Musings from Mrs. Galvan

Great blog-post on what teaching IS and ISN'T. Teaching isn’t just “making it fun” for the kids. Teaching isn’t just academic content. Teaching is understanding how the human brain processes information and preparing lessons with this understanding in mind. Teaching is simultaneously instilling in a child the belief that she can accomplish anything she wants while admonishing her for producing shoddy work. Teaching is understanding both the psychology and the physiology behind the changes the adolescent mind goes through. Teaching is convincing a defiant teenager that the work he sees no value in does serve a greater purpose in preparing him for the rest of his life. Teaching is offering a sympathetic ear while maintaining a stern voice. Teaching is being both a role model and a mentor to someone who may have neither at home, and may not be looking for either.

Students in my classes this year will make a blog using blogger (we are a google apps for education school) to create a digital portfolio of key concepts. They will use their blogs to publish projects and results from interacting with digital learning objects online from time to time. Here is a sample of what I am hoping to get from students after they interact with a java on transformations .

Today in our opening middle school faculty meeting, our head of middle school shared the following video and thoughts for starting of the year. I enjoyed it. Thanks Jon.

A colleague sent me this video over a year ago (yikes, I am behind on my email!) and I just got a chance to watch it. It is from 2010 so it might be old news for many, but it's new to me! It gives me much to ponder, a new tweeter to follow and perhaps more to add to the old to do list....

I started teaching when I was 21, right after graduating college. So like many other teachers, there hasn't been a single August that I haven't spent preparing to go back to school. When August 1st rolls around, I come to terms with reality: my summer vacation is over. No longer can I stay up late every evening and ease into my morning each new day. No longer will I run around with my kids, alternating parks and play dates. I join the rest of the working world. Luckily, every year, about a week into August,  the "blues" turn into excitement. This yearly shift confirms to me that I chose the right job. I think it's good to bolster this excitement though with a few reminders about why I got into teaching. I teach math, but it wasn't my love of Algebra that made me pursue teaching. Frankly, learning Algebra isn't the most important part of a middle school student's life (Shock!). I strive to teach my students many things besides factoring, empathy, valu...

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