Kami Almy
Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP)
What do I need? What do I want? How can I get it?
I have always believed that learning is a process that we work toward every day. Learning is something that I have always enjoyed. I have never felt like I have learned as much, taken courses or going to workshops, as I have in my own classroom. You can attend conferences and workshops all year long but you will learn the most by listening to and observing your students. They are my inspiration to be a better teacher today than I was yesterday. I choose to be a lifelong learner every day. With my Master’s coming to an end I feel more responsible now than ever to continue to challenge myself and become the best teacher and learner I can be. My future goals are to find balance and keep my passion for teaching as well as my students’ passion for learning and integrate Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).
Balance is crucial to being the best teacher I can be. It has never been more important to me as it is now being a new mommy. I was always the first teacher at my school, arriving at 6:00 am when class didn't start until 8:00 am. I would then go to every possible meeting, training, seminar and volunteer activity that there was. The word no was not in my vocabulary. I often spent more time at work than at home and my husband spent many nights after work alone wondering when I would be home and what meeting or event I was at that night he forgot. However, I now have a son to think about and I need to find balance for my family but more importantly for me. I return to work in just one week and I am already panicking that I will be at work too much and not there for my family when they need me. So I have been reading how other moms have done it and came across a blog (click to check it out) I enjoyed. If I stick to a plan like hers I think I can find that balance I desperately need and want. It starts with a calendar and set times for work, family and me. I then need to learn the word no. When something comes up I need to weigh my options. If I can find my balance I know it won't be hard to keep my passion.
I teach pre-K and I feel like it is the best thing in the world. I love my students who I refer to as my kids and treat like they are all my babies. It is an important goal of mine to be sure that I keep my passion of teaching. I have seen several teachers who have lost it and are there August 28th counting down the days until June 13th. This upsets me! If you don't enjoy it then do not teach anymore. If you lose your passion of teaching you are more likely to have students who lose their passion for learning. With teaching preschool you get students who have their first school experience and it is a goal of mine every year to make sure they love it! I am that teacher who wants my students to “not want to go home” in a way. It is important to me that they love school. With our curriculum I get to do a lot of my teaching with the students interests in various subjects in mind. It's the best way to teach! I know that some of their interests are based around science, math, art, and technology. That is why this year I want to try to focus more on my school’s STEAM theme.
Although I teach in an elementary school we are not a part of their STEAM grant. We do not get to benefit from all of their activities and events but they try to include us as much as possible. I have had the opportunity to go to all of the trainings and also a Magnet Conference, where I toured STEAM schools and sat in on STEAM related sessions, in the past year. That is why this year I am going to use whatever resources I can find to help me integrate STEAM into our classroom. I know it will help my students and that they will enjoy the activities. I want to set aside a time each week (to get started) to do some STEAM-related activities. There is a great blog with ideas for teaching STEAM in preschool that I started to follow along with. I cannot wait to get back into the classroom and start using some of these activities once I get to know my students and what they are interested in.
This has by far been the most challenging start of a year for me. It started out with me being nine months pregnant setting up my classroom, making bulletin boards and getting things ready for home visits and the first day of school when I wouldn’t be there. However, I had the opportunity to meet all of my students but one at an open house as I stood with my one-week old baby. There is so much I have already missed with my new group of students and I know I am going to want to catch up as quickly as possible and that is why I know balance is going to be the key for me this year and many years to come. Once I find balance and get to know my students my passion will flow and grow as I watch their passion for learning grow with the help of the STEAM activities. There is a part of me that cannot wait to get back into the classroom but I know I need to take it slow and think about my family and myself too. Here is to another great year of learning for my students and for me!
I used Google search to find my images. You can find the images used on this page at the following websites or by clicking on the image.
Love IQuote: http://internetmarketing-advice.net/do-what-you-love
Gabrielle Bernstein Quote: http://quotes-lover.com/picture-quote/allow-your-passion-to-become-your-purpose-and-it-will-one-day-become-your-profession/
Balance Image: http://coolconversationslive.com/balance-vs-rhythm/
Brian Tracy Quote: http://quotesgram.com/lifelong-learning-quotes/