First Year Teaching Documentary

[Music] my name is Jennifer McNichol and I am a first year teacher at Arbor Creek I don't teach first grade I think the things that make people want to be a teacher are to make a difference in the lives of students she's very excited about it which is refreshing for all of us veteran teachers to have those new teachers come in and to see that thriving in that in that environment ready to accept those brand-new kids [Music] when I first started teaching I remember getting my books and my grade book from the principal and going home and looking at all of it and thinking I don't know where to start education is a tough field these days and we have a lot of expectations that are put on us so we want to have some of those people that are committed to providing kids the best education they can providing them the best learning opportunities that are available jennifer has set out to be a teacher and that's what she was meant to be you a lot of people say your first year is your hardest and I don't know if it's your hardest but I know it's difficult and unfortunately a few of my friends who are teachers have decided that they don't want to teach anywhere after their first year teaching is tough but you know that going into it it's gonna be a tough year for Jennifer I just keep reminding her that my first year of teaching was an absolute bear for me he is the PE teacher for middle school in high school he is also their athletic director and president of the charter school sports association that they belong to I think some new teachers feel like it's it's gonna be a lot easier than it really is they they've seen their teachers teaching and it looked so easy for them I think they expected that they would come in and the children would behave and the children would learn and it doesn't always work out so neatly like that I want people who have lofty goals and who are reaching for the stars it takes that kind of a person to accomplish what we need to accomplish in education as your experience as a teacher is the first year special it's absolutely special I think you form relationships with students that are different than the relationships you'll form with any other class it's kind of your baseline and you begin comparing everything you do with that first year it's not easy but it's not impossible and it has to be fun or you're not doing it right maybe I shouldn't say that yet what are the expectations how are things not function this is a very exciting time here for brand new teachers first of all they want to be in their classroom and they want to have it set up and they spend so much time doing all these creative things in their classroom getting ready for students and then of course they're torn away from the classroom to attend some meetings Olathe has meetings for everything which is great it keeps you informed I understand and let you know what's coming up and what changes are coming around and that's what you need to have but no idea there was that many meetings that she'd be involved with what's with all the meetings that new teachers have to go to that's a great question and I think that's something that I think all teachers in Olathe would like to know with what is with all the meetings we always begin the year with bringing the new teachers in a couple of days ahead of the regular teachers contract you pull them from the bottom out so like the Topkapi is the white copy just to provide them with the background knowledge that they're going to need to get their year off to a good start which includes our new educator induction program which is a program where teachers can come and learn about the ways that we expect and hope that our teachers in our life that will teach so we do it this way and that's what's up with all the meetings the building opened July 28th and I've been here every day you don't go into teaching to make a hundred thousand dollars a year you go into teaching because you like doing what you want is it common to see a teacher invest some of their own money is it common yes it's very common I think especially at the beginning of the year and especially for new teachers I think anybody in the field of education would love to be able to provide teachers with anything that they need to be able to create the climate for that classroom that they want to have but reality is we have to put the money where we get the most bang for the buck and that is in to those more teaching kinds of materials and that's not to say that she may not spend some of her own money on teaching materials too but I think for the most part they put their own money into more of the aesthetics that create that climate that makes it missus McNichols room and not somebody else's room I'd rather work and see that it's done the way I want it to because it is special your first year is you just got all the energy in the world so use as much of it as you can yes I'm not getting much sleep making sure everyone can see TV screen it's just little things that you don't think about until it's your first room and it's empty and it has to be filled I don't think parents or others know that those people who are dedicated and those people who love their profession the time and energy that they put into making sure that their classroom is just right like one of those brain teasers where everything is fine except for one little piece [Music] it is so fun to see those kids come through the door and and and you could say so and so give me a hug have you had a great summer and they're excited about being at school they're excited about meeting their new teachers starting in again for the record are you ready for today is ready can be as ready as I know have a good first day I always have told myself as a young teacher that if it ever came to the point that before the first day of school I could actually sleep the night before that it might actually be time time to get out because I think that bit of anxiety is is important to have it it makes you work harder and it also shows that you really care and are concerned about what's going to be happening in theirs the first few days of school is you meet those children for the first time how much time do you have until the kids come in 9 minutes 9 minutes and counting them any expectations it was 8 o'clock in the morning there's already a parent coming in and the funny thing is I came in here today things were going to happen at the last minute those first few days of school are are very very stressful I think because parents are bringing you their treasure and they have lots and lots of questions I'm sure it caused her some some stress to have that kind of an interruption the thing that it's doing is really breaking her in because from that moment on that's going to be a common occurrence throughout the day [Music] [Music] they are just I don't know because they're not kindergarteners but they're they're not what you expect and yes that's a first recruiter you [Music] know that very first day I think it's somewhat overwhelming and I try to share with teachers but not only will you have all your students coming in you'll have parents coming in and things to share we were just trying to get Alex settled in and in the class and mrs. McNichols in there and so many parents in there and so many kids it was hard to let go but it went well she enjoyed it and I survived he's our oldest child and this was the first time he would be in a classroom all day it's the first full day experience for him and so they're they're feeling a little lonely and knowing that they're not gonna have their son or daughter with him I was emotional but he was excited about it what's the worst thing about being a first grader that kindergarten three hours of school and first graders have seven hours of school [Music] I hate to tell appearances but yes those first graders usually jump right in and they're just fine as soon as mom and dad leave what's your favorite thing about being a first grader that we get to stay all day I need some of the base things that new teachers need to consider are the little friends they think about curriculum they think about bulletin boards I think with the big stuff but they don't think about the small thing considering ahead of time what's the procedure going to be for sharpening the pencil if we're getting a drink before going to the bathroom [Music] sometimes your mind says man be nice have a teacher that's been doing it 20 years or so then also your mind thinks of new younger maybe more lively more bringing some new things that they've just learned to the table I never had any issues when we come in fresh out of school we bring great new ideas to our employer that but we all have a learning curve [Music] eyes on me there you go unfortunately the reality of the job is that within the first day the first week it's exhausting for those new teachers and we begin to see that excitement and that motivation turn into just a little bit of anxiety begins to take over and am I going to be able to keep up and it's just kind of working from day to day today eyes on me frozen like an ice cube one you know she's gonna finish a lesson at 10:05 and need to be at recess at 1007 and back in for another lesson and need to be a lunch at 1102 and you know hopefully have time to hit the restroom in there somewhere so the life of a teacher is very busy it's constantly going you can imagine a classroom of 20 kids and trying to meet all those needs it's nonstop from 8 to 4 so zip it it's just it's different it's just not what you thought they're um they're a lot of fun but I haven't sat down yet except for lunch and I've taken away all the heels I'm ready for the ha and I my lesson plan book is up and running so it makes me feel more comfortable which makes against no more what good listeners to see how structured all four lessons were I was just my smile the first time I saw him I was like alright you can do that every single day awesome right now special assembly especial things we do are great it's really I could sit down and let someone else entertainment for a while and keep their attention but at the same time oh my gosh I lost my 40 minutes of shared reading that I had to have set up sweetie we're almost done you guys have done a good job keep it up the time and energy that sometimes it takes to be successful especially this first year she doesn't have a lot of files and think she can drop upon and draw from and so she's gonna be spending some nights here where she's working on the folders that she'll be able to use year after year but for this first year she's happened to put it all in place and get them all look in the way she wants when we get to the question because miss Weibull can't close her door okay Ben stay in our second square all right where should your hands be sir thank you as soon as I get home I eat it's usually about 9:00 Austin you're doing a fabulous job and can I go to sleep yes now the jennifer is working in Olathe and being there full-time I find myself having to do dishes and do the laundry and straighten up house try to help out and do everything else around the house now because she has no other time hopefully it's just a first month thing don't be here till 9 o'clock in December and I don't think I will be tired I do want to stay here till nine o'clock every night when I first met Jennifer I noticed that she was very eager to get started she wasn't afraid at all and I just noticed a maturity in her thinking and just a love for children and she really stepped into the student teaching role as if it was her class and she was teaching but yet she would ask for advice and say am i doing okay but I did see great things as she was teaching him felt very confident that she would have a job at some school you know I just didn't know it would be next door to me in some small way a part of me is over in that classroom and that's a good feeling to have we have some support in place where instructional resource teachers who support our new educators will actually go into their classrooms and do various things basically they're the best of the best Olathe has asked to help teach new teachers and experienced teachers new things they might model a lesson that is modeling a strategy that we're hoping that they will be able to incorporate themselves they might sit down with a new teacher and help them make lesson plans that include that strategy or they may go in and observe that new teacher to see if they are utilizing the strategy the way that we would hope they would use it could be and it is my problem we help them throughout the year specifically at the beginning of the year to get the ball rolling and then many times throughout the year we'll meet with them well you have to remember these are first graders in their first month of school that was the thing that I loved about student teaching was that people were constantly observing you and always giving you constructive criticism just a little suggestion is to give the kids a little bit of think time in there okay so when Sandi comes in and you know tells me which standards I'm meeting and you know what would be some you know a few good ideas to try it a little differently it's welcome always welcome you did a good job with what they call with it nests when things like that happened or you're distracted here there which happens and only daily hourly almost by the minute you need to have that witness to keep the class movie I mean you're just setting the stage for years to come if teachers in that first year set up strong management and strong lessons know how to put together a strong lesson that meets their curriculum that carries through four years and I think that first year is very imperative to help them with as many things as they can so that you know they don't fall into bad habits I've been sick for a week I did everything I could I was bringing sprite and I was bringing crackers and tomato soup and extra blankets my husband's been cooking you know since August anyway every night and doing the laundry and helping out as much as he can that's fine it's my job help her when she doesn't feel well I'm picky and I am a perfectionist so you know he is trying to make me as he can but I was sick and I was tired after a couple of days she started getting kind of snappy and I just whined one too many times and he just came in and turned off the light and said you need to go to bed see you in the morning room I've never done that before do you give and take because wait till basketball season rolls around her his school and I'll be the one you know rushing home with work to get it done and get dinner ready I'm sitting here so you guys can sit big chairs through the conference she hit both the reading and explained where the level Kylie was at and where she wanted to be at and she also touched on I believe the math and where Kylie was at at that point and kind of where she wanted to be right there and earlier she wants to work hard I mean she wants she wants to be there kids in the class or anything I'm telling these people that their students are either doing great or you know there's but there's always something we can focus on and I'm thinking they're gonna think this twenty three-year-old just crazy he's doing well with his odds or evens greater than or less than I'd like him to be at a twenty by the end of the year very attainable for you okay parents come to you looking for ideas no matter if you've been in the classroom one year or 15 years they want to know what to do with it with their children and they look at you as an expert could we have those on you know you sent home Friday folders right and she's had four years of school and she's student taught so she had some great ideas to share with her parents so even though she's young and new I still think parents really value her input he said they're all friends too this is amazing glass going into a young physician or something like that as as an older person you might at first feel a little bit uncomfortable because this person seems so very young but very quickly and in talking with them you realize that they have incredible experience and not only is that experience incredible it's the most up to date I think I've gotten them to think of me more as a teacher in their classrooms which have been oh that's the first year teacher but yeah at first I thought oh I'm 23 years old and I'm telling this you know 30-something mom or dad how to work with their kids at home you think I don't like about these are sitting in these chairs hey little red so sweet so good you sure can't shake that Riding Hood come on little red won't you dance with me at Arbor Creek Halloween is a big holiday [Music] [Music] out of all the party days we have at school that one is of course the most exciting for the students I don't know at this age if they're really thinking about changing issues but we decided that maybe it would be a good idea for one of us to take the boys to change and one of us to take the girls she ended up with the girls and I ended up with the boys some of those costumes were tests you know it was a complete transformation there were little high heels all over the place and some had makeup or they wanted to try and put on with it and so getting ready was the most stressful part I think of the whole Halloween celebration but they all had a blast the best part was that we got a lot of candy get to see each other's costumes [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] they do a wonderful job because they have no inhibitions whatsoever and so they will just go up there and they will belt out that tune and you can hear them all the way across the school [Music] it just cracks me up I just think it's the most adorable thing in the world it was an eye-opener for sure so the way she handles the handle the kids up on the stage just from behind somewhere was kind of man messing her had her dancing around she was able that I could see her just kind of say and heard their name from behind kids would stop and get back on task the kids get so excited and they work so hard but there's something that happens when the parents get out there with video cameras and the kids aren't always used to that and then they're dressed up anyway and it's seven o'clock at night [Music] [Music] my big news is that on Friday dan and I found out we're gonna have a baby yes we did good good really are and we know it's due sometime in the summer so that's good thank gosh because I don't know what we would have done if it there's no way during school you're really gonna pendulum well so it's a little early at this point are you deciding to kind of keep it to yourselves for a while you gonna keep it quiet quite until the first two visits yeah probably at least visits it's making me still want to work really hard so that next year will be a lot easier if I can get a lot of things done the way I want them now and make it so that they're good enough to use next year then I would have to put in as much time hopefully next year you're not gonna go home and be with the baby and you a little bit more than I do now that'd be nice you said we never saw each other and somehow we we saw each other enough today is the day before Thanksgiving break and mrs. Graham's class and my class got together we made cornbread and she and her classmates talked about symbolically how the Pilgrims and the Native Americans brought their food together but it was more or less to get some energy out I'm due July 10 so I'll be able to end this year it might be able to start next year we'll just have to see how it goes but so we're very excited that I'm very exhausted keeping things quiet for a while just because of you know parent questions and then first-grade questions which I'm not quite sure how to answer yet because who knows what they really what they really know and then also just for myself that superstition of waiting till three months and and that sort of things but we're excited we're very excited I was working at work at my part-time job that I was working in a during part of the year she walked in with because I forgot she had a doctor's appointment during the day she walked in with a balloon that said baby on it and a book that said you're my daddy or something like that and walked in and I just remember jumping the counter and running out and giving her a big hug before I jumped I was like look I had to hold my breath and think about it was like oh my I think it scared him a lot yes absolutely dan has very high goals he wants to have for his family and so for him you know the thought of of a job that pays very well is always in the back of his mind I think someone said once they wanted to be a teacher and their father said why don't you be a doctor or a lawyer and we wouldn't have doctors or lawyers without teachers they might not be there without their teachers even their first grade teachers or their middle school PE teachers I have an aunt in law who lives in Alaska and as a teacher there I could email her this weekend and see if she can get us any information about the author I know I'm not as pleasant as I used to be but when you get a little stressed out when you're taking on new things and you want to do a good job then you're going to be focused more Thank You second-grade does that because you can't be you know your cheery positive self all the day when you feel like you need to go to the bathroom and be sick these are been talking about it in terms of a roller coaster is that accurate it's very accurate and it starts out with a real high and by December they're kind of at the low point of that roller coaster but in December after that Christmas break and they begin to kind of rise and go back up and at the end of the year they're actually anticipating and looking forward to another school year there's teacher burnout a concern oh I think teacher burnout is a big concern and it's a big concern for even for new educators and that's something that when we head into those in November December January months where those new teachers are kind of at the bottom of the roller coaster we really try and do things that are going to help to kind of lighten their load and ease their concerns and worries and burdens so that so that they're not burning out in that first year [Music] during classroom observations it's it's a time when I can go in and try to reinforce some of the things that I've seen that Jennifer is doing good as a hope to have her by reinforcing it continue to do those things and then it's also another set of eyes to help her to see things that maybe we could do to help her day go a little easier and to help her improve and be a little bit better at a first grade teacher [Music] [Music] [Applause] one of the other first grade teachers is due December 29th and her kids just a few of them realized this week that she was pregnant and she is very pregnant and so first Raiders you know they tend to take it in when they choose soon there's six of us right now and then just last year there were two teachers who had a baby so when you know less than two years since the schools been going there have been eight pregnancies here at Arbor Creek there is a joke going around that the water is extremely fertile oh I am just ready for 3:30 to hit and happen to the first week will be in getting the holidays you know taking care of because I put that off and but after that that next week is just nothing but relaxing you know I'll probably just stay in their pajamas the whole day and do a little bit of work and take how was your break it was okay didn't get as much done as I wanted to because I was really sick with morning sickness and I was so thankful for the two weeks off because I don't know if I would have made it to school because I was really I mean every couple hours getting sick and so I was thankful for the two weeks and we made very weird noises so scared lowercase H he screamed like a girl she was going real strong in October and a little disheartened over the holiday time and again you know everybody's kind of shut in so when you shut in with all those students that makes it a little bit more difficult I think she had some time over break to prepare some more curriculum things she kind of looked at what she had taught what needed revisited and her students that they hadn't really mastered and made a plan for the rest of the semester if you finish you know the kids came back and they were they had their energy back and they were just unbelievably excited to see their friends again and to some of them it was a shock that they were still in first grade a lot of them thought they were going to second grade I've seen the things I've done that have been helpful to the kids and I've seen where I need to go back and reteach or where I can teach from as a teacher so my attitude is definitely more focused and more energized we have really just started doing this formally within the last two weeks so right now I'm more of a slave driver than facilitator they need to be doing what they're supposed to do at that time by themselves before I can become the facilitator so at first I have to teach them how to do it on their own without talking in let them know that not every word has to be spelled right in the first sloppy copy pregnancy's going very well and the kids now know because I have one student I have a lot of kids who'd like to give me hugs but I have one who when he comes up he loves to give bear hugs and he he hits me right at my stomach now because he's tall and he gave me a hug and I just was so tight I just slipped and I said oh you're hurting the baby and so then you know half the class soft and was like what and so I did a quick little mini lesson of what you were thankful for over the break and I told them that mr. McNichol and I you know are gonna have a baby and I said we found out over break which was just a segue into it but um so the kids now now and they're so excited some of them got it and some of them were just like I don't know what that means and I didn't want to go into it yeah when she told the class Archie came home baby of course she doesn't really understand that concept probably yet it's really asked about it which is the day I'm gonna be busy and you're gonna have to talk to everything what do you think she should name her baby Joshy sexy did Jennifer's pregnancy come as a surprise to you it did come as a put surprise to me just because the first year of teaching is so overwhelming and so that's a busy time I was surprised that she wanted to add that element in there she's just a go-getter and she just just determined that she's gonna do well and so she knows that she needs extra sleep and I think she's she's mapped it all out very well you are so excited for those teachers and the joy that they're going to have and in this new little bundle of joy that's coming into their life does it make a little extra work absolutely it makes a little extra work for that teacher too because she knows there's things that she's going to want to accomplish prior to that long term sub coming into place and then it's there's some pressure on me to make sure that I get a good long-term sub in there who will continue and stay the course of what has been started during the year [Applause] good okay who has an idea but a parent you know that this becomes really the focal point of your world as you start thinking about having this baby and being this baby's parent but I think the other really neat thing that it does is it causes you to look at your profession differently and that's something that I've always tried to when I'm working with other people's children as a teacher to think if this were my child how would I want this to be done and I've always thought that way but it wasn't until I actually became a parent myself that I thought think I could really understand that what about saying friends also like like best friends or friends would that work could you say that signle would yes or no instead of just friend could you say friends you expect Jennifer to come back next year oh absolutely Jennifer has what it takes to be a very very good teacher and you know I do see her coming back I see her as being a person who has a strong commitment but also just enjoys her job she has indicated that she will return to school but it's very hard to leave those little bundles when you know when you've spent and had that quality time with them and so I think that's always a consideration that that moms will not return after their maternity leave that's the easy part okay the next part of our project requires super good listeners there are certain kids who art is definitely their thing you can already tell in first grade and so you want to be sure and nurture that as well as you know keeping them up and going on the reading you want to if that's their passion you want a nurture that you're gonna decorate your heart with you shouldn't have scissors and you're a pretty good artist it was like a valentine's thing the whole candy and it was a red heart and a blue us to get thinking and I made them flowers on it I made green green balls I haven't said go yet oh dear I'm gonna ask for your hands to be in about two seconds practice writing your name so that it's nice and big because you want people to read it you know there's lots of ways to tie in art to different curriculum activities they love it and it is ironically the quietest time but at the same time it's great for development see how much you can get done and I can give you some extra time before music does that make sense sign language s's irnos does that make sense good she says she doesn't enjoy being a coach's wife at all because I'm gone so much but when I have stuff going on like that she loves to come in and help and do everything else it's an extremely busy time of year for him basketball season has been really time consuming and busy and he also works a second part-time job so if it's not basketball then it's his job she knows that's one of things that I do and I know that's the same way with her I know that's my husband out there yelling and screaming on the sideline smiling about it [Applause] [Music] you what's your most favorite thing about mrs. McNichol she helps us and she helps us read then go to her specials and go to recess and she always goes at rate and resets beauty and keep an eye on everybody there's two grade levels out there and you've got another teacher on duty with and you're just trying to watch everything's and you know knowing those students who probably shouldn't be playing together and keeping the nine making sure they're doing okay with their other friends and always having that walkie-talkie and your whistle and keeping everything under control it's nice to go outside and walk around and talk with the kids and it's a great way to bond with some of your students that you don't always have the best classroom management relationship with they need that extra attention in a positive way so getting outside on recess Duty you know I can start up a good conversation before there is a problem and we have those you know two minutes of what to do last night and you know there's there's not a reading lesson that's waiting to be taught so I feel like I can still scan the area for kids and still talk with them at the same time and build that positive fund [Music] [Music] today we're just gonna partner read and retell this story two times one person does it and then the other person does it to make sure we've got all those important points and then you need to do the last page in your packet on your own is reading important being able to read because when you get older you'll start reading harder words so you gotta start on how to read hard words when you're little so you know them when you're bigger can you do it do you know your census are you super smart are you ready I think we're going to read with the person who we sit next to so that we can share a book today okay in first grade is reading considered the number one job number one number one in first grade it really is as we know reading enhances every other subject area so that's very important we find if students are missing some of their the bricks and their foundation it really affects their education down the road don't worry man you keep reading how would you have a question I'm not sure words describe how important reading is that's the cornerstone of everything that those kids are going to need to be successful in from now till the time they graduate whether that be from high school or college either one there's really in in the big scheme of things a very small window in the time that you can make the most progress in children's reading and there's research out there that shows us that if you miss that it becomes harder and harder and harder to get those kids reading at grade level you each read the book and then both of you retold all of the important parts that's kind of a stressful thought when you have these little ones coming into your classroom who aren't reading and you know that by the end of the year they need to be reading pretty well are you a better reader this year than you were in kindergarten yeah you know the reading started out rather slow and I was very apprehensive about it he's got to the point where we have trouble getting into bed at night because he likes to sit there and read all the books that we've read him for years he just sits there with his light and read so we finally have to just take the books away and force them to please is that a good feeling that's a great feeling it's a great feeling now feel is not one of our senses but which sense goes along with feel which sense goes along with feel remember spelling words from this week Finn which sense goes along with feel touch you're absolutely right you are absolutely right I'm glad you guys were smart enough to connect those two to see the look on her face when she talks about her experiences and what compliments the kids gave her throughout the day when she comes home the first time you hear that as a first-year teacher there's nothing better than that you know that's what you're supposed to be doing are they gonna feel the table but they're gonna maybe feel the chair absolutely that one's a little tricky so I wanted to give you a heads up on it you've made the decision to move from a nice little house and what seems like a really nice neighborhood to an apartment why why would you do that and financially daycare is expensive and we're renting this house right now and we tried looking for a house you know the ones that we loved it just you know wasn't accommodating the new family lifestyle that we'll be having and and we could do it but we'd you know we'd be sacrificing this or that we made the choice of moving into an apartment and I don't know financially I don't know we always said we'd like to have a house before we have a baby because of this reason it's but it's um it's just gonna take some creative planning as to teachers should they have to make the sacrifice based on teacher salaries well if it were up to me absolutely not I think teach teaching is one of the greatest professions and should be rewarded financially more than it is I know that two people working in schools often it is a financial burden for them and it's a tough one they both went into education knowing what the paycheck is going to be like and what sacrifices they've had to make and there are people all over the country in education that make those sacrifices so unfortunately they do have to make it in my eyes I wish they didn't have to you have to kind of downsize when you have a child coming in so you have to move back into an apartment for a while you have a baby coming you have to buy all the stuff you're gonna have for the child I told him the other day I said I would rather live in a one-bedroom one-bathroom apartment email for the rest of our lives and have him always working a second job he's more important to have at home than to live in a nice big house because she's a first-time teacher I think at the beginning she might have rushed things I think she's grown to be possibly a little bit more patient Ken and I work with our kids a lot but mrs. McNichol has made a definite impact and Stephens reading ability his math ability just everything just overall she's made a definite impact I think Jennifer's instincts too are really good because she mentioned us and one of our parent-teacher conferences that you know obvious goring very low in a lot of her tests so Jennifer you know was thinking about it a little bit and apparently had a what she call it a lunch a special lunch with her where they talked about some of the things and found out that you know on the one-on-one basis Audrey actually was able to respond to a whole lot more than what she had been in the structured class it helped her a lot at the beginning of the year she was very organized she had a room all set up perfectly still very organized but she doesn't have those expectations that everything will run exactly like it should so rolling with punches is kind of a learned trait do you think it is and it's a learned trait like we said even for Jennifer who wanted everything to just go perfectly yeah when you're working with children that's the way it works I wouldn't say old season pro yet but I would say I'm not the scatterbrained new teacher that I was in August and October and November pick their field trips according to their curriculum so in first grade they need to learn the animals and animals and their habitats so a trip to the zoo fits perfectly the day started off with the kids just running we started off in Africa just running this are like oh my gosh cuz like yelling come back come back come back one mile per minute faster swim mammal in the world filled trips are an important part in my opinion just because if teachers use that field trip for a learning experience they'll talk about it ahead of time and they'll talk about it afterwards they can use it in that they can use it in reading they can use it in science do you remember your favorite animal at the zoo that'd be that with that because it's the biggest walking mammal I'm saying the land walking animal not the biggest mammal ever there's a whale would be that I had two troopers with me you know it was a hot day and it was it was long but they stuck with it I think that was like the first day I'd worn those shoes I mean they were athletic shoes that they they were just slip ons she's wanting to shoot he was dead that night great it was payback how many Nikolas six so chase prediction was right and so we're all those of you who put down six if you were close give yourself a pat on the back because it is hard to make predictions sometimes but if you're close you did a great job we had so many different things in first grade math we do early fractions computation without carrying over just you know adding and subtracting of two digits a lot of graphs money they need to know their coins and how much that's worth what time for number one you are so close you're right it's 30 minutes but remember when it's in between two numbers it always goes back to the smaller ones so not 11:30 but 10:30 they really do touch on just a little bit of everything it seems like geometry pattern statistics fractions decimals we've set the foundation for a lot of things let's put it that way do you see it mm-hmm good all right light bulb number two her lessons are much more meaty they have a lot more to them I see a great improvement so in her lesson planning I see improvement in her organization of her classroom she's moved it a couple of times things that weren't working for her I seen great improvement in her teaching of guided reading she feels very comfortable and if you look at her children's test scores they're amazing she's really spent a lot of time teaching them to read and they've really improved and it's really paid off wonderful and seeing lots of sentences with capitals and periods and a whole complete thought awesome for Kylee I think she's come a long way in the guided reading good job I think she struggled a little bit in the beginning and through the homework that mrs. McNichol had sent home and the worksheets I think she's come a long way I think she's come a long way and I'm glad I'm glad I see him improvement in her management she's more comfortable with her kids she set up those routines from day one and she's been very consistent with them too and then what happens when she gets to zero they can't quiet we are hard to look at her eyes and can you talk then let's be quiet why does she make you be quiet sometimes um so we could um hear what she was gonna say she's strict but she's not mean she keeps that boot in that class is she's a well-oiled machine they love I mean those kids love being in there can you see a visible difference between a teacher on her first day of school and her last day of the year you can see a remarkable difference besides the nerves and jitters aren't they're just the things that the teachers establish throughout the year the procedures and the routines that she's established and the smooth running of her classroom the management that she has to organize her twenty kids in a matter of you know a second or two to get them lined up to go somewhere or maybe back in September that was a good three-minute project to get them in line she take about three seconds to put that away we've been doing this all year long there you go Madison good girl she has a lot of different personalities in that room and she's really done a good job overall for a first-year teacher Alex thank you you told me that you were having a baby and you're motivated to work even harder through this you can have your blueprint ready for next year has that come into your mind oh yes yes and the third grade teachers who I'll be working with next year have been really great and have actually met with me once and have included me and lots of just FYI this is what we're planning for next year kind of thing already and so I know over the summer we'll talk a little bit more but they're they're willing to help out as much as they can so that'll make it easy easier and starting in August but I mean there's there's things that'll be different but in August there's some things that are just the same in every great that that you do so but yes that thought did cross my mind that I'm not going to be as prepared as I would have been if I'd say me first you had four first grades this year you're gonna have four next year so somebody is moving into the spot that she's going up to third grade so can you kind of explain the decision to bump her to third grade I think if you're a good administrator I think if you do your job well you look at people's particular strengths and I think that you say gosh this is a deficit that I have in a particular grade level or maybe even this would even add a greater strength to a particular grade level and in this particular case um I see Jennifer's being a great asset to our third grade she she did a very nice job this year as a first grade teacher and I think that some of those experiences that she's had as a first grade teacher will make her even a better third grade teacher next year staying in first grade she would be obviously a whole year more comfortable with her curriculum now she started from scratch going into third grade however she's learned a lot from first grade that she can apply to third grade the pressures may be a bit less in third grade you do have kids coming to you that will actually know how to read in third grade they actually know how to do school you know they've in school now for at least three years so that the some of those procedures and routines that you have to spend so much time teaching them to do in first grade you don't have to spend nearly that time once you get to third grade I don't think it it means anything about the quality of work that Jennifer did this year I know that dr. de Moss is pleased because she's indicated that to me I think I've probably added a little stress to her life it certainly would have mine when I said hey Jennifer I'd like for you to move to third grade but in typical Jennifer fashion throughout the course of the year she said okay let's do it that was a little scary because I had things sort of laid out you can almost read my mind it's I'll start a sentence and she'll finish it and I don't know we tease each other and play tricks on each other and I will miss her in a lot of ways there's just a camaraderie there that you don't find every day I would have loved to stay in first grade but at the same time I'm very excited about third grade since your turn Adri pounds gets the award for always showing her excitement for learning oh I think if everyone was as excited as you I tell you we'd have a fun fun class I would just say you know the people you really need to ask about Jennifer or her students I think if you go in and see her classroom you will realize they have had a wonderful year they've enjoyed it they've learned so many new things and they will truly miss her they have come to love her and Kylie this is for you for showing much passion for writing do you know what passion means it means that you really really love doing it so you're gonna put all your hard effort into it and you did a great job because you wrote lots of different things this year I think I ever had so we can play at recess just like mother said and guess what else I can't wait to see those guys again because we will be friends forever and forever what was your favorite thing about this class and that I made new friends and and we had Miss America for a teacher they decided to bring in their favorite books so you can read them to your baby oh oh my goodness thank you guys so much we wanted to make you this scrapbook so you can remember your first year as a first grade teacher and we think you're very special you guys thank you so much this year this was a very special year for me kiss just like it was your first year of school like all day it was my first year of teaching with my own class so thank you so much for this nothing should be inside your desks because it will have to go in the trash after day so make sure it's all empty Thank You lineup Bobby's ready Tyler's ready quick sweetheart summer first graders go swimming go play outside read what are you gonna do this summer oh that was weak what are you gonna do this thank you all right Jake follow them on out high fives last high five is the school year oh I got it this picnic is fast I swear if we're gonna walk out this way and follow the sixth graders see you guys bye sweetheart [Music] have a wonderful summer miss Ana let's go down to the crosswalk and meter cuz we can't cross the street over it you made this the best year ever and I am gonna miss you so much bye guys it went very fast it went very fast but that I mean that's good because that means that means we were busy and we were doing lots of stuff but I just I can't believe it's over I'm exhausted mentally and physically exhausted I just I want to get this done and I like to be able to plan ahead but I really wanted to stay focused on my first graders and I didn't want to take any any of my attention away from them up until the last minute of last day so then even today I don't I can't sort of thinking about third grade yet tomorrow will be a big 3rd grade day [Music] it's probably been a difficult year but but she's done a nice job she'll be a good teacher she let me familiar face it Jennifer is a good teacher and in the years to come I know she's going to be a great teacher when I look back I can see their reading levels as they progressed over the year and you can see how well they did on their interviewer assessments and things but when I think about this year I think about the personal connections that I made with them and that was really important [Music] that's been a cram pack to your fur I mean she is having you know all of life's biggest events occurring just one right after the other you spent all this time as a little girl thinking about you know being married and she has that and all this time thinking about having your babies and your children and she's gonna do that you know and she's moved not I mean not only she had these wonderful life events that are happening but those same life events are also some of the most stressful things that people ever go through and they're all things that are coming on top of the huge responsibility of making sure that 23 first graders walk out the door knowing how to read and ready to go to second grade it's a lot the teachers that tend to leave the profession because they're frustrated or just isn't what they thought it was going to be tend to be some of the best and the brightest is she the kind of teacher that we really need to watch out for I think absolutely absolutely and somebody like that you want to have out front you want to have other teachers see her doing teaching the way we want teaching to be done what letter grade - Jennifer earn this year oh it's Jennifer I received an a she absolutely we get an A there's no doubt in my mind that that's what what I would give her Oh a plus Jennifer has done an outstanding job what letter grade - Jennifer earned that's it easy she would earn an a hey Jennifer earned an A teaching this year no questions asked [Music] it's a B I think I did better than average but there's lots of things I could have done differently and some things I wish I would have couldn't be I tried I tried real hard fresh grader sure they're just something else and it was a good you [Music] Bennett was born July 16th we all did great so he's doing wonderful and his name is Bennett Richard McNichol how are you finding being a mother I like it a lot like we're having a lot of fun so and I'm I'm blessed he's an he's an easy baby every baby is good but he's he's easy so it makes it a lot of fun and so I've been in third grade this year and it's been wonderful it's been busy but it wasn't as dramatic a change as the first year in general no matter what grade you teach that's always a little bit more interesting of a year and so this wasn't as stressful or as interesting if you want to say as the first year was that it was good that's a good year I'm gonna take a leave of absence for about two years and stay home with Bennett and decide then if I want to return at the two-year mark or if I want to stay home a little longer and so I put in for my leave of absence which was hard to do because I did love teaching and I loved what I was doing but your family's only the only of young kids once I've decided to take on a few extra kids at a stay at home daycare no babies toddlers and that'll help Bennett he'll have playmates and then we'll also you know you have the extra financial income coming in as well what is the bottom line compared to stayin teaching or doing home daycare will be coming out ahead will be coming out ahead [Music] [Music] you

Channel: Olathe Public Schools

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Id: e6wAMC41ZXQ

Length: 68min 8sec (4088 seconds)

Published: Mon May 02 2011