My Wife's new blog

My wife is a terrific writer and I love to see her work.  I definitely love that she is such a creative an intelligent woman whom I have so much respect for.
I love this lady a whole heap - I tell her this each day.

At the moment she is doing the most wonderful and horrendous task of carrying our son: Emerson Jacob West.  That's him below

I'm so very excited about being a dad for the first time and being a parent with my gorgeous wife Sarah.


This post is about her.  She has written a terrific blog call "Me as a Mother"

You can see it here:

http://measmother.blogspot.co.nz/








If you want to know more about us or our baby, myself or her you can see her amazing website she made for us here:

http://thewests.weebly.com/

Terrific Tongue Twisters To Tell

A random post about tongue twisters to try in the classroom for a warm-up, literacy starters, a link into poetry, handwriting,  a link into alliteration or base a lesson around one or some of these. 

I have found these on http://www.factmonster.com
There are some absolute classics featured here:

Please peel this peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.

Surely Shirley shall sell Sheila's seashells by the seashore.

Which witch wishes to switch a witch wristwatch for a Swiss wristwatch?

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Knapsack strap snap.

The skunk sat on a stump and thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.

The butter Betty Botter bought could make her batter bitter, so she thought she'd better buy some better butter!

Not many an anemone is enamored of an enemy anemone.

Five fine Florida florists fried fresh flat flounder fish fillet.

A three-toed tree toad loved a two-toed he-toad that lived in a too-tall tree.

Red rubber baby buggy bumpers bounce.

You like unique New York.

The sick sixth Sheik's sixth sheep's sick.

The instinct of an extinct insect stinks.

Growing gray goats graze great green grassy groves.

Green Greek grapes.

Imagine managing the manger at an imaginary menagerie.

Mix a box of mixed biscuits with a boxed biscuit mixer.

A cuckoo cookie cook called Cooper could cook cuckoo cookies.

If a noisy noise annoys an onion, an annoying noisy noise annoys an onion more!

I Hope these are helpful as they are fun!

Blessings,

Mr West

All praise to the nation's schools

Teaching and teachers nowadays according to David Hill (A Taranaki author).  Speaking about NCEA and the time struggles with that, "Paper Trail", IT, fees, parents and more.  A great read from a respected New Zealand author's perspective on how great NZ teachers are.

"Teachers are human and therefore imperfect. They're grossly overworked and modestly paid. The ones I've met are committed, diligent and do admirable things for your kids."   David Hill.

 Here is the article featured in The New Zealand Herald:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11167070

Here's a bit of information behind the writer who has written some exceptional children's literature. There is a list about David Hill's books and awards he has won.

Feel free to share your experiences or comments.

Blessings,


Mr West

Pin of the day

Pinterest is full of great things like costumes, e-cards, infograms and a bunch more that you've scrolled through during your daily pinterest pinning.

My pin of the day today is from a Physical Education board from a Youtube channel called PhysedGames.  It feature a number of PE games, lessons and activities to use if you have sports gear or none at all.  These videos have basic and straight-forward instructions which will give a pro athlete to a 'always-have-an-excuse-note-from-PE' type of teacher.



This video below is called scavenger hunt.  It's a mix between relays, running races and scavenger hunt.  Also check out more games and activities from the youtube channel and look ut for more pins on my PE board on Pinterest

So I hope you can use this or the many PE games that are up on this channel.  They are even a great brain break if you were well organized.  Pop this one up your sleeve and/or share it with your staff. Have fun and always bring a whistle so you don't loose your voice from shouting to get the kids attention.

Blessings,

Mr West

My Visit to my room for 2014

So the other day I went to visit my future classroom which also included some of the students that I will be teaching. The classroom I will be teaching in is Room 6.  I was able to meet my mentor teacher who was really helpful and accommodating. The staff in the school were also the same. The whole school atmosphere was very welcoming. Vibrant, relaxed and seemed to be full of life.  I can't wait to contribute to this rural yet forward-thinking school.

The day started of with the junior school dancing which was fun to see. They danced to Cotton Eye Joe and I can go for that by Hall & Oates.  I was not hesitant at all to get into it (and sneakily have a laugh at myself).

I was given my teaching contract and my excitingly new teacher's planner which is of course still blank barre the term dates for 2014.

And at the end of my day I got to take some picture of my classroom so that I could imagine and start mentally preparing my classroom.  So the following picture I ecstatically get to show you!!!

This is Room 6 as of December 2013:

The Cloak Bay

The tidy & organized teacher's desk

Check out the view from my classroom!  Blessed as!

The brilliant and colourful looking artwork produced by the students

As I keep saying I cannot wait to get stuck into my first teaching job.  I say that now but I'm sure sometime soon (either term 2 or 3) it might be different.   But I will keep that PMA and will not take this job for granted! I love teaching and am looking forward to sharing more and more of my teaching journey with everyone.  I'm excited like this kid.

Blessings,
Mr West.