My Teaching Journey

I have compiled some of the most important aspects of my journey to becoming an educator. On my blog you will find things that I am encouraged by, personal testimonies, photographs, and the occasional video. I hope you are inspired by the content on my blog. Feel free to share any ideas you may find here. Best wishes, Maddy

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Where has the time gone?

WOOOOOW! I can’t believe that I am in my 4th year of teaching. It feels like just yesterday I was being hired and was struuuuuuuggling through my first year. My goodness did I struggle. Not on the surface, but in reflecting not hat year, I was going through it. Behaviors, lots of new learning, a loose grip on the curriculum and much more. What I did do well though? Is the relationships I built with my kids and my colleagues. I am proud of myself for getting through that year with only a few tears shed. (and I am NOT a cryer by nature). Now I see and experience much more JOY from my work. I am learning to let go of things I cannot control. I am learning to put my energy into my students and teach them life long lessons of accountability, natural consequences, and pride in oneself. I am proud of how I have adapted in the yearS of Covid. It has been an absolute MESS. But I am learning to be resilient right alongside my students and that is beautiful. I am learning how to engage with others and be the kind, positive voice in their lives, no matter how tired or burnt out I am. I am learning to withdraw my energy and worries from things that will not provide fruit for myself or others. Remove energy and worry from things that are inherently damaging. 

I am LEARNING and growing and that is beautiful. I am looking forward to a great rest of the year and trying to hold onto a positive attitude through it because after all of this mess, I get to work with some amazing kids and that is enough.

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End of Year Madness

I am almost done with my first year of teaching, wow! What a year it has been... i have learned so much about the job, myself, and the kids this year. I am grateful to have a full time job, and a wonderful staff to support me as  continue my journey in this profession. With that, I also have a lot going on in my brain these days. We are roughly 20 days out from the end of school, I started my Masters program last week, I am in the process of moving my stuff to a portable for next school year, I am getting geared up for summer camp, and am trying my best to not stress about state testing, and finishing the year on a strong note. My theme this year was Perseverance! I am feeling the pressure of following up with this at the moment. My kids know that we are constantly refining this skill, yet I am feeling anxious about exercising my skill with this at the moment. In the midst of the fun, I am also quite stressed. With this, I am also feeling very thankful for these stressors, as they are all really good things in my life. Sometimes, I just need to sit back and reflect. I am thankful for having a full time job that is difficult, yet very rewarding at the same time. I am thankful for the team I am on... very supportive and encouraging. I am thankful for a family who loves and supports me. I am thankful for a second job, that helps me save money for the future, and gives me a release from the pressures of school demands. I am thankful for the opportunity to further my education, even if it seems overwhelming. I am also very thankful for the kids I get to interact with on a daily basis because of both of these jobs. I hope this comes as encouragement to someone who is entering and/or going through rough times right now. That, although things may not seem perfect, or even ideal, there is always something to be thankful for. 

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5th Grade Camp

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5th Grade Camp

Wowza! I thought this time would never come... I’ve spent the last four years serving as a 5th grade camp counselor, and I just got home from my first week of camp as a teacher! I had an absolute blast!! I am truly amazed at the flourishing of all of my students in the past week. They have continually surprised me with their attitudes, behavior, and overall livelihood. Some of my most sensitive kids jumped out of their comfort zones, and took on roles in their cabins that I never thought they would. On the flip side, I saw many times where my kids have shown great restraint and teamwork who would otherwise struggle to do so. It is weeks like these where I feel a great sense of pride in my students and what they can accomplish. I am leaving this week feeling quite exhausted, yet completely re-energized! A year of struggle with these kids has lead to a week of successes and triumphs over challenges they faced. I am feeling ready to finish off the year on a positive note. In fact, I only have 30 more days with these kiddos, before they move on to their next great adventure. My hope for them is that they continue to develop into great humans I am seeing as they leave my direct circle of influence.

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Week leading up to winter break- My walk to read class (~15 kids) rehearsed and performed a readers theater summarizing the young life of Abraham Lincoln and performed it to the neighboring class. They did an excellent job and were able to practice visualization, intonation, fluency, and pacing. Lots of really cool things! I love creative learning like this activity... and so do the kids!

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Community connections! We had the privilege of having a local conservation group come to our class and teach us about our local watershed and how to conserve water. Activities included mapping trails, identifying components, an outdoor game/simulation, and observations of native animal skins. The kids really enjoyed these experiences, and have become more aware of the community they live in. Great stuff!

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Group projects are awesome!! Students were paired in groups of about four... had to research a type of government and present to the class in a google slides. We were working on research skills, social studies, critical thinking, collaboration skills, presentation skills, and asking/answering questions. Awesome stuff!!

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Some of my favorite bulletin boards so far... a lot to do with growth mindset and planning for the future. Teaching in a low income school, a lot of my kids do not have ambitions to achieve post secondary educational opportunities. As a fifth grade teacher, my goal is to prepare them for their next step and motivate them to start thinking and dreaming of college after high school. Our futures are bright, and we are going to college! The When I Grow Up... bulletin board displays my kiddos holding a sign with their chosen profession in it while also wearing a college shirt/jersey, so they can see themselves as college students. My hope is that they pursue post secondary education in the idea and strive for a better life.

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My very first class of munchkins 🤗

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Parent Teacher Conferences

Phew! I thought I’d never get past this point in my first year. Parent- teacher conferences. The biggest fear of many first year teachers. Concerned about not being taken seriously. Worried about the timing and pleasing the families. Scared about what may happen. Any and all worries crossed my mind as I entered into this last week of school.

Without a doubt... one of the best weeks of the year thus far. I was able to sit down and connect with almost all of my families and brag about how amazing their children are. I learned so much about the little ones in my classroom, and was respected by everyone that came. No doubt, I look about 12 years old... but those families gave me no reason to believe I was inadequate. I actually feel really good about the conferences, and the information we each received from attending them. I learn things about their children that I had not known or was unsure of, and they learned how to help me with their child’s education. The stress that I put on myself was unwarranted, and in fact, I am feeling really great about the whole deal now. I cannot wait to continue to dialogue with these families about their child’s progress this year... academically and socially. So for any of you who are worried, just take a deep breath and as long as you are prepared, things will go great! All the families want to know is how much you value their child and are willing to work with them on assisting in their development. Again, one of my favorite experiences so far!

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Pictures of my classroom right before open house this week!

I got to meet 20 out of the 33 little wonders who will soon flood this room eager for their fifth grade year to start. As the year is beginning, I am finding time to reflect on these experiences... Wowza! I am so blessed to be in this position. This is one of the hardest jobs to undertake, but I am so excited to start this journey with my kiddos! Come Wednesday, there will be no looking back.

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Graduation and a teacher cut to celebrate my first JOB!

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As promised- here are some pictures from the WEA Rep Assembly in Spokane, WA in April and the Aspiring Educator Leadership Conference in Minneapolis, MN back in June.

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Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve posted any updates... here yah go! More to come... as I struggle to keep up with the demands ahead of me.

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I am so excited to announce that I have officially passed my edTPA and I am one step closer to graduation and having a classroom of my very own! Student teaching has been a whirlwind of adventures with many ups and downs. From supervisor, mentor, and principal observations, to student crises, professional conferences, to celebrating my successes with my class, I am realizing just how blessed I truly am. As I am applying and attending job fair, interviews, etc. I am anxious to move myself into a school and share my love for learning with my own class in just a couple months.

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Union strong

Quick update on me- I am now at home full time and will be starting my student teaching in third grade in just a week! I am no longer taking classes in Pullman and will be spending the rest of my undergraduate career in the classroom. Yeah that’s right- 16 weeks of student teaching to tie up my time in school before I do this for real starting in the fall. Yikes! During my final week in Pullman, I was able to spend quality time with friends, move out of my apartment, go to a conference in Vegas, and ace all of my classes. It was a whirlwind of a week, but I had a fabulous time in Vegas.

I was selected by my state advisor to attend the NEA Minority and Women’s Leadership training at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas and boy was it amazing. Traveling to and from Pullman during this time of year is miserable, but I still had a blast at the conference. My drive to fight for social justice, especially in education, has been revved up by the experiences and conversations I had that weekend. We discussed topics related to leadership in the union, how to support our undocumented students, and brainstormed ways to organize SJ movements in our schools. I am proud to be an active union member because I know the benefits collectivity has for educators and thus for our students and families.

I am also excited to announce that I have been accepted to attend the National Leadership Summit in Chicago, IL held during March of 2018. I will be one of twenty aspiring educators across the country who will be fully funded to attend this prestigious conference. I am honored to have been chosen. I truly look forward to collaborating with leaders in education! More information to come, but this will be an excellent opportunity for my professional self moving forward. 

I will be making a video in the near future, but couldn’t do that this time. Future topics will include- the edTPA (dun dun dun), feminism, back into the classroom.

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Teaching Vlog 12/5/17

Updates! Final weeks in Pullman, NEA involvement, exciting things!

Next up: review from the conference.