Podcast #1 Part 1

Podcast #1 Part 2

Podcast #1 Part 3

Have a great night, goða nott!

(Translation note: goða nott is Icelandic for “good night” and “Bless bless” is Icelandic for “Good bye.”)

All background music is licensed under Creative Commons and is from www.danosongs.com

Anyway, I just wanted to do an update, to continue on the revelations of my previous post.  I was also hesitant to post again because I didn’t know what I could do that would top that post.  I have a little bit better idea of how to accomplish my goals, but I suppose I should share those goals with you.  However, I don’t think that would be a good idea.  I’ve been working with Geoff quite a bit on this, and I need to start treating myself as a business, able and worthy of actually making a living that reflects the work I do.  That means I need to leave behind a little bit of what I find so refreshing of the education world– sharing.  To be successful int he business world, one either needs to be unique or to be damned good at what she does.  I’m not damned good yet– but what I am for will be unique.  I am more than happy to share it, but not online.  I love the idea that the sort of work I’d do is not yet findable on Google!!  I’ve searched and searched, and I can’t find anyone else yet who is doing the work I want to do.  Very encouraging.

I’m starting to keep an eye out for opportunities that would 1) Pay me what I am worth, as well as paying me adequately for the work that I do and 2)Further me in my goals.  As such, sadly, I’ve been looking out for other places of employment. My current center has treated me very well, and I will be sad to go… luckily, I’ve a bit of time before I really need to go.  Besides, racking up more experience that will help me in the long run will be helpful as well.

I’m currently in a position that I’ve not occupied before– I’m supervising a Field Experience Student from Kirkwood.  This is very exciting!!  I will be a true supervisor, instead of just a Team Lead, and I will help someone else grow a love of educating others.  I have only met her for a few hours today, but I think we’ll get along well.  It’ll be really fun to try and be the supervisor… basically a cooperating teacher for a budding student teacher.  That’s a really scary and empowering position to be in.  She seems to be happy so far– I’m trying to be supportive, flexible, easy-going, as well as having high expectations.

I think I’m a pretty good manager!!  *^_^*

Anyway, that’s a little bit for a day in the life, I hope yours finds you well!

As much as I’ve run from it, fearing that I’d be looked down on for it… I am a preschool teacher.  Yes, I can still be intelligent as a preschool teacher.  Yes, I can be creative. Yes, I can have fun.  Yes, I can actually be teaching without lecturing.  Working with preschoolers and twos has been a very interesting and different sort of educational experience for me.  I’d thought originally of teaching history and German in high schools.  That idea went down in flames during my semester-long practicum, where I taught high school freshman German.  I sucked and my heart wasn’t in it at all.  Then, I went to elementary– I’m still teaching!, I thought.  But… only Upper Elementary.  There I can still have intellectual conversations and really work with the students.

I did okay, and I did kindergarten too… but I wasn’t ready for it.  I told myself they were too young to do anything… so I closed them off to all opportunity in my head before I even got in the room.  I wasn’t ready to be a kindergarten teacher.  I didn’t want to be seen playing with kids all day… I wanted to be teaching them… conforming to my own, fascist, ideas of what education should be.

I worked at Science Station, and that really opened my eyes to what education can be.  It CAN be fun, it CAN be doing things, not just listening to the teacher ramble.  It was OK to say, I don’t know, let’s experiment.  I didn’t have to be the know-it-all expert.  I could be a facilitator, providing thoughtful questions and feedback, but mostly letting the students create their own learning.  That’s inquiry at its best, folks.

Now, I’m a preschool teacher, twos and threes.  I was terrified to start off with… now I really was playing with kids all day.  I was changing diapers, teaching how to use the potty, how to say please and thank you… I felt more like a mommy than a teacher…

But after living this life for a little while longer and dealing with my own fears of being looked down upon, less respected in my field and such… I’ve learned that I really enjoy this.  I love working with twos-threes, and making it my own sort of room.  I’ve done some research as to how lead teachers have treated this age group in my center in the past… I think that they taught these children as an extension of todder-twos, not as a lead-in to the preschool rooms.  Yes, this is a transitional age group (my center director is on the record saying it’s the most difficult age to teach) where we deal with biting, potty training, terrible/terrific twos, and everything that goes with it.  This is, though, a most magnificent age where verbal skills are exploding.  Where they really start to pay attention to how adults interact with one another,  where they learn how to deal with frustrations, excitement, emotions and just life in general.  This is a microcosm for society, and its fascination watching how it evolves.

And I get to teach them.  I have to be cognizant of not only the material I’m teaching them, but how I interact with them… this is where they learn how to work with people… this is where they learn respect, honor, justice… they may not know the names for these concepts, but this is where they learn what they are.  I get to be a part of that… I help them to make sense of the world, where as adults we know that nothing really makes sense.  I provide the framework for how they will view the world (along with their most important teachers, parents), and how the exist within it.

Oh, and I teach numbers, colors, ABC’s, fractions, foreign language, math, science, reading, writing, social studies, mythology & folklore, drama, PE, music, art, and everything in between.

Pretty sweet gig, if you ask me.

Now that I’ve got all that down and out, my revelation is this:  I’ve been running away from this.  I’ve been hiding in my ‘highly intellectual’ pursuit of history (don’t get me wrong, I love history and will continue to study on my own and eventually maybe do more coursework in it) and pretending that I didn’t belong in early childhood education.  I was afraid of looking like a dumb clod who couldn’t survive in more academic circles… but the more I do this work, the more I realize how it’s everything I want to be.  I want to be a role model, I want to help change the world, I want to make this world a better place… and how better than to help build the people of the future?  I can still be respected as an early childhood education professional.  I can join professional organizations and take additional coursework, and if I find the right program, even do my masters in Early Childhood learning.

So that’s me.  Elementary schelmentary.  High schmigh.  I’m a preschool teacher.

Life in the Rainbow Fish room has been nothing but dull this week, and the adventure that started with my husband on Sunday has continued this week.  Maybe that’s why I’m so tired?

Sunday was a great day with Geoff- we went to the Amanas, had an awesome meal, took the road of DEATH back home, spent some money we shouldn’t have, although it turned out to be just as well, did taxes, played around, and just had some fun.

I also started the move in the apartment.  I have a grand plan that I will switch two of the rooms around completely.  I want to make the current living room into a den-ish office, and the current office into a library.  Should be fun?  I already have three bookshelves moved, and I’m just so tired.

Monday was a very interesting day.  We got to meet a police officer, deal with a few episodes of projectile vomit, meet a new kid to the center, and just try to adapt to the day.  I was very pleased with my team– they rose to each challenge with energy and spirit.  We met each task with vigor and succeeded on all counts.  I bought them pizza.  *^_^*

Today, my friend Meg came in to teach my kids all about pre-historic Iowa and the animals that roamed here.  We got to play around with awesome casts, and learn about BIG animals.  We also got to see more of our new kid (who will be slowly transitioning during the week), and got to deal with lots of paperwork.

I’m very excited to have a team outing (sounds so corporate…RF night out!) for Valentine’s Day.  It should be a blast.  I really hope to cement these working relationships into actual friendships as well. 

I am just so tired right now, but internally, I feel a need to be doing something.  I’m going to keep searching until I die, so I need to just find something and go with it.  I need to move on something, and I hope that I’m succeeding with the volunteering with the Museum of Natural History.  I really am excited for this, and have been working with Meg on lessons and ideas for storytimes.  It’s different than I expected, but nothing I can’t adapt to!

I also have been crafty (thanks, mom, for all the books!)– I’ve been working on my sock creatures.  I think my goal should be to sew another one tonight.  I’ve got 5 or 6 right now, and all they need are faces.  I’d like to get at least one more done (I am sewing these all by hand) tonight.  That should be my goal!

I’m feeling better now, at least.

I felt terrible emotionally though– I had a meeting set up to get things ready for volunteering at the Muesum that I was excited for and I had to postpone it because of my stupid headache.  Thanks for being flexible, Meg!

Also– Geoff and I go really well together, not only as partners and spouses, but as friends.  We decided, just for fun, to see who could drink a bit of the nasty vinegar I bought from the Co-op yesterday.  He did, and then I tried… it was foul.  What did I expect?  It’s vinegar!  I can still smell it, and it’s absolutely nasty.

I’m glad Geoff and I are creative enough to devise our own entertainment. 

As you may know, my car has been acting up lately… her ABS are malfunctioning, and she needs to get a sensor replaced.  To get that done, I need to take her in, and to do THAT, I need to get time off of work.  Luckily, I’m already taking a half-day Friday so that Geoff and I can get going on our own mini-honeymoon adventure to the Twin Cities.  Well, it’d work out best to get that taken care of before we leave, so I’m looking to get that morning off as well.  As luck would have it, many students are back in town and would love to get a few hours in before break is done.  I texted one of our afternoon staff, and I got a text from a stranger.  Seems like my teacher dropped her phone in the snow and a concerned citizen found it.  Not only did this person find it, but texted me to let me know that my friend was missing her phone.  This person also gave me contact info so that my friend could find this person to get her phone back.

I love awesome people.

I have felt different lately.  I wonder if it’s my own mortality that’s hit me, but I really have been health conscious as of late.  I want to exercise, I want to eat right, I want to be healthy… and I’m actually making these changes.  The weird thing is, I’m not doing these as a “To-Do” list, I’m not doing these things begrudgingly… it feels natural.  I’m enjoying Tai Chi with Geoff in the evenings, I’m exercising with the Wii Fit, almost all the food I buy is natural and organic from the Co-Op, and I’m drinking water more than soda.  It’s an interesting change.  Another change I’m wrestling with is how to update my look.  I’m not just talking about a wardrobe change (which is part of it) but also my hair, makeup, and how I present myself to the world.  I am ready, and I feel like an actual professional now, and I want my outside to reflect the inside.  I’ve been paying attention to hairstyles and makeup and clothes.  I’ve been experimenting with things on my own.  I’m thinking of a haircut and a coloring, but I’m not sure… I’ll have to let that idea germinate.

I also have a clearer idea of what I want my future to be, which is nice.  I have been struggling to come up with an idea of my life for a while now… I can’t stand sitting idly by and letting life pass me… I want to be an active participant.  So, I’ve decided, as you have read, to volunteer for the museum.  The hope is that by doing that and a few other volunteering gigs that I gain confidence and experience as a storyteller.  Then, I’ll work on creating my own storytelling style and curriculum to take to schools and other children’s organizations (museums, Girl Scouts, etc) to be a storyteller.  This is a great combination of many things that I love… allowing me to take an active part in informal education (which is really where my heart is), letting me be as creative and flexible as I can handle, and hopefully allowing me to travel.  This plan does NOT rule out schooling, on the contrary, there are professional organizations and communities of storytellers, even a Masters program in storytelling that Geoff and I may do together.  I feel that this would be a wonderful chance to keep expanding my knowledge bases and to grow as a person.  Who knows, I may even do foreign language storytelling… I really want to get my German up to snuff, and then work on French, Japanese, and Icelandic.  For some reason, Icelandic really appeals to me!

I also plan on subscribing to a few Educational journals, so I can keep up on the latest theories and research in my field.  Something else in the future may be an eCDA program, to gain accreditation for early childhood learning.  Having more endorsements and licenses would be beneficial to staying relevant in the education field.

So, those are the aforementioned life changes… and now my awesome day!  I was invited to one of my student’s birthday parties, she recently turned 3, and, well, had her party today.  Many local Icelandic families were invited, as well as a few doctors from the UIHC community and a few other students from my class.  I have been to one other birthday party for one of my kids, but I felt awkward and spent most of my time with the other teachers from my room and the kids.  This party, however, I spent time conversing with the doctors and the kids… it was a great shift.  I felt like I contributed to the conversations in a meaningful and fun way… it was nice actually fitting in with such obviously well-educated and intellectual people.  I got to speak to a few parents of my kids in a way to learn about them, and they, me.  It was nice getting to know them as people, instead of just parents to kids I teach.

Also, I tried smoked salmon and liked it.  That was a major personal accomplishment, because I hate fish and never choose to eat any.  Today, I did (yes, they served smoked salmon at a three year old’s birthday party), and actually liked it.  I really enjoyed this Icelandic birthday party!  Geoff was invited as well, but couldn’t make it due to work he needed to do, so I went alone.  I showed up a little late (10 minutes) and was the first guest!  I guess Icelandic/European people tend to be late to things… which I should have thought of, but that’s okay.  I helped Thor and Eyglo get Steinunn ready and hung out looking at their awesome house and library.  Slowly, people started trickling in at about 3:30, and I got to talk with Claire and her family, as well as Andre (another child from my class), it was nice because the party, while for Steinunn, was fun for the adults as well.  There was much conversation between the doctors and myself, as well as playing with the kids (everyone, not just me!).  Then, the cake and refreshments came out– and yes, there was smoked salmon, homemade bread, eggs, tomatoes, Gouda cheese, jams, and chicken salad.  That’s what the kids ate– after they were done and playing in Steinunn’s room or watching a movie, the adults got to have *their* cake and meal, which was all the aforementioned foods as well as beer, tea, and coffee.  Eyglo really outdid herself (Thor too ), it was all absolutely delicious.  Eventually, the kids were getting really tired, and everyone trickled out.  I was the last one to get out, and got to have a nice chat with Eyglo and Thor.  They really are cool, sweet people, and I am enjoying getting to know them outside of school.

I really enjoyed myself, and hope I get invited next year, even though I won’t be Steinunn’s teacher anymore! 

I want more afternoons like this– having fun, intellectually stimulating conversation with adults… not over-grown adolescents.

Take THAT, blog!

I’m a volunteer for the Museum of Natural History in Iowa City!!  *^_^*

I will be honest with you, I feel a bit overwhelmed. It’s nothing  new. I am always trying to do one thing or another and sometimes it seems like the smallest thing is so difficult to accomplish. I am very good at organizing my time and I think these skills have drastically improved now that I am in a classroom all day. Things have to run on time or other bad things happen. So I have gotten good at not only keeping myself on time, but a whole group of people as well. That is a feat I am proud of.
Still, I am overwhelmed. I feel that I have so much to do. I have trying to keep myself relevant by reading the news, reading blogs, writing my own blog posts, and hopefully joining a few member organizations. I also keep up with all the paperwork of work, lesson plans, daily notes to each family, NAEYC portfolio, QRS standards, children’s portfolios, children’s journals, bi-weekly newsletters, and finding time to interface with not only my team of teachers but other rooms in the center and organizations.
In addition to all of this, I want to increase my own skills with sewing, keep up with my reading history texts, and keeping up with he cleaning and laundry.
On top of all of this I am attempting to work out The Future. I have a battle plan that will work and I am excited about. It doesn’t involve immediate schooling which is nice on cost and time. I will just have to find my way without the comforting structure of school. I can, and I will. I have already taken the first step, we will see how it goes.
This isn’t meant to complain but merely to enumerate it all to myself.  Honestly, I want to see all I do written out.  Some of these things I manage to do nearly effortlessly, others take great thought and planning.
My life is filled with challenges and choices. I am excited each day to go and set about changing the world but I have things to do for myself too.  I need to foster a new group of friends and professional cohorts, and honestly, and it’s hard.  I’m good friends and co-workers with the teachers on my team.  We work together really well, and have fun doing it.  I have a few other friends outside of work, but I need more.  I want to be active again.  I know I get tired, I know I get whiny, I know I need to just deal and get over it so I can have new experiences again.  That’s what I’m craving, I think.  That’s what I need, but to do that takes a willingness to be tired and keep going.  I don’t know if I can handle that.

I will try though.  I have a plan, I will keep going.  Hooray me!