"How to Be a Good Teacher" by a Second Grader

Hey friends!

Long time no see. I decided to write a quick post for you all to get something up on this blog. Since spring quarter is winding down (kind of), I hope to post about where I've been, what I've been up to, and about some exciting updates. This post will be a quick one but stay tuned for more updates coming soon!

This year I have been in a 2nd grade classroom for my practicum with an amazing CT (cooperating teacher). She has given me so much freedom in the classroom, helpful feedback, and keeps challenging me, which I love. Last quarter for my necessary observed lessons, I chose to teach the skill of letter writing. This was a 2-part lesson that I may turn into 3-4 separate lessons next year. It started with an introductory lesson all about the 5 parts of a friendly letter. We used the book, The Day the Crayons Quit as a mentor text to show the students the letters. We came up with movements and students labeled these letters to show me their knowledge after the first lesson.

In the 2nd lesson, I wrote a letter to the class asking for feedback as a future teacher. Based on their prior knowledge of the parts of a friendly letter, they wrote me letters giving me advice for my future classroom. I thought these were sweet, fun, and very comical, and I thought you might get a kick out of them too. I decided to share a few of my favorites here. I'll always keep these to remember this class and especially their sweet ideas. Students' names are marked out for obvious reasons. If you can't read the handwriting from the photos, I've included a typed rendition. The conventions remain the same as on their handwritten letters. I think their best-guess spelling is adorable!

 "Dear miss wisniew
do you need my help? I thing you should talk it out if they do something rong, and don't be serieos and do alot of projects. also you should greet them."

"Dear Mrs. Wisniew to be a good techer you must greet evry one with Joy. Tip 2 make Learning fun for your students. Tip 3 in evry birthday let them make a birthday paper to make a book...flip page for more (see second page below). give a surprise for evry star student. Tip 4 look ut the art work and give them a star! hand some frendly posters and put emojis with your student names. Make them write 3-6 sentences. Example of classroom."

This student then draws me 3 pictures of the ideal classroom, including the emojis he mentions ;)

 "Dear Miss Wisnew Hey Miss Wissnew (I love how she spelled my name twice to make sure it was right - but both ways are wrong). Do you need advice? I can give you some! I'll give you 6 tips of how to be a good teacher. First you need books for kinds to love reading. Second on the computer download RAZ kids on the computer so they get read to instead of reading by yourself. third Have a lot of goNoodles and mabye print the things its up to you. Fourth, Do fun art projects like on St. Particks Day. fifth, Let the kids have free time (if they earn it)" (YES she used parenthesis!) "and keep the kids happy (of course)" (there she goes again! "Sixth, always be a very very funny teacher."

 "Dear Ms. W (always safe if you can't spell my name ;)) A good teacher is kind to its kids. And teach them a lot of knollig."

 "Dear miss Wissniew, Are you looking for some advice on being a awesome teacher? I have some tips for you! First, on you're favrit dat of the week make it a speicel day for the kids. Like give them ten minutes of free time. Also, let them play games. Like "Just Dance 2019" on the big screen. Lastly, you need to be you're self. What I mean is just be you. Those are some of my tips for you." This student's is double sided, continued in the picture down below.

I only shared with you some of my favorites (er, I mean . . . the most creative?), letters, but I enjoy them all. All the students mentioned a few similar things. 

All in all, I learned that to be a good teacher, I must do these things: 

1. Be kind and nice (one student mentions the use of a nice tone). 
2. Give students free time (if they earned it). 
3. Use GoNoodle (be a fun teacher). 
4. Teach reading, writing, and math (don't abandon the Common Core). 
5. Do projects (art, preferably). 
6. Be funny (apparently I need to learn jokes). 
7. Make your kids happy (but still teach Common Core). 

This post is meant to be funny and I hope it humored you as much as it humored me. I love the uniqueness each student has, these 2nd graders are so fun and I've been having a blast with them all year!

20 Thoughts for my 20th

Hey friends, welcome back.

I turned 20 on November 11th. My mom and sister surprised me with a hotel room for the night, and a visit from my best friend Olivia. The theme was "Treat Yo Self" On Us. We ate at my favorite Mexican restaurant, sat in the hot tub for hours, danced, laughed, watched TV and put on face masks, worked out, and had such a blast. I am so thankful for this day.

Anyway, here are 20 random thoughts I've had over this past month, this past year, and things that I want to keep in mind throughout my 20th year.

1. Even though 18 is considered a legal adult, you're also technically a teenager, so basically 20 is the first year you're TRULY an adult.

2. It's really weird to now be considered "in my early twenties".



3. Nothing I had planned to happen by the time I turned 20 has happened.

4. I'm learning to be ok with the above statement, and make new plans as I go.

5. I have time for the things I care about. I might have to shift things around, but if I care enough, I will schedule it in.

6. I'm so thankful that I have never had to pull an all-nighter for school.

7. I have so much fun working out and working on myself.

8. I love my family so fiercely.

9. Lose the expectations. They will almost always fail you.

10. I am a 1 on the enneagram. This perfectly describes me as a person (perfectionist, my own harshest critic, not a people pleaser but still must do everything right for myself).

11. Boundaries do not make you mean, if you use them wisely.

12. I love my friends at school. We were all brought to the same program, in the same year, to learn from each other, and to teach each other. I am so thankful for the cohort I have.

13. Why does Christmas need to be so expensive. Some children don't get anything. Some children have no presents, or a tree to put presents under. Some kids don't have traditions. Focus more on who you love and what you appreciate rather than the buying and receiving.

14. Everything happens for a reason. You just might not see the reason yet.

15. God's plan for my life is so much better than I can imagine. It might not look like anything I have planned.

16. I feel happiest when I'm in a bookstore, or playing games with my siblings.

17. No, I'm STILL not in a relationship. I know, *gasp*. I'm doing just fine, thank you. My "other half" is not out there somewhere. There is not one person on the planet that will complete me. I am my own person without a man. Someday, Lord willing, 2 whole people will choose to commit their lives to each other and become one brand new whole. But we weren't halves before we married. People are not fractions. (my cohort mates will get this joke haha).

18. Life's so short and yet I was a totally different person 10 years ago. What do the next 10 years have in store?

19. I don't have the power to screw up God's plan for my life.

20. I still have so much to learn about myself. I am realizing things (Kylie Jenner gif, anyone?!), about myself that I haven't thought of before and it's so cool.

It was hard to come up with 20 when I first began, then it was hard to narrow it down. I can't believe I'm 20! I know I'll be saying the same thing when I'm 21.

Thanks for reading friends,

Holly