Yesterday was the last of our days off until spring break so it's back to the grindstone and five day weeks. I'm actually a little relieved to just be back on a normal schedule and see what we can accomplish before spring break. The added bonus is that it's finally warmed up, and we can go outside for recess! It might make jr. high and high schoolers more anxious but it makes little kids surprisingly less restless. (at least until May anyway) Funny how many things change from one opposite to the other from the beginning of your schooling to the end.
Last week was still a struggle for keeping everyone in line, but I am bound and determined to end the year on a good note so with an added prayer for patience and persistence I am embracing each day with extra conviction and enthusiasm for order and discipline. ARGH. Good thing I have weekends to recover. : )
In classroom happenings, today was Dr. Seuss' birthday! The principal dressed up like The Cat in the Hat for the morning assembly and then stayed that way all day. It was a great costume and quite humorous. It will be our theme for the week, and I'm looking forward to the fun stuff I have planned.
I also learned today that for the geothermal and other construction that will be taking place over the summer, the only thing that will be able to be left in our classrooms is "the paint." Good thing I only have 1 year of stuff accumulated because it will make boxing things up a much easier than those with 5+. I can't even imagine the teachers who have been in the same rooms for over 10 years. However, I don't think anyone will complain too much since we'll be air conditioned when we go back. And it also gives us the chance to really go through stuff and pitch what isn't used. I actually anticipate getting a few hand me downs out of the whole deal. Nothing better than anything that's free!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Truth About Presidents
Be careful what you tell your kids because they will believe you and no good intentioned teacher will be able to tell him or her otherwise. For example:
Student 1: California's broken! I saw it on TV. (No idea where this came from or why he thinks this, but he's convinced)
Since it was President's day on Monday, we have naturally been talking a lot about Washington and Lincoln. Which led to this outburst:
Student 2: ALL the President's are thieves! My dad told me and ALL of them are.
This has led to this same student calling Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, FDR (he's on the dime), and Obama "THIEVES!" whenever one of the names is said out loud. The best one of all was when we were reading a book about Lincoln and at the point where it was talking about how he helped free the slaves, he boldly announced that Abraham Lincoln was a thief. I can only hope that everyone else takes a little more away from this week than that. Hopefully, they hear my voice louder than his. Hopefully.
All is well that ends well, and we did end the week pretty well. Restless and unable to sit still but quiet and all chatted out. I've decided that I can deal with movers a little better than yellers. The movers wear me out but the yellers make me frustrated. I'd rather be tired than stressed so wiggle away little bodies-wiggle away. (Just do it quietly, please)
Student 1: California's broken! I saw it on TV. (No idea where this came from or why he thinks this, but he's convinced)
Since it was President's day on Monday, we have naturally been talking a lot about Washington and Lincoln. Which led to this outburst:
Student 2: ALL the President's are thieves! My dad told me and ALL of them are.
This has led to this same student calling Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, FDR (he's on the dime), and Obama "THIEVES!" whenever one of the names is said out loud. The best one of all was when we were reading a book about Lincoln and at the point where it was talking about how he helped free the slaves, he boldly announced that Abraham Lincoln was a thief. I can only hope that everyone else takes a little more away from this week than that. Hopefully, they hear my voice louder than his. Hopefully.
All is well that ends well, and we did end the week pretty well. Restless and unable to sit still but quiet and all chatted out. I've decided that I can deal with movers a little better than yellers. The movers wear me out but the yellers make me frustrated. I'd rather be tired than stressed so wiggle away little bodies-wiggle away. (Just do it quietly, please)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Look Where It Got Me
Despite all my deep reflections and solutions to the problems of my classroom, I have miserably failed at regaining any amount of control. I honestly have no idea how we made it to 3:20 today. Thank goodness for the chance to start fresh each day. We're gonna need it.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Short Wrap & Reflection
By the time I go back to school on Tuesday, I will have worked 2 of the previous 10 days. I will admit that this is pretty ridiculous and come Memorial Day I'm sure I will be wondering if it was worth it. At the moment though, I am just enjoying it. The only thing I have to report about school is that our Valentine's Party was a great success. I was too busy to take pictures but even after two days at home, most everyone remembered their Valentine's and snacks. We had healthy snacks to celebrate Dental Health and Heart Healthy Awareness month including bananas, grapes, cheese and crackers, and apple juice. The kids really enjoyed it and I think it was a great idea. They didn't really miss out with all the candy that went home in their treat bags and Valentines.
One of almost all of my education professors favorite assignments was something they liked to call "self-reflection." We were probably told 200 times about the importance of "reflection" and how it was one a teacher's greatest tools. I'll admit that I understood the point but didn't fully appreciate its value. Now over halfway through the year, I think it's time to do a little. I tend to get more accomplished when I write it down so that's what I'm going to do. This is really just to keep me sane and motived for the rest of the year so feel free to stop reading at any time. It will probably be pretty boring.
On Management: At the beginning of the year, I seemed to have a pretty good handle on management. Sure, there were some days when things didn't go exactly as planned and I didn't have "that" kid who nobody can handle, but for the most part I was relieved at how well I was managing. Since it was one of my biggest weaknesses and fears going in, I spent a lot of time making sure that it wasn't going to be my downfall. I didn't smile. I was firm. I was consistent. I praised good behaviors nonstop. I ignored when it was appropriate. I remembered that they were kids. I empathized at the right time and scolded at the right times. I put a lot of time and energy into making sure we had a learning environment where we could learn. Then, I forgot they were five. I started to let up. I started assuming they would remember what the rules are. I became complacent. And now, here I am in February--frustrated that my kids won't listen, exasperated that we can't walk in the hallway in a line, and exhausted from putting out fires. What went wrong??!? Hence this reflection and here's what I think. It wasn't something that happened overnight. I remember one point at the end of September when I realized it was the midterm, and I didn't think we'd learned anything. I looked at the assessment and realized that we had to step it up and do some serious learning if I wanted my students to pass. So, I shifted my focus. I spent less time on managing and more time on worrying about lessons. Bad thing? Not initially. I did need to step up my teaching but I shouldn't have sacrificed the environment we were working so hard to achieve. In reality, they had a learned a lot at the end of September. I just didn't realize it so I stopped teaching it. Rules, expectations, social skills, how to learn, how to be in school, and the list of little things goes on and on. Little things that have left me with great lessons that no one hears and good ideas that are cut short by interruptions. After all, they have only been in school 102 days and forget everything after 2 days at home-not to mention 2 weeks.
So now what? I should have come back from Christmas break exactly like we started the year in August with a firm adherence to the rules, repeated reminders of expectations, and not a lot of smiling. But I didn't. Instead, I wrongly assumed they would remember how to be in school and am finding myself frustrated more days than not. I wanted them to be adults but they are after all, only five. They don't remember. They LOVE testing and pushing the limits. They too easily forget to use an inside voice, walk in the halls, and listen when the teacher is talking. They want rules. They need rules. They thrive with rules. And I did a poor job of implementing them or keeping them implemented. So now I have to do a little back pedaling. Set the exciting stuff aside and go back to the basics. They've had 8 of the last 10 days at home so I'm basically starting over. I get the chance to pretend like it's August again. Firm. Consistent. Non-complacent. High energy. Recreating the environment where everyone is successful. Combining a high level of management with a high level of learning and lessons. I've got my work cut out for me that's for sure, but I've decided I'm ready. Or bored. Take your pick.
One of almost all of my education professors favorite assignments was something they liked to call "self-reflection." We were probably told 200 times about the importance of "reflection" and how it was one a teacher's greatest tools. I'll admit that I understood the point but didn't fully appreciate its value. Now over halfway through the year, I think it's time to do a little. I tend to get more accomplished when I write it down so that's what I'm going to do. This is really just to keep me sane and motived for the rest of the year so feel free to stop reading at any time. It will probably be pretty boring.
On Management: At the beginning of the year, I seemed to have a pretty good handle on management. Sure, there were some days when things didn't go exactly as planned and I didn't have "that" kid who nobody can handle, but for the most part I was relieved at how well I was managing. Since it was one of my biggest weaknesses and fears going in, I spent a lot of time making sure that it wasn't going to be my downfall. I didn't smile. I was firm. I was consistent. I praised good behaviors nonstop. I ignored when it was appropriate. I remembered that they were kids. I empathized at the right time and scolded at the right times. I put a lot of time and energy into making sure we had a learning environment where we could learn. Then, I forgot they were five. I started to let up. I started assuming they would remember what the rules are. I became complacent. And now, here I am in February--frustrated that my kids won't listen, exasperated that we can't walk in the hallway in a line, and exhausted from putting out fires. What went wrong??!? Hence this reflection and here's what I think. It wasn't something that happened overnight. I remember one point at the end of September when I realized it was the midterm, and I didn't think we'd learned anything. I looked at the assessment and realized that we had to step it up and do some serious learning if I wanted my students to pass. So, I shifted my focus. I spent less time on managing and more time on worrying about lessons. Bad thing? Not initially. I did need to step up my teaching but I shouldn't have sacrificed the environment we were working so hard to achieve. In reality, they had a learned a lot at the end of September. I just didn't realize it so I stopped teaching it. Rules, expectations, social skills, how to learn, how to be in school, and the list of little things goes on and on. Little things that have left me with great lessons that no one hears and good ideas that are cut short by interruptions. After all, they have only been in school 102 days and forget everything after 2 days at home-not to mention 2 weeks.
So now what? I should have come back from Christmas break exactly like we started the year in August with a firm adherence to the rules, repeated reminders of expectations, and not a lot of smiling. But I didn't. Instead, I wrongly assumed they would remember how to be in school and am finding myself frustrated more days than not. I wanted them to be adults but they are after all, only five. They don't remember. They LOVE testing and pushing the limits. They too easily forget to use an inside voice, walk in the halls, and listen when the teacher is talking. They want rules. They need rules. They thrive with rules. And I did a poor job of implementing them or keeping them implemented. So now I have to do a little back pedaling. Set the exciting stuff aside and go back to the basics. They've had 8 of the last 10 days at home so I'm basically starting over. I get the chance to pretend like it's August again. Firm. Consistent. Non-complacent. High energy. Recreating the environment where everyone is successful. Combining a high level of management with a high level of learning and lessons. I've got my work cut out for me that's for sure, but I've decided I'm ready. Or bored. Take your pick.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Yep. That was me.
On Monday, I woke up feeling like I was on the verge of possibly getting sick. My throat was 1 small germ away from being sore and the possibility of a headache throbbed around various places of my skull. I tried Halls Defense to ward it off and it worked for most of the day but by 5 I was feeling like it might be a very long, short week. Bethany too came back from the weekend with the exact same symptoms so it seemed official. Winter sickness was setting in. Before drifting off to sleep, I included in my prayers a "help to stay healthy and not be sick" request. Guess what? God answered. BOOM. 4 inches of snow. Lots of wind. Snow day. Babysitting cancelled. Stayed in bed all day and am feeling like maybe the extra sleep and day away from more germs is going to make all the difference that I needed. So, sorry everyone who hates snow, cold, wind, and winter but it really was the answer to my prayer. Next time, maybe I'll just tough it out. But since I love most everything about how my prayer was answered, don't hold your breath.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
100 Days!!
I did, I did!!! And, it was a jam packed day, believe you me. We started the day with the Kindergarten teachers moving from room to room doing a 20 minute lesson with each class. I did a writing lesson with the prompt, "If I had 100 dollars." A variety of answers included limos, hummers, cats, balloons, candy, Thomas the Tank Engine trucks, and princess castles. They also drew themselves and what they would like when they 100, made a 100s charts, and put a 100 different snack items in a snack mix.
Then in the afternoon, we had even more fun. We started in our classroom. I asked families to send in 100 things with 3 clues about what they had brought. We had safety pins, buttons, pennies, pieces of rice, hershey's kisses, beans, toy cars, and marshmallows. It was a lot of fun to guess even if we had a hard time keeping it a secret until we got to it it after lunch.
After that, it was off to our stations! The entire school participated in activity stations 2 classes at a time. The teachers ran them while the students were led around by aides and other staff. We had legos, the badges, hand tracing, olympics, relay races, and my station: crown making. Take a look to see bits of pieces of our exciting day. At the end of the day, I could tell they were worn out because we were lining up and they were actually quiet. Basically, all talked out. It's a first. I was a little amazed that it was even impossible.
February Begins
We went outside 2 days this week! It truly was a gift from God. Otherwise we might not have made it. Snow again tonight though so we'll be back inside next week. Yippee. February is jam packed with Groundhog's Day, President's Day, Valentine's Day, Dental Health month, Heart Healthy month, and the 100th day of school. Whew. It will no doubt be over before I'm ready. First, I thought I'd put up a picture of our ocean. Cute stuff. We'll get to all the other stuff later.
It's funny because despite all the holidays that are limited and censored by those who don't want us to offend anyone Valentine's Day hasn't changed a bit. I guess everybody needs a little love. Therefore, we made the amazing paper bags that everyone loves so much for individual Valentine's. I put them on the bulletin board because that was really the only place where I didn't think they would be crushed and destroyed before out party next Thursday.
More to come about the 100th day festivities after I blur our faces later this evening.
It's funny because despite all the holidays that are limited and censored by those who don't want us to offend anyone Valentine's Day hasn't changed a bit. I guess everybody needs a little love. Therefore, we made the amazing paper bags that everyone loves so much for individual Valentine's. I put them on the bulletin board because that was really the only place where I didn't think they would be crushed and destroyed before out party next Thursday.
More to come about the 100th day festivities after I blur our faces later this evening.
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