Hi everyone. My name is Roxanne Wright and this is my education blog. I am a 22 year old licensed preschool teacher, who is currently studying Elementary Education and Theater in college. I have worked as an Arts & Crafts Director, Children's Theater Director, and an Environmental Educator. This blog is full of my educational dreams, inspirations, and tips. I would love advice from parents and educators so I can one day become the world's best teacher. Thank you so much.
~Roxanne Wright
My everyday blog is: roxannewright.tumblr.com
from-student-to-teacher
Just back from visiting New Zealand schools, one teacher explains why he believes rethinking our daily school schedules can make a world of difference: http://edut.to/10gV6ze.
Thoughts?
This Ad Has a Secret Anti-Abuse Message That Only Kids Can See
Published on Apr 24, 2013
Título: Sólo para niños
ANAR Foundation manages in Spain the european unique phone number 116 111, to attend children and teenagers under a risk situation. On this telephone number, only for minors, they can find the help they need in a totally anonymous and confidential way. But, how can we get our message to a child abuse victim, even when they are accompanied by their aggressor?
Knowing the average height for adults and children under 10,GREY has created two different messages. Using an outdoor lenticular we show adults an awareness message, while children see a message where we offer them our help and show them the telephone number. A message only for children.
This is amazing!
Which door do you go through? Why that door? What happens?
This post was originally created by: http://writingprompts.tumblr.com
Capacity Chant
Group 1
How many cups are in a pint?
In a pint, in a pint?
How many cups are in a pint, tell me if you know!
Group 2
There are 2 cups in a pint,
In a pint, in a pint.
There are 2 cups in a pint.
You thought we didn’t know!
Group 1
How many pints are in a quart?
In a quart, in a quart?
How many pints are in a quart, tell me if you know!
Group 2
There are 2 pints in a quart,
In a quart, in a quart.
There are 2 pints in a quart.
You thought we didn’t know!
Group 1
How many quarts are in a gallon?
In a gallon, in a gallon?
How many quarts are in a gallon, tell me if you know!
Group 2
There are 4 quarts in a gallon,
In a gallon, in a gallon.
There are 4 quarts in a gallon.
You thought we didn’t know!
Tomorrow I am introducing my students to a special guest: Gallon Guy!
I hope my advisor thinks this is a good lesson because I do.
Math: Measurements and how they connect with bar graphs and area/perimeter
Social Studies/Writing: Events that led to the Boston Tea Party
Spelling: ‘oy’ and ‘oi’ spelling as well as ‘aw’ and ‘au’ spelling
Kindergarten buddy time: how to write a haiku
Science: bridges
Reading: How to summarize what you are reading.
If you have any advice or thoughts on any of these things please let me know?
Thanks!
Roxy
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I am writing a list of strategies I can use during my take over week to help me get my students to stop what they are doing and listen up. If you have any suggestions or tips please share them with me. I will make a post later on with everyones advice.
Thank you in advance.
~Roxy
Police clear the area at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon as medical workers help injured following the explosions. (Charles Krupa/AP)
It’s getting to the hateful point that it feels like a fill-in-the-blank: How to talk with children about 9/11. About Newtown. And now, about the Boston Marathon bombs. But still, it never hurts to be reminded of what’s normal and what helps most. Dr. Gene Beresin, a child psychiatrist and director of the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Mental Health and Media, offers the following helpful guide:
By Gene Beresin, M.D.
Guest contributor
At the finish of the Boston Marathon, the city of Boston was shaken by the explosion of a number of bombs. Almost all of our children have seen horrifying images of death, destruction, and distraught family members. We in Boston and many around the nation are filled with shock, fear, anger, anxiety, and confusion. Helping our children come to terms with this event is an ongoing process.
The news coverage is likely to be extensive and our children will be hearing and seeing the events of the day now and repeatedly. In response to this, they will have ongoing concerns and need reassurance. It was not long ago that they were all shocked by the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. At a time of chaos and many questions about the nature of the attack, we need to help them cope with the vast uncertainties in the moment. How can we help guide our children through this stressful time?
For Children of All Ages
Children need to have answers to three fundamental questions:
Am I safe?
Are you, the people who take care of me, safe?
How will these events affect my daily life?
It’s important to provide answers to these questions, even if your children don’t put them into words. You should expect to answer these questions several times over the next few days and perhaps longer. Keeping as normal a schedule as possible will help reassure your children as well.
In the next day or two, children will be very upset at the images of mourning friends and family members. Often this will make them concerned about the safety of their own family and other loved ones. It’s important to reassure children that you’re doing everything you can to stay safe so that you can take care of them.
Share your feelings with your children. Let them know that it’s okay to be frightened or sad or angry – that’s part of being human.
While you should try to answer your children’s questions at a level they can understand, remember that you don’t have to have an immediate answer for everything. Some questions don’t have any good answers. Right now we do not know why this happened or who did it. No one has these answers.
They will certainly see you and others around you texting, calling, emailing to see if friends and other family members are safe. And they may have a chance to see or hear things on the news – on TV or on the computer.
Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers:
Very young children are more disturbed by their parents’ and caregivers’ distress than by the actual events. That’s why they’re comforted more by your actions than your words.
Expect young children to regress emotionally a bit. They may become clinging or whiny, have difficulty sleeping. The more patient and reassuring you are, the more quickly this will pass. Much of their reactions will be in response to seeing that you are upset.
Spend extra time hugging and cuddling with your child. This will reassure both of you. Your child may want to sleep in your bed. That’s OK, especially at times like this.
If you wish to watch or listen to news coverage of the aftermath of the attack, do so while your very young children are not in the room. They do not yet have the ability to put the frightening images they see into perspective.
School-Age Children:
Encourage your school-age children to share their feelings and concerns with you. Reports of taking victims to the hospitals may frighten them, even though they may be afraid or embarrassed to admit it. Let them know that it’s all right for them to be upset, and that you’ll do everything you can to protect them from harm.
Remember that children often work through emotional issues with play instead of words. Don’t be surprised if your children use toys to replay the images of destruction that they’ve seen or imagined. This is healthy. It can also give you insights into their fears and misunderstandings.
If your children’s play seems “stuck” in one scenario – they repeat the same event over and over – offer some suggestions for change. Even something as simple as, “Maybe the rescue workers can use shovels to help the people escape” can allow children to come to terms with their fears.
If your children are watching or listening to news reports of the aftermath, be in the room so that you can answer questions and clarify things. Use some of the reports to ask their opinions and trigger discussions.
Let younger children know that even though they’ve seen TV images of explosions dozens of times over many days, they each happened only once and on one day. The Marathon was only run once and it is over.
Expect your children to ask the same questions several times. Be patient. Remember that by asking the questions, they’re telling you that they trust you.
Remind your children that there are many, many more good people in the world than there are bad people, and that the good people will try to take care of them and protect them.
Help your children get back to “business as usual.” Keeping a normal schedule will reassure them.
Teenagers:
Many adolescents are scared. They will know others who went to the Marathon and some even planned to be at the finish line. They wonder what this means for the the safety of others, including parents who work, go to school and live in Boston. They’re also struggling with questions about justice, power, and control – issues that have been in the news since the Sandy Hook shooting, and even more in the recent debates about gun control.
Let your teenagers listen in as you discuss both events and feelings with other adults. If they join in, welcome their participation even if you disagree with what they’re saying. Simply talking will help them to put their concerns into perspective.
Be with them when they watch TV news reports of the aftermath. Comment on what you’re seeing and listen openly to their comments as well.
Sometimes it’s easier for teens to talk about disturbing things if they don’t have to look you in the face. That’s why some of the best discussions take place while you’re doing something else, such as playing a game, driving in the car, or doing household chores.
Share your feelings with them. This gives adolescents permission to do the same with you.
Most children will cope with the support and understanding of their parents, teachers, coaches, friends and clergy. Some who may be vulnerable because of previous personal experiences may need special attention from a school counselor or family pediatrician
Readers, any specific questions lingering in your minds? Please post questions below, or tweet Dr. Beresin at @GeneBeresinMD.
http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2013/04/talk-children-marathon-bombs
I have always been a terrible speller. In part because I never learned spelling rules and in part because the English Language barely makes sense when it is written out.
On Friday my classroom teacher suggested I take on spelling for monday. I am teaching the difference between “ou” and “ow”.
To say that I am freaked out by this task is an understatement. I honestly do not know if I can do this. The only way I ever survived school was because of spell check.
Please send positive vibes tomorrow because I am going to need them in order to survive tomorrow!
Love,
Roxy
TEDxNYED - Heidi Hayes Jacobs - 03/05/2011
As Executive Director of the Curriculum Mapping Institute and President of Curriculum Designers, Inc., Dr. Jacobs is an internationally recognized expert in the fields of curriculum and instruction. She has served as an education consultant to schools nationally and internationally on issues and practices pertaining to: curriculum mapping, dynamic instruction, and 21st century strategic planning.
I was driving in my car today and listening to people on NPR talk about the need for women to take risks in order to improve their status in the work place and it got me thinking about our education system.
Shouldn’t we teach our students to take risks. Far to often we teach students to blindly follow rules and do what they are told. We put them in neat little boxes and punish them if they even begin to break out of their box. Instead shouldn’t we teach our students that it is okay to take risks. Without risks innovation and changes in policy would never take place. Some of the worlds most revered people were risk takers: Benjamin Franklin, Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth. Deep learning just cannot take place if someone does not take the risk of trying to do things differently.
Given everything I said, how can we make the world safer for young risk takers? Some people suggest creating a safe learning enviornment helps promote risk taking. Others believe that challenging students is the way to go. What do you think? Should we be promoting risk taking in school? Why or why not? Please give examples of how you created a risk taking environment in your classroom if you do.
