Reflection on my first year teaching: A year in review

As I pack up my classroom to prepare for summer I can't help but think about this past year. The walls are so empty now. Previously decorated with paper leaves, vines, and flowers they now stand an off white. So much happens in a year. Students grow and I certainly grew. I thought I'd make it through my last day with students without crying, but didn't quite make it. I have spent the last year getting to know them and how they learn best. Assessments, games, and so many conversations will dwell in my memory, but what I will hold closest to my heart is how kind everyone has been. This year was so difficult. It would not have been possible without the kindness of my fellow professionals, parents in the community, and to patience of my family. I have felt welcomed and accepted as I began my process of learning how to teach. When I made mistakes my team was kind to me and showed me other options.

I'm looking forward to planning next year and becoming a more effective educator. Here are some pictures from this past year. I was so busy completing my masters and teaching that I didn't write all year. Here are the highlights of the whole year.

Last day of school

My graduation cap for my masters!

A few weeks before the last day of school I made a mobile with all my students names on it. Then on the last day I sent them home as gifts.

My end of the year gifts to my students

Dog!

Book festival in Berkeley!

STEM challenge: students are building a structure with a bucket that can support pennies

This year I taught my students how to play chess.

STEM water slide challenge

One of the teams designed a way to keep the water slide rider safe (STEM challenge) They cut a straw to make this.

STEM challenge: Students make waterslides 

Everyday we pop a balloon on the countdown to the last day of school

I am on an adventure!

We had to take down all the posters becauase of testing, so we built a jungle

Students made a jungle after testing. There are beetles and lots of fun hidden creatures among the vines.

My birthday party in the classroom (flamingo theme of course)

My students knew how much I love mushrooms and one made me a mushroom cake!!!!

For Mother's day we planted cosmos and decorated the containers. 

Students shared what they had learned from their investigation of the colonies

It was a dream come true to be able to bring my class to Angel Island. Many of them had never been to San Francisco before and it was so rich with history.

These wall hangings are accompanied with found poems from Angel Island

We used bleach to paint these wall hangings 

Schedule

Getting into the American Revolution

Self assessments

Voice levels

We investigated the ship manifest to see if they brought who we would have brought to settle James Town

Backpacks the first day of school

My new book pillows

Masters done!

I'm presenting my Masters!

Rainy day fort in the classroom. There are 7 boys piled under these pillows

This is our student store. Students use Dailey Dollars to purchase items

Students loved this book

These are some gentlemen cookies to celebrate finishing the book "Blood On The River" is is amazing and really gives students a feel for what it was like to settle James Town.

Discussing the importance of a contract lead us to reading about Beyonce and her contract with Pepsi.

These wonderful women are so helpful. They made this year possible!

Valentine's Day

Students got to design their dream ship

Students decorated a spine when they finished a book

Our class New Years resolutions

our view in New York

New York!

Visiting family on the East coast

Visiting Pennsylvania

I almost felt bad eating him

The students go to make wall hangings and picture frames as gifts. They loved painting with the gold and silver.

For the winter we made frames as gifts for the parents

A night out for Downton Abbey

I had to make a toy jail to keep all the tech decks that students kept bringing in

I'm so proud of all the work my students have been doing to investigate the early explorers.

Students learned about the different types of mushrooms and then drew them

We made a mushroom garden with our art

We made snow globes and wrote what life would be like living inside one

Cursive handwriting can be so much fun

Students really loved practicing their handwriting.

Handwriting practice with shaving cream

Husband and I are ready for some tasty food

At dinner at the festival

I'm having so much fun!

This is at the Victorian festival

We are at the Salvador Dali exhibit at the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco

Turkey time!

This is my dog

This is my dad

This is my Aunt

This is my mom!

Thanksgiving plate is ready for food

Thanksgiving

It's crazy hair day!

This was one of several posters that show the students reading strategies paired with the books we used this strategy to practice.

This was from a social and emotional lesson that focused on how we can crumple or smooth someone's heart.

This student was brave enough to go first!

Students are getting ready to trace the routes of the explorers.

Students read about explorers and then make trading cards for them.

Students will use this map to trace the routes of the early explorers.

My dog is helping me clean the classroom and test out the reading nook.

Each ca is so different

We make some cats out of construction paper for the fall festival

Some Halloween bowling

Bingo time

This Halloween party has a lot of yummy food.

Halloween Party!

The students made these and then we hung them up. I love how they instantly change the look of the room.

Day Of The Dead poems

Getting ready for Day Of The Dead

This was a fun assembly about cyber safety.

They really love to read

I love seeing them read

Reading time!

I still can't believe that my door handle is missing!

One of my students pulled my door handle off :(

DEAR time!

Halloween poems

This was one of our read alouds this year. I did some fun lessons about labels where students decorated a soup label to represent themselves.

STEM challenge (egg drop)

Halloween is coming!

Getting ready for Halloween

Rainy day :)

Rainy day recess

I love the rain!

I used these for a Kagan strategy. Students know whose turn it is to talk first.

I'm so proud of their Lego self-portraits. (I'm wearing a microphone)

We made a paper quilt that showed what we love

Lego Self-portrait

The classroom reading nook

This ended up being the winning structure. It kinda looks like the Eiffel Tower.

I love STEM challenges because students have to work together and be creative

The goal is to build the tallest structure that can support the weight of a marshmallow (STEM)

A STEM challenge: Marshmallow challenge.

My students love show and tell.  Today they brought these in to share.

Today was a good day

I love using crayons to create barriers when water coloring. 

I love these racks to dry student work. It keeps the classroom clutter-free

This is was taken in my office, where I have a flamingo theme.

I'm so looking forward to meeting my students

All the teachers at my school make summer "shefies" to show that we love to read.

Kagan Training, such great team building!

Kagan training

Kagan Training

Kagan Training

Hula hoop Venn diagram

I used wrapping paper to create this look in the classroom

A blank bulletin board ready for some student work.