SCHOOL STARTS TOMORROW for Zac and his students! So, we've been spending the last week getting his classroom ready. Whew what a job! Zac teaches his students everything from science & math to personal hygiene to cooking & sewing. That's a lot to organize and get ready.
Zac teaches Extended Resources (Special Education for those of us non-politically correct people). The job and the kids are a perfect fit for him. He has so much patience and he loves the fact that "his kids" want to learn.
I think Zac possess the skills it takes to be a good teacher to exceptional students. He is patient, tolerant, committed and flexible. Although each of his students face different challenges, Zac can help all of them grow and develop, while making it clear that he accept them just as they are. As a teacher, Zac wants his students to experience meaningful, interesting learning that applies to their lives. He believes this can be accomplished through the use of hands-on activities, cooperative learning, an integrated curriculum, and, when possible, technology and the internet.
This year we set up his classroom with a variety of different "stations". What makes it hard is although his students are 6th,7th and 8th grade... they are developmentally at a kindergarten thru second grade level. It's hard to balance not making the classroom look like a kindergarten class but keeping it simple enough they are comfortable. No 14 year old boy wants to look at Old McDonald Had A Farm Posters!
All in all I think we did a good job getting the classroom ready. Best of luck on a great school year to my wonderful husband, Zac. I love you and wish you the very best sweetie!
Here he is... Mr. Zac (that's what his students call him)
Zac teaches Extended Resources (Special Education for those of us non-politically correct people). The job and the kids are a perfect fit for him. He has so much patience and he loves the fact that "his kids" want to learn.
I think Zac possess the skills it takes to be a good teacher to exceptional students. He is patient, tolerant, committed and flexible. Although each of his students face different challenges, Zac can help all of them grow and develop, while making it clear that he accept them just as they are. As a teacher, Zac wants his students to experience meaningful, interesting learning that applies to their lives. He believes this can be accomplished through the use of hands-on activities, cooperative learning, an integrated curriculum, and, when possible, technology and the internet.
This year we set up his classroom with a variety of different "stations". What makes it hard is although his students are 6th,7th and 8th grade... they are developmentally at a kindergarten thru second grade level. It's hard to balance not making the classroom look like a kindergarten class but keeping it simple enough they are comfortable. No 14 year old boy wants to look at Old McDonald Had A Farm Posters!
All in all I think we did a good job getting the classroom ready. Best of luck on a great school year to my wonderful husband, Zac. I love you and wish you the very best sweetie!
Here he is... Mr. Zac (that's what his students call him)
This is the entrance to the class room. You'll see the "Meet Our Class" board where each student will fill out a variety of questions about himself/herself. Zac is taking pictures of each student tomorrow and it will go under their names and above their questionnaire. I'm looking forward to seeing it this weekend when it's all filled in and completed.
Below is the tree that took us forever to get put up! Each month his kids will do an art project for the tree that incorporates a theme. For example, this month they are making apples for the branches of the tree. The apples symbolize back to school (of course). In October they'll add pumpkins around the base of the tree to symbolize fall harvest. In November they'll remove the apples and put up fall colored leaves that are falling towards the base of the tree. You get the idea... it will help his kids visualize the changes of the seasons and months.
Here's another section of the classroom. To the left you'll see the kitchen where he'll teach Life Skills... such as cooking, nutrition, personal hygiene, etc. To the right you can see the Math and Science area.
This is the language arts area. Zac will be incorporating journals into their daily class routine. Everyday he'll ask students a question... it could be "What is your favorite food" or "What makes you mad." His students will journal either in writing or pictures (some don't write) their answers. You can see the journal holders along the back wall.
Zac is also having the students keep scrapbooks of different field trips, etc. they go on. My mom will be coming over from Portland every couple of weeks to help lead Zac's students in a scrapbook activity.
This is the library/quiet area. We still need a few more bean bags for the kids... but I think the area is shaping up nicely.
This is the laundry area. Zac helps them learn self help skills.... including how to do laundry. They wash all the rags and janitorial stuff for the entire school. You can see that school hasn't even started but the laundry has already piled up. Wow... just like at home :)
Lastly, you can see the computer/geography section here. The cool map of the United States was made by my neighbor's mom. My neighbor generously donated the map to Zac's classroom. It's made of felt and has a wonderful tactile feeling for his students that need to touch things.
1 comment:
i think you guys did a great job on the class room it looks great!!!
cassy
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