Kinder Corner: reflection

Showing posts with label reflection. Show all posts

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Mailbox overload!!

So, I looked over at my mailbox yesterday and this is what it looked like:

I think it's time for me to unload. :) I shared some of my favorite/cutest things here!

[Dear Mrs. A - You are the best teacher.]

[Dear Mrs. A - Were you surprised it was a girl?]

[The tree that didn't get cut down.]

[I love my teacher. She is very nice. If you get her, she will be nice.]

[Dear Mrs. A - What are you going to name your baby? How about Samantha?]

[That is a good idea.]

[I love Mrs. A and babies.]

This just made me giggle -- no, she doesn't love whores. It says "I love hearts."

And I LOVE this next thing. It was a little book one of my little authors wrote. I was so proud because it is just proof that they have learned more than just academics in kindergarten -- it's about life!! :)

[All About Mistakes]

[Hi, I am Kya. I make mistakes. 4+4=9. Oops, that's wrong. 4+4-8. I am silly.]

[Did you know mistakes are proof that you are learning? I love being me.]

SO CUTE! :) What will I do without these little cuties this summer... and for most of the Fall, too!!!

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Teacher Appreciation Day/Week

So, this week is Teacher Appreciation Day/Week -- and while I absolutely love the breakfast our wonderful PTA provides each year, I am not one to expect something on this day/week. I love the little notes my kinders give me every week, the random nice e-mails parents send, the invitations to dance recitals and family events I receive (like last night!), and all the "little things" in between.

However, I was pretty pumped about BOGO Chipotle tonight for teachers. Just sayin'.

Well, today, on my favorite coupon/deal blog, she nicely posted a list of store and restaurant discounts and freebies for teachers this week. I clicked on the comments section (should have known better...) to see if anyone posted anything that wasn't included. That's where I came across this little gem of a comment:

"Teachers get paid a TREMENDOUS amount of money especially in my district. They pay little or nothing for their health care benefits and live very good lives. Their appreciation comes every time they get paid!"

Wow. Really?! I have never met nor heard of a public school classroom teacher receiving a "tremendous" salary. And, even if I had, it would not mean that their job is any less difficult, rewarding, important, or essential. I normally do not let negative comments get to me, but this snarky little remark seriously irked me. I audibly scoffed when I read it.

I would really love to know what that woman does -- even more so, I would really love to know what has happened to this woman that made her so incredibly bitter. I mean, if you are dogging the world's teachers, what went wrong in your life?

I am not going to go to the plate for every teacher. There are crappy teachers out there. Lots of them, I'm sure. Just like there are crappy lawyers, doctors, bankers, and even parents out there. No, not every teacher is a passionate, caring, and dedicated educator. But, every teacher does have an important and heavy job on their shoulders.

And no, you will never convince me that teachers are overly, or even generously, paid for their work. It's just a fact. We are rewarded by the truck loads in many ways, but financially will definitely never be one of them. I try not to read those Facebook posts of articles comparing the salaries of jobs or the ones that add up what people on unemployment or welfare actually make -- because honestly, it doesn't matter. We chose this profession for a reason, and we all knew what we've gotten ourselves into.

In direct response to that woman's comment: YES, I am paid a tremendous amount for my job -- a tremendous amount of hugs, laughter, exhaustion, colored pictures, and joy.

And, the fact that you are able to spell all those words, type on the computer, use the correct punctuation, and use that clever, rude tone of voice in your writing is because of the teachers you've had in your life.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Really Great Questions!

For the last two weeks in writing, we have learned about questions and using question marks. We talked all about what questions are, what words help us make questions, how our voice sounds when we ask questions, etc. It has been really fun!

My kinders this year have been ALL ABOUT writing books and being authors -- and I, of course, eat up every bit of it. I love their enthusiasm! So, this week, we used our new question knowledge to write the Book of Really Great Questions! We talked about those "I wonder" questions we all have about the world, life, animals, etc. that just don't really have answers to them.

I was amazed with the questions they came up with!! I couldn't believe it! I promise -- I didn't help them at all with the writing OR coming up with the questions. They came up with such awesome questions! I love their curiosity. It's the perfect project for a classroom full of six-year-olds who just love to ask "Why?"

So, I spent some time going through all 20 of my kinders' books and took pictures of some of my favorite questions. I seriously love them. So, here is about 45 of them -- ha! I hope you enjoy them. If you're anything like, they might make you laugh... but they might also make you think and wonder!!!

[As always -- kinder writing translation is provided!]