It’s that time again!
The television commercials are flooding the airwaves and kids are getting on their parent’s last nerves.
That’s right, it’s time to go back to school.
While kids are busy shopping for the latest fashions for the fast-approaching new school year, their teachers are busy prepping their rooms and curriculum.
One teacher with the daunting task of getting her classroom ready is Renee Green, a new staff member at Clear Lake Elementary this year.
Green, a resident of Lake Orion, will be teaching second grade. A vast difference from her past experience of teaching kindergarten for five years at Lakeville Elementary and two years at Oxford Elementary.
Green said it will be a challenge adapting to an older class, but she’s ready for it.
‘I spent a ton of time over the summer so that I was prepared,? she said. ‘I’m very excited.?
Green will be teaching reading, math, science, language arts and social studies to the second graders and said she’s very excited to start the new math program called ‘Everyday Math.?
‘It’s really more hands on,? she said.
Green prepares her room by pinning up various posters, charts and pictures on bulletin boards to help her students learn. She likes to use a lot of bright colors but still gives it an ‘academic feel.?
‘I try to have a lot of motivational type things so they can look at it and go ‘oh yeah?,? she said.
She is also glad to have a Viz Cam to use in her classroom. It’s basically an overhead projector without the flimsy clear sheets.
Green said it connects to the TV set and can zoom in on various areas of what she’s displaying; whether it’s a fossil or a piece of writing.
‘It really helps keep their attention,? she said.
The focus of Green’s curriculum this year is to have students want to search for and access information themselves rather than having her drill it into their memory.
Another teacher busy putting the finishing touches on her room is Oxford resident Karen Lawler, a kindergarten teacher at Daniel Axford Elementary.
Lawler’s expecting close to 27 kids this school year and she said the first thing she does is make sure her students feel welcome.
‘The first couple of weeks of school is getting them adjusted and comfortable and feeling safe here and establishing relationships between myself and them,? she said.
Lawler, who has taught at Daniel Axford for seven years, said the general consensus among people is that kindergarten is still play-based like preschool.
‘It’s not,? she said. ‘Kindergarten has become much more academic than it ever was before.?
She also likes to hang up posters and colorful pictures on her bulletin boards and will feature most of her student’s work on them throughout the school year.
‘They also love to see their birthdays up (on the board),? she said.
She said most people don’t realize how much work actually goes into getting a classroom ready.
Lawler, like Green, is excited about the new math program too.
‘We already have a great literacy program with reading and writing that’s very strong,? she said. ‘And now I think our math will be too.?
Jean Davidson will also have the challenge of adapting to a new grade level.
Davidson, of Oxford, will be teaching first grade instead of kindergarten at Daniel Axford this year and has spent the last couple weeks hanging pictures and learning charts in her classroom.
‘I like to have an inviting environment to make them want to come in and check it out,? she said.
Davidson was on the framework committee for the new math curriculum and agreed with Green about the benefits of the program.
‘With today’s technology, they have to understand more of how things happen and how to get there,? she said.
A family math night is being planned for this fall to get the parents more acquainted with the new program, Davidson said.
So the next time the kids say ‘I’m bored,? remind them of how much work and dedication their teachers have planned for them this fall.
Only one week to go!