Bev, You moved me so much with your descriptions of our babies. Thank you...from someone shifting from third to a lower grade. It helped.
>>> Beverlee Paul <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 04/30/08 8:33 PM >>> I've taught kindergarten five years, second grade eight years, first grade twenty three years, and been a lit coach for two years. What I would prefer is to loop through first and second grade. Now that we have full-day kindergarten, I wouldn't mind looping K-1 either. I just don't think there is any "intellectual" way to describe the advantages of looping, because they are so pervasive and diverse. Impossible to replicate with any other organizational device. I really can't even articulate it. Why would I want to teach kindergarten? That one's easy! Five year olds!!! There is nothing on God's earth more joyful than a five year old. A symphony of movement and sound. Why would I want to teach first grade? To see such exquisite little creatures come to reading much as a caterpillar comes to a butterfly. A miracle enfolding right before your very eyes. Why would I want to teach second grade? To see little people reveal their innermost souls as they learn the magic of writing. It's truth and strength and beauty revealed. If I had a chance to take MY first graders to second, I'd do it in a heartbeat. (I couldn't tell for sure that was the case for you.) One of my best friends who recently retired taught third grade for many, many years. She said repeatedly (and even to all the right people) that the shame of staying in the same grade for years and years was that we investors never got the reward of seeing the return on that investment. She said we K, 1, 2 teachers worked so hard putting in this, putting in that, tweaking this, supporting that, enriching something else, and we just kept starting over year after year. To her, third grade was always her first love because she firmly believed that that's where our labors of love came to fruition and "bore fruit." She said we planted and nurtured, but she got to be there for the explosion of color as they "flowered." Who knows? My husband is a middle school principal and he likes that species. To each his own. Bev > Subject: [MOSAIC] OT First or second grade? I've taught first grade for 30 years and have an opportunity to move to 2nd. I'm really having a difficult time deciding. Do any of you have any suggestions? For those who have taught both, which do you prefer? Thanks!Patti _________________________________________________________________ Back to work after baby–how do you know when you’re ready? http://lifestyle.msn.com/familyandparenting/articleNW.aspx?cp-documentid=5797498&ocid=T067MSN40A0701A _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list [email protected] To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive.
