The Hardest Thing

Harder than the lesson planning
Harder than the classroom management
Harder than the politics 
Harder than the IEP's 
Harder than the differentiation
Harder than the early mornings and late afternoons
Harder than the standardized testing and structuring curriculum
Harder than the patience and understanding
Harder than the tears and the struggles


The hardest thing is seeing them walk out the door.


I am going to miss the students at Escalante Elementary. 


Shine bright little ones and stand tall.

I can't find the sum!!!

Growing up, you could say that math and I were not friends. Math was a mean bully that kept shoving me down and calling me names. 


Within my head numbers got jumbled, equations were fuzzy, and my answers were somehow wrong, always. When I first began my studies to become an Elementary school teacher my greatest fear was that I wasn't smart enough, that the mean math bully would come around again and not let me succeed. 


With time however (and with the help of a very dear and gifted professor) I learned to look at math in a different way and began to understand how to turn my weaknesses into my strengths.


Today, I find myself sitting across from two 3rd graders who have similar sentiments about math. "Why is math SO CRUEL!?!?", "I can't find the sum!!", "I don't get it Ms. H!!!"


But the amazing thing is I KNOW how they feel. I can dive right into their minds and help them break it all down and build it up again. Together, with our minds combined, we can somehow enter into the world of numbers and make it manageable. 


And I find that, ironically, my biggest weakness as a student has proven to be one of my greatest strengths as a teacher. :)

My math buddies: Emma and Itzel

Rashad

He challenges 
and stretches 
my experience as a teacher.


It is exhausting, 
yet
filling.


Every small task is a huge milestone.
From listening, to sharing, to being kind, and respecting others.


We are starting from square one, but everyday we make progress.
And I leave knowing that I may never see the end result, but that together, we are learning how to be better. 


"You are who you choose to be"

A work of art

Rambutan

The tropical fruit, Rambutan, from the tree family Sapindaceae proved to be a big hit at snack time today. The consistency of this fruit can best be compared to a grape, but the process of eating one is slightly more complex.

Tillie and I took one look at this furry fruit and decided to do a quick lesson before shocking our taste buds. We gathered the kiddos around and explained where the fruit comes from and what part of the fruit you eat.

The 1st graders were fascinated, and so was I. Something as simple as taking time to research a snack item can be thrilling and adventurous. 

Some kids said "YUM" while others made faces that resembled sucking on lemons. Regardless, it was a learning experience for everyone and a teaching moment that could not be passed up. 

Ants

Everyday at 10:45 a.m. I walk into the 2nd grade classrooms and pick up the most endearing little readers. 


They each have their own little quirks, special details that make them so much fun to work with. Reading, for them, is like a maze, starting at the beginning, then trying different paths to finally reach the end. What's amazing to see is the progress they make just by practicing. From ants to words they gain autonomy as readers :)


Read
by Ann Turner

Do you remember
learning to read?
That book full of squiggles 
like ants, escaped.
the teacher's big thumb
on the page,
your heart beating inside
afraid that all you'd ever see
was ants---
Then a word popped out.
"See," and another, "cat,"
and my finger on teacher's
we read "I see cat."
I ran around the room
so happy I saw words
instead of ants.

Never Will I Ever...