of the year to the end. He used to write in all capital letters, much more invented spelling. That is progress!

Beginning of 1st Grade

May

And that's just writing! I've had fluency jumps from a frustrational level to 40 wpm (I know that our goal is 60 by the end of 1st Grade, but I still think that's huge progress). Many of my kids went from about 40 to 90 or beyond-especially the GT ones. I have some reading 120 wpm now.

We had our Field Day on Friday and our class did really well-do you know why I think that is? We didn't practice the skills, we didn't have a lot of athletes, and we certainly didn't cheat as others would contend! We do a lot of cooperative group and classroom community activities together. We are used to working together-cheering each other on.

I think it's so rewarding to see the growth they make. Others may not see it because you can't measure it with a standardized test and you're not in the class every day to see the metamorphosis-but I am and I do. And that's one of the many reasons I hope I have the opportunity to ALWAYS be a teacher! :)

This is totally me: