The Most Wonderful American Dream



It's a New Year! And this brings new opportunities to dream big, work hard, and inspire others! I love the beginning of each new year! This year, I am teaching third grade and I am loving the things I can do with my students.  They are very different from my first graders!
Here's what I noticed that's different between first and third graders:
 First graders are more ingenious,  less independent, work at a slower pace, more loving (I used to get tons of loving notes in first grade!), and you can see more academic growth faster.  First grade is where they get to read!!! Third graders are a lot more independent, most work at a faster pace, the learning levels are spread even wider, most read fluently, more reserved to show their emotions in public (I still get cute notes, but less frequently), some understand sarcasm, and they can help each other a lot more!! These are just a few differences! But the one thing they all have in common is the love and respect they have for each other.  I noticed this sense of community in both grade levels. I can attest that creating this sense of a family community makes a big difference in my classroom.  My students are amazing, they allow me to teach them because I have earned their respect and trust. It's like having a superpower!

At the beginning of the school year, I was scared and anxious about teaching kids who seem as tall as me. I don't feel that way anymore. I am absolutely loving the third-grade curriculum, I'm not going to lie...the curriculum is a lot more demanding, therefore I have to get more creative on how to make it fun and interesting, but it provides so many opportunities for doing awesome projects with my students! We have been learning about famous people that helped change the world by dreaming big, making a plan and putting that plan into action.  Some students shared about people they know in their community who have made a difference in their city, neighborhoods, and school.  This was a great opportunity to get an insight into their thoughts and aspirations.  We talked about their parents' jobs, whether or not they would like to follow in their parents' footsteps and the reasons why.  It was an awesome class discussion!  We laughed, empathized and advised each other.  They even gave me great advice on continuing my education! We ended the week with a self-portrait and a quote of their own dreams! I love teaching art! I couldn't let the opportunity past by without having my students share their BIG dreams through a fun, lasting memory.  Here's a photo of their self-portraits. Some look exactly as they are! I think they turned out great!












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