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Meet Mia Lun, Mrs. Write

Robin, here.  It's my turn to introduce to you Mrs. Write, Mia Lun.  She's already told you that we've been friends for years.  But there are a few things about her that you won't read in her bio that you should know.   For instance, Mia came to teaching later in life, after a dynamic career in broadcasting.  She's a gifted, award-winning writer who began her classroom career teaching teens and adults creative writing.  She also has the uncanny knack of looking at something and instantly knowing how to make it better.  And that includes me!

First and foremost, Mia is a natural teacher...she has an incredible knack of getting to know each of her students and then teaching to their strengths while working on their weaknesses.  She's funny, the kids love her and love her creative approaches to learning. Years ago, I invited Mia to come to my second grade to speak about what it was like to be a writer.  She got the children excited about writing with just two words, "What if..."

When Mia first walked into my class to work with me, so did a lot of pizazz.  I never realized it was missing until she entered!  Honestly, I love all my years of teaching but if I had to pick the two best years, they are the ones when Mia was working beside me.  Magically, every lesson was better.  She is skilled at breaking down lessons into manageable bites for strugglers but also adept at teaching the creative process. Our students' writing soared the two years we taught together.  Mia is artistic, creative, fun, funny, and smart.  We all must continually learn and hone our craft but that doesn't always mean via "professional development" workshops or classes.  Mrs. Write continues to make me a better Mrs. Read.

Here's Mia's side of the Mrs. Read and Write Q & A. 

How would you describe your classroom in three words?

"Happy, busy, musical.   Happy because my personal motto is 'True masters learn through joy."  I try to take that wisdom into the classroom and create an atmosphere that is engaging, enjoyable and educational.  Busy because, I too, try to pack every minute of the day with something that moves my kids, mind, body and spirit.  And musical, because whenever I can, and where appropriate, I have music from all around the world playing.  I find that it not only calms the kids and keeps the environment uplifted, but keeps them engaged in their work longer."

What do you like about being a long-term replacement teacher?"

"Being a long-term replacement teacher, I feel like I'm luck to be able to do more pure teaching because my administrative responsibilities are much less than full-time teachers. My professional challenge is to make sure that students don't lose academic ground while they are in my hands. My personal challenge is to engage students in a way that builds their personal esteem and self- confidence as people.

What's your favorite part of teaching? 

Like Robin, I believe in holding every child to their highest potential, and one of my favorite parts of teaching is when I see the confidence in a student begin to blossom to the point where they really begin to believe that 'I can do this'. They stop using the words 'this is too hard', and are more willing to take on the challenge of learning.  I want to make my mark on their lives by fueling their creativity and love of learning. 

What's your greatest frustration?

"The same as many teachers, how to find the time to actually teach a concept beyond its introduction so that the children actually learn it.  And of course, how to fit in new and interesting facts and skills in an already crowded academic day. It takes a lot of extra time and work to fit in the fun.  That's why I'm so excited to have the opportunity to share with other teachers our ideas because there's nothing worse than having even one student who hates to come to school because it's not fun.  And I agree, school, especially at the K-2 level, should be fun!"

So how do you fit it in?

"Good classroom management is a must! I'm known for my disciplined classes.  My kids know that we're here to have fun and learn, but if we can't do both, the fun stuff has to be put aside. I also throw a lot of the extras in during morning work, snack time and with homework  assignments and projects that are tied to their lessons but also allow them to grow their imaginations as well as their brains."

I'm so thrilled that we have joined forces!  Stay tuned!

Introducing Mrs. Read, Robin Margent

Hi.  I'm Mia Lun, aka Mrs. Write.  I'm so excited to introduce my friend and colleague, Mrs. Read, Robin Margent.  We've been friends for nearly 25 years, brought together by our two sons when they were toddlers. As they've grown up, so has our friendship, which really got going when I became the paraprofessional in her classroom.

As you've seen in her About Us bio, Robin has been teaching for nearly 30 years.  She's an accomplished and effective teacher, but she's more than that. She's a magician.  I swear.  I loved my day in the classroom, excited to relearn things I'd forgotten or learn for the first time.

Here's what I know about my two years spent in her classroom.  She has the uncanny ability to inspire and motivate her students while bringing out their individual brilliance. Her expectations are high. She makes learning fun, and her students know their stuff--simple memorization is never enough.  I think her secret is that she teaches to mastery by slipping in lessons where her students least expect them.  And the children practice, practice, and practice some more without getting bored. They think they're playing or crafting when...voila! they are actively learning!

She's also one of the 'go-to' teachers at our school, often sought out by her colleagues for ideas and advice. Whether it be phonics or science or language arts, you'll see a lot of her work being used in classrooms all over the school.

I took a minute for a little Q & A with Mrs. Read, and here's what she had to say:

How would you describe your classroom in three words?

"Busy. Busy. Busy. There is not a minute of down time in my room.  Children are working/playing every second of the school day. From the outside looking in, it may look like chaos, but it is controlled. Their brains are always busy and they are learning."

What's your favorite part of teaching?

"I love the creative part of figuring out how I'm going to get all of these kids, who are all so different,  to understand and master what I want them to learn. I also love when I'm teaching and I can see in the 'aha' in their eyes.  That's when we both know they've really got it.   And my favorite part is when years and years later when they come back and say 'Thank you, Mrs. Margent.  I learned everything I needed to know in first and second grade.'"

What's your greatest frustration?

"My greatest frustration has been how to keep the magic in the classroom while teaching to mastery. With having to fulfill the myriad of obligations now...paperwork and data and proving by every means possible what kind of teacher I am, it's tough to fit everything in.  How to fit in the fun stuff fun, the art and fun stuff the things that make small children feel proud of themselves and their accomplishments."

So how do you fit it in?

"I fit it in every which way possible.  Morning work, early finisher work, and meaningful homework, for starters.  Even individual birthdays are tied into lessons. I want to make sure their brains are continuously working.  The end result is so worth it because they not only learn but develop a deep curiosity and love of learning that they carry with them."

I'm so thrilled that we have joined forces to create fun, educational and engaging materials--from our classroom to yours!