From Amy:

Nothing like a graduation to stir the heart strings.

Those in attendance: Stacy, Jason, Catherine, Janet, and Emmi.

They all had family there as well. Lots of proud parents, including Marv, KK, Dale, and Amy

My First Classroom......set up.

Ashley and proud mommy, Amy.  Ashley's actual mommy made the curtains in the background. 

Stacy, standing on a chair, contemplating wall colors

Jason and a teacher's best friend - a bottle of Formula 409.

Briana's newly arranged classroom library, and random chair that won't be there tomorrow.

el proximo

Fresh off her first day.... Senorita Granados

simple things....

Stacy is in, too.  Careful.  It's contagious.

who's next?

Sara's in, all the way from NYC.  Check it out.....

Oh, if I could only be a 3rd grader at Barton....

First of all, congratulations are in order for Jason.  He just got a job.  Hurray!

And, by the way, that job is teaching 3rd grade at Barton.

Hmm, who else teaches 3rd grade at Barton?  Stacy, Ashley, Eric...

So the entire 3rd grade team at a CPS school will be staffed for the first time by an all UTEP staff.  Wow.  

What a grand experiment.  What limitless possibilities.

Isn't it time you all created blogs about that experience?

The Purpose of these Blogs

After talking to Lloyd today, and then trying to explain this to Briana, these are my thoughts about this whole UTEP 4 blog thing.  

It's really one grand (or relatively grand) experiment.  I have no idea what this will turn out to be like, but my hope is that as the year goes on, we all write about our experiences and see what positive results come of it.  

What I can safely predict is that there is a lot of processing that will need to take place this year.  And all of you are so skilled in the reflection business, that you may not know what to do with yourselves.  We'll get together twice a month to process and learn and reflect, but each day there will be so many new things learned, we'll all need an outlet.

I assume many of you will vent and need emotional support.  Hopefully you've targeted a few people who can help with that piece - boy/girlfriends, parents, friends.  Someone who you have an emotional bond with and can listen ad nauseam to your rants.

I guess I hope the blog piece is a chance for you to separate out the "school stuff" from the "emotional stuff."  Your blog shouldn't be (and I don't want to get into the business of saying what your blog should or shouldn't be.  This is just this one time as I try to justify my view) a place where you vent about kids or teachers or your principal.  This is too public for that.  Instead, use this space to think out loud about teaching and all the complexity it presents so that when you talk to your emotional allies, you don't have to explain why this lesson didn't work or figure out why the kids won't stay on line or whatever technical, boring, logistical aspect needs fixing.  Your partners or parents or friends will not understand the intricate teaching nuances, and trying to explain it to them will end up being more frustrating then helpful.  

Instead,  vent about these teaching things on your blog where the only people reading it are your colleagues who know what you're talking about and don't need that extra explaining.  That way, you can process it and it's done.  If others comment, great.  If noone does, then it's at least out of your head.

So let's try.  I'll be trying, too.  I'll be keeping one, and Sheri will be keeping one, too.  It's an experiment.....

Speed dating

OK, that's an interesting experience.  I just observed/lived through that process with UTEP 5 this past week, and everyone is successfully matched with a CI.  What was that like for you guys last year?   We're you as nervous as this group was?  It's a pretty harrowing experience - how do you manage to convey to people what you are like in 8 minutes?  Many of this year's CIs are new and they were nervous, too.  There was quite a bit of emotion in the room.

Did your first impression of your first CI stick?  Did it change quickly?  I wonder if it matters as much as you think it matters at the time.

If you feel like posting an answer to any of these questions, please do. 

I continue to be amazed by all of you.  Each of you are in such a different place in terms of starting the year, yet you all continue to work hard, remain thoughtful and reflective.  I'm going to enjoy working with you this year.

I hope you all get into the blog idea, or else this is going to be sort of silly.