Tag: Children

We love the month of February…We have so much to look forward to besides the stressors and rigors of curriculum and testing....

With my planning and organization, I do find creative ways to allow time for celebrating Valentine’s Day, and President’s Day through creative writing, reading ,and art… Might even utilize math activities, as well...

The children wrote a Valentine’s Day poem to their family, with illustrations; decorated Valentine’s bags, and brought in cards for their classmates that were to be done by themselves….We had a Valentine Social sharing our love and exchanging Valentines….

The children loved learning about our Presidents; George Washington and Abraham Lincoln…We learned about the history of our Flag….

We will celebrate this patriotic unit with a culminating activity for our parents; a patriotic program that will include songs that we learned in our music class….All our first graders will share in this exciting performance, and our wonderful music teacher directing…

Teaching should really be about making learning fun and interesting…. It really is so much more than tests and collecting data….

(more…)

February… a Busy Month…

Posted in Reflections

Celebrate…100 days!…

Posted on by Janis Sexton

Monday, February 3rd  will be our “100 days”  of the school year celebration… This is a milestone for us… On this special occasion, learning activities, especially in math will    commemorate this special milestone…

” What can we count using the magical number”100″?

“If you were given $100.00, how would you spend the money?”

At this time, first graders are realizing they can do  more learning becoming active in their learning; listening and following teacher directions; becoming more independent…I can read!

Now, we  are more than half way on the path to becoming a second grader!

Continue reading “Celebrate…100 days!…” →

Posted in Reflections

Second Chances…

Posted on by Janis Sexton

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Many of my children come from homes without structure…Some may even come from neglect and chaos…I have always believed children are precious and innocent, hearts filled with love…

Yet, because of dire circumstance, some can exhibit instability and anger…
So much of my day is teaching my children how to operate safely, hoping to enable empowerment and inspiration….

What makes our teaching more challenging is the lack of funds in Public Education and Title I schools; our resources are fewer, however expectations are more demanding,

Now more than ever, funding is critical!!!

We must be able to teach with a smaller class size, to be able to provide more one to one help for our children from these unstructured home situations ….

And moreover, the benefit of having a well trained paraprofessional assigned to aid in those special demands of children who are in need of extra attention …

Our school does have a guidance counselor however, he or she is so tied up with RTI data and coordinating meetings….Because of this lack of funds, there is a need for more counselors who can give all those special children the benefit from a strong guidance counseling program…

However, they may fall through the cracks!…It is our hope to give each child their opportunity…to be a success…

Even as many teachers try with all their efforts, in spite of these challenges…

It is so heartbreaking that because of fewer resources and funding…We may not able to provide some of our children their chance… deserving that chance to become their best!!!

Posted in Thoughts About Children

Schedules… Demands, and Teaching…

Posted on by Janis Sexton

What can I say…I have held a passion for teaching and children since 1972…Today with such unrelenting demands that sabotage teaching and the requirements teachers must follow…Knowing how it impacts my children…I do feel sad and frustrated…. I look at my precious children, with their willingness to do their best and do all that is asked…My love and passion, still holding dear not to disappoint…I do try to inspire, and make all this fun and rewarding…

My little first graders must sit all day…recess at the end of the day…Taking tests where they must have computer skills, and I will be evaluated how effective my teaching is….I can only hope that one day…We will once again do the right thing…

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Posted in Reflections

Teaching Reading….

Posted on by Janis Sexton

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I have loved the joy of teaching young children to read…. It has been such a delight in seeing them for the first time realize they can read….There is such a look on their precious faces of surprise …

This year for me has been a quite challenging…Our school is a diverse school in a progressive district…We do have a majority of children from poverty…Our school does have a reputation, even with the challenges… Always striving to maintain the status quo… With all the demands of Common Core Curriculum, and the rigors of Testing…. These challenges, added to the many other teaching responsibilities…

We struggle with the problem our children face who live in such impoverished conditions…

I will always inspire my children to love to read, even with all these demands… I do feel though, no one is listening to our children…They are our future...

Posted in Reflections

Teaching and Technology

Posted on by Janis Sexton

Today teachers do need to be proficient in technology; demonstrating their expertise utilizing  all that is necessary to teach children… 

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We have smartboards that have taken the place of the chalk board;white board….  We utilize the computer to communicate with teachers, administration, and even with parents through our webpages ..Lesson plans and grades are all required to be done on the computer where information can be shared….Children are required to learn math and reading skills on the many websites that are available on the computer…along with learning to access information for  research on the computer …Keeping lists of websites and computer resources are a must for today’s teacher…

When I first began in 1972,  all I had to be concerned with was a ditto machine  and overhead projector…Even back then,  I was not comfortable utilizing  technology…And now, a teacher of today must be able to keep up with all the demands of technology…I have had to learn…

I was not a willing participant…I am a Baby Boomer, not savvy in this new technology…When I taught fifth grade, my students helped me boot the system up and access what was necessary back in the “nineties”…I was even known to take out a computer… destroy the Mother Board…My reputation on my faculty was that I needed to stay away from computers;  I was  quite dangerous…

I  am proud to say with the turn of the century in this new millenium, I have learned how to become somewhat computer literate…I am not too proud to ask for help, and I have been determined to teach this “old dog a new trick”….As I have told my children many times: “Never Give Up”!

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Being a teacher has been my mission on my life’s journey;   It is my passion… From my very beginning in 1972, I had no idea what an impact it would have on my life…  

There were other roads I could have taken, administration; guidance counseling, teaching at the college level…. All these I  opportunities to leave the classroom, but I did not choose those paths… I am a teacher…

I felt my need was to teach  and inspire  all  children, especially those children who needed my love and  safety…How that makes me feel with this choice, as a teacher and an individual… impacting children’s lives for me has been a gift…

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Am I Successful in My Teaching?

Quote• Posted on by Janis Sexton

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I have always believed my role as teacher, would be such an influence on the many children I have taught…

Accepting this crucial role;

One being that positive role model, is the most critical responsibility; not which I have taken lightly…

Moreover, because I have taken on this responsibility, especially realizing in my later years; It has been of my opinion that I need to demonstrate my style through my actions; even with my appearance; those essential values that would hopefully teach my students how to balance their need to belong in being social;

To becoming that critical thinker; a person of integrity; one who who would respect and accept our differences…

I have believed to accomplish this; I have had to utilize my flair for drama, art, and my professionalism thus making our classroom warm, structured and a safe environment that  fosters such values as: having a strong work ethic; practicing kindness within our classroom essential with our classmates and others around our school ; learning to be honest and speaking the truth; learning how to cooperate and work through conflicts with their words; and especially the understanding and acceptance of our differences…

Hopefully, the outcome for my students would be to learn and appreciate values that they will need to become active and productive adults…living a true life…

I feel the children of today who live in poverty, many of the children that I teach, due to circumstance have few positive role models to guide them with the choices they make ; Therefore, I have felt the need to be that strong influencer in their lives…Hopefully making that difference…

Being a Role Model

Posted in Reflections

Facilitating Teaching Through Inspiration

Posted on by Janis Sexton

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When I first began, I found  children were more ready to learn…They came to school in a time when lives were less  complex, and there was not a definite distinction of those that have or those that do not…I really did not have to worry so much about my creativity,  and  it was not an issue to utilize any definitive skill in my teaching…Children learned and were inspired…I could just teach and enjoy…

It was a simpler time… And moreover, this was during the  time when children of color finally were “permitted” to attend; during Integration and Civil Rights; early ’70’s…. It was understood the every child was there to learn and wanted to learn… Parents sent their children to learn… Those  were  the values shared by “all”.

Today’s world is so much different ;and  my teaching has had to meet those needs to continue to  facilitate this love of learning…Our children may not always come prepared, and not by their choice but because of some economic or parental instability in their home life…They may come to school hungry, sleepy, or ill prepared because they did not have a time to do  their homework….These precious children  live in chaos… 

I am a stronger teacher…My love for my children and passion for teaching is all that  is important… I will provide these essential  skills,  safety, and enthusiasm in my classroom  …I will facilitate their learning and love for  learning….

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