Some Thoughts and Birds!

KPM Doodles....Love!

I have noticed that in my class the children who have teachers as parents know exactly how many weeks, days, and hours are left in the school year.  Is it because their parents have a sense of urgency about making sure the students in their care are ready for the next year?  Is it because their parents are dreading the end of the year and saying goodbye to students who have come to be a part of their learning community that supports and encourages each other?  Maybe it is because the parent/teacher can't wait to spend some quality time with their own children.  If might even be the parent/teacher is feeling weary and needs the summer to refresh, restore and relax!  If the parent/teacher happens to be me...It is a combination of all of the above!

Being a parent has helped make me a better teacher.  With the end of each day I ask myself, "Would I have found my own teaching acceptable for my own child."  Most days I can honestly answer, "Yes!"  I have great children.  They encourage, accept and love me!  More than once I have heard all three say, they wish I had been their first grade teacher.  That makes me swell with love and joy.

Being a teacher has made me a better parent!  I have some amazing parents. They encourage, support and reinforce classroom learning in their own homes.  It has made me be a more engaged parent.  I can ask myself, "Would I want my students to have a parent like me?"  I'm working on it...I'm trying to guide without being over bearing and encourage without being pushy.  I pray each day that they will grow to be filled with the joy of knowing God has blessed them in body, mind and spirit.  I love being a mom and a teacher.

Now you probably think I'm going to share something for Mother's Day...Nope!  I want to share my developing bird unit with you.  Did I mention I am a bird....nut?  It's true.  My other blog is all about birds. I'd Rather be Birding is a blog that ends each post with..."I'd rather be birding...."
Click here for Bird Unit! Here!

A couple of pages from my expanding bird unit!

A continuing issue for me is no windows in my classroom.  I came up with a solution today that made the whole class happy.  allaboutbirds.org is a website with lots of great bird resources.  They sponsor a web-cam that streams live video of a Red-tailed Hawk's nest at Cornell University.  My firsties loved watching the young hawks being fed pigeon meat.  I heard lots of awwwwes!  When I project the image onto my whiteboard I have a window with a view!

I'm looking forward to sharing some more bird action with you later this week.

Check this out on allaboutbirds.org.  You'll fall in love with these little fluff-balls!

Jenny-Wren (A fitting nickname given to me by my Dad!)