Professor Sharon

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93 days and grandparents

February 28th, 2014 · 100 Days Project, Children, Education, family, Grandparents, Musings, retirement, Work

I had the pleasure of being an 8 year old’s adopted grandmother this morning.  My granddaughter, who attends a private school, has a best friend who attends the public school.  They met in the kindergarten year at the private school.  The best friend doesn’t have any local grandparents, and so I was honored to be asked to be her grandmother today for Grandparents Day.

I had a great time!  As a guest, we watched the K – 3 graders entertain us at an all school gathering, and then back in individual classrooms, we played games, did workbooks together, and enjoyed being served snack.  As there were some children without visitors, some of us shared our time — and I was adopted for an hour by another child!  I really enjoyed it.

And, yet, I guess because of my years in the field, I couldn’t help but observe the teachers, the school, the workbooks, and the children.  With my professional hat on, I saw lots I really liked, and some things that I wondered about the reasons the school chose to do it that way.

With my grandmother hat on, I was touched, deeply.  I realized that all we ever see and read in the media is the awful.  No media was here to cover the delightful and joyous.  I imagine that on this day in our country, there were many schools with the community’s children gathered, and many even with important adults in the audience, singing together, laughing together, and having more reasons for smiles than could be counted.  For a brief morning, folks could forget their bills, their doctor appointments, their achy joints, their math workbooks, and enjoy the company of human beings.

In those moments this morning, it hit me, once again, that I have become a member of a different slice of our community.  I am a grand parent.  I’ve been one for nearly eight years of course, but I don’t think I’ve ever gathered in community with so many others in the same role to feel joyous pride in the smallest members of our community – those who will replace us in all ways one day.

Thank you, Avi and Allie, for allowing me to be your Gramma Shannie.  I look forward to sharing more of my retirement hours with you!

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94 days and a tired feeling

February 27th, 2014 · 100 Days Project, Children, College students, Musings, My Goals, retirement, Work

Early this morning, I wrote some very good notes on what I would blog about today.  The pleasure of really hitting the nail on the head in class when I combine short lectures with active hands-on activities and by the end of the class, there’s real understanding and connections.  The pleasure of reading aloud to a group of children and thinking about what they talked to me about; and then being able to relate that to the short lecture in class.  The camaraderie of the amazing people I work with each day, especially when winter just won’t give us a break.

I had these good notes, and then I got home after a very busy, people full, 9 hour day; and all I want to write is about being tired. I’m tired. I’m hoping, and I guess, if I plan it right, that I won’t be this tired when I am re – tired.  And, tired, knowing that there is a long list of paper work, and home work to read, and emails to respond to tomorrow.

I’m going to write some notes about that….another day. Today, I’m tired.  And, hoping one day, to be retired from tired.

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95 days and a baby

February 26th, 2014 · 100 Days Project, Children, College students, Education, retirement, Teaching & Learning, time

I’m so excited this morning that I need to make a note before the afternoon passes!  And, the reality of today is that my Wednesdays are very full and busy so I’d best post now!

Today, at lunch time, I get to meet a newborn.  The baby is the child of one of our college’s alums and was a wonderful student of mine.  She was fabulous to have in class, and really challenged me to learn myself.  For example, in Creative Experiences for Young Children, where we learn and talk about bringing the arts to the early care and education classroom; she brought her love of Folk Art to us, even producing an amazing PowerPoint for us.  And, really to be honest, it’s not every day anymore that one gets to meet a newborn!

The other thing I have to accomplish today is prepping for classes tomorrow.  On days like this, I really do wish I’d learned to be a professor who could just pull the file marked tomorrow out of the drawer and lecture on whatever was in that file.  But, I have too much respect for my students as learners to do that.  Tomorrow in one class we need to talk about Math in early care and education, and in the other the role that observation must play in curriculum.  I need to tailor the hands-on activities to meet the needs of the students in those classes as well as convey the content.  I love doing this, and so I guess that’s why I can’t pull the file out of the drawer (although I do have a file with past activities I tried!).  But, it does take time to teach this way.

I guess teaching with respect is why I get to meet newborns of alums!

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96 days

February 25th, 2014 · 100 Days Project, Children, College students, Education, Musings, retirement, Teaching & Learning, time, Work

The joy of observing a developing student teacher at work in a classroom was one of my tasks today.  There is no doubt I will miss the privilege and opportunity to support student teachers.  It is, at times, hard work.  There is always the threat that the placement and/or cooperating teacher is not a good match; that the student will have a life challenge such as no car and not show up, snow days and field trips, and all manner of items make for nerve wracking moments.

These students are placed out in the community, anywhere from 5 to 45 minutes away, so a crisis in the making can really do a number on my daily calender!  And, phone calls to my home to talk about challenging moments are also always a possibility.

It is hard work.  It is also amazingly rewarding.  To watch a student gain confidence in their abilities, to see them keep a class of very young children enthralled with a good book or an exciting learning activity, to be part of their forming their teaching style is really a remarkable event.

And, vicariously, I also get to enjoy the smiles, laughter and tears of an hour now and again in the classroom with young children growing and developing – a delight beyond words.

I shall miss this part of the job. I shall not miss the hard work part.  I will miss the being present to learnign part.  I hope, and I think a lot these days, about activities and projects I might do in this next phase of my life that will give me the opportunity to be present to the joy of other people learning.  Learning is a joyful thing.

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97 days

February 24th, 2014 · 100 Days Project, Children, College students, Education, Musings, retirement, time

I am working what’s called 3/5ths time this semester.  I take the equivalent 3/5ths pay cut, of course.  But, it does give me some breathing room.  If I were not retiring, next year or so would be time to apply for and take a sabbatical.  Unless you work an academic life, you have a hard time understanding – even if you try – how exhausting brain work can be to the whole body!

So today, was about a 3/5ths kind of day.  A few hours prepping for class for the week – although even when I do it ahead, I’m never quite ready.  I always have seemed to need at least half an hour before class to finish up.  My style is to individualize so strongly, that unlike other faculty I know, I can’t just pull a folder out of my file drawer and do whatever is in it.  And, actually, I’ve never wanted to accomplish that type of teaching.  A meeting with another staff and the librarians to set up an exhibit about children’s books in the college library; and then on the way home, some personal errands.

There are days when I do wonder what will I do with 3/5ths or even 5/5ths of my time?  I do have one answer so far.  My first meeting of the day was with the principal of the local pre-school public school where I plan to volunteer a couple of hours a week.  I had thought I might just help in the library; but, no surprise really, she wants to put me in a classroom, and asked if I would bring my story telling and puppet expertise.  Guess I will!  Although, honestly, I’m nervous about that.  I’ve worked with adults for so long; will I still have the skills to work with groups of young children?  I do hope it’s a case of bike riding!

Today I am looking forward to being more the mistress of my days.

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