Sunday, August 29, 2010

Monday, August 23, 2010

What if poem

I found this "What If" poem on a teacher discussion board and wanted to share it. This is a great poem to read to all grade levels on the first day of school because so many kids can relate. You could also make one up of your own or have your students make their own. Enjoy!

The First Day of School
By Judith Viorst

Will they let me go when I need to go to the bathroom?
And what if I get lost on my way back to class?
And what if the other kids are a hundred, a thousand, times smarter than I am?
And what if we have a spelling test, or a reading test, or an...anything test, and I'm the only person who doesn't pass?
And what if my teacher decides she doesn't like me?
And what if, all of a sudden a tooth gets loose?
And what if I can't find lunch, or I sit on my lunch, or I (oops!) drop my lunch someplace like the toilet?
Will they let me starve or will somebody lend me a sandwich?
A cookie? A cracker? An apple? Some juice?
And what if they say, "Do this," and I don't understand them?
And what if there's teams and nobody picks me to play?
And what if I took off my sneakers, and also my socks, and my jeans, and my sweatshirt and T-shirt,
And started the first day of school on the second day?




Remember to email me at FTDOblog@gmail.com  to be a guest blogger!!

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Introduction

Hi! Welcome to my new blog! My name is Brittany and I am a 4th grade teacher in Ohio. I have wanted to make a blog about teaching for quite some time, but I never really knew what direction I wanted to go in. Then recently I took a professional development class through my school district and loved what I learned. I knew right away I wanted to share it, but what was the best way to do that? A blog!

This year I am going into my third year of teaching, so I am still in "survival mode" as I call it! I am slowly incorporating my own ideas or ideas shared from others into my classroom. There are so many websites that that I have booked marked on my computer, and when I want to go back and try to find one idea I read about, I never can find it! I often say, "where did I find that article on...." when I have 20 articles in my folder. I want this blog to be a resource for teachers to come to to get ideas from other teachers.They may use every idea or they may use one. A blog is nice because you can book mark single ideas instead of the entire thing.

The key to making this blog work is YOU!! I can blog every day about my new idea or experience, but then you would only get ideas from me. While I do have some good ones I am excited to share with you, I am still learning so much. That is where I need your help. I want this blog to be made up of hundreds of authors, including you. I want to hear your new ideas. I want to know what works or doesn't work in your classroom. Did you go to a great professional development class and want to share with someone? Here is your place!!

So here is your homework...find a topic your passionate about, an article you want to share, or just a little piece of advice. Write it up in an email (with your name and blog address if you have one) and email it to me at FTDOblog@gmail.com.  I will post the entries {the emails} in the order in which I receive them.

I really hope that this becomes a great resource for all teachers! Don't forget to tell your friends about it and start sending me your emails!!!