Deb+G.

 [|Share] your favorite strategies.

[|What is your favorite hobby?]

[|What one thing will you use in your classroom?]

__What Can I Learn from my Students?__

Student. What is a student? A child in a classroom eager (or maybe not so eager) to learn from their teacher.“Learn from their teacher.” So why do I feel like I’m the one who learns from them?

I learn so much from my students each year. Some things are very obvious; others are more subtle. Sometimes they teach me a new approach to a math problem. Some of my students bring in knowledge or certain expertise on a subject such as; Italy, dinosaurs, or hydraulics. Some inspire me through their creative writing, whimsical, tormented, or ridiculous, while others express themselves with the poetic language that’s reflected in their poetry (a feeling, a moment, a sensation suspended in time).

Then there are the times that the children teach me about character and myself. They teach me to find the joy in counting the dots on a ladybug or the glory in winning a game. They teach me how gracious little ones can be when they lose a game or to be compassionate when helping others cope. They teach me patience and to be reflective when a difficult situation arises. They’ve taught me to run and spin in the meadow and laugh so hard you can feel your gut burst. They’ve taught me the agony of defeat when I can’t seem to get through to a child and the wisdom to persevere and try again. They’ve shown me the joy of seeing them swell with pride at the simplest successes and how friendships can see you through the toughest of times.

Most of my students have not only taught me how to be a better teacher but to be a better person. One, who listens, laughs, learns, loves, and grows.

__ Scrapbooking __

I write when I scrapbook. I record memories and moments in my life, like the snapshots of the pictures they represent. It is difficult for me, not particularly creative, and I wonder what people will think as they read it. I usually procrastinate and leave the journaling piece until the very end. I am much better at telling my stories with pictures. It is important to me because I want to leave a little piece of myself behind and tell my story and the story of my family in my own words. I hope, in the end, that my scrapbooks are looked upon with fond memories and don’t just gather dust on the shelves.