two live fish

its been a few days since my "night before new-school trauma"

my classroom got set up - B"H
it looks really nice - B"H
the next day was a great one with the kids-B"H
dropoff worked
outside worked
pickup worked
everyone said it looks like a real classroom
B"H B"H B"H B"H
tonight i had to pack up my classroom again because they are using it for Rosh Hashana davening
i took down all my signs and packed up all my toys and schlepped it all into the other classroom
they said they'd put up my curtains though - B"H!
and i'll go back to school after a 5 day break to a room filled with Rosh Hashana brachos B"H
oh and there's two live fish in the bowl
B"H!

a meeting with DJ

my long awaited meeting happened today and despite my apprehension it was actually quite successful. I gave her the low-down on where i'm at in the classroom and where i'd like to be and asked for guidance on getting there. we went over different methods and ideas and i left feeling quite confident. let's see how long the feeling lasts once i'm back in the classroom...

now for a grand brain dump of what we spoke of:

there are two schools of thought - 1. formal teacher centered learning 2. student centered learning
i'd like to be in the 2nd category but am straddling between the two

the 2nd is hard in terms of accountability and parent/other teachers' standard expectations but when followed through the successes for the students are far greater.

during these first 5 years when 90% of the brain develops we need to foster as much brain strength and creativity while it still has a major effect on the child

KEY POINT: children learn best when emotion is involved e.g. a child touches the stove when its hot and learns very quickly not to touch it again because a negative emotion was associated with it - the same works in positive terms

when a child guides learning and discovers things - the emotional level is much higher because the learning/discovery comes with excitement

fostering this excitement and child centered learning includes going with what the child is doing/saying/feeling and guiding it vs. stopping it when it is misplaced.

working on behavior modification with stories is far more effective than telling a child what to do

and a few more examples and stories and laughs - it was a great meeting....i'll have to add more to the recap and a followup as i implement the techniques.

a bruised ego and a dead fish

uch is was one of those days - i had it all planned out and it was supposed to work out .......shockingly it didnt.

when i wanted to sleep longer i made myself get up
then as i tried to change the water my fish jumped out of his bowl
i made sure to daven before i left the house
we saved the fish and got him back in his bowl
i went out on my errands and managed my time so i'd finish quickly
i met a women who i hadnt seen for a while and we talked for 45 minutes
i finally had a chance to go home and finish getting ready
they called and said they were ready to go and i should meet them now
i arrived at cheder and they just hung around doing nothing
i got to work and got things done
i cleaned my classroom and organized it
then their kids played and messed it all up
i had to run errands and be back by 6 so i said i had to go
they said sure lets all go and just make a few stops on the way
we got back and there was still lots to get done
they all went home and told me to find someone to finish the building work
i found two people then a third to get theirs and my work done
they came and found some help to get their work done
i cleaned up the kids mess and pulled things back together
they found more supplies and dumped them on my table
i sat down to make my posters and cut them out alone
they came and used my expensive paper and left me the scraps to clean
i finally had someone lending a hand cuz my crew doesnt help
she came and said hey arent you supposed to be helping me
i needed an opinion - just where to keep my fish
she said i cant stress about your fish right now
i gave up and trying and went home
i found the fish was dead
....it made sense though, it was the right kind of ending for a wrong kind of day

i think i'll have a good kislev

I dont know about the rest of the year but today was good ...i think i accomplished quite a bit ... so i'm thinking kislev will be a good one - or so i hope

after all today is kislev in the chai elul to rosh hashana day/month count down ....let's see how we do in teves tomorrow

its all Your fault!

its weird to be in such close contact with a self you count your own
and then consider that inside and out none of it belongs to you
which of course brings in to question if inside and out - you're not you
....ummm maybe... uh...there is no you
ouch....the thought hurts me...or wait...not me?
well something felt it when i ...er...you ...er it felt strange to think that,
to be blown off so easy
to have my existence traded for a non-existence that thinks and acts like one
but wait there may be an upside...
if there's no me ....
then i didnt do it
and it wasnt me
and really .........it's all Your fault!
so i just want to assert,
as i start over and get things straight around here
all that past - well i had nothing to do with it
true, i have nothing to do with the future either
but You can't hold me accountable for Your actions ......

so are we ...er...You good here?