NOLA

The New Orleans field trip always signifies that we are drawing near to the closing of  a school year. This group of students and parents have been such a blessing to us this year. What a day we had in New Orleans. We boarded our buses at 5:30am Friday morning and were full steam ahead until our arrival back at school around 11:00pm. The students' excitement is always fantastic to see and we love sharing the experience with them. We had amazing chaperones who helped so much. Thank you all so much for the part you played in our joy this year!

What's Your Phobia?

A recent unit of study on phobias has me thinking. I have a long list of phobias.

Gerascophobia - Fear of growing old
Verminophobia- Fear of germs
Rhytiphobia- Fear of getting wrinkles
Ophidiophobia- Fear of snakes
Molysmophobia- Fear of dirt or contamination
Hypsiphobia- Fear of height
Claustrophobia- Fear of confined spaces

I think it's safe to say that I also have Pantophobia, the fear of everything.

One phobia I didn't see on the long list is a fear of complacency. A note to my students: If you are confused by the word "complacency" go look it up! Change is exciting to me. Progress is even more exciting. I think that's why I love teaching so much. Things never get old. They never stay the same. I've learned that I'm never quite satisfied with the way things are. I'm always on a quest to find more challenges for myself and for my students. Always on the hunt for a better way, a newer way, a more exciting and engaging way. So, here's to COMPLACENTPHOBIA!

My challenge to you, students, is to find your list of phobias that are standing in the way of progress. Take that list of phobias and turn them the other way. Your phobia may just encourage someone, motivate someone, change someone! Click on the link below to read about more phobias from National Geographic Kids.

...Looking forward to this topic of discussion in class and reading your comments!

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/morestories/phobias/

Technology in the Classroom

My fifth grade students have been working so hard on power point presentations. When I introduced this assignment the only criteria I gave my students was that I wanted their presentations to be about something that has happened this year that made an impact. I told them that their goal was to make me smile, laugh, or cry. If you didn't know this about me already, I like to be inspired. Attached are just some of the finished products. All will be added as they are finished. Enjoy!
http://www.slideshare.net/adubose11

Just in Time for Standardized Testing

Better late than never, right?

 As the school year winds down, you would think that my students would be revving up for Summer break. Yeah right! No can do! With our final MAP testing upon us, and standardized testing soon to arrive, we are still full force. I've learned a very important lesson through my experiences as a teacher about such things, though. What I have learned is that nothing can top inspiration and emotion. Since I am such an emotional person, it is hard for me to separate that emotion as a teacher. I am just as idealistic about the future generation as I was the day I started teaching. Don't get me wrong. Of course it's nice to see students' scores go up. However, I'm fully convinced that academic growth has to include personal growth. Some growth just isn't data driven. For instance, if I was only focused on "teaching to the test" as the teaching profession calls it, I would never have discovered that ___________ is an excellent artist, _____________ enjoys nonfiction World War II texts, ______________ is an unassumingly fantastic writer, ____________ can really think outside the box when creating 3D presentations, ____________ is a true leader, ______________ rallies a team of peers to discuss things beyond what is expected....Well, you get the idea, right?

So in honor of the "Better Late than Never" theme, I will become a facilitator of a student based blog. They have spent 9 months inspiring me. Now, it's time for them to inspire you.

...To be continued