Mrs. Sizemore's Blog

Running

// September 3rd, 2010 // No Comments » // Teaching

….now let us run…

Whew! two weeks into school and I have not stopped running. I seem to be dashing everywhere. However when I stopped to take a breath I find myself overwhelmed with joy. What a gift God has given me this year. What wonderful students, what wonderful parents, what a wonderful pair of teammates, what a wonderful God! Once again he has provided just what is needed- I am truly blessed.   Now all I have to do is keep up…………………………..:)

Ready or Not!

// August 11th, 2010 // No Comments » // Teaching

My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip— he who watches  over you will not slumber…

Ready or not school starts soon, very soon.  I don’t know about you; but it seems like it was June just yesterday and suddenly there are only four more days until I report back to work to prepare for a new group of fourth graders.  Those few days without students are stuffed with meetings, meetings and more meetings. Meetings with entire staffs, meeting with campus members,  meetings with grade level partners, and meetings with parents. With all though meetings it can be easy to find myself missing the most important meeting of all -meeting with God.

So as the school year rushes in I don’t want to  forget to meet God everyday.  He is the source of my joy and my strength.  I pray He is yours too.

Blessings,

Mrs. S

Getting Away

// July 28th, 2010 // No Comments » // Teaching

Yesterday I got away.  I made my way up into the Santa Cruz mountains to visit friends on a camping trip.  Other obligations had kept me from spending all week with them.  I started my day with laundry (yuck) and deciding on what to wear (cold weather, warm weather, hot weather, rain?). While folding clothes I anticipated in my mind what I would do when I got to camp. Would we take a hike? Would we play games? What would happen today?  Getting away even for a day does something for your spirit. There’s something about a change in your routine, however small that changes you. I love to camp but I couldn’t go for a full week. Why go for just a day? Because I needed to get away. I needed that time to reconnect with friends and to be refreshed; and refreshed I was. The drive was lovely. In just the span of an hour I had traveled from multi-lane freeway onto a two lane tree lined curving road heading to the summit of a local mountain peak. The day was clear and  and filled with the scent of cedar and camp smoke. The weather was crisp – you needed a jacket and long sleeves. Quite a change from the short sleeves and pants I was wearing but so invigorating.  The day itself was nothing extraordinary.  We spent it snuggled up to a roaring fire catching up with one another, sharing our lives and making new memories.

Jesus got away too. He knew how important it was to do so.  We can easily forget the importance of  getting away, both spiritually and physically. I pray that you have time to get away this summer.

God Bless,

Mrs. S

Mountain Tops

// July 23rd, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Teaching

These are my reflections from my recent participation in a fantastic summer workshop I had the privilege of attending July 5th to the 16th.

If you’ve ever stood on the summit of a mountain after a long climb, you understand the idea of perspective well. Being so high above allows you to get the big picture, to see the whole for all its parts.

I experienced the same feelinga week ago. I had the privilege, along with two other Valley teachers, to be part of the Merit2010 cohort of teachers from around the world to learn how to teach 21st century learners. This cohort of 48 teachers, journeyed together for ten days meeting others who shared our desire to do something significant for our students, to design learning that would matter to our populations, not just get them ready for the test. We Skyped with educators from all around the country, educators that are reaching their students. They encouraged us, challenged us, and showed us how to go out and ‘just do it’. We heard Merit teachers from last year’s cohort, how their journey evolved over the past year and heard more words of challenge and encouragement. Some days we struggled under weight of so many new ideas being jammed into our brains, some days we rested (only briefly) and pondered how we could make these ideas our own; but everyday we moved forward, unceasingly, led by a incredible team of instructors toward the peak.

Friday, we reached a summit, the end or our summer institute. Today, (Sat.) I’m standing on a vista point, I can see the big picture. But this is only the beginning, now I start the trip down the mountain and back to ‘earth’ where perspective can get muddled and direction can be lost. But as happens sometimes on those mountain tops, I experienced an epiphany; learning is messy, learning is risky business, learning isn’t learning if there’s no struggle. If I am to learn how to teach 21st century skills and work with 21st century learners I will have to get messy. I will have to try things that may fail. I have to do things I’ve not done before. I have to take risks. The only one holding me back is me.

This year I’m on a journey – a journey to become a Lead Learner, not a teacher. I want to learn right alongside my students. Yes, I have more experience in life and know more than my students about a lot of things, but they are teachers too. They will teach me, again, how wonderful it is to discover something new, and to share that with the important people in their lives and their community.

Blessings,
Mrs. Sizemore

Teachers learn too!

// October 30th, 2009 // No Comments » // Teaching

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Boy! have we had a busy week here at school. Even though there are no students this week, I think I’m even more tired than usual!  I had such a wonderful time meeting with each of your parents. They are so proud of you guys! It was good to talk about how you’re doing and how we as the grown-ups in your lives can help you succeed.

After parent conferences on Monday and Tuesday I had classed and meeting to attend the rest of the week! Yes! I went to school ALL week. We learned about writing and websites and how we can be better teachers for you. In fact it you’ve been on my website this week you might see some new short videos I’ve done.  It was so fun to learn something new that I can use with you.

Thank you for being in my class. I pray we get a chance to play with some of things I have found and learned this past week. May God bless your weekend and keep you safe. See you Monday!

Love you,

Mrs. S

Whew!

// September 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Teaching

“and lo I am with you always…”

Whew! The first week of school has come and gone.  Have you ever wondered where the time goes?  All summer long I wondered what teaching fourth grade would be like after eight years of first grade.  People asked me, ” Are you excited? Are you ready?” and speaking frankly I really didn’t know what I felt. There was excitement, there was concern but there was also an overwhelming sense of purpose and peace.  Now that school has started I know how I feel – at home.  There is excitement. There is uncertainty. There is even exhaustion!  But  purpose and peace  are what I feel most deeply. I know with all my spirit that God has placed me here in this place for this time.  There is no better place to be than in the center of God’s will.  His plans for me are good and I am blest!  Love, Mrs. Sizemore

Think about it….

// August 22nd, 2009 // No Comments » // Teaching

“Have I not commanded you be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified. Do not be discouraged for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”  Joshua 1:9

 How do you respond to problems?  What academic subjects excite you?  What discourages you at school?  In Jon Muth’s book The Three Questions (based on a story by Leo Tolstoy) Nikolai, the main character, wants to be the best person he can be.  He has three questions: “What is the best time to do things?” , “Who is the most important one?”, and “What is the right thing to do”?  You will ask,  and be asked,  lots of questions this year.  For some of you this will be very easy to do because you like to ask questions.  For some of you this won’t be so easy but you’ll get better with time.  A few of you will try to avoid asking or answering questions at all costs.  The reasons will be varied but bottom line here is it takes courage to learn new things.  Learning is hard work and if you never have to work hard than you need to ask yourself, “Am I really trying to learn something new or am I just coasting on what I know? And why I am doing this?  Joshua 1:9 commands us to be “…strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged for the Lord you God is with you wherever you go.”  God is with us in the journey through fourth grade.  We will spend our days together asking questions of ourselves and one another.  Take some time in the days ahead and really think about questions you might have. Write them down.  Look back in the weeks to come and discover how many you have answered.  I’m confident that if you are serious you will find how wonderfully God has made you!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sizemore

New Beginnings

// August 20th, 2009 // No Comments » // Teaching

                                                                                                                                                “By this all men will know you are my disciples  if you love one another.”

Tonight was Back to School night.  Fourth grade teachers hosted a Meet and Greet in our classrooms.  There were new families, new students, old friends, and returning families in room 203 tonight. We came from different places and different backgrounds, but we all had one thing in common – we were  all new to fourth grade, every one of us. We have an unique opportunity to live out our focus verse for the year – to show everyone we are His disciples by how we love one another. I am overwhelmed, in a good way that I get to be new too.   New beginnings bring excitement and anxiety.  “Wow we get to learn new things!” and “Oh dear! what if it’s too hard?” Well, friends it’s a new beginning for all of us.  Let’s embrace this gift God has given us, set our eyes on God and run down the path set before us. I am confident that God will bless us all!

Obstacles

// August 9th, 2009 // 4 Comments » // Teaching

    “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly relams.”  - Ephesians 6:12

When I was a kid I lived in a house with hardwood floors.  Every six months my parents would move all the furniture in the living room into the dining room so they could paste wax the wood floor and buff it to a high gloss shine.  I loved those days because my brother and I would find ourselves crawling over and under furniture stacked every which way.  It was quite an adventure for an eight year old! 

Well I had a flashback this week when I went to school and found the hallway full of furniture stacked every which way. Our maintanence staff is busy waxing all the summer school rooms in anticipation for a new school year so getting to the work room printer was an adventure! The path was narrow but by staying on the that path I found my way to the workroom printer. Yes, It took longer because I had to move carefully but even with obstacles I was able to print the things I needed and finish the task . 

Some obstacles are more imposing then simply stacked furniture, some obstacles are life threatening both physically and spiritually.  They threaten to derail us from moving forward. That’s not what God wants for us. God has told us we would have trouble (obstacles) in this world but He also told that He has overcome the world.  When you find yourself faced with an obsatacle –  it may slow you down but God has promised He will be with you. You can overcome any obstacle when you rely on the One who has overcome them all.  Blessings, Mrs. S.

Errand Day

// July 31st, 2009 // No Comments » // Teaching

“Do it heartily as unto the Lord.”                                                          Colossians 3:23

This was a busy week. The days were filled with last minute appointments of all kinds  and errands to run before the start of school.  I don’t know about you but I like errand days, especially when you have to go a lot of places.  I get a big kick about planning my trips so that I never back track but go in one large circle.  It can become something of a treasure hunt at times particularly around this time of year.  I look for those special things that help me stay organized during school.  On these errand days I can become quite focused on the task at hand.  That is both good and bad. Good because you’re focused on what you need to do.  Bad because you may miss out on the greater purpose that God may have for you that day.   You never know who you’re going to run into when running errands.  Sometimes it’s an old friend that you haven’t seen for a long time. Sometimes it’s a student.  Sometimes it’s a complete stranger that God places in your path.  Whoever you run into in the coming days remember it’s no mistake;  that old friend,  former student,  a complete stranger, take time connect with them (the errands will get done in time).  That’s what Jesus did.  When he was out among the people He interacted with them, He ministered to them.  I look forward to errand day because I never know who God is going to place in my path.  God bless! Mrs. Sizemore