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What are the Benefits of Teaching Summer School?
When teachers are presented with the option or requirement to teach summer school, many may automatically think of that sweet, sweet extra paycheck. However, when gearing up to teach a summer session, there are a lot more benefits to the job than just the financial one. I’ve been teaching summer school every summer since I started my first full time teaching job, and I’ve grown to love it! After reflecting on my experiences from teaching summer school, here are a few of my biggest takeaways: Summer school is an opportunity to collaborate with new professionals outside of your home school community. Over the past three summers, I’ve had the opportunity…
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Scheduling Time for Yoga
Feeling Qualified When someone suggests taking time to introduce yoga into your home, several thoughts may come to mind. You may be thinking: “Great, one more thing I need to plan and schedule into my already hectic day.” “I can’t even touch my toes, I’m supposed to show my child how to do yoga?” “I leave early and get home late. When am I supposed to be doing this?” “I just don’t think my kids will be into it.” It’s so easy to be gung ho about an idea or practice that is beneficial for kids and family. Putting it into practice, however, is where most of us choose to…
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Introducing Yoga in the Home
Feeling Qualified Often times we refrain from introducing something new into a child’s play for fear of it being complicated or time consuming. Perhaps we don’t fully understand it ourselves or feel discouraged from others due to cultural and communal expectations. When looking into yoga for children, many parents are interested but shy away from classes that are not affordable for them; leaving parents as the teachers. Could parents really be suitable teachers for something like teaching yoga? Would their children understand? Of course! Luckily for us, children are sponges and yoga is about the person; not the pose. Children can access yoga in their play immediately after being introduced.…
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Would you sit still and focus?!
The Problem I can remember countless times during my childhood that I just could NOT sit still in school. In Second Grade, I got in trouble for the very first time for my wiggles. We were studying vocabulary words and I’d subconsciously devised a strategy for these simple words. Each time I would spell a word, I swung my legs forcefully forward while saying each letter in my head. “ Office. O *swing* F *swing* F *swing* I *swing* C *swing* E *swing*.” I was very quickly working through my vocabulary when suddenly my teacher said quite loudly “Lydia, if you do not stop that right now you’ll have to…
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This Classroom Energy is Intense!
The Problem Let us imagine for a moment the most incredibly perfect classroom. It has an impeccable layout, space galore, neverending supplies (that you don’t have to pay for), and students who manage stress like meditation gurus. Classroom support runs aplenty and transitions occur without a hitch. This is a classroom that provides students with substantial time for movement and physical activity every day–they play outside, have movement centered classes scheduled within the school day, and have enough space in the classroom to take moments of exercise when necessary. The perfect classroom. HA! I couldn’t even begin to imagine it! Could you? Let’s be honest for a moment. The perfect…
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Let’s talk about breath baby!
The Problem A student in your class has become extremely agitated. They show the typical symptoms leading to a melt down. Tightened fists, tense facial muscles, perhaps some tears and of course, shallow quick breathing. In this moment, our first words are “Take a deep breath”. Easier said than done. But, we persevere and break through the barrier that was put up by this tiny body and guide them through several deep breaths, with our own lungs modeling the activity, before reaching a conflict resolution. Now, let’s hold on a moment. This seems like a great moment! We were able to guide this student to a relaxed state and work…
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For the Love of Sensory
There comes a moment that every parent, daycare teacher, and early childhood educator encounters when feeding an infant. The bib is secured, the spoon stirring the mush is handled steadily to ensure it gets directly into his mouth, and the wet washcloth is ready in hand to instantly wipe away any spillage. As I place the first spoonful into his mouth, I have the same reaction every grown up innately does– the spoon swipe. You know the motion, wiping upward with the spoon pushing that extra little bit of mush back into the little one’s mouth. With all of these attempts to keep clean, it is a common response that…
Fostering an Intrinsic Love for Learning and Inquiry