Have you ever...?

Found on But Wait! There's More. . .

Wanna play? It's simple. Copy, paste and if you've done it, bold it.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said I love you and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an expert
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one important author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

Busy, Busy Me

Reports , reports and more reports. So, it turns out when your class size increases by 50% you end up with 50% more reports to write. Ya, that’s not so fun. But it’s done! Praise whatever holy entity you believe in, my reports are done!!

Now, perhaps I can finish my application essay for Grad school. I wrote half of it two weekends ago, when I filled out the application, and have been on reports ever since. We are also starting our Maps unit at school and I love maps!! So, that is taking a lot of my time now too. I got a fantastic new book from Scholastic called Our World by Millie Miller. I am going to use it to create a fabulous group project about the continents. I’m so happy to have finally found a good book for my students about geography. It can be tough hunting for the younger folk sometimes.

Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to try for this grad school thing again. Your support means a lot. Especially on days when I come home completely wiped out.

From October 1st to Winter Break, (that's right no Christmas Vacation here in Cali), always passes in the blink of an eye for me. Is it the same for you? It seems like school just started and yet my relationship with the kids is much different than it was in September.

Graduate School Again?

So. . . I’m applying to grad school again. I received an MA in Education in 2002 and I guess I’m ready for more. I’ve been writing for an independent school publication and making lots of changes to curriculum over the last few years. A few weeks ago the idea of going back to school crossed my mind and didn’t seem quite as absurd as it had in the past. If I have all of this drive to improve myself, why not focus it a little and get another degree?

This time, I’m planning on getting an MA in psychology. My undergrad degree is in psychology, so I have a nice background on which to build. I also have a big personal interest in this area. Knowing why one of my students behaves the way he/she does would help me find an appropriate way to redirect his/her focus. This degree would also qualify me for a School Psychologist position and allow me to perform preliminary educational and emotional testing in order to determine the best course of action for various learning/behavioral issues. A school psychologist easily makes double what I do as a classroom teacher. This position would also allow me more flexibility with my hours when we decide to start a family.

That said, I’m not sure I want to leave the classroom. The degree could also help me be a really kick-ass elementary school teacher. Either way I feel like I win. I’m young enough that giving up some time after work and on the weekend for the next two years is not so daunting. We don’t have kids yet, so I need not feel guilty if I become slightly obsessed. I’ve been teaching the same grade for 6 years and even have the option of taking on a co-teacher next year. With all of these things in my favor, it’s hard to find a reason not to go.

Then there is the $ situation. Ya, it is going to be an expensive in devour. Unfortunately, I’m not willing to shop around for less expensive schools. My Education MA program was phenomenal and I plan on returning to the same school for the Psychology program. They teach me in a way I find very conducive to long-term retention and application. In my opinion, there is no reason to mess with something that works. I qualify for a few small scholarships and I’m pretty sure loans won’t be a big deal. I’ll just add it to the monthly payment I make to Sallie Mae now. I’m willing to pay off a house and an education until I’m old and grey.

The new program requires roughly the same time commitment as the previous one I attended, so there is also some comfort in knowing what to expect.

I’m excited.
I’m nervous
I’m going to be very busy!

Thinking

My evenings, like most teachers’, are pretty routine. I come home, change, check email, make/order/eat dinner, watch TV, read a few blogs, do whatever work I need to, veg-out/think, get ready for bed and go to sleep. My veg-out time is particularly key to an evening well spent. This consists of me turning my desk chair around, it swivels, putting my feet up on the plush pink armchair and just thinking. Most nights this is accompanied by music. Once in a while, it’s nice to have silence though.

This is when I process my day and prepare myself for the next. Sometimes I even dream about the future. I can spend anywhere from 40 to 90 minutes lost in thought gazing at my Ikea paper lamp. While reviewing the day’s events, I’m able to see things I may not have noticed in the moment. I feel that certain kids can be over looked due to my larger class size. When I look back on the day, with individual kids in mind, it helps me remember their specific accomplishments. It can also remind me that I didn’t notice very much about a particular student and should really give them some attention the following day.

These are often my most creative moments, when I think of my best lesson plans and time saving ideas. Organization is one of the keys to my classroom success. I feel capable of handling most unexpected changes during the day because I always have something I can whip out and fill time with. Not just something, but an educationally valuable experience for the students. (Earlier this week I couldn’t get the VCR to work after getting my class excited about the first video of the year. I built it up by letting them know how very few videos they will be seeing in my class this year. We worked on a fire safety mad-lib I had waiting in my basket.) Finding ways to streamline my classroom is a continuous process that changes as my students’ needs do. This quiet-time has also given birth to some of my favorite cooperative project ideas.

While I’m veging-out this way, my diligent husband is typing away on his keyboard not three feet away. Sometimes I wonder: does he think it is odd that I stare off into space like this every evening? I never see him doing this. He used to offer me websites to look at or magazine articles to read, but after hearing nothing but a polite, “no thank you” he gave up. Now he just checks to make sure I’m awake. It’s true; I’ve been known to fall asleep in my chair from time to time. He has come to accept my “process”.

Am I alone in my quiet time ritual? I have never really thought about it as odd before, but maybe it is. How much time do you spend just thinking? Do you do it while watching TV, listening to music or doing something productive like knitting or exercising? What do you think about or does it vary?

Just wondering.

Halloween Costumes??

Didn’t we just celebrate Halloween? Wasn’t it just yesterday I worked so hard to come up with a very cool idea that was fun and yet still educational? Why is it here again so soon? Well, this year I need a little help. Does anyone have any costume ideas for a group of 4 elementary school teachers? Please leave me a note if you do. We’ve been the 4 seasons, a painter and his works of art and even a number sentence. Please save me from weeks of stressing over this.

Feel free to leave any other cool teacher costume ideas too. I can’t be the only one out there looking for something new.

Welcome to October!

Loved it!

Dinner with the former student was a raging success! It was wonderful to see him again and reaffirm how very cool he is. My husband and I got along famously with his parents and really hope we can see them all again. I’ve actually started an email relationship with the student. He makes me laugh and I think it is good for him to know someone outside of his family really believes in him.

More All About Me

I just corrected the Beginning of the Year English Test that I give for evaluation purposes. This is the first year I have had to bring them home, but I was never going to have time to grade all of them at work. I have a feeling this may be a trend. Oh well.

In an effort to make lemonade out of my lemons, here are a few gems from their All About Me writing piece. Students were required to write 6 sentences about themselves. I’ve stayed true to the creative spelling.

1. My mom put me in violine becase she wants me to be in a orcastra.
2. I love to play on my bed with my brother when we are suppued to be sleeping.
3. I am one of those boy’s how dose’nt like there sister all thoe I get mad at her. I like animals even thoe I don’t know the name’s of them.
4. and ofcors I like horseback riding to. And I like my birthday
5. I like surfbording. Bot Nether me or my mom coode stand up.
6. I like to slepe.
7. I lick woter fawlis. I lick to do staf.
8. My favorite boringing thing to do is wach t.v. (Yay!!)
9. I hate cleaning my room.
10. I don’t like to lose playdates.

I definitely feel like I know a little bit more about each of them.

Surprises Shared

The first time my students participate in Share (show-and-tell) I assign them a small All About Me project. Each child finds a shoebox and creates a box that tells me something about who he/she is. This means students decorate the outside and place 4 or 5 times that tell something about them inside. During Share, students explain why they decorated it the way they did as well as why they chose the objects that were placed inside. Every year this is marvelous! I get to know them a little bit better and they have a surefire hit the fist time up.

This year there have been a few eye-opening moments related to Share. First, a student asked if he could take his box home because he had shared it that morning. I told him that was just fine and thanked him for his great Share. In response he explained that he was so glad he didn’t have to sleep without his favorite stuffed animal again. The poor kid. That is such a great example of how nervous my students are at the beginning of the year. They can’t imagine doing something against the rules. Well, most of them are like that.

The second incident was absolutely delightful. . . and surprising. I have a new student who seems very sweet. He is incredibly smart and very well mannered, but a little spacey. He seems to play on the periphery of group games rather than joining in. He watches, learns and then attempts to play on his own or on the sidelines. When he presented his Share this morning the kids were riveted. He had a coin collection, that was pretty cool, and some soccer pictures from his team. The thing that the kids were most interested in amazed me. It was an award he received from his teacher for being a great helper. I give awards all the time. Who knew they cared so much?? At recess today one of my run-around-boys told his buddy he couldn’t play handball because he was going to play with the new kid. YAY!

Names and Checks

Is it ever too early to start using your behavior modification technique? Why does it feel mean to write a kid’s name on the board the second week of school? Unfortunately, my students left me very little choice today. I gave warning after warning. I even gave one kid his “final warning” three times. The third time was when I realized what a terrible precedent I was setting.

The biggest downfall of most behavior modification techniques is the consistency with which it is applied. Today it became clear that the same kids will push and push until I put my foot down. Well, it went down with a thud.

I have two names on the board and one has a check next to it. When your name goes on the board you loose 3 minutes of recess. If there is a check next to your name that is 6 minutes, with two checks it becomes 9 minutes. Once there are three checks I call home. Nobody wants me to call home. The names and checks are erased as soon as the student has “done their time”. As the end of the year approaches, or the particular group of kids needs it, the names stay on the board for up to a week and students sit out on Fridays from snack, or everyday that week. There are lots of ways to adjust the method in order to best redirect you class.

Something to keep in mind if you, like me, take recess time away from your students: they need to use up that energy. If you have the kids sit out during play time they have almost no choice but to play during work time. I have found that if I force the kids to do calisthenics during recess I kill two birds with one stone. The kids use up their energy and aren’t wiggling around like maniacs when they come back into my room. They also didn’t get to play all of the games they were looking forward to.

I’ll let you know how this works out tomorrow with the new crew. The names and checks were put on the board after lunch, so sentences will be carried out tomorrow during snack.

The First Monday

I have yet to see my entire class in the same room. One is still out sick with Strep, but my no-show from last week has finally arrived. I’m not entirely sure I sent her home with all of the notes from last week that she needed, but so it goes. She’s lucky to have her work on our hallway bulletin board. Thank goodness she is a quick little thing and could get it done during our Morning Business slot. Am I coming across as less than flexible? I’m really not… less than… I mean…I am flexible…usually.

This whole “large class size” thing is running me ragged. It’s not that I can’t do it. It’s just that I feel like I’m starting over again. I could teach the curriculum to a class that was 25-30% larger than last year, no problem. It’s this whole 50% increase that throws me. Why is it that 4 kids can make such a huge difference? I managed to get some planning done during my free periods today, so hopefully the rest of the week will fall into place. I’m ready for things to feel normal now.

I thought you might enjoy these two winning quotes from last Friday:

I was reading the kids a book about Luis Pastuer and his discovery of the rabies vaxine when Loud Girl put her hand in the air.
“Yes, Loud Girl”
“I had a disease once. It was called Hand and Mouth and Food disease. You get it when you don’t wash your hands.”

This was followed up with a comment from her tablemate, “My uncle is a doctor and he says an earache is worse than having a baby.”

Do with that little gem what you will.

Large and Unwell?

There are so many of them!!! I have 50% more students in my class this year compared to last. Wow, does it make a big difference. The biggest problem seems to be my timing. Last year I would often be able to finish little projects in 5 minutes or so. This year I can’t do anything in just 5 minutes!! I also have to get used to the new volume of the room. It doesn’t bother me if my students chat a little, when it is appropriate, as long as they are not disrupting other students. With my new class size, the gentle hum has turned into a small rumble.
Thank god they are cute!!

**************

Well, we are off to a lovely start. One child left for a doctor’s appointment at 10:30 and didn’t return. His mom called after lunch to let me know he has a form of Strep throat that exhibits itself through scabs on your face. Doesn’t that sound great?? He can't come back until Monday. I know I've come in contact with him. . . several times. Another child went home at 12:45 with a fever. Oh yes, we are off to wonderful start. Who knows what adventures tomorrow will bring! ;)

Inspired Again

I keep waiting for the beginning of a new school year to become something mundane and wrote. Seven years in and it is still as exciting as it was the first time. Granted, I don’t have anxiety about the “What ifs” anymore.

What if I forget to teach something?
What if the kids don’t listen?
What if I totally blank in front of them?
What if they are mean to each other?
What if I haven’t made the copies I need?

Believe me, I could go on and on like this.

The truth of the matter is, we all forget, are not listened to, have mean kids, and are missing important copies, from time to time. The test of a teacher is how we work through it. Shouldn’t we be honest with the kids and let them know that even teachers make mistakes? Isn’t it just another teaching moment? It seems to me a “What if” can easily become a lesson in how to adapt to new situations.

So, release yourself from the “What ifs” and enjoy the beginning of your best year yet. You, my teacher friends, have new smiles to meet and young minds to enlighten. What a great job!!

Life Long Learners

One of the most important things I try to impress upon my students is that learning is a life long process. Just because I am their teacher doesn’t mean I’ve stopped learning. I read about history, watch PBS specials and learn about things like ToonTown from them. If I learn about something particularly interesting I try to share it with them the following day. This way they can see how excited I get about new information. In the classroom, I create challenges for students who complete their classwork early. These challenges usually involve little research projects that can be done in the classroom. I encourage the students to share their findings with the class when there is time. Being generous with the stickers is always helpful here!

What do you do to encourage life long learning?

Oh those pencils. . .

This week I took a moment to ponder the importance of pencils in my daily life. It is amazing how much of my time is devoted to discussing the quality, color, effectiveness and size of pencils. Here are just a few examples of pencil talk at work:

“Ms. Teacher, I don’t have a pencil” Where do they always disappear to?

“Ms. Teacher, I can’t find a pink colored pencil.” There are none at her table, but 5 at another.

“Ms. Teacher my pencil only sharpens down one side.” Why is that and how on earth do you save the pencil once it’s so mangled?

“Look, the whole middle part just came out of my pencil. Ms. Teacher, can I write with it like this? Pleeeeeease.” I’m not as annoyed when this happens with colored pencils, but you wouldn’t believe the mess when regular pencils decide to up and separate.

“Crash, clickity, clackity, tip, tip, tap. ” Pencil bin being knocked over and offering up its contents to the table, floor and children’s laps in the middle of my lesson. Luckily, since changing pencil bin styles, this only happens every few months.

I had the kids clean out their cubbies on Wednesday. 15 beautiful long pencils were found. Why must they try and keep them in their cubbies? They just sit there, forgotten, until we clean them out and then the kids look around all sheepishly. Silly, silly children.

The cold hard truth

Sorry to leave you in the lurch for so long. Here is how my report worked out:

"Sneaky needs to spend the summer focusing on his reading comprehension. It is imperative that an adult sit with him while he reads. This person should ask him to summarize each paragraph, in his own words, after it is read. He has a tendency to mumble through words he doesn’t understand and quite often these overlooked words change the meaning of the passage."

It recetnly came to my attention that they have been helping him read at home by handing him a book and setting a 20 minute timer, so I just went for it. I figured, “what do I care? Soon I’ll be rid of them forever.” I hope the kid gets some help.

The Moral Dilemma

Let’s talk yearend reports. How honest do I have to be? It’s a no brainer for the kids that are staying at our school. I’m honest and give ideas for summer enrichment when appropriate. I don’t want to saddle my coworkers with a kid who isn’t prepared. Luckily, most of my parents are already aware of the things I’ve mentioned in their child’s report, so it’s just a formality. I’m also proud to say that most of my students are receiving glowing reports.

But. . .what about Sneaky Kid who isn’t coming back next year? His parents are an incredible pain in the ass. The stop by your room, pull their kid out early a lot, say they are working with him but aren’t kind of parent. Are you familiar with this breed?

Should I be honest about everything and make my conference extremely uncomfortable or do I sugarcoat it with general remarks and coast my way to summer? I’ve met with these parents at least 4 times since Christmas. One meeting included the kid’s educational therapist who I exchange emails with weekly. Both of us are frustrated by the parent’s inability/ lack of desire to help the kid work at home. These are the folks who sent the “this homework is to hard for my son” note.

What would you do?

Mental Health Day

I used to think people who took mental health days were nuts. Can life really be that overwhelming? Apparently I’m growing up because now, I understand. My classroom is one of my favorite places in the world. I love my bulletin boards and all of the color. It is truly a happy place. Every now and then I find myself getting a little snappy with the kids. Yesterday was that kind of day.

I spent my weekend putting out fires between my mom and brother. Thank heavens they live in different cities because I couldn’t possibly do this on a regular basis. I’m pretty sure they are both a little crazy. So, after an extremely stressful weekend, I was a little less than pleasant yesterday. I also ended up sending two kids home sick. My throat hurts and I have report cards to write.

Today is my mental health day and I am embracing it wholeheartedly. I’ve written my assistant two pages on exactly how to conduct the day. Yes, I’m a little anal. She is interviewing for head-teaching positions right now, so the practice is good for her. My husband took me out for a lovely breakfast and now I’m here typing away on my neglected blog.

Three cheers for mental health days!

That doesn’t help

Why do some parents feel the need to question the relevance/importance/difficulty of the homework I send home? In September of every year I tell the parents, “Homework should not be difficult. Students should be able to complete the written portion in less than 15 minutes and feel successful. We struggle in the classroom, not at home by ourselves. “ I feel very strongly about this homework policy and always back it up with research about how over worked our children are.

What ever happened to down time? My students go form after school classes to piano, to Karate and then home to eat dinner and do their homework. They have schedules like this 5 days a week with gymnastics or team sports on the weekends. Anyway, I digress.

This week one of my students sent back a piece of incomplete homework with a note from his mom scrawled across the top, “This is to hard for my son.” It was a crossword puzzle using his spelling words. My assistant thought I should correct the spelling of “to” and send it back. Instead I wrote, “Please help your son complete this homework. All of the other students were able to solve the puzzle. I’m sure, with a little help, your son can do the same.” Sure enough, it came back completed the next day.

I happen to know that this student’s sibling’s teacher, (did you follow that?), gets the same kind of notes on her homework from time to time. Every teacher wants to know when work is overly challenging. If I didn’t teach it well enough the first time, I’d like to try again. In most cases, however, it is just parents trying to get their kids out of doing homework. That doesn’t help at all.

WOW

Word of the Week, WOW for short, is a weekly activity that my students absolutely love. Once a week I give small groups of students a word to unscramble. Groups race each other to see who can unscramble the word and find the definition the fastest. The winning group reads me the word, definition and uses the word in a sentence. I write all of this information on a reusable poster at the front of the room.

Students attempt to use any of the WOW words in their writing, homework and classroom activities. Each time a WOW word is used that student receives a small sticker to place on an animal shape attached to the interactive bulletin board. Once his/her whole shape is covered he/she moves up to the next shape. The kids love accumulating little stickers. It works even better than candy and I don’t have to deal with the sugar high!

I choose the WOW words based on curriculum relevance and excitement level. Most words tend to be either adverbs or adjectives. The students are encouraged to use these more interesting words when writing. Why say “great” when you could say “wondrous”? Like most activities, it is hard to get every student excited. However, the ones that do choose to actively participate reap immediate benefits. It is also really nice for me to read stories with a more interesting vocabulary.

Ask and you shall receive.

Today I was out sick again and received the following email from my assistant: “The kids are doing much better today. Here is a note that one of our students wrote across the top of her compound word homework last night: “Miss H, this sheet of homework is to easy and I am not being challenged. from A (student) and S (her mom)!" Gotta love it right!” Yes, I see the inappropriate spelling of “to”. Can you guess where this is going?

This particular child received a supplemental homework packet from me two months ago. I have yet to see any completed work. She is not a student that ever goes beyond expectations. Her work is no longer than what is expected and I am often questioned about whether she needs to do what everyone else is doing. That always baffles me. Why would my instructions pertain to everyone but her? Most importantly, she is an only child whose parents find her wonderfully precocious. My assistant and I are tiered of precociousness being used as an excuse for laziness.

I may not have been able to grace the classroom with my presence today, but I was well enough to create a very beautiful Word document entitled A’s Homework Ideas. Using Word Art and textboxes A now has a great looking list of about 11 possible homework extension activities. I plan on mounting it on construction paper and laminating it tomorrow. Do you think I’ll be getting notes about how easy the homework is in the future?

When the teacher's away...

I was home sick today and here is a list of the things that went wrong in my absence. My assistant called me on her way home.

1. Several boys were running around the science fair and knocked something over
2. One child offered to loan another money to buy a candle from the fundraiser and all of the other children began demanding money from him.
3. A student’s candle fell and broke. She blamed the little boy that is madly in love with her and was nowhere in the vicinity. His heart was broken.
4. Sensitive Teenager yelled at Sensible Girl for doing a bad job of being captain during athletics.
5. The P.E. coach was furious with the poor sportsmanship and will have them run laps next class.
6. 5 students complained of injuries or illness shortly after returning from P.E.
a. 2 of them eventually went home.
7. Fire Alarm Kid freaked out because he didn’t get enough sleep the night before and my assistant was worried he would go “Ape Shit” on her.
a. He just does a lot of screaming and jumping. This time he screamed at her and jumped on his spelling test because the kids behind him in line were being too noisy.
8. Sensible Girl had an asthma attack due to anxiety over what happened in P.E.

My students are always trying to earn tallies with good behavior. When they get 10 tallies we have a party or they get free play. Right now they have negative 6 tallies.

Tomorrow should be fun.

What?

A few times a years perspective parents sit in on a half-hour of class. This allows them to get a feel for both the school and classroom before committing their child to an academic career with us. It seems like a great idea for the parents, but it’s a little odd to have a handful of adults sitting at the back of the room while I teach vocabulary and reading.

During our observed lesson the other day we needed to discuss why the book we are reading says “Indians” and I say “Native Americans.” I went in to the whole, Columbus thinking he had reached the West Indies and thus dubbing the natives Indians, thing. They always think this is such a riot. “You mean he got lost?” they always ask. We also talked about what the word “native” means. So, being a Native American means you are originally from America.

As I finish the last sentence of my little lesson on political correctness, regarding Native Americans, Sneaky Man raises his hand.

“Yes Sneaky.”
“Ms. Teacher, you have to call Indians Native Americans because they will put a spell on you and curse you if you don’t.”

My jaw dropped. First, I had just spent ten minutes talking about why we use the term Native Americans. Second, there was a strange adult at the back of my room. What must she think?

“No, Sneaky. That is not why we say Native American. I just explained why we don’t use the term Indian. Can anyone tell Sneaky why we say Native American?”

Every hand shot in the air and to my relief the hand I called upon was attached to a child that had in fact been paying attention.

I was very happy when we got back to reading the book.

I think I can, I think I can

I’m having major blogging issues. I keep writing paragraphs and erasing them. Nothing seems good enough to post. What does that even mean? Good enough to post. Interesting enough, written with the appropriate word choice, who knows?

I was just trying to nap, but realized I feel too guilty for not posting to sleep. Maybe this little note will get me off the hook with me and I can move forward. Hopefully I can get back on track this week. I don’t know that I have it in me to post everyday, but I can certainly try for every other.

Thanks for being patient.

New Seats

My Queen Bees were at the same table for the first time today. It was pretty funny to watch what happened when they saw their new seats. TopBee looked at her seat, looked at NewBee’s seat, and threw her head around with some attitude, tossing a scornful look at NewBee.

NewBee approached my desk tentatively, “Ms. Teacher, I sit right there now.”

“You sure do. I get to have you by my desk this time. “

“Ya, that’s cool.” She walks away a few feet, turns around and comes back, “Ms. Teacher… TopBee is at my table.”

“Yes, I actually chose the new seats. You might be surprised by how well the two of you work together.”

“Ya, I guess,” was the uncertain final statement.

The girls did wonderfully today. Granted, I got the kids out of their seats a lot, but they didn’t call attention to themselves even once. It turned out I had to chastise NewBee and SensitiveTeen for giggling incessantly. That is certainly not a relationship I would have thought at all beneficial. Wouldn’t it be interesting if these two struck up a friendship? Since you are not in my room, I’ll go ahead and answer that for you. YES!! NewBee needs someone to really think she is fun.

Here’s hoping.

Break Time

No, I’m not still pining away over the loss of Spring Break. I am referring to the break students need in the middle of a solid academic afternoon. The time when all of the eyes staring at you are clearly not processing a thing you are teaching. The moment when the kid, who has been trying desperately to pay attention, starts to fiddle with this pencil and squirm around. In my classroom, this is the time when we “stomp”.

What is “stomping”, you might ask? Everyone stands up behind his/her pushed in chair; we want as few obstacles as possible. Kids place feet hip distance apart with one in front of the other. As we jump up and switch legs, we count in unison. It really is quite a workout. Sometimes the kids move around the room while “stomping”. If things begin to get out of hand, we move right back to our seats. So, they’ve learned how to keep the fun at an indoor level.

I heard about this exercise years ago on a segment of 60 Minutes. The thrust of the piece was that kids are not active enough these days. They spend more time in front of the computer or television than they do outside running around. The action of “stomping” somehow encourages the development of good strong joints. One of the major issues with inactivity turns our to be week joints, go figure.

I tried it with the kids one day and now they ask for it all of the time. I even use it as bribe from time to time. “If you can finish the first 3 questions on page 87 we will "stomp" before math.” It doesn’t always work, but what does? If you ever need to “shake it up” a bit in the afternoon, take a minute or two and “stomp”!

Girls, Girls, Girls

This year I have been cursed with dueling Queen Bees. The problem started in October and I’ve spoken to each girl’s parents twice in the last two days. It is April people, APRIL!! The girls are really cool kids. They are actually a couple of my favorites, even though I don’t have favorites. Unfortunately, each is determined to run my classroom to the absolute detriment of the other. It is ridiculous!

Luckily, both sets of parents are very understanding and more than anxious to remedy the situation. We are all at our wit’s end. So, the solution we have found is to force the girls to spend copious amounts of time together. The parents are arranging playdates outside of school. First the girls will play alone. Next the parents will invite other girls to join the playdates. Something has got to give. When I change the kids’ seats on Monday, the two little culprits will be seated at the same table. They will either kill each other or get over it. I’m hoping for the least bloody option.

Not listening? Not so bad!

It turns out, amazing things can happen when you don’t really listen to the kids. The other day one of my students was going on and on about his break. I needed to assist another student, so I excused myself from the conversation. My chatty little friend followed me over to the other child, yapping the whole way. Eventually I realized he was asking me when he should bring something to school. What that something was I have no idea. Sort of off handedly, I told him to bring it whenever he wanted. The kids often ask if they can bring in books for me to read to the class. So, I really didn’t think much of it.

Boy, was I surprised!! “Chatty” came into the room before school on Tuesday. He handed me a plastic bag and said, with the proudest smile I had ever seen, “here it is!” Here what is, I thought. Of course, what I said was, “Thanks Chatty. That’s great!” To my astonishment, in the bag I found one container of oil, another of balsamic vinegar as well as a bag of sliced rosemary bread. Can you believe it?? As I recall, he had been talking to me about how much he enjoyed eating bread dipped in oil and vinegar prior to break. He is such a funny kid.

At the end of the day I set up 3 dipping stations. The kids each got a piece of bread. Chatty demonstrated how to properly dip the bread. He wanted everyone to know that if you get too much of the black stuff you won’t like it, but you have to make sure to get a little bit of it or it won’t taste as good. The kids loved it!! I’ll admit that I poured myself a little dish and ate 3 pieces of bread when they all went home!

What to do, what to do?

My assistant has recently taken over the instruction of a couple subjects. I hadn’t imagined it would be so hard to relinquish control. She taught a lesson today. I kid you not when I say, I accidentally took over the lesson. Someone asked me a question, I answered and just kept talking. A few minutes in, I caught myself and slinked (slunk?) back to my desk. I apologized after the lesson, but she just laughed. I’m pretty sure she knows I wasn’t trying to step on her toes. It is hard though.

It is very odd to be a teacher in a room while another teacher teaches, especially when they are your students. I’ve spent 7 months getting to know the various learning and behavior styles of these kids. When my assistant teaches, I sometimes wonder if she knows them at all. That’s not true. She knows the kids. It’s just that she can be very abrupt and often sarcastic; it seems hard for the kids to be totally comfortable. She really likes the students. I think it’s just her way.

Maybe she is best suited to a higher grade-level. Am I being overly protective? It is possible. Hopefully I’ll feel better about it tomorrow. Oh, wait. She doesn’t teach again until Wednesday. Well, there’s a nice little reprieve. I’ll worry about it tomorrow.

I’m Back!!

Okay, so I missed them. Their big smiles, the way they all crowd around me waiting to talk, even the little kid who lies was pretty cute today. They were all so excited to be back. So many stories to share, so many questions to ask, their innocence really can be quite thrilling. Of course, it’s only Monday. . .

Back to the Grind

Tomorrow’s the day I go back;
My brain I am trying to rack.
Do I know what to teach?
Will the students I reach
Or should my belongings I pack?


My bag sits packed by the door;
My hopes beginning to soar.
I’m excited to see them.
Let’s hope there’s no mayhem
Or I shall frighten them all to the core!

Life Journal

I can’t believe how quickly this break went by. Was there some kind of time warp that I’m not aware of? Surely it can’t really be over… I didn’t actually get anything done. What about all of my errands that would be more easily accomplished during the middle of the week? What about avoiding the crowds?? Oh, well. It will have to get done in a panic at the end of a school day, but in daylight!! Thank you time change.

As I moved through my late 20s time started to speed up. All of a sudden I could relate to my great-aunts, who would pinch my cheeks and comment on how, “it seems like just yesterday you were nothing but a tyke.” A few years ago I made a purchase that helped me respect, if not embrace, the quick passage of time. It is a STANDARD DIARY or Daily Reminder book from Staples.

These little books are not much to look at, but functionality makes it well worth the purchase. The book has 366 lined pages, each with a day of the month printed at the top. Whenever something of note happens in my life, I flip to the appropriate page in my journal; I write the year and a summary. For instance, on this day last year, my husband and I were returning a trip to Tiburon, California. It seems, I very much enjoyed the trip and wished we could have stayed longer, maybe even move there. We didn’t go anywhere this break, but it sure is nice to take a minute and remember last year.

None of us can actually slow time down. Why not do our best to appreciate the accomplishments we make as it marches on?

A Day of Thanks

I really can’t spend another day writing this blog until I say, thank you. Thank you to all of the interesting teachers out there who have been writing blogs. I’m new to the scene and ecstatic that I made the discovery so close to Spring Break. I’ve been reading several cool blogs about the realities of teaching. I have learned more about the New York public school system in the last week than I thought possible. It is amazing how many of you I can relate to.

I had planned on writing more today, but I’m entranced by “But wait! There’s more…”. I've skipped around and am thoroughly enjoying March 2006. Once I learn a little more about how to create links, I’ll put them into the text. As it is, watch for a link to her blog at the side. Today I’m just absorbing. Hopefully I’ll be able to give back a little tomorrow.

Wow, it is really late. I must be on vacation!

Yoga for Life

Four years ago this week, I attended my first yoga class. I’d been working with a DVD for a year already, so I was familiar with most of the poses. When I finally got up the nerve and went to a class, at the small studio down the street, I can’t tell you how surprised I was. The teacher kept saying, “We practice together to offer support, not judgment. Listen to your body. Be gentle. There is no competition.” Doesn’t that sound nice?

I proceeded to spend the next 90 minutes comparing my stance to that of the students around me. Is my arm up high enough? Why is he doing it that way? Should I try the harder variation? Are people looking at me? They must think I’m so bad. Here comes the instructor, what am I doing wrong? As I got in my car to go home, I was still feeling stressed.

After attending yoga classes regularly, it became easier to focus on my own individual practice. I stopped worrying about what other people were doing and just listened to my body. As the months went on and I became more flexible, it dawned on me; by letting go of my judgment I opened myself up to growth. Wait . . . why is that familiar?

Every September a group of mostly shy students walk into my classroom. They are nervously enthusiastic, desperate to be involved, but terrified of appearing different or weird. We spend the first month of school celebrating what makes us special in an All About Me Unit. Soon, rather than being embarrassed by their differences, students take pride in what makes them unique. Everyone is able to shed some of the self-consciousness and allow him or herself to be wholeheartedly involved. Thus, embracing academic growth.

I could have saved myself a lot of stressful yoga classes if I’d just practiced what I preach.

Lazy

Sitting here
Trying to think
Of what to write
For you

Realizing
I’m on vacation
And really don’t
Want to
- Ms. Teacher

Reading comfortably
Pink chair by lamp
Heaven at home
- Ms. Teacher

:)

How did I get here?

One of the most fascinating questions to ask a teacher is, “Why do you teach?” It’s no secret that teachers, regardless of school affiliation, don’t get paid very well. The hours, although less than traditional, are usually longer than your typical 40hour workweek. Parents are almost always challenging to deal with and most of your bonuses come in the form of gap-toothed smiles and handcrafted cards.

So, why do I teach?

6 years ago I would have said, “Because I couldn’t be a therapist.” It is hard to even write that now. It seems so callus, but it was how I felt. I’d gone to University with the belief that I would become a child therapist. I had always been the peacemaker in my classrooms growing up. Helping friends and family understand each other’s points of view had always come easily to me. It seemed like the natural path to take.

During senior year, my major courses were pretty intense. Several of the professors had us watch interviews with abused and/or neglected children. It was heartbreaking. I couldn’t make it through any of the films without tearing up. After class was over, I’d think about the films for weeks.

Panic set in. I can’t do this! I can’t spend all day listening to the troubles of children and then have a normal family life. How could I possibly detach from all of that? I couldn’t and that was the problem.

What now? For 10 years I’d known just what my future would involve. Now, I was floating in a world of possibilities. Not a fun place for a control freak like me. Should I stay in the corporate world? I was already working full time as a controller and making pretty good money. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. No, I wanted to work with kids, but how do I do that?

Several of my friends suggested that I look into teaching. That terrified me. I hadn't been a great student until college. We moved incessantly and that made it sort of hard to make lasting connections with important concepts. Also, maybe because of this, I’m a terrible speller. For some reason I just don’t see the mistakes, or I see mistakes that are not there because I’m so worried. Ya… I’d make a great teacher.

Long story short, I stumbled into an assistant teaching gig while looking for a better option, fell in love with being in the classroom, found a school that fit for me, and I do make a great teacher. My insecurities help me assist students with similar concerns. I’m able to use my own weakness to demonstrate how important it is to be able to make mistakes. I’m not trying to send a group of perfect spellers to the next grade. I’m trying to send a group of empathetic, resourceful learners. If you don’t know a word, where do you look? How fast can we do it? What might the guidewords be? If I don’t have a dictionary around, but I do have a computer, can I find a spelling? Can I look on posters around the room for a correct spelling?

My passion, dedication, and enthusiastic love for learning are what make me a teacher. I wouldn’t be whole doing anything else.

That is why I teach.

You Know You’re a Teacher When…

The world is an endless supply of lessons. Walking the dog the other morning, I found a candy wrapper abandon on the sidewalk. Maybe I should do a lesson on littering or taking responsibility for our environment. On the way to work, I passed the newly rebuilt Taco Bell. Wouldn’t it be cool to have the kids brainstorm ways to improve the school or their houses? What would they change if it were going to be rebuilt?

Oh, but there is so much more. I got in some trouble from my dentist last school year for not flossing as often as I should. Several of the students made a pact with me to floss on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. That way we could all remind each other. Some of those kids still come by to remind me every now and then. Two new tires were recently put on my car. I took pictures of the new and old ones. That way my students can do a compare and contrast with them. Maybe we can even use a Venn diagram! I won’t even go into the amount of ideas I get from advertisements. Can what they say actually be true?

School vacations can be rough for folks like me. I will have such an excess of ideas by the time I get back into my classroom. Obviously, like most teachers, there isn’t nearly enough time in the day to get to all of the activities I’d like to try. Perhaps, during this break, I can try to pare down the list before getting to school. If I went back with 3 well-developed ideas instead of 20 half-baked ones, I might actually get something accomplished.

Did you find any lessons today?

Hello Spring Break!!!

I can’t believe it is actually here. It feels like this vacation has been just out of reach for months now. I shall wait no longer. As I write this post, I’m sitting at my desk sipping a wonderful glass of white wine and looking at the book that will occupy me for the next week. Having free time is such a luxury.

Today, as the hours dragged on until 3:00, I kept thinking about how I could just make it to the bell. It seems, spring break comes at this time of year for a reason. This past week, it has been hard to be patient. I’ve been reaching my boiling point a little bit faster. My tolerance for petty student conflicts is at an all time low. Rather than hash out yet another disagreement between Luis and Henry, I simply said, “Really, do you really want to waste our time with this two hours before spring break?” I don’t know if it was the question or tone of my voice that surprised them more. Apparently they didn’t want to waste our time.

As I sit here remembering the characters in the series I’m about to revisit, I can’t help but wonder… Does spring break come at just the right time, or do I know exactly how long I can hold on? Sort of like the chicken and the egg dilemma.

Sometimes It’s The Simple Things

I have a very chatty class this year. I don’t mind a gentle hum in the room while the students are working. These guys can take it a little far though. Most days I’m on my game and can easily keep the volume in check. There are other days though…

Today was one of the other days. Spring Vacation is next week and I have to imagine that had something to do with it. The kids were nuts. Between Jimmy constantly calling out, at a volume that would indicate I am hard of hearing, and Simon who continues to share his stories, even while you are looking him in the eye asking him to stop, I was coming unraveled. By lunchtime, my head was pounding and my genial nature was seriously depleting. Surely, a nice lunch with the other teachers would center me for the afternoon.

No such luck. When it was time to go back to class, I felt only apprehension. How many hours do I have to get through? This isn’t the greatest attitude with which to approach a Thursday afternoon. Then I remembered the gift my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas… a plug in teapot. Could a fresh cup of tea put a different spin on the day?

I reached to classroom as the students were putting their lunch boxes away, gave the spelling tests to my “paper passer” and turned on the teapot.
Student 1 “What is that funny sound?”
Student 2 “It’s Ms. Teacher’s teapot, remember”
Student 1 “Oh, ya. It’s from her mom right?”
Student 2 “No, her husbands mom. That’s what a mother-in-law is.”

The teapot makes a very subtle whispering sound. It is actually quite pleasant. Once all of the students’ had their tests the water was ready. I made myself a decaffeinated Chai Tea latte with the supplies located in the cupboard behind my desk. One of the greatest things I have ever found, next to the teapot, is the vanilla powder used by “Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf”. Add a couple spoonfuls, a nice teabag, stir and enjoy!

By the time I gave the kids their first spelling word, I was already feeling better. We all managed to make it through spelling, math and even a social studies lesson on the beauty of spring.

Thanks Mama J, I couldn’t have made it without your gift!!

Oops

We took the students to see a play today. I’ve been looking forward to this trip for sooooo long. It seems like every trip we planned this year has fallen through for one reason or another. Not this time though. All 48 of us got on the bus and off we went. It was about a 45 minute ride with morning traffic. Thirty minutes in, I realize the tickets are sitting in my desk drawer. Hmmm. What does one do?

Well, first I asked the other teacher if she had the tickets. This seemed to be a reflex of some sort because I was pretty sure I knew where the tickets were. The reality was just too gruesome! When she looked at me in shock, I said, “ I’m sure they have a record of it. If not, I can call someone at school and have them read me the confirmation number.” This sounded good and seemed to relax us both.

When we arrived I went directly to an usher and informed her of my predicament. Apparently this was not the first time this had happened because she smiled at me and asked my school’s name, number in attendance and where our group was standing. Ten minutes later we were seated in the first row of the balcony. Pretty great seats and no one chastising me for being absent minded.

What a lucky break!

Expecting The Best

Haven’t we all read about the effects of a teacher’s expectations on a student’s performance? I remember a study we looked at in grad school where teachers were told they had a “gifted” group of students. Assuming this to be true, they taught the students more challenging material. In reality, they were average students who produced above average results at the end of the year. Hence, you get what you expect.

In September “Ziggy” was excited to be in my class. We already knew each other from different school functions. Academically, he was a tentative student. He didn’t raise his hand very often and always looked for reassurance before committing to an answer. After probing his parents and last year’s teacher for information about his abilities, I felt comfortable pressing him a little bit.

In November, while being sure to supply loads of encouragement, I began to push Ziggy. At first, he looked hurt. Why was he not good enough all of a sudden? I explained, “ you’re doing good work, but I think you can do great work.” He still appeared confused by my higher expectations. Soon, however, his sentences became longer and more interesting.

In December, he started to take pride in the slant his printing had taken on. After Winter Break, he crowed about writing 5 pages when only 3 were expected. The best, oh my, the very best is his love for reading. At least once a week he is at my desk giving me the run down of his latest chapter.

Every now and then he has a rough day. He is a sensitive guy and any interpersonal conflict can cause his work to suffer. Even on these days, we have a trust. He knows I expect a lot, but I know he just can’t give it all of the time.

So, expect a lot and understand when it just isn’t possible. I guess that is the amended version.

A Pleasant Surprise

I adore the Olympics. It doesn’t matter to me if it is the Winter or Summer Olympics. I’m in either way! Luckily this year we were able to work the Winter Olympics into the curriculum nicely. It is such a great way to teach good sportsmanship, geography and writing. I even managed to get it into a math lesson here and there. The kids loved using information about what they had watched the night before.

As part of this unit, I asked the kids to write a paragraph about who they think should carry the Olympic Torch. We talked about what kind of person deserves this honor. Someone you look up to, admire or really respect. Someone who is a good role model to others would be a good choice. I loved reading who they chose as I began correcting rough drafts. I read things like mom, dad, Body Miller, Grandma Sally, Ms. Teacher, Ms. Teacher, Ms. Teacher. I couldn’t believe it. It had never occurred to me that anyone would choose me. I hadn’t realized I was an option.

That was a great day.

Fire Drill Update

For any of you who have been sweating it out, the crier made it through. I happen to be meeting with our head of elementary when the alarm sounded, so I had to run in order to get into place. I told my little man that I would be waiting right outside the Spanish classroom. He came out searching the hallway with bloodshot eyes. It was clear he had been crying, but was not at present. I gave him a big smile in exchange for a high-five. He smiled and took a deep breath. I’m so proud!

Tragedy

A terrible tragedy befell a Los Angeles area school today. Around 3pm a car swerved onto the sidewalk, near the school, hospitalizing 7 students and killing a teacher. The news has reported that grief counselors are already at the school working with the administration. It will be an immense challenge for the faculty to deal with this tragedy, while also helping the students cope.

Having recently participated in a California private school conference, I recognized the school. The woman who taught the poetry workshop I raved about is a 4th grade teacher there. My heart goes out to the faculty, students, and parents who are affected by this terrible event. Lean on the ones who love you. This is when they are most important.

What will tomorrow bring?

We were notified today that there will be a fire drill tomorrow. I don’t really mind them. It seems like a good idea to be ready, especially here in California! This year has been different than most though. I have a student that is terrified of the alarm. Not terrified of the prospects of danger, or the chaos a drill brings about, just the volume of the noise. It is really quite amazing.

I noticed that the little guy had the same reaction to the buzzer they use in the gym signaling the end of a quarter. Last time we were all up there for a game as the crowd chanted 10,9,8,7,6, he became more and more tense. 5,4,3,2, he now has his fists clenched, teeth locked and is in a sort of crouch position. 1, BUZZ, it was an abbreviated buzzer! The little guy looks around in bewilderment and then starts laughing like crazy.

It was a total Calvin and Hobbes moment. Phew, no explosion.

Tomorrow’s fire drill brings with it an interesting twist. Rather than walking out with my class, I will be meeting them on the yard. My students will be in Spanish during the designated fire drill time. What will my scared little man do? I’ve warned the teacher about his reaction and I plan on giving the student in question a heads-up.

After our many talks about how best to use one’s energy in an emergency situation, will he behave rationally? My guess is no. I’d say, it would be a 50/50 shot if he were with me during the time of evacuation. That poor, poor Spanish teacher. Maybe I’ll wait outside his classroom, just in case I’m needed.

Teachers Inspiring Teachers

Today, I was fortunate enough to attend a day of workshops offered by our local private schools. We are able to choose from a large variety of presentations for three separate time slots. I had a great time. There is nothing better than learning from other teachers.

I attended a session on incorporating poetry into your curriculum. I am a huge fan of poetry and try to do at least 4 or 5 lessons a year. This was unreal though! The teacher had her kids write poems inspired by various poets. To see 4th graders writing poems beginning “how do I love thee” was amazing. Love poems, funny poems, poems in the style of William Carlos Williams :
This is jus to say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
They were all fantastic. At the end of the 7-week unit the teacher has each student’s complete works bound into a little book and the parents come in for a poetry reading. The best part of the book is the About The Author section each student has to write. I’m definitely adding that little gem to my students’ next writing assignment.

I remember growing up hating poetry because I could never get it right. Today I learned that there is no right or wrong in poetry. It is all about how you feel. Each person interprets it through his/her own filters. Isn’t that wonderful? A subject you can’t help but do well in. As long as you participate you are right. That seems like fun to me.

My second workshop focused on group work. Love that group work!! I learned all about the Jigsaw technique. It is like a puzzle. You only get the whole picture when everyone does his/her part. It was pretty cool. The teacher had us do a run through of a project on water pollution. We met in expert groups where we became experts in one area. Mine was about the problems pollution causes. After everyone in our group read the provided information, and completed a worksheet we had to agree on how to present the information to others. Next we were put into new groups composed of one person from each of the expert groups. We each took turns teaching the others what we learned. So you see, all of the pieces came together. It was a successful Jigsaw.

All told, it was another great year for the workshops. What is that you say? I mentioned there were three session? Right, well. . .
I Must Confess

I did not make it
to the
third session

Two had been
great
a third maybe
better

But
arriving home early
was oh
so sweet
By Ms. Teacher
Inspired by William Carlos Williams
( I also learned that you always credit the inspiration)

To skip or not to skip

This is the time of year when teachers have to make decisions regarding student placement for next year. This is a particularly sticky process in schools that have combined grade levels. For example some schools have kindergarten and first grade in the same room. Others have a primary level in which students can stay anywhere from 1 to 3 years.
In these classrooms teachers often need to decide if a student should spend one or more years in the room. Parents frequently assume that if their child is kept in a mixed level for a second year it is because he/she is not smart enough to move on. The truth is, it takes an exceptional child to spend only one year in a mixed level classroom. This child would have to not only be able to perform a full year above his/her age. He/she would also be expected to socialize at a level above his/her age. That is a lot to ask of a child.
Early on in my career, I worked at a private school that tended to bend easily to the will of the parents. During my time there, a parent insisted that her child be moved to a higher grade for math. The student was able to perform basic calculations, but had no idea when or why to apply them. In the end, the parents won out and the child moved up.
As a teacher, that kind of thing breaks my heart. Rather than seeing it as giving the child a head start, as I’m sure the parent must see it, I see it as putting them at an unfair disadvantage. Most of their peers were allowed to move sequentially from stage to stage in each subject area. In math, they would have learned and practiced several concepts over the previous year. A student not given the opportunity to move through the yearlong process is expected to perform at the same level as the other students without the benefit of practice or even much exposure in some cases.
I have yet to meet the student that is both academically and socially prepared to skip a year. I’ve taught a few students that have skipped and each time there were very frustrating friendship issues to deal with. That seemed to be the trade off for the kids. Students are offered rigorous academics, but as a result experience many challenging social issues.
I’m a big fan of slow and steady wins the race.

The beginning

Well, here we go. No longer the novice teacher, I feel like it might be time to branch out. The days of worrying about tomorrow’s math lesson are a thing of the past. Now my big concerns regard improving my existing curriculum. It is a great feeling.
I’m hoping this Blog will serve several functions. It would be great to have somewhere to let off steam. After a full day at school, I often come home with stories I think are very interesting/ thought-provoking/ funny or maddening. My extremely patient husband, who has nothing at all to do with teaching, doesn’t appear to feel the same way. He is a good sport, but this Blog may get the stories out to folks who are actually interested. Imagine that!
This could also be a great place to flesh out teaching ideas. I’m big into group projects and cooperative units, so collaboration is always helpful. Teachers can learn so much from each other. This may be a nice way to create some kind of dialog. Don’t feel like you need to be an educator to participate though. I’ve gotten some great ideas, for the classroom, from friends in all sorts of fields.
Welcome to the beginning. I sure hope all goes well.