Leaders Building Leaders

Would I have followed me today?  This is a quote I have on my bookshelf in my classroom.


In my opinion, leadership is one of the most important qualities a person can offer.  I really do believe that everyone has leadership qualities inside of them.  The problem is, not everyone believes that so there are many people who have lost potential.  In the past 2 years of my life, there have been people placed in my path who have spoken potential into me and brought out a leader that I didn't know existed.  Then I think, if I had a teacher who had spoken to my leadership potential when I was in elementary, middle, and high school, I could be an even stronger leader.  However, the point is, I am a leader.  I have the amazing opportunity to lead a classroom of 19 students every day.  I don't limit that to Monday-Friday because teachers can't "turn off" their love for their students on the weekends.

Someone once said, "Leadership is stewardship."  I can't agree with that more.  This is something I try to live out every day, and although I fail, my students seem to always pick me up where I falter.  I see a huge potential in each of my students.  I see a leader in all of them as well.  They lead each other, and they help lead me.  That's how a family operates, right?  Leadership isn't a one-way street. 

In this picture, you see a group of my students working together.  This picture warms my heart.  Working together isn't a skill that is learned over night, and let's face it, not everyone has mastered this skill even as adults.  These kids have, and they didn't need me to do it.  They were born as leaders!  They allow each other to talk, they listen... let me say that again.. THEY LISTEN to each other.  Complete amazement.  I truly believe that they build leaders.  Some leaders are born with the quality and others may learn it through life.  So, when you walk in my classroom, you WILL see leaders building leaders without my help.  They do it on their own because they believe in each other.  They want each other to do well.  They want to see their friends succeed.  They know that there is something good in each of the bodies sitting in our classroom.  We are a family.  We have each others' backs.  We want to be better than we were yesterday.  We all speak potential into each other.  We win the day, and we will win the year. 

I couldn't be any prouder.  My passion for leadership and this career and out of this world.  We will all continue to stretch each other, and never allow complacency in our actions.  Life is too important to waste, so we're making it count!

Equivalent Fractions

Take a look at what we've done with Fractions in the past couple of weeks.  Have I mentioned how smart my class is?!?

Recess is for Teachers Too

Recess.  This word usually means "kids go play and give teachers a break from doing anything with them".  That is actually the farthest from what that word means.  I am so thankful to work in a school where the teachers don't believe that's what recess means.  At PES, we all believe what recess means is "let's get on our students' levels and play fun games with them to take a small break from learning". 

One of the most valuable lessons someone has taught me since being a teacher is to remember kids are kids and it's okay for them to act that way.  If we're being honest, I LOVE getting on their level.  I love being weird with them.  I look forward to the conversations we are going to have about anything and everything under the sun.  I enjoy laughing about little things.  Did you know that children can be so hilarious that they can make you laugh so hard you cry?  I know I'm not the only one that does that, but I'm not afraid to admit it.  Here's a look at the fun we have... daily!

Back in Action!

Snowpocalypse.  Do you think that held my class back???  Not at ALL!  Tuesday morning, my children came in the classroom ready to learn and take on any task given to them.  We had a GREAT week back together!  In fact, it may have been one of the best weeks at school of the whole year so far!  We accomplished a lot and learned even more!  

One of our favorite parts of the week were the math groups we did through the week.  Through these math groups, students were learning on their own and teaching their classmates.  It was an incredible thing to watch!  They were challenged to be their very best (by doing even 4th grade skills) and to take their learning to the next level.  Here are some examples of what they worked on (successfully)!

And That's a Wrap! (for 2nd nine weeks)

Seriously?!  Half of the school year is over??  When did this happen?  How does this always happen so quickly?  I've been telling my students that now the ball is in their court, and it's time to MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.  At this point, they KNOW how smart they are.  They KNOW what they are capable of.  They KNOW hard work pays off.  They just know. 

In order to celebrate 2nd nine weeks, we had our academic pep rally (where Reveur was named house champs... as a reminder). :)  These pep rallies are so much fun!  I may have a little more fun than the children sometimes... especially at game time.  I am one of the most competitive people you'll ever met.  When I do something, I'm going to DO it all out!  There's no time to play around.  It's serious.  So, when it was game time, nothing could hold Reveur down!  I love playing games and interacting with my children in this way.  It's so much fun!  I always look forward to these! 

Just so you know I take these things seriously... You can see I took ownership of coaching Buckethead.  Naturally, we owned it!

Edible Rocks

We've been learning about the different classifications of rocks in science.  In order to make this come to life, we created rocks out of food!  We made Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic Rocks!  If you're interested in learning more, ask your child to study with YOU!  They will teach you songs, chants, raps, and hand motions to go with our rocks unit!  As I always tell my students, "When you say it AND do it, you remember it!"  So, I dare you... ask them to study with you!  I guarantee you'll learn a thing or two from them!

Math Matters

Math.  It's either a word that you love or one that you hate.  Thankfully I have always grown math and been pretty good at it.  I understand very well, that many people cringe at the word "math".  In fact, at the beginning of the year, many of my students said they hated math and it was their least favorite subject.  Crisis.  How could this be?  I love math!  Something had to change.  As the year started, math was rocky.  No one wanted to participate.  Crisis.  However, as the year has progressed, they have found that they are actually incredible at math.  We have so much fun!  That first hour of the day is now one of the most fun, exciting, and eye opening hours of the day.  They are doing math, that sometimes I don't even plan for the day.  They ask for a challenge, and if they are ASKING for a challenge, you know you have a special group of children.  So... they ask, they receive, they conquer.  Don't believe me?  Take a look for yourself.