This week I have traveled to Boulder City, Nevada, a small town outside of Las Vegas. My close friend I have known since college is a first grade teacher at a small Christian school, and she and the other faculty members have graciously hosted me for the better part of the week. My friend Pam taught first grade for a few years after graduation, and then took time away from school to raise her children. Last year she returned to teaching and now has a combination class of 15 first and second graders. When I asked if I could visit, we began making plans for things she would like to do in her classroom, but there never seems to be enough time. This week, we have begun journal writing, created a listening center, had an author's study of Dr. Seuss' works, and set up a computer center. We have apparently inspired many of the children to write, as seen by all of the wonderful writing pieces they have shared with us. I think Pam has enjoyed the new ideas, and I know I have enjoyed the opportunity to participate in all the aspects of her classroom - including going to the office for a can of Lysol, observing two students arguing over a rock, and cleaning up guinea pig droppings. How quickly I had forgotten the glamour that is elementary school! I am so grateful for the opportunity to spend an extended time with children though. I have said before that teaching is like riding a bike, and it's comforting to know that I can still do it!

Grace Christian Academy has four classroom teachers and about 40 students. The school uses a Christian-based curriculum, something that is new to me. I am very comfortable with the daily chapel time which includes lots of singing and the prayer at the end of the day, along with the references throughout the day to values and morals. I think a small private school, like this one, fills a niche in a community and provides an alternative for children and families. I can't help but wonder if schools that are alternatives to the public schools will not become more popular over the next few years as public schools are pressed to meet the expectations for No Child Left Behind. The limit on the Kindergarten classroom is 10 students for a
3 1/2 hour program. Just think of the individual attention those students receive!

One of the most amazing things I have seen this week is the emphasis on handwriting and the second grader's fluent use of cursive. I would have never guessed that first graders could be introduced to cursive and second graders could be writing full sentences in cursive by the beginning of March.

Today I had the opportunity to read to the Kindergarteners and visit with their teacher, Mary Jo Zapolski. She is 71 years old has been teaching for 38 years in both public and private schools at Kindergarten and First Grade. It was a pure pleasure to talk with her about the ways she teaches language arts to the young learners in her class. Mary Jo feels she has been called to teach, and, although small, her classroom is bright and happy place of learning. We talked about my role as a teacher of teachers, and she offered a bit of advice to my students. She is a firm believer that good classroom management is the key to success in teaching. New teachers should set their expectations with students from the first day and then continue to remind them of those expectations. Mary Jo plans to continue teaching as long as she is enjoying herself and can give to the students. She shared a comment that made me smile, although I don't think these are originally her words. "I wish the history of my life were written on my resume rather than written on my face."