Year Four....Leader?

This will be my fourth year of teaching....and I am asked how am I going to be a leader in my classroom.  This is a really tricky question for me especially in a school FULL of leaders.  In kindergarten, we have the President of the Minnesota Kindergarten Association.  In first grade we have the head of the technology committee.  In second grade, we have some of the most gifted teachers I've ever seen.  In third grade, we have a teacher who's dad is the 'guru' of math.  In fourth grade, we have a teacher who leads the area wide development day.  In fifth grade, we have the union president.  In sixth grade, we have a teacher who (I feel like) is awarded every year with different honors and grants.  So, how am I GOING TO BE A LEADER?  Well, at least I have great role models around me.  I feel like, since I am only a fourth year teacher, I do need to know my place.  In the last couple of years, I have taken on different leadership roles.  I have joined different committees; tech committee, ipad committee, staff development, and math committee.  These different committees has really taught me a lot.  It has taught me how to incorporate ideas and knowledge that I have within the district.  Although, I still don't contribute a lot, I think it is important to hear about what has happened and worked in the past and build off of that. I think the biggest way of being a leader this year at my school is to lead by example.  I'm not going to try to tell people my ways and share all that I've learned in our masters, I'm going to simply focus on my classroom alone, and if people have questions, they are more than welcome to help.  I have found that sharing my ideas, doesn't always go over to well, and it's because most people are doing their own great ideas.  So I am going to ask people about their classrooms more and comment on great things I see them doing.  I think we need to compliment each other more and more, so I want to start that.  Teachers don't get acknowledged enough and I feel like this will break down barriers.  Sometimes the littlest things can make the biggest change. 

Fear of the FLIP!

As the school year slowly approaches, I am starting to get extremely nervous for flipping my classroom.  Everyone has said that I am going to feel the most ready for this school year, but in all honesty, I have the most anxiety.  I know I have done the research and I am excited to teach, but I think all of this time for me to sit and thing about this HUGE change I am about to make is not good for me.  I think about every scenario that could happen and I just don't want it to fail.  The benefits that my students will have is what is keeping me going with this project.  I have honestly thought of totally burning the idea and starting OVER!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!?  I think it's just the fear of being one of the first in my district to do this, and the fear of being one of the first primary teachers to try this concept.  They do say the best things in life happen when people take risks.....man I hope this is the case.  I just want this year to get started so I can 'feel out' the parents and see where my students are at.  I CAN'T wait. 

Community Building

There are two things that I did last year to help build community that I loved and wanted to share.  First, when I sent my letter welcoming the kids to first grade, I ask them to send me three pictures of them from this summer.  This tells me if the parents are 'technologically savvy' and have internet access in some way. Then I use these pictures at Open house.  They are playing on a slide show on the smartboard.  This way, kids are seeing different students they may know that are in their class.  Now, this year I plan to also use these pictures as a way for a brain break and sharing.  When I feel it is time for a break, we will randomly pick one of the pictures and that student will be able to share what is going on in the picture.  I'm thinking it will be a great way to have the students get to know a little about each other right from the start.
Another thing that I did last year, was have a family day.  On a Saturday morning, whoever could make it, met us at the movie theater in Cloquet and we had our own private showing of a movie.  Parents came and siblings as well!  It was a blast and a great way to see which families were already close.  We had a lot of fun at this!