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Teacher Made Materials: Why Bother?

Just before the Chinese New Year came in I decided to give cleaning my room another go. I was sorting through my files, discarding papers and throwing away old projects when I came across some of the teacher made materials I had made waaaaay back when I started teaching preschoolers. I found them at the very back of those plastic stackable storage cabinets that I love so much and I suddenly missed being a preschool teacher again.

Anyway, going back to those teacher made materials, it got me to thinking about all the time I spent making flashcards, bingo cards, etc etc. After all, they can be bought in the stores, right?

For me, as a teacher, even though the toys and educational materials were available in the stores, I still made little teacher made materials even to the end. Why did I bother? Mainly because I liked being able to modify materials for my kids the way the kids need them. This is not to say, however, that I don’t use store-bought materials! I just realized that teacher made materials are really more individualized and activity specific.

I am grateful, however, that by the time I got to my eighth year or so of teaching I could afford the conveniences like a laminating machine and a ring binder. Before, I used to painstakingly use packing tape to wrap materials. QUE HORROR!!!

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Going With The Dress Code

After my last post, it occurred to me that perhaps even my college students need reminders on going with the dress code. In fact, even I, on occasion, need to be reminded. Especially with footwear! It’s so much more comfortable to just go to school in flip flops rather than heels…especially now that I have discovered the joy of not squeezing my feet into those stilettos (haha). I remember that when I first started teaching, I’d wear not just heels, but formal business attire. Now I don’t. I have only one or two colleagues left who really get all formal now (complete with the tie, tie clips and steel cufflinks). Perhaps I should start going more with the dress code and I can have my students follow suit. What do you think???

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Today’s Random Snappy: This is what school shoes should look like!

Last week I went to Payless shoe store in Nuvali and got a good laugh when I tried on these shoes It reminded me of shoes I  had in the first grade! Although it made me laugh, I liked how they had this in the store because, as those who have read in this blog several times over, one of my pet peeves is really how kids now wear shoes with heels. HELLO!!! It really gets to me because it is such a dangerous option for the kids. I have had many kids in class fall over and get hurt because of their shoes. This, on the other hand, is really how school shoes for kids should look like.

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Getting Back in the Thesis Groove

Okay…I quit my preschool teaching job in order to get my priorities straight, right? I said I would finish my thesis and get the ball rolling with the rest of my professional career. Buy yeah…once again I lost my bearings and got lost in the shuffle of daily life. Since September my thesis has been sitting in a little shelf, the books I meant to read remain shut, and well, I just haven’t gotten things done.

This has to stop.

Wish me luck…

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Make or Break Term

Well, well, well…it seems like only yesterday when the second trimester ended and now I’m at the cusp of what is turning out to be a make or break term for me. I really, really have to figure things out by the end of this school year. Do I want to trade in my books and chalk for something new? As many of my friends know I have given up the preschool classroom this past year (or 2011 should I say) and now I wonder if my classroom has really gone beyond the four walls of a building. Don’t get me wrong: I am not giving up my university teaching job. I’ve just been thinking, maybe I need to teach something more creative…howsabout arts and crafts?? Maybe a class that teaches mandala making or perhaps jewelry making, such as those threaded friendship bands or perhapsmacrame shamballa bracelets? Let’s see, let’s see.

Midlife crisis much? Har.

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