Teachers Make a Difference

I have to say I am starting to feel guilty for not blogging every day as I did last year. Last year, I blogged each day…..this year I push myself to write an entry every two weeks or so…..

…..Not to worry….my enthusiasm has not diminished! I still love my job!  Each day is a new adventure….yesterday, my phone was ringing off the hook….today, my phone was silent. I could write about what I do each day, but this isn’t about me….it’s about the 250 students that we serve, daily. Its about the 25+ staff members that are learning that teaching can be very challenging, yet very rewarding!  

Yesterday, I was told of a child that began to cry when she was picked up at the beginning of the academy. Today, I witnessed a child become upset when she was told she may no longer be able to attend due to transportation issues.

We don’t want to see tears. We don’t want to see children upset. It just goes to show that teachers really do make a difference in the life of a child. In 16 short days….a total of 48 hours, the teachers have built a relationship with the children that makes the children want to come each day.

Each of the teachers, both classroom and support, have had many successes. I cant wait to see what May looks like…..however, I have said this before…..I don’t want this time to pass too quickly….

People often ask “Why do you think you are changing the world.” or “How do you know you are changing the world.” It’s simple….take a walk down one of the hallways with me and I will point it out!

Carpe Diem!

-Amy

Latest press release...

http://mercyhurst.edu/news/news-releases/article/?article_id=2727

Not so perfect....but it's ok.....

I have been sitting here for about 40 minutes trying to write a meaningful blog. I get done with a paragraph or two and then delete it because it’s not perfect.

But….then I got thinking….is anything ever perfect? A teacher’s world is never perfect……

-           ........As a teacher, we have lessons that go well and lessons that turn out kinda icky.

-           ......As a teacher, one day we may be able to manage the class very well and on other days the students tie us up.

-          ......As  a teacher, we may have a great rapport with some students and with others it is an uphill climb.

....A teacher’s world is never perfect….just as our students are constantly learning, so are we.

The members of the Carpe Diem Academy staff are growing tremendously in their chosen field. They realize when a lesson doesn’t go so well, or when they don’t have the best control of their class.  Teaching is different than adding two numbers together. Every day is a new day….with new successes and new challenges. 

Every day will not be perfect….but…..as we try to reach perfection, we will grow……and as we grow, the world will change

Carpe Diem!

-Amy

Year 2: Day 2

OK….by the date of my last posting, it seems that I have been neglecting my blogging….my apologies!

The academy has been up and running for 2 days now….on Tuesday, we started two of the sites and then the following day (yes we were brave), we started up two more sites….so by the 2^nd day, we had all 4 sites up and running……all sites were up and running very smoothly!

We have 250 students enrolled and our waiting list keeps growing….I want to say we are at about 90 on the waiting list…..this makes us happy and sad….happy because there is such a high interest in the academy…..but sad because we wish we could serve all the students…..one day, hopefully we will!

So….here are the numbers since we started……..

250 students

120 gogurts, 120 cereal bars, 250 bananas, and 250 pastry crisps served for snack

370 dinners have been served

90 minutes of physical activity for each child

60 minutes of literacy instruction

60 minutes of math instruction

hundreds of smiles shared between students and teachers

hundreds of positive praises given by the teachers

….this is only after two days!

As we continue throughout the year, stop back and watch the numbers grow! As the numbers grow, the world will change….are you ready?!?!

Carpe Diem!

- Amy

Back to School Time for Carpe Diem!

It’s Back to School Time for Carpe Diem Academy!  Here’s a look at all that has happened since I last blogged.

•     The staff list for Fall Term of Carpe Diem Academy has been finalized. We have 12 graduate assistants, 5 full-time clinical teachers, 4 full time support staff, 8 part-time support staff, and 2 i-Pad instructors!

•     We will be running 4 sites this year. 1 more than we ran in the spring and summer!

•         Enrollment forms were sent to all Kindergarten – 2^nd grade students at the sites.  Each site will have 4 classrooms.

•         On Friday, enrollment forms were picked up and by early afternoon we discovered that we reached maximum enrollment and have a waiting list at each site.  Carpe Diem Academy will have an enrollment of 240 students!

•        Staff was trained in the 40 Developmental Assets

•         Staff was trained in Pediatric CPR/First Aid.

•        And a whole bunch more!

The first day is September 18^th and there is a lot to do before then. Here’s a look at what will happen within the next week.

•         Staff Meetings will take place on Monday and Tuesday

•      Each afternoon we will visit one of the sites. Staff will meet administration, see their classrooms, organize supplies, etc.

•       Rosters will be finalized.

•     Acceptance letters will be sent home.

•     Lessons will be planned.

•     And a whole bunch more!

 Looking forward to the final week before the year long phase begins!

Carpe Diem!

-Amy

Dynamic Staff

Every time I logged into Facebook over the past few days, my newsfeeds have been plastered with back to school pictures of “smiley, happy kids”……each time I see one of those pictures, I laugh…..you can search far and wide and I guarantee you will never be able to find a back to school picture of a “smiley, happy Amy” – until probably college! I HATED going to school. I student taught where I went to grade school and the principal would often remind me of how surprised she was that I was going to be a teacher since she still had visions of me screaming down the hallway on the first day of kindergarten….and the first day of first grade…..and…ummm….the first day of second grade.

I was not a fan of school….now…if I could go to college for free….I would take classes just for the fun of it….cause why???....I love school! Back to school time is the most wonderful time of year!

I started to love going to school when I started taking education courses.....

Classes resume Wednesday, at Mercyhurst! Within the next four years, education majors will graduate and take what they learned into classrooms of their own but before they leave, I hope many will become part of the staff of Carpe Diem Academy and contribute their creativity, dedication, knowledge, etc., just as the current staff does.

If it wasn’t for the amazing staff, Carpe Diem would not be running as successfully as it is, today. 98% of the staff is returning this Fall and I can’t wait to see all that they bring to academy, this year. They motivate……they guide….they share….they dream….they create….they inspire…..they are bold….they are strong….they are adventurous…….they are courageous….they are energetic…….they are enthusiastic….they are proud…….they are leaders ……...they are educators! The academy staff is DYNAMIC!

Here’s to the 2012-2013 school year! Here’s to smiley faces! Here’s to a successful year of Carpe Diem!  Here’s to changing the world!

Carpe Diem!

-Amy