What Worked and What Didn't

Starting with this past week, my "Friday" posts will be A REFLECTION on the previous week. 

Part 1: Reflective Journaling. 
This might get a bit personal and one-sided, but I've found after 18 years of teaching that being reflective helps me to identify strengths and weaknesses in my teaching. 

Part 2: Teaching-Wear. 
One of my personal goals this year is to wear a different skirt or dress that I own each day. When I complained to friends that I had more clothes than I actually needed, a friend suggested making the most of it on Monday-Thursday as a challenge. Hopefully, once I've made it through the 50+ that I have horded, I'll be able to decide which ones I can purge from my closets forever!

              So here it goes! ~Mrs. Caveny

Part 1: Reflective Journal.

With Common Core Standards in the back of my mind every day of the week, I knew at the on-set of this week that opening up my Gothic Literature Unit for 8th grade with my PPt presentation and previewing of the classic Frankenstein movie wasn't going to cut it. I needed to make every minute count and establish the connections that my students will need throughout the unit. 

I remembered reading somewhere about a teacher using Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events with E.A. Poe, so I traded Frank for the frightening Count Olaf. 

One thing I love to see is how the process of learning takes shape. This year's intro went smoothly! The setting, characters, symbolism, and mood that I had presented in the PPt were easy for the students to identify in the opening of the movie. This was one of the best "trades" that I've made so far in my lessons. 

As the unit progresses and my students read Poe, Serling, Fletcher's "The Hitchhiker" and a few dastardly poems such as "The Cremation of Sam McGee", I plan to connect the traits of Gothic Literature between these stories and the movie in preparation for a cumulative reading response. Feeling Positive!

Part 2: Teaching-Wear

This past week my mood was down. I woke up every morning, thankful for this challenge, because honestly, I wanted to teach in my comfy robe and fuzzy slippers. Knowing that I was dressing the part helped me put the rest of my "personal" problems aside. 

Please feel free to comment on this week's choices. That's the point. I need to weed my closets and I obviously am not able to do this on my own!

<--- On Monday, I went a bit more causal. It was the beginning of a long, emotional week. I forgot that I had planned to wear my leopard print shoes. (Note: I have limited shoe choices due to breaking my foot in the past.)

              My rating (scale 1-5) -- 3 comfortable, but not real pulled together.

     
<--- On Tuesday, I felt worse. But this skirt is incredibly comfortable. It's a soft corduory and has dark-metal details and *POCKETS! I wore a long blue necklace and matching metal earnings, bracelet.


               My rating: 4 (Pockets always add to the rating!)

<---On Wednesday, I changed my mind 10 seconds before I left the house. I originally had a bright yellow blouse but I could not find the belt I wanted to wear. The grey blouse and matching leopard print belt did not come together. the belt is from a matching jacket. (Believe it or not, I actually have a large collection of jackets too! Unfortunately, my school building is too warm right now to wear jackets... ) This felt overly dressed, but it was the one that garnished more positive comments from the 8th grade girls.
               My rating: 4 (No pockets... sad.)

<--- Thursdays are "Hello Kitty Thursdays" which means I wear Hello Kitty accessories and pink. (It's a girl thing.) the skirt is super comfortable. It has copper rivets along the bottom and so my pink loafers (with copper rivets) were the perfect shoe choice! At first, I had only the weathered-orange top but decided last minute to throw the light-weight pink sweater over it. I like the combo of colors. 

               My rating: 5