Make lots of mistakes

This message is written on a white board in my school, in a hallway I traverse several times a day. It helps me relax and take a breath every single time I pass it. Make lots of mistakes. Who ever this fellow teacher is, I thank her or him.

Five-year-old children

I'm on a campaign to refer to "Kindergarteners" as what they are: five-year-old children. Not students, pupils, or class members, but five-year-old children. "First graders," likewise, are not that if I had my way, but rather six-year-old children. I think calling them so makes it easier to remember both that they are whole people, interested in and capable of a range of human activities--not just academic ones, and that they are very, very young.

Half way through it

I am now half-way through this internship. It is something like finals week, except for 12 weeks in a row. The workload is extraordinary. I am learning so much that I can hardly keep up with the new ideas and new perspectives. I wish I was recording more in this blog, but truly, I'm doing all I can for the present. In mid-November I'll be through with the internship, and then I can pause, think, and write. And sleep. Oh, yes, there will be sleeping. And then I'll begin the process of searching for a teaching position, with applications and job interviews. Oh, my. Any tips for me, experienced teachers?