Skip to main content

I'm BAAA-AAACK!


#abetterversionofme2018
Not only am I back in HCMC, not only am I back to work, but I am also back in the classroom this academic year! 
Woop! Woop! 

I truly enjoyed my position as Elementary Lead Teacher throughout the last school year - I learned so so much, but, truth be told, I really really missed working with students on a day-to-day basis. 

This year, I get to experience the best of both worlds; I am continuing my position as Elementary Lead Teacher (0.5), but I am also back in the classroom teaching Grade 4 English (0.5). 

School began just over a week ago and though I am still getting familiar with my schedule and my students, I'm already loving everything (ok, well almost everything) about being back in the classroom.

Here are just a few of the things that I've implemented so far in an effort to make my class a more enjoyable place to learn...

-Decorating the classroom - Coming into this school year, I chose to keep things very simple; I wanted to decorate the classroom with the students' pictures and work so that they develop a sense of belonging.
The classroom on the first day of school
Students' pictures and work are slowly being added all around the room

-Morning and afternoon centers - I've chosen to start every day with 20 minutes of center time so that students begin their time in my class happy and engaged; "secretly" I also get them developing their social skills and work habits.
As soon as they enter the room, students are playing games like -
 HeadzUp, Jenga, Uno, Connect 4, Scrabble, Dominos, Chess...
-Mindfulness - we haven't done much of it yet, but I'm hoping to integrate more mindful practice as the year goes on.
First attempt at Mindfulness - we got lots of work to do!
-In-class house challenges - they may not have turned out exactly as expected so far, but in an effort to push the idea of teamwork, I'm setting up weekly house challenges every Friday afternoon.
First we did house cheers, then quilt-style banners
-Teaching vocabulary - I've been taking the time to teach new vocabulary words using a variety of strategies, such as translations, definitions, examples, pictures, songs, games and actions and I've already been super impressed with the results.
Can you guess the word he's acting out?
-Class Dojo - I've chosen to use ClassDojo to positively motivate the students to do well in class; I give away team house points as well as individual points every day which lead up to naming a Learner of the week as well as a House Team winner.
First Learner of the Week award for the 2018-2019 school year
holding a certificate and a JUMBO trophy
One last thing that I'm trying to do this year is to take the time to eat lunch with my students a few times a week. I'm hoping to build stronger relationships with the kids and to get to know them in another context outside of the classroom. 
So far, I've been LOVING it - and the kids have too!

There are no doubt some highs and some lows when it comes to teaching, but I'm doing everything I can this year to emphasize the good times and enjoy those special moments with the kids.

Stay tuned for future updates on what's happening in class 4.1!!! 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In a World Full of Noise, Let’s Show Understanding

“Not everyone processes uncertainty the same way, and that’s okay.” The past few days have been unexpected. What started as a normal Saturday - coaching at the gym, breakfast with a friend, catching up on work with the TV on in the background - quickly changed when I heard a loud “boom” coming from outside my apartment. At first, many of us in the community assumed it came from one of the many nearby construction sites. But, within the next few hours, the loud sounds came again and again, and word spread that these were missiles and drones being intercepted in the sky. I’ve always felt safe here in the UAE, and believe it or not, to a certain extent, I still do. Like many other residents here, I have a lot of trust in the country I’ve chosen to call home for over 11 years. I’ve seen it overcome challenges in the past, such as COVID and floods, and I’ve witnessed how much the leadership cares for the residents, particularly over the last few days.  That said, it’s no secret that I a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Momentum Reset

"Momentum doesn’t just return; you rebuild it, one choice at a time." Before summer began, I was feeling a little low. The tipping point came when I found out my HYROX competition partner’s visa had been denied, meaning we wouldn’t be able to compete at the HYROX World Championships in Chicago. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t the end of the world, but I was still pretty bummed. I thrive when I have a goal, something to work toward, and for nearly two months, I’d been all-in. That training gave me momentum, purpose and energy. When that goal disappeared, so did my drive. Suddenly, my energy shifted in the wrong direction. I slipped into autopilot, stuck in the routine of daily life, work, and thought patterns that were becoming more and more negative. Social media didn’t help. It felt like everyone else was out there doing so much, and I had nothing exciting happening. I would catch myself comparing and as my thoughts spiraled, my body started responding, and not in a good way. Th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Living Out a Dream

 “Have you ever stopped and thought: “Wow. I prayed for this. It’s here. It’s happening.”? I recently received a message from an  old student from my very first school in Canada. It was a simple note, but it sparked reflection in me about where I’ve come from and everything that’s happened over the last 15–20 years. At my age, I often look around and see many of the people ( my age ) settling down; getting married, having kids, buying homes ( A dream for many, especially women. ). And sometimes, I can’t help but  ask myself: what am I doing with my life? However, that message from my former student reminded me of something I often forget: I’ve already been living a dream. When I left my first teaching job in Canada, it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I absolutely loved my students, and together we had built a really special bond. But at that time, I had a dream to travel the world; to immerse myself in different cultures and to learn from people whose li...
Post a Comment
Read more