I'll be the first to admit... I don't know it all. I don't know the names of all the U.S. Presidents in order, comprehend how gravity works, understand communism, or even how to write the most grammarly correct essay. (Actually, grammarly isn't even a word.) But one thing I do know—I am curious.
I was blessed to have parents who fostered my curiosity. I might have been a distracted student academically (I enjoyed socializing a bit too much), but I was always interested in finding out more about whatever I came across in my everyday life and my parents were always there to help me find some answers to my questions. Then, ten years of homeschooling provided me with the resources and training to push my curiosity along and pass it on to my own children. At least that's what I hope to accomplish when it's all said and done.
Now, I'm undertaking another adventure as the primary teacher of a group of 6th-8th graders at a local private school. This involves my taking charge of the classroom management, planning, Social Studies, Science, and English Language Arts. It's a huge step (leap) for me. I'm excited and motivated to mentor and guide these students, making sure that what they're learning inside school is applicable outside. I'm planning on doing this by implementing an inquiry-based classroom. The students will be exposed to U.S. history and create a timeline as a class in order to visualize our history as it unfolds. They will study geography, ecology, and the structures of life along with crucial learning skills: grammar and writing techniques, note taking, spelling nuances, just to name a few. But, they will do all this by diving deeply into the aspects that interest them personally—the things that they question and want to understand. They will practice researching efficiently, working cooperatively in small groups, conveying their thoughts through writing effectively, and relaying their findings creatively through varied presentations: blogs, videos, speeches, poetry, reviews, advertisements, essays... the possibilities are endless.
I'm stepping into an already established, highly differentiated, personalized classroom; one full of wonder and deep ideas. What a blessing! Selfishly, I know the growth that I'll experience this upcoming school year may just overtake that of the students. To sum it all up, I've taken these words of Einstein and made them mine.
Melanie
