September Update

The month of September is normally when everyone goes back to school. It's the time to bid farewell to summer and greet autumn. For teachers though, it is NOT the time to be making lesson plans or creating class activities. Yes, procrastination is very much ill advised (shocker). Preparations made for the new school, an idea adopted from my mentor, should be done well in advance. If an unforeseen event were to arise during the school year, having had things sorted out from the very beginning would diminish the damage of the unforeseen event. 

An elementary school classroom arranged and run by my mentor, Mary Peterson, who teaches both first and second grade.

My mentor's classroom is both clean and organized. Its neat really. Elementary school classrooms, especially those belonging to lower grades, have a distinct scent. The mixture of liquid glue and apple juice would be the best way to describe it. Having that said, I was surprised by how well maintained the classroom was in. How is that possible? ORGANIZATION and CLEANLINESS. The teacher, my mentor, not only covers common core standards, but also teaches them about good citizenship and order without them realizing it themselves. Below are some examples for organization. 

I will continue to attend mentorship on Friday and I look forward to learning the tips of what my mentor has picked up over the years in her profession. In previous years, I volunteered at an after school tutoring program called THINK Together. I personally had a great time with the kids and contacted the program coordinator for the possibility of mentoring with them. I haven't received a confirmation as to whether or not I'll have a second mentor, but whatever the outcome I'll be volunteering with them Tuesdays and Thursdays. Now, to close of this post, I decided to leave a lovely quote about the seasons changing.

"Come said the wind to the leaves one day, come o'er the meadows and we will play. Put on your dresses Scarlet and Gold. For summer is gone and the days grow cold." 

- George Eliot