I started this blog with the best of intentions and a list of ideas, and then life happened.  At the moment I am on my prep period at a junior high school.  I don't have anything to do (I'm not preparing work or marking it), hence the time to sit and think and write.

So.  Still supply teaching, although now I'm at six schools instead of ten (plus the occasional high school).  Still finding my own style and rhythm.  I feel called to Special Education and Kindergarten, although I wont rule out other areas.  I'm also invested in improving educational options for students in my board-there is a lack of choice and variety that other school boards offer in terms of elementary programs.  As usual, I'm balancing motherhood and my personal interests with work.

What are those personal interests?  As many would expect, they tend to intersect with my teacher life.  In my spare time I:

Sing.  I am a member of the First United Church Choir, and sing first soprano.  We rehearse on Thursdays and before church on Sundays, and sing everything under the sun.  It's a wonderful community, a great way to create something special and to enrich worship services, it brings me joy and pleasure to sing, and it's a fantastic workout for my brain.  Singing involves physical, mental, and emotional work.  I get to play with different languages (spoken/written language as well as musical language), use mathematics, engage my body, and work with others to create something beautiful.  Choir has been part of my life since 1992, and I love it.

Cook.  I am the cook in our family.  I tend to rely on a few favourite cookbooks, the odd website, and also invoke my mother's passion and skill for "concocting".  I wish we had more opportunities to use food in the classroom.  It's a wonderful way to build community while involving literacy, mathematics, science, geography, culture, and character education.  I consider myself a "good cook" and love trying out new recipes.

Play.  I have a three-year-old at home, the fabulous Miss G.  Her world is a world of play-it is how she learns.  Miss G is passionate about building, playing with dolls and puppets, running, giggling, creating, and pretending.  My experiences with Miss G (along with my childhood in a home daycare) are what drive my passion for Kindergarten.

Learning about learning.  I can't help it-a lot of my spare time is spent reading books or talking about education.  Right now I'm focused on Early Learning, so I've been exploring the ways children create art and gain perspective, how to create welcoming home-like environments for children, and how "beautiful stuff" can shape discovery and creativity.

Next entry: more on my childhood, and the importance of Early Childhood Education.