School days!

There once was a small town (belly dancing) school teacher who taught in the middle of nowhere. Out in a wheat field she played her guitar for small children and taught grades K-8. She loved it for a year (well parts of it) and so attempted to stay and try it for another year. In the second year she learned that she had really improved as a teacher and was learning to set appropriate boundaries. Her classroom management improved daily from tackling problems from a variety of views. She held meetings with her class every morning. The class learned about each other and discussed how to learn the best, what seemed to be giving them trouble and what seemed to be going well were often topics of discussion. The teacher felt as though school was off to a great start. That was until the day she began teaching kindergarten. She began teaching kindergarten with 4 students and added to that 3 2nd graders and 3rd graders. Unfourntuanly for the teacher one of the second graders was illiterate. This new grade level taught the teacher to be patient and the need for direct instruction. But also taught her the importance of imagination and play. As well some what unfourntunally for the teacher she gained a 12 year old reading at a 3rd grade level. So that student joined the ranks of the older class and the teacher consistently stayed on top of this student so that learning could progress in as rapid a manner as possible. By the end of the first month of school the teacher felt good about the year and things seemed to be going very well. Afraid of burn out and crabby parents the teacher has refused to take work home over the weekend and has left school by 4pm all week long. That was due to some extenuating circumstances of making sure a friends house and their 16 year old daughter did not burst into flames. After living with a 16 year old for a week (and proof reading a paper) the young teacher decided she would rather teach grades K-8 than say teach high school chemistry.
Fall is beautiful in this small corner of the country and as the leaves change from yellow to brown and drop from the trees; the teacher is reminded of the consitencey of living in one place for over a year. Eager to learn new things, she is planning many trips to many places, and eager to learn what else is out there is searching to develop her portfolio and learning to be the best teacher she can be. Last weekend she had two long lost Canadian visitors, and would like to remind all readers that she has an extra room (and an air mattress) all set up so should anyone need a place they simply need to call.
To be continued....