Fun for Teachers Too
Posted by Jen Bragg on 14 Aug 2009 | Posted in: Inspiration and Motivation, Relationships and Team Building, Teachers and Teaching
In my opinion, one of teaching’s best perks is the chance to learn new things. How great is it, when planning or teaching a lesson, to discover a fabulous new book or make a connection to a previously learned fact? Better still, how fun is it to get involved with students’ learning and have a new experience yourself? What do I mean? One example that comes to mind occurred early in my teaching career, when I taught fifth grade. Our students were being treated to a special three-day science and math program. It was a change from our regular routine and all the activities were hands-on, so of course the kids loved it! But it wasn’t just the students who benefited from this program. The fifth-grade teachers got a treat too—a helicopter ride over the surrounding community. While experiencing my only helicopter flight to date, I was able to get a different perspective on the community while sharing a few laughs with my coworkers. Another example occurred a few years later on a field trip to a local science center. We were observing various insects, one of which was a Madagascar hissing cockroach. The students were encouraged to hold it, but some of my second graders were a bit squeamish. Let me just say I’ve never been a fan of holding insects, but to assure my students that it would be okay for them to touch, I reached down and picked up that extra-large insect. Dangerous it was not, but I will never forget its prickly legs gripping my skin as it walked up my arm. I guess you could say I learned something about insects and myself that day.
Congratulations to Linda Powell of Powell Family Child Care in Eureka, California. She is the winner of a copy of Math Melodies, PreK-K.
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18 Responses to “Fun for Teachers Too”
More Comments Pages: [1] 2 » Show All Comments
More Comments Pages: [1] 2 » Show All Comments
I AM AN EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER TRAINER. I LIKE TO EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES USED BY DIFFERENT TEACHERS IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AS I GO ROUND DEMONSTRATION SCHOOLS. TRULLY AS OTHER TEACHERS HAVE POINTED OUT IT IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR ANY TEACHER TO LEARN FROM OTHERS. THERE IS A VARIETY OF METHODS DEPENDING ON DIFFERENT TEACHING ENVIRONMENTS.
ITS GREAT, YOU CANT IMMAGIN. TEACHING IS ENJOYABLE.
I agree with Jamie Jo. I work at a small Christian school where we have one class of each grade ranging from 3 year olds to 8th grade. I find that most of my coworkers say they enjoy teaching because they love children. I always share with everyone, and especially my 1st graders, that I teach because I love to learn. It would be so sad to find that there is nothing new to discover. Also I think our students need to know that learning is a process that never ends.
I love what you said, a great job allowing you to make connections. This is exactly what we want our students to do. So many times the connections are made because of the choices we have been able to make.
This is what Katie Wood Ray says we must extent to our students so that they can make connections.
You are right, this is an exciting profession.
Have a great year.
Last year was my first year to teach 4 year old Pre K. I loved it and learned so much from my kids.
I think that learning something new is an everyday occurence. I take a geology class every summer through Portland State and I learn all kinds of things to take back into the classroom to share and teach my 5th grade students. This teacher learning is a fabulous idea!!! Great job!!!
I learn new things from my students all the time. As a Special Education teacher i am also the student in learning all about my students strengths and weaknesses, their likes and dislikes and how they learn. When I am in tune to my students needs, it makes me a better teacher as well. p.s. i would do a lot of things…. but i don’t think i could ever bring myself to holding a cockroach! yuck!
I am constantly learning from my students! A few days ago a child picked out a book for me to read for storytime. This book did not have words, and I asked for another story to read, telling the class that this book would be better to read on their own.
The class was insistent that I could read this book– I just needed to make up the story! I smiled at their enthusiasm and answered a playful “Oh yeah?” Then one of the girls told me she could show me how.
She stood up in front of the class and narrated a very creative story that I could not equal.
It was very humbling and served as an excellent experience! There was so much enthusiasm that I will be repeating this activity frequently:)
I Love your magazine it is a great thing to use for ideas in the classroom and with the children. I’m been teaching for 9 years now working in many daycare centers. Before that I worked in the headstart program as a teacher helper and as a parent for 4 years. I worked on the parent board and also as the president of the center and the home base programs while my children attended the program. Thanks for all the great ideas keep them coming.
We have a collaboration with a local theater and 2 learning support classes to teach social skills. I’m not the “acting” type, in fact I have had my share of stage fright during childhood piano recitals growing up. Seeing my students with significant language and social skills needs try new things has inspired me to also let go and participate fully in this program. Now I am sold on this wonderfully fun way to teach. And despite the instructional time that was used for this program (10 hours of LA Block over 1 month), the students DIBELS scores continued to climb!
WOW isn’t so cool the things we will do for the good of our children….I found myself in the same position before and had to go outside of myself to be sure I didn’t impress my worries into my students and my two daughters. I say a big At to all of us that have had to do that:)
I teach in a Christian preschool, and on Sunday mornings as well. I hear newer small group leaders comment often that they didn’t know the reason behind things, like the Passover was when the Angel of Death passed over the Israelites who had obeyed the instructions God gave to Moses. But when those kinds of things are referenced later in the Bible, they know why these things were so important! I love learning, and I personally think many of us who are called to be teachers do! Preparing for lessons whether preschool or Sunday school always enlightens me to something new, whether it be a Biblical truth or a new recipe for slime!
My student teaching experience was in the spring, which happens to be the same time as Women’s History Month (March). When asking my cooperating teacher if she thought we’d have any time to cover Women’s History Month, since I feel it’s so important for the students to understand that all history is NOT made by men, she allocated one morning to Women’s History Month. One! I spent days researching different women and planning engaging activities to open up the students’ eyes. It was challenging, and I definitely learned a lot!