Sorry 'bout It

You know times in life where things happen and all you can say is, "really?". (no facial expression necessary).
My blog has started to grow cobwebs around it as I haven't been writing much lately.  My computer battery decided to take its one last breath of life and completely die on me, (while I was writing my resume for my LAST semester of college might I add), and I was not about to type out blog posts on my iPad! Hello, no thank you.
A couple hundred dollars later my computer is up and running again! Let's hope it stays this way.

So, what's happening in life lately?

• School, school and more school.  I love, love, love teaching my precious kindergarten babies.  Their bluntness just gets me! I am now teaching every subject and have taken over the entire day.  I love having some freedom to do my own thing in the classroom.  It gives me a glimpse as to what my future classroom will be like.  These last two months are going to fly by.  Between applying for jobs and grad school and working on my capstone project, I have a lot to focus on.  Any tips on applying for teaching jobs??

• My boyfriend is the sweetest guy around.  Not like I didn't already know this, but I've been reminded of this fact lately.  He can see my stresses of finishing school and how much work teachers actually have to do.  He always seems to turn my day right around if finishing up school is getting to be too overwhelming.  

• I've been crossing a few things off my fall bucket list, which as I'm typing now, I realize I haven't even shared that with y'all yet. Oops.  Sharing with you all soon!

• I recently got the iPhone 6 and am loving it so far! I had been sporting the iPhone 4 since that came out, so I thought it was time for an upgrade.

Life is happening fast, but I'm so loving it! Stay sweet, lovelies.

{Katie}

What's Been Going On in Pre-K?

Y'all, my preschoolers keep it real. Never do they hesitate to tell me that I'm having a crazy hair day, or that I look silly because I accidentally smeared marker all over my face, or that they love an activity I created.  Normally I love to just hear the last one, but hey, you win some, you lose some.

As I start to finish up head teaching, I reflect on how I want to improve.  I really reflect on not letting myself get too caught up in "this is what we have to do" and "this is how I have to teach it" and just LET THE LEARNING HAPPEN.


I wanted to share some of the activities and the "goings on" that have happened the past few weeks with my kiddos.  The child development lab where I'm student teaching currently focuses a lot on child-led learning and less teacher-led.  They also focus a lot on exploring and discovering and gross motor activities.

For literacy, I've read Hot Rod Hamster by Cynthia Lord
This was a great book for getting the children engaged in what they were reading.  The story goes through building a race car for a hamster and the hamster chooses what parts he wants to add to his car.  The kids loved picking out how they would have their car and making the noises their car would make (which, let me tell you, they can make a mean engine revving sound!) After we read the story, we went out into the hallway and had races with scooters.  Some kids raced, some said GO!, and some ran the stopwatch.  This activity was a huge hit!

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My kids have been loving to learn with boxes.  We've done everything from exploring boxes, making them into cars, boats, bobsleds (thank you winter olympics), and painting boxes.  We've watched the book on Youtube "Not A Box".  It shows how many different things you can make from a box.  We've had scooter races, planted flowers in boxes, made patterns with boxes, went around campus with the kids and collected boxes, and have even done a sink/float activity in the pool with boxes.  I'm telling you, there's nothing better than a box to play with.  This has definitely brought back the childhood mems.

The kiddos have LOVED (and that is even an understatement) the movie Frozen and they, of course, all know the Let It Go song AND the actions that Elsa does while singing.  I've also had to braid hair a countless number of times. Goodness.  I'm in love with the movie as much as the next, but I don't know how much longer I can stand to hear that song.  Between that and the Everything is Awesome song from the Lego movie, I'm losing it.

I can't believe I only have a month left with the little ones!

Any ideas you've done in your classroom that were a big hit??

{Katie}

What I've Learned Student Teaching (So Far)

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Ahhh spring break.  You were so good to me! Now, it's back to reality and reality was started by teaching my little ones first thing this morning! As much as I was not ready to go back to school, I was extremely happy to see their little faces.  I received lots of hugs and stories about their week long break.  Only one month of school left...where did the semester go?? I'm definitely counting down the days until school ends but as long as I'm still student teaching, I thought I'd share some of what I've learned (so far) this semester teaching preschool.  I know there's still so much left to learn, but I have gained some knowledge!

Sing EVERYTHING.
Okay- maybe not everything, but I find that the children respond much better if you are "talking" to them in a singing voice.  I'm known as the student teacher who can literally make up any song off the top of my head and the kids immediately listen. This is gold, I'm telling you.

When settling a problem with a child, always start off by reflecting to the child what they are doing. 
 For example, if a child is continuing to interrupt during circle or literacy time, start off by saying, "You are really excited to tell me what happened to you over the weekend..."<-- by starting with you, this lets them know you get what they are wanting and you understand them.  Then finish with, "I'd love to talk to you about it when the story is over."

It's ok to mess up!
I can't tell you how many times I've had a "blonde" moment or simply just messed something up.  Just roll with what ever you're doing and adapt quickly and you will be fine.  Or, you could tell the students that "Teacher Katie made a mistake"...and then continue to hear about it for the rest of the day from the kiddos (lesson learned on that one ;))

Don't get so caught up in doing everything "right".  
The kids will sense your nervous or uptight energy and feed off of that.  Relax and focus on creating those meaningful relationships and intentional teachings, and not so much on if you sang the words in a song correctly or set out all necessary materials for a lesson.


I hope my tips can help all you teachers or (soon to be teachers) out! I'd love to hear some of your words of wisdom! I'm definitely still learning how to manage a room full of 3-5 year olds, but I'm completely loving this experience!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

{Katie}

Day 1 of Student Teaching!

Today is the day.  Ever since I was a little freshy signing up for my first semester of classes I have been dreaming of the day I would start student teaching.  Today marks that day.  I'll be working with preschoolers all semester.  I know it's not always going to be easy and I know there will be days I will be completely overwhelmed, but I'm SO excited!

Me (and my brother) on my first day of preschool! 

Please pray for me today as I nervously/excitedly walk into the classroom filled with wide-eyed 3-5 year olds who have accepted me to be their teacher this semester.

I am so grateful.

I am so blessed.

I am so ready.

Praying this prayer today,

"Lord, let me be just what they need. If they need someone to trust, let me be trustworthy. If they need sympathy, let me sympathize. If they need love, and they do need love, let me love in full measure.

Let me not anger easily, Lord, but let me be just.  Permit my justice to be tempered in your mercy.

When I stand before them, Lord, let me look strong and good and honest and loving and let me be as strong and good and honest and loving as I look to them. Help me counsel the anxious, crack the covering of the shy, temper the rambunctious with a gentle attitude.

Permit me to teach only the truth.  Help me to inspire them so that learning will not cease at the classroom door.

Let the lessons they learn make their lives fruitful and happy, and Lord, let me bring them to you.  Teach them through me to love you.

Finally, permit me to learn the lessons they teach."

(source) 

Any teachers out there have advice for me?
{Katie}