Ok cheesy title I know... but today I absorbed SO MUCH great information from a wonderful team of teachers and I wanted to sum it up to share with all of you. It is a given that any and every elementary campus faces problems on a daily basis, some bigger than others of course, but nevertheless a problem is sure to arise. When faced with a problem-no matter how small, it is good to be equipped with the knowledge of what to do and how to make the problem a beneficial learning experience for all parties involved. Through several conversations and situations, I was able to contemplate the process in which a problem is solved...

Step 1: Obviously, you need to figure out what the problem is and why it is a problem.

Step 2: It is always beneficial to remove yourself from the situation and look at it from an outsiders point of view. With unbiased eyes you will be able to ask yourself "is this really a problem?" or "is this a problem I can fix on my own? Do I need assistance in coming up with a solution to this problem?" Jumping to conclusions never helped anyone- and I am beginning to seriously realize the importance of evaluating a situation.

Step 3: After determining the magnitude of the problem, it is good to determine what you are capable of doing to solve the problem... this is when you would decide if you need to solicit help, or if you have it under control. Think about what you are able to do, what is appropriate to do, and what are the most important and beneficial steps to take.

Step 4: This is my favorite part. Develop a plan of action. Construct a well thought out model of how you propose the issue be resolved. Sure for smaller problems this wouldn't be put to paper or anything, but for those hefty troubles that require quite a doozy of a plan, it is important to get your thoughts clear and concise so that the plan can be carried out in a way that benefits all parties.

Step 5: Well you developed the plan...so.... MAKE IT HAPPEN. Put the plan into action and watch your ideas unfold. If the plan flops then you have two options: A) Hang up your hat-Owell you tried. or B) Reflect on why your plan did not produce the outcome you so desired. If the solution is worth fighting for then reevaluate your options and devise an edited version of the plan to implement.

Step 6: BE CONSISTENT! I hear this word- consistent- OVER AND OVER again and to me, that makes sense, because consistency is the key to making a change. (HA! I consistently hear the word consistent!) To me, if you plan on making a change, it does not make sense to say one thing and then do another, or to just give up after your plan doesn't immediately work. Staying consistent is the way to build a routine and backbone to base decisions off of. With a plan that is implemented consistently, there is always a way to come up with a solution and there are rarely any questions or vague expectations of what is to happen. I need to remember to always set clear, understandable expectations and follow through- this will lead me to the development of a distinct set of guidelines to solve any problem I may face. 

It is "Motivation Monday" and I found a great resource to help motivate your students. This book is called the "The Energy Bus for Kids" and is an adaptation of "The Energy Bus", an award winning fable by Jon Gordon. This book has an interactive teacher/parent guide and an activity journal at www.energybuskids.com. If you really enjoy it, there are programs offered by Mr. Gordon himself such as assemblies for students, workshops for teachers, and retreats for principals to boost morale and inspire good performance throughout your entire school. I figured that with the standardized testing hitting schools in the very near future, it would be good to get your class pumped and ready to do their best. This is a fabulous resource and I just thought I would bring it to your attention! 

Are you satisfied with the life in your years? Sometimes I need to stop and remind myself of the important things. It is easy to get bogged down in the craziness of the classroom and forget to enjoy the little things that make our lives important. What have you encountered in your years of teaching that makes your time worth while?  

Here is my motivation to go out and spend this beautiful day outdoors. How can you say no to that happy face? What is your motivation to stay active on your day off?

In my Chinese New Year Unit there was an activity where students wrote a story about a zodiac animal, using one of the characteristics of that animal, for example, if the card had a sheep on it and said "creative", the students had to come up with a story about a creative sheep. I was BLOWN AWAY by their stories. They were so clever and creative-some of them even had me laughing pretty hard. I just had to give them more opportunities to write freely, so I used that motivation to create the activities for this Bright Minds language arts unit. There are 18 animal characteristic prompt cards, as well as 18 silly situation prompt cards, and 18 prompt cards that get students to think deeply about their emotions and memories. But that is not all, there are several word building activities and even activities for inferring and cause and effect work too. I really believe this unit will spark more creativity in my students and I CANNOT WAIT to see what they come up with.

T.G.I.F! It was a C-R-A-Z-Y day today in first grade, but I am celebrating due to the fact that i SURVIVED my first round of full-responsibility! With three awesome evaluations from my supervisor, and ten days worth of lesson plans and memories, I feel so much more prepared for round 2 of full- responsibility coming up in week 10. Bring it on!

Proud of how these bald eagles turned out. My kiddos will for sure recognize the bald eagle as a symbol of their country!

Since student teaching began, my once healthy drive for exercising has dwindled quite a bit. During the month of February on my campus, Wednesdays have been deemed "Warm-Up Wednesdays" where teachers get to wear warm-ups during the day and the kids get taught a mini-lesson on fitness and health during their daily morning assembly. All of this emphasis on exercise got me thinking about getting back to my routine, and I thought it would be fun to create a workout that coincides with my new life as a teacher. A healthy teacher is a happy teacher, so WHO'S WITH ME?!