ALYCIA ZIMMERMAN
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          • Madame Tussaud's Field Trip, 11/28/12
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          • Photos, Week of Jan. 14-18
          • MoMath Field Trip, 1/22/13
          • Photos, Week of 1/28-2/1
          • Photos, February 2013
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          • Princeton Trip Photos, May 2, 2013
          • Happy Mother's Day, 2013
        • Biography Avatar Movies
        • ANNIE Info and Practice
        • Web Assignments for Students, 2012-2013 >
          • Fractions Web Center 2013
          • Earth Month 2013 - Resources
          • College Fair 2013: Princeton Tigers!
          • Beethoven's Wig and More!
          • Immune System Research
          • Constitution Center Webquest
          • Decimal Web Center
          • Holiday Songs to Practice
          • Make Your Own Cyber Graph!
          • Practice: "Fifty, Nifty United States"
          • Book Browsing: Shop and Tell
      • 2013-2014 Archive >
        • Frog Blog 2014
        • College Fair 2014: Princeton Voki Movies
        • Book Club "Digital" Projects
        • Student Etymology Projects
        • Geography Projects, November 2013
        • Songs of the Week, 2013-2014
        • Photo Galleries, 2013-2014 >
          • Photos, Sept. 9-13
          • Photos, Sept. 16-20
          • Photos, Sept. 23-27
          • College "Prep" Rally
          • October Photo Galleries
          • November 2013 Photos
          • January 2014 Photos
          • February 2014 Photos
          • March 2014 Gallery
          • Spring Concert 2014
      • 2011-2012 Archive >
        • Perfectly Persuasive: Our Writing Blog
        • Class Projects, 2011-2012 >
          • Our Persuasive Movies
          • Practice singing 'Vive le Vent'
          • Class 344 Princeton Tigers
          • Noun as Image Project
        • Photo Galleries, 2011-2012 >
          • Class Photo, 2011-2012
          • Back to School, 2011
          • Fruit Gummy Bar Graphing Lesson
          • Our First Garden Visit, 9/16/11
          • Master Jones' Visit from Plimoth, 10/3/11
          • Kindergarten Reading Buddies Gallery
          • Misc. October Photos 2011
          • The Pumpkin Project, 2011!
          • NY Hall of Science Trip, Dec. 7 2011
          • March-April Photo Potpourri
          • Photos, Week of April 16-20
          • Photos from April 30-May 4
          • May 16 Music Concert - Bravo!
          • Photos - May 17-18
          • May 22-25 Videos & Photos
          • Field Day, May 30 2012
          • Solar Bag Balloon Movie
      • 2014-2015 Archive >
        • 344 On the Map!
        • Summer 2014 Homework & More
        • School Supply List 2014-2015 >
          • Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Info for Families
        • 344 Behind the Scenes Blog
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      • 2010-2011 Archive >
        • Summer Info, 2011 >
          • Summer Reading, 2011
          • Pen-pal Letter Writing
          • Look What We're Reading This Summer
          • Summer Gardening
        • 2010-2011 Class Work & Projects >
          • Patricia Polacco Book Movies
          • Kandinsky Inspired Artwork
          • How-To Expert Presentations
          • The Poetry Corner >
            • September Poems
            • November Poems
          • Meet Our Robots
          • Meet Class 344 Similes
          • Garden Harvest "Cooking" Projects >
            • Caprese Crostini
            • Guacamole
          • Our Class Garden "Classroom"
        • 2010-2011 in Photos >
          • Class Photo, 2010-2011
          • Fall/Winter 2010 Galleries >
            • Garden Learning, 9/16/10
            • Project Guacamole, 10/7/10
            • Hard at Work, 10/2010
            • Supermarket Math, 10/14/10
            • Greenmarket Tour, 10/15/10
            • Grow & Glow Party, 10/21
            • October 2010 Misc. Photos
            • Halloween, 2010
            • Ellis Island, November 4, 2010
            • Our Multicultural Feast
            • Nutrition Musical Dance
            • The Whitney Museum Partnership
            • The Queens Museum of Art
          • Winter/Spring 2011 Galleries >
            • Dough Maps & More, 4/8/11
            • Chess Tourney, 3/18/11
            • College Fair 2011
            • AMNH Field Trip, 3/3/11
            • Geodesic Gumdrop Exploration, 3/2/11
            • Meet the College Classes of 2025 & 2026
            • Tadpole and Frog Photos
            • Busy Learning, January 2011
            • Snow Fun, January 28, 2011
            • Guggenheim Field Trip, 2/7/11
            • Pysanky Egg Painting, 4/29/2011
            • Our Soil Delivery! May 6, 2011
            • "Gridding" Our Raised Beds, 5/9/11
            • Planting Day! 5/10/11
            • Garden Measurement Math, 5/13/11
            • Historic Richmond Town Field Trip, 5/16/11
            • Princeton Trip, 5/23/11
            • Mets Game Field Trip
            • Track & Field Trip, 6/10/11
            • Fishing Trip, June 16 2011
            • Field Day, June 17, 2011
        • 2010-2011 Events and Trips >
          • Union Square Greenmarket Trip, 10/15/10
          • Glow & Grow Pub. Party, 10/21/10
          • Ellis Island Field Trip, 11/4/10
          • Guggenheim Field Trip, Feb 7, 2011
        • Our Frog Blog
      • 2009-2010 Archive >
        • Class Projects & Activities 09-10 >
          • College Fair 2010: Princeton Tigers!
          • Aladdin, the Musical
          • Book Review Movies 09-10
          • Hooked on Poetry 09-10 >
            • Our Poetry Display 09-10
            • September Poetry 09-10
            • October Poetry 09-10
          • Chess in Class 09-10
          • Personal Narratives, Round 1 09-10
          • The Secret Lives of Third Graders 09-10
        • Summer Reading, 2010 >
          • Summer Book Recommendations
        • Class Events, Trips, and News 09-10 >
          • Field Trips 09-10 >
            • Princeton Field Trip
            • MET Museum Field Trip
          • Celebrations 09-10
          • Class Newsletters 09-10 >
            • NYS Testing Information
          • Class Calendars 09-10
        • Photo Galleries 09-10 >
          • Picture Day Class Photos 09-10
          • Fishing Trip, June 2010
          • Princeton Field Trip Photos
          • Chess Tournament, June 3 2010
          • Apple Store Field Trip
          • Silk Painting Photos 2010
          • Earth Day Posters 2010
          • College Fair 2010 Photo Gallery
          • Book Release Party Photos
          • Holiday Show Photo Gallery
          • AMNH Trip Photo Gallery
          • Halloween Photos
          • Pumpkin Project Photo Gallery 09-10
          • Assorted Photos of Learning and Playing
        • Math Matters 09-10 >
          • Math Resources to Download 09-10
          • Our Number Story Movies 09-10
        • Word Study 09-10 >
          • NYS Editing Passages
          • Perfect Paper Club
        • Homework 09-10 >
          • Reading Responses >
            • Reading Response Forms
          • Practice Test Answer Keys
      • Past Web Assignments for Students >
        • Learn about Princeton University!, 13-14
        • World Geography Projects, 13-14
        • Place Value Web Center, 13-14
        • Area/Perimeter Web Center, 13-14
        • States of Matter Web Research, 13-14
        • Follow the Drinking Gourd: The Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman, 13-14
        • Matter Movies & Songs, 13-14
        • College Fair 2014: Princeton Tigers!
        • Fractions Web Center, 2014
        • Your Weight On Other Worlds Graphing
        • Etymology Explorers
        • Xtranormal Moviemaking
        • Math Movies to Watch
        • Exploring the Land Down Under
        • Main Idea Web Center
        • Matter Movies
        • Perfect Pet Research
        • Don't Be Dense! Density Research
        • Magnetic Poetry Activity
        • Earth Day Web Quest
        • Main Idea Web Center
        • Tangram Exploration
        • Reading and Writing Reviews
        • Math Workstation of the Week
        • Ellis Island Webquest
        • Math Menu Movies
        • Very Big Number Research
        • Pourquoi Tales to Watch
        • Patricia Polacco Author Study
        • Spring Break "Training" Homework
        • Biographical Stamp Article
    • Meet our Teacher >
      • Mrs. Z's Educational Values
    • Info for 344 Families >
      • Wish List
      • Weekly Schedule
      • Homework
      • Scholastic Book Club Info
      • Math Links >
        • Math Links: Fractions
        • Factor Games
        • "Greg Tang" Math
        • Math Links: Decimals
        • Place Value
        • Telling Time
        • Combinations of Ten
        • Estimation & Rounding
        • Function Machines/Algebraic Thinking
      • Web Assignments for Students >
        • Fractions Web Center, 2015
        • Song of the Week
        • Peter Pan Junior Resources
        • Matter Unit Science Resources
        • The Great Debate: School Uniforms
        • Country Research Sources
        • Etymology Explorers: Learn About English!
        • Immigration Resources
        • Geography Center Activities
        • Exploring Maps and Globes
        • Practice the Preamble
        • The Pledge of Allegiance
        • We're Writing the Constitution!
        • Name Research Project
        • Let's Learn about Princeton!
      • Photo Galleries >
        • Photos, Week 2, 2014 (9/8-9/12)
        • Photos, Weeks 3-5 (9/15-10/3)
        • Vocabulary Parade 2014!
      • Literacy Links & Technology >
        • iPods for Readers

Some of Mrs. Zimmerman's Teaching Values in a Nutshell

Picture
Teaching is my passion as well as my chosen profession, so once I have a soapbox to discuss education, I have a hard time stepping off of it.  Discussing education is one of my pet hobbies, so feel free to engage me in a discussion anytime-anywhere, and we can talk far and wide.  Below I've listed just a few of my educational "beliefs," in no order of importance.  This hardly sums it up, but it's a starting point to help you get a sense of who I am as a teacher.  Of course I am constantly evolving with every student interaction, every professional book I read, every discussion with a fellow pedagogue.  Teaching is synonymous with learning, which is why I enjoy it so much.  Here's a snapshot of where I am on my journey.


* Every student (and human) has the right to learn something new every day.  Furthermore, a gifted student has as much a right to learn new things on his/her own level as any other student.  As a teacher, it is my ethical obligation to ensure that every student is learning every single day.

* Mistakes are an essential part of the learning process.  If we never take risks, it is nearly impossible to grow.  My goal is to establish a classroom environment where every learner feels comfortable taking academic risks, knowing that he or she will be supported when those risks result in mistakes. I want all of my students to be learning "on the edge."  It is so much more productive and exciting that way!  

* Education is about the journey, not the destination.  Oh no, now I sound like an awful bumper sticker, but the truth there is undeniable.  When I approach education as an exciting journey, all of the detours, side-conversations, and student-led explorations become an important part of the learning, not distractions.  This approach leaves a world of room for students to nurture and explore their own passions, to grow as socially responsible individuals within a community, and to experience the power of building and uncovering their own truths through exploration.

* A classroom is a family.  It is, indeed, that complex.  The only universal fact is that every single member is essential to the health of the entire family.  Like any family, while we may have disagreements and struggles at times, at the end of the day, we always "have each other's backs" when facing the world.

* A learning community should celebrate the passions and talents of all of its individuals.  While we do not have to share the same interests and talents, we must always respect and encourage these in one another.  Nothing bothers me more than a child who feels that he must apologize for or hide his uniqueness, giftedness or talents.  Our world desperately needs divergent, creative thinkers, and the talents of every child must be nurtured, not discouraged. Everyone has the right to feel proud of their accomplishments and talents!

* I aspire towards my own obsolescence in the classroom.  That is, my goal is for my students to become so independent and peer-reliant that I am simply the rather large fly on the wall that occasionally butts in with a well-timed question. 

* Expect more, and then even more.  Have the highest expectations for yourself, your peers, the world around you, what every new day will bring.  I need to create a sense of urgency in my classroom and my life.  I want everyone to realize that our work is important, our time is fleeting and too precious to waste, so let's get started!  (Which is very different than saying that learning should be hurried, tied down to the clock - none of that, please.)

* As one of my (fictitious) teaching role models, Ms. Frizzle, always says: 
"Take chances, make mistakes, get messy!"  That about sums it up.
Return to Meet Our Teacher
  • Home
  • About Alycia
    • Teaching Philosophy
    • Experience
  • Portfolio
    • Tom Otterness Public Art Project
  • Resources for Teachers
    • Teacher Week @ Scholastic Presentation Resources
    • BLC14 Presentation Resources
    • Tour Our Classroom >
      • Virtual Read-Aloud Bookshelf
    • Library Basket Labels
    • Labels & More to Organize
    • Daily Editing Paragraphs
    • Management Tools
    • Math Resources >
      • Math Activities
      • Math Games
      • Math Charts
      • Math Printables
      • Everyday Math Information for Families
    • Reader's Workshop Resources >
      • Thematic Book List: Names
      • Thematic Book List: Pourquoi Tales
      • Main Idea Centers
  • Contact Alycia
  • Class Website Archive (2009-2015)
    • General Archive >
      • 2012-2013 Archive >
        • The Hurricane Sandy Blog
        • 2012-2013 Photos >
          • Photos, Week of Sept 19-21
          • Photos, Week of Sept 10-14
          • Photos, Week of Oct 1-5
          • Photos, Week of Oct 9-12
          • Photos, Week of October 15-19
          • Photos, Week of Oct 22-26
          • Photos, Week of Nov 5-9
          • Photos, Weeks of Nov 14-21
          • Madame Tussaud's Field Trip, 11/28/12
          • Photos, Jan 2-11, 2013
          • Photos, Week of Jan. 14-18
          • MoMath Field Trip, 1/22/13
          • Photos, Week of 1/28-2/1
          • Photos, February 2013
          • Photos, March 2013
          • Princeton Trip Photos, May 2, 2013
          • Happy Mother's Day, 2013
        • Biography Avatar Movies
        • ANNIE Info and Practice
        • Web Assignments for Students, 2012-2013 >
          • Fractions Web Center 2013
          • Earth Month 2013 - Resources
          • College Fair 2013: Princeton Tigers!
          • Beethoven's Wig and More!
          • Immune System Research
          • Constitution Center Webquest
          • Decimal Web Center
          • Holiday Songs to Practice
          • Make Your Own Cyber Graph!
          • Practice: "Fifty, Nifty United States"
          • Book Browsing: Shop and Tell
      • 2013-2014 Archive >
        • Frog Blog 2014
        • College Fair 2014: Princeton Voki Movies
        • Book Club "Digital" Projects
        • Student Etymology Projects
        • Geography Projects, November 2013
        • Songs of the Week, 2013-2014
        • Photo Galleries, 2013-2014 >
          • Photos, Sept. 9-13
          • Photos, Sept. 16-20
          • Photos, Sept. 23-27
          • College "Prep" Rally
          • October Photo Galleries
          • November 2013 Photos
          • January 2014 Photos
          • February 2014 Photos
          • March 2014 Gallery
          • Spring Concert 2014
      • 2011-2012 Archive >
        • Perfectly Persuasive: Our Writing Blog
        • Class Projects, 2011-2012 >
          • Our Persuasive Movies
          • Practice singing 'Vive le Vent'
          • Class 344 Princeton Tigers
          • Noun as Image Project
        • Photo Galleries, 2011-2012 >
          • Class Photo, 2011-2012
          • Back to School, 2011
          • Fruit Gummy Bar Graphing Lesson
          • Our First Garden Visit, 9/16/11
          • Master Jones' Visit from Plimoth, 10/3/11
          • Kindergarten Reading Buddies Gallery
          • Misc. October Photos 2011
          • The Pumpkin Project, 2011!
          • NY Hall of Science Trip, Dec. 7 2011
          • March-April Photo Potpourri
          • Photos, Week of April 16-20
          • Photos from April 30-May 4
          • May 16 Music Concert - Bravo!
          • Photos - May 17-18
          • May 22-25 Videos & Photos
          • Field Day, May 30 2012
          • Solar Bag Balloon Movie
      • 2014-2015 Archive >
        • 344 On the Map!
        • Summer 2014 Homework & More
        • School Supply List 2014-2015 >
          • Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Info for Families
        • 344 Behind the Scenes Blog
        • What Do YOU Think Blog
      • 2010-2011 Archive >
        • Summer Info, 2011 >
          • Summer Reading, 2011
          • Pen-pal Letter Writing
          • Look What We're Reading This Summer
          • Summer Gardening
        • 2010-2011 Class Work & Projects >
          • Patricia Polacco Book Movies
          • Kandinsky Inspired Artwork
          • How-To Expert Presentations
          • The Poetry Corner >
            • September Poems
            • November Poems
          • Meet Our Robots
          • Meet Class 344 Similes
          • Garden Harvest "Cooking" Projects >
            • Caprese Crostini
            • Guacamole
          • Our Class Garden "Classroom"
        • 2010-2011 in Photos >
          • Class Photo, 2010-2011
          • Fall/Winter 2010 Galleries >
            • Garden Learning, 9/16/10
            • Project Guacamole, 10/7/10
            • Hard at Work, 10/2010
            • Supermarket Math, 10/14/10
            • Greenmarket Tour, 10/15/10
            • Grow & Glow Party, 10/21
            • October 2010 Misc. Photos
            • Halloween, 2010
            • Ellis Island, November 4, 2010
            • Our Multicultural Feast
            • Nutrition Musical Dance
            • The Whitney Museum Partnership
            • The Queens Museum of Art
          • Winter/Spring 2011 Galleries >
            • Dough Maps & More, 4/8/11
            • Chess Tourney, 3/18/11
            • College Fair 2011
            • AMNH Field Trip, 3/3/11
            • Geodesic Gumdrop Exploration, 3/2/11
            • Meet the College Classes of 2025 & 2026
            • Tadpole and Frog Photos
            • Busy Learning, January 2011
            • Snow Fun, January 28, 2011
            • Guggenheim Field Trip, 2/7/11
            • Pysanky Egg Painting, 4/29/2011
            • Our Soil Delivery! May 6, 2011
            • "Gridding" Our Raised Beds, 5/9/11
            • Planting Day! 5/10/11
            • Garden Measurement Math, 5/13/11
            • Historic Richmond Town Field Trip, 5/16/11
            • Princeton Trip, 5/23/11
            • Mets Game Field Trip
            • Track & Field Trip, 6/10/11
            • Fishing Trip, June 16 2011
            • Field Day, June 17, 2011
        • 2010-2011 Events and Trips >
          • Union Square Greenmarket Trip, 10/15/10
          • Glow & Grow Pub. Party, 10/21/10
          • Ellis Island Field Trip, 11/4/10
          • Guggenheim Field Trip, Feb 7, 2011
        • Our Frog Blog
      • 2009-2010 Archive >
        • Class Projects & Activities 09-10 >
          • College Fair 2010: Princeton Tigers!
          • Aladdin, the Musical
          • Book Review Movies 09-10
          • Hooked on Poetry 09-10 >
            • Our Poetry Display 09-10
            • September Poetry 09-10
            • October Poetry 09-10
          • Chess in Class 09-10
          • Personal Narratives, Round 1 09-10
          • The Secret Lives of Third Graders 09-10
        • Summer Reading, 2010 >
          • Summer Book Recommendations
        • Class Events, Trips, and News 09-10 >
          • Field Trips 09-10 >
            • Princeton Field Trip
            • MET Museum Field Trip
          • Celebrations 09-10
          • Class Newsletters 09-10 >
            • NYS Testing Information
          • Class Calendars 09-10
        • Photo Galleries 09-10 >
          • Picture Day Class Photos 09-10
          • Fishing Trip, June 2010
          • Princeton Field Trip Photos
          • Chess Tournament, June 3 2010
          • Apple Store Field Trip
          • Silk Painting Photos 2010
          • Earth Day Posters 2010
          • College Fair 2010 Photo Gallery
          • Book Release Party Photos
          • Holiday Show Photo Gallery
          • AMNH Trip Photo Gallery
          • Halloween Photos
          • Pumpkin Project Photo Gallery 09-10
          • Assorted Photos of Learning and Playing
        • Math Matters 09-10 >
          • Math Resources to Download 09-10
          • Our Number Story Movies 09-10
        • Word Study 09-10 >
          • NYS Editing Passages
          • Perfect Paper Club
        • Homework 09-10 >
          • Reading Responses >
            • Reading Response Forms
          • Practice Test Answer Keys
      • Past Web Assignments for Students >
        • Learn about Princeton University!, 13-14
        • World Geography Projects, 13-14
        • Place Value Web Center, 13-14
        • Area/Perimeter Web Center, 13-14
        • States of Matter Web Research, 13-14
        • Follow the Drinking Gourd: The Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman, 13-14
        • Matter Movies & Songs, 13-14
        • College Fair 2014: Princeton Tigers!
        • Fractions Web Center, 2014
        • Your Weight On Other Worlds Graphing
        • Etymology Explorers
        • Xtranormal Moviemaking
        • Math Movies to Watch
        • Exploring the Land Down Under
        • Main Idea Web Center
        • Matter Movies
        • Perfect Pet Research
        • Don't Be Dense! Density Research
        • Magnetic Poetry Activity
        • Earth Day Web Quest
        • Main Idea Web Center
        • Tangram Exploration
        • Reading and Writing Reviews
        • Math Workstation of the Week
        • Ellis Island Webquest
        • Math Menu Movies
        • Very Big Number Research
        • Pourquoi Tales to Watch
        • Patricia Polacco Author Study
        • Spring Break "Training" Homework
        • Biographical Stamp Article
    • Meet our Teacher >
      • Mrs. Z's Educational Values
    • Info for 344 Families >
      • Wish List
      • Weekly Schedule
      • Homework
      • Scholastic Book Club Info
      • Math Links >
        • Math Links: Fractions
        • Factor Games
        • "Greg Tang" Math
        • Math Links: Decimals
        • Place Value
        • Telling Time
        • Combinations of Ten
        • Estimation & Rounding
        • Function Machines/Algebraic Thinking
      • Web Assignments for Students >
        • Fractions Web Center, 2015
        • Song of the Week
        • Peter Pan Junior Resources
        • Matter Unit Science Resources
        • The Great Debate: School Uniforms
        • Country Research Sources
        • Etymology Explorers: Learn About English!
        • Immigration Resources
        • Geography Center Activities
        • Exploring Maps and Globes
        • Practice the Preamble
        • The Pledge of Allegiance
        • We're Writing the Constitution!
        • Name Research Project
        • Let's Learn about Princeton!
      • Photo Galleries >
        • Photos, Week 2, 2014 (9/8-9/12)
        • Photos, Weeks 3-5 (9/15-10/3)
        • Vocabulary Parade 2014!
      • Literacy Links & Technology >
        • iPods for Readers