Teach like a PIRATE - Chapter 3 Rapport

It is time for my 3rd installment ( ramblings ) of this book.....

 

 

 

 Why do I feel like every chapter I read is better than the last? I guess I should just say that the book keeps getting better and better!!!! Dave begins talking about how an engaged student is rarely a behavior problem, it is just finding out how to engage each student that is the problem. A teacher must find out what engages their students in order to plan an engaging lesson. This all starts with learning as much as you can about the students, from day 1, until day 180. Developing successful hooks is important as well. Finding out about your students is developing rapport with them. One way to develop rapport is to spend informal time with your students. I absolutely love this tip. I feel that the more that you talk with them and find out what makes them "tic", the more comfortable they will be with you, and if they are comfortable in class, they are more willing to take risks and allow themselves to fully immerse in the learning process. Trust is earned, and is key to rapport. Many children can't even trust their own parents, and you may be the first person they learn to trust.

 

I found it so shocking ( yet true ) when Dave mentions, " They ( the students ) don't believe that school respects and honors their individuality but instead uses it against them as a tool to force conformity." I don't see this as much being a primary teacher, however I totally see how this could be true with junior and high school. We need to work on praising each child for who they are, and it all starts with your relationship with them.

 

Stay tuned for Chapter 4!!! To visit other blogs participating in this book study, click here!

Teach like a PIRATE Chapter 2- Immersion

Wow did this chapter hit me like a brick! Immersion---completely surrendering yourself to your content and classroom.It is so easy to get carried away with to do lists, upcoming open house, data that is due to your principal ASAP, your child who is sick and the list could go on and on. As a teacher I need to be there mentally and physically with my students. The times when I feel most successful with my students is when I am immersed in small groups with them. I feel like all of the children are working on skills and having fun, and the group that I am working with I am totally involved in their learning and nothing else matters. ( well all the rest of the children do !!! but it feels good to see a groups progress and hear their conversations with each other ). I really feel that since I have moved to kinder I can immerse myself more and feel like I am making progress with my students. You have to immerse yourself like Dave says, as a swimmer in the water, in order to fully be "present" with your class and see them grow. If you aren't immersed, the kids, no matter what age, will be able to detect it. Click here to go visit other blogs in this book study!!!

Teach like a PIRATE Book Study Chapter 1

 

 

 

I decided to join a book study this summer which is reading the book Teach Like a Pirate, written by Dave Burgess. There are bunch of fun teacher blogs that are conducting the book study, with different blogs hosting different sections of the book. I really am excited to do this study because it is all about helping your motivation and passion about being an educator. I have gotten a lot out of the book already and I have only read chapter 1!

 

 

Chapter 1 is about passion! What a great chapter to start out with. Dave Burgess talks about three types of passion: content, personal, and professional!

Content Passion: What is your favorite subject to teach?

 

My favorite subject to teach is reading. This has changed since teaching 5th grade! When I taught 5th grade ( for 7 years ) my favorite area was science. Science is HUGE in 5th grade!! There is the periodic table, human and plant systems, solar system, and I could go on and on. However, now that I am in kindergarten, I LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching reading. It is such an amazing feeling to help these little ones dissect reading in its smallest form, and then start seeing lightbulbs go off when they start to get it. Reading for them is magical, and because it is one of my favorite things to do when I have free time, I love to see that passion ignite in others.

Professional Passion: What are you passionate about in your profession?

In my profession I am most passionate about relationships. I treasure the relationships I have with my little ones, their parents, and my coworkers. Being able to work alongside others that have the same passion is such a joy! My kindergarten team motivates me, and makes me feel that I am a good person, and challenges me to take risks. I think personally a goal I need to make though is to develop even better relationships with my team. I work 10 months with them!! :) I love that our rooms connect at my school, we are constantly helping each other and getting ideas mid-teaching even!

Personal Passion: What's your passion outside the profession?

 

Outside of my profession I am passionate about, well, my newest venture, Scentsy and Velata. Scentsy being wickless candles, and Velata being fondue warmers that are just like Scensty warmers! This business venture just started for me in March and has been really fun! I also am passionate about my family. I am so lucky to have a husband that stays home with my kids, and they love being outside. It is very rare for us to actually be home all day long. Even when I get home from work about 4 and kids go to bed at 7, we still have to go outside and do something as a family. We love being together and rarely are apart. For some families this is impossible, or just plain ol' not fun. However for us, we thrive off of it. I know that my time is limited because my kids won't be able to always spend time with us like this and have other things to do or places to be, so I am taking advantage now!

 

Head on over to this blog below for more insight on chapter 1!!!!

 

 

Stetson's 3rd Birthday

I really really really don't like to throw parties. I hardly like going to parties anymore, and throwing them makes me sick, LITERALLY to my stomach. However I had quite a few friends and my hubby talk me into throwing a party for Stetson, due to the fact that he wouldn't care how many decorations I had, he just would have fun. That, my friends, sunk in. It isn't the amount of decorations or money I spend, it is the atmosphere of friends and family that he would love. It really helped that I found a bunch of fun pirate stuff from someone elses pirate party on sale ( and a bunch of items were handmade!) So armed with Stetson's favorite decorations in hand, I decided it was going to happen. 

This picture, is the day before his birthday. We decided to give him our present a day early so he could have fun with it. And BOY did he! He loves it!

That night ( still the night before his birthday ) my in-laws took Lucy, Stetson and I to the Pirate Dinner Adventure in Buena Park. SO MUCH FUN! I already blogged this picture before but I had to add it in since it was a celebration of his bday.

 Both kids got their faces painted.

The food wasn't half bad! We had great seats!

A few scenes from the show.

 I was shocked that there was all sorts of talent there.

Then finally, Stetson's BIRTHDAY! ( don't worry he only kept the earring on for the picture, his choice )

 We rented our clubhouse in our community so that we could have more room than our place, and we could go swimming as well.

 I got HUGE, WONDERFUL cupcakes from Cinnamon Productions. They were totally well priced. Only problem is the pastel sprinkles. Oh well!!! No one seemed to notice!

 I am pretty proud of myself for spray painting these ceramic flower pots to be our utensil holders. :)

Yummy white chocolate popcorn....

and my favorite caramel corn, thanks to Maw and Paw's Popcorn.

 Stetson's new thing is water guns! My brother and him were fighting most of the party.

Some of the fam....

Sweetheart Celee 

Troy and Christine's daughter Brooke-Lynn

He loved the popcorn so much he ate it while swimming.

His favorite present of the day!!!!!!

One of the best parts of the day for me was how interested he was in reading every card. 

Stetson loves his Uncles!!! Uncle Mike ( my brother )

and Uncle Bryce ( Troy's brother ) Here they are pretending to be Captain Hook!