Learning about Teaching by Decorating

A short list of lessons I've learned about teaching just by decorating my classroom:

1. Be prepared for cross-curriculum in your classroom.

Be an English teacher they said, you won't have to do math. (Never mind math was easier for me in high school than English.) Life would be easier without math. Ah-ha. Then a person with a case of OCD (though slight) started decorating their classroom: "Be an English teacher they said, you won't have to do math." I mumbled to myself as I drew a diagram, measurements and all, of the calendar to tape on my whiteboard for daily plans and objectives. Not so bad. Ha! I can still use my skills from shop class after all. Drawing on the white board wasn't as easy. My perfect measurements were off. Re-do the math. "Be an English teacher; you won't have to do math." It started to sound sing-songy in my head. Time for a new saying: "Measure twice, cut once." This applies to drawing straight boxes. I did this. So any crooked lines are the fault of either the ruler or the tape, not mine!

Remember how I mentioned slight OCD? Yeah, I like things to look professional and elegant. So my calendar board with slightly wavy lines with mint tape almost looks oceany if you stare too much. That was the next lesson I learned:

2. Accept Imperfection.

There isn't enough time in the day to organize each nook and cranny in my classroom. In the last couple of weeks, I've had to leave my room in a disaster knowing that I'd be back to clean up that tornado to only open another tidal wave of projects that ruin any organization that may have been there. This means I cannot expect myself to have a "perfect" classroom at the end of each day. This first year is a learning curve not only for my students, but for me. Sometimes I may leave school knowing, "Well, that lesson was crap. It left the students more confused than when I started." Just as it was "okay" to leave my room a mess and clean it up the next day, it will work to do that with my academic lessons. I do not need to be afraid of trying new lessons, new projects, or anything else new! 

3. There's only so much time in a day.

I left school feeling exhausted, but wishing I had gotten more done. I get home, get my daily workout in (sometimes it was a snack instead of a workout!), shower, make supper and eat; there's hardly any time to start another project. Or my brain is just too tired to start on that beautiful no name board that I love. It's okay not to have everything ready two weeks early. It will come together. Yes, it's nice to be prepared and thinking about what I need to do, but I need to be realistic about what I can accomplish in a single day, week, or even month. 

By the way, I did eventually finish my No Name Paper board! I added an exclamation point to center the text more, too.

4. Share ideas with staff. Or students. Students help too.

Seriously, ideas that I think will be fantastic but told a few of my colleagues  about helped me revamp those ideas so that they are more likely to work within my classroom. I also talked to my mom about my crafts. She helped me design a stoplight to use for music listening during work time and discussions.

I also learned from other staff that cloth works better for bulletin boards than paper because of fading. I went to my local Wal-Mart and bought some fabric! Students also have great ideas. I was working on my bulletin boards and became frustrated because I could not get the edges straight. I knew I couldn't cut the cloth perfectly and folding wasn't working either. A student came in to watch me struggle. She finally offered a suggestion: "Why don't you cut ragged edges on purpose? It'll add some interest and doesn't have to be perfect." Brilliant! (Once again, I accepted imperfection.)

 In the short time I've been at my school, I have learned that it's better to discuss my ideas (whether for management, organization, or lesson plans) with others and get feedback. It's great if my ideas aren't perfect, because I'm learning and also creating relationships with colleagues and students. It turns into a win-win situation for me.

5. A graphic designer as a best friend is FANTASTICALLY AWESOME! She sized and printed my posters for me in less time than her lunch break. It would've taken me HOURS. Lesson learned: Do not be afraid to ask for help. There is no shame in someone helping me. Simply see my posters below:

Now to simply remember these lessons when I feel as if I'm going crazy in a month...

A Year Gone By

Unfortunately, I did not keep up with my blog through my final year of school, so many of my challenges and success stories will go untold, but I may share a few highlights of the past year.

The last two semesters of college were very satisfying, but required a lot of hard work and dedication. Fortunately, (and also sadly) I had few education courses left for the fall semester as my focus had remained on them through my four years. Instead, I challenged myself to complete a writing degree and a music minor. It may be a blog post for another time, but I truly believe that my struggle with my music minor will make me a better teacher to understand my students and their feelings of frustration. 

Puppies at the Humane Society during a field trip.

Spring semester brought me to the most exciting part of my college career--student teaching. My college requirement was 14 weeks, which looking back was no time at all. I loved my students and I loved teaching them. I even looked forward to creating lessons during my weekends. What I didn't look forward to was grading; it seemed to remind me that the best way to understand learning was through their personal reflections, but how do you put a number on that? A letter grade? I'll continue to learn and adapt my practices so that I feel more comfortable with my procedures and the grades I give.

Other than that, I felt the most stressful part of student teaching was knowing that someone was continuously watching me. My cooperating teacher wanted me to succeed and offered constructive criticism when appropriate, but I never felt like I could truly try my own teaching style that required high energy and active engagement. It wasn't what the students were used to and the teachers there had very different styles. I know this wasn't the intended feeling, but it's the stress of knowing that it isn't truly 100% your classroom and that in the end, I was a guest.
My university supervisor encouraged me to not only explore my own teaching style, but to learn from those around me. Though it was frustrating to absorb so much information and different styles, I quickly learned that there are many ways and practices to be an effective teacher. Overall, student teaching was a successful, positive experience, and I learned a lot about the practices of teaching along with my own style.

In mid-March I began my search for a teaching job. This may sound early, but it was recommended to me by several administrators. I'm so glad that I took their advice. Before sending any applications, I researched the schools and decided what type of community (rural/suburban/city) I wanted to teach and live in. Though I would be happy teaching anywhere, I knew my heart rested in rural areas, so that's where I focused my attention. As part of my application, I included a cover letter specifically for each of these schools and let my personality come through as well as highlighted areas of common interest between me and the school district. I sent out two applications that month. The first I knew would arrive late (but I thought getting feedback would be worth it!), and the second application arrived a day before the due date.

The second application was my golden ticket to a job interview! April 7. A Monday. There was more involved than my application though. The principal knew teachers where I was currently completing my student teaching. He made that phone call and asked if I was worthy of an interview. Thankfully, my cooperating teachers in my department gave me a positive review.

Dressed for success for my first interview in April.

The day of my interview came and I dressed to impress. I wore a suit with a collared shirt and put a smile on my face. I arrived in the town of the interview almost two hours early. My mom drove with me, and together we explored the town for possible housing and had lunch at the local diner. It was a rural town, so there wasn't a lot to explore. My mom knew exactly to take me to the park where I could read a book to calm down before my interview. Golden ticket.

I walked into the school fifteen minutes before my scheduled interview. I'm so glad I did. I was able to get a tour of the school before and got to see students interacting in the hallways during passing time. Even more importantly, I saw how the principal interacted with the students. He smiled and had conversations with them. He called each of them by name and asked specific questions. That was the caring environment I knew I wanted to be in.

The interview was hot. I was warm in my clothes, but I still didn't regret my decision to dress impeccably. My nervousness came out as sweat, but I don't think those interviewing me could tell. Six faculty interviewed me: two English teachers, the principal, two counselors, and one secretary. I came with a binder of example lesson plans, my teaching believes, letters to parents--everything I thought I might mention. I referred to these lessons and shared them with the panel. This showed them that I was prepared; however, I think they cared more about my believes of students, their achievements, and the extreme importance of building relationships.

As I left the building, the principal thanked me for coming in and asked if this was my first interview. Could he really tell? "Yes," I admitted. He smiled and said I'd hear from him before the end of the week. Is that good or bad?!

Just under twenty-four hours later, I received a call. I stood in my classroom (after school, of course) shaking with anticipation. What would he say? My cooperating teacher told me to calm down because it was a job offer, but I couldn't accept that. Who receives a job offer on their first interview? I hardly knew the answers before the words tumbled from my mouth.

Indeed, it was a job offer. Again, the principal proved to me this was the school for me. Not only was it rural with an extremely positive school environment, but he was understanding. Without asking, he gave me the rest of the week before I had to make a decision. No rush. 

Two days later, I accepted the job. I've loved my new job (which I haven't started yet) from the moment I walked into that school for my interview. I can only hope that all first year teachers could have such a positive and welcoming experiences.

My best friend with me at graduation.

All that remained was my grading from student teaching, and yes, graduation. The day came, and I relaxed more than I thought I would. No anxiety attacks about being a grown up. Instead, I felt ready and proud of my accomplishments and those of my classmates. A large percentage of us have accepted job offers and are vigorously planning and decorating our classes this summer, so there is much to celebrate.

Thanks for catching up with me, and I hope you stay tuned!