Tonight I am working in transition forms. These are passed onto the child's next teacher so that she can get a better handle on him or her. (That is if they don't already know them from hallway encounters.) I can never stop myself from smiling when a kid is shocked that I know his name. Hullo?? EVERYONE knows your name kid.
These can be helpful because I can tell a teacher that a kid is left-handed, reading at a high level, or should not sit by student X. It can also be a bad thing if a teacher doesn't want any predisposed opinions or ideas about a student. Us lucky K teachers don't get this advantage. Again, both good and bad. Anyway, I'm not even sure the first grade teachers read these but I'm doing them anyway. A big part of these are strengths and weaknesses. Please read between the lines.
Strong-willed=stubborn/defiant
Ornery=All out terror
Impulsive=NEVER stays in seat; NEVER stops talking
Attentive to details=In EVERYONE'S business but his own.
Fast worker=Schedule downtime at the risk of your own sanity
Perfectionist=Slow worker; Needs hand holding
Curious=Never stops asking questions
Assertive=Bully
Helpful=Bossy
Immature=Whiner
Low Confidence=Crier
The list could go on and on but I won't. It's mostly good stuff actually. It's better to keep things positive as not to overwhelm anyone. And who knows? Maybe they'll grow up over the summer. Stranger things have happened. Monkeys flew in Wizard of Oz didn't they??
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
May Happenings & Summer Plans
This is our principal covered in chocolate, caramel, cool whip, sprinkles, marshmallows, M&Ms and more sprinkles. At least this year he wore a jump suit over his shirt and tie. We do this to cap off successful fundraising for our annual Walk-A-Thon. It supports PBIS and our school's positive rewards program.
This week is normal except that I am taking a personal day Friday to go to southern IL for BK's (soon to be BL) wedding!! So very exciting. Next week, we are doing DIBELS testing and then the ZOO on Friday. I think the next week is normal but then it's a four day week with fun day and exactly one month from today I will be on summer vacation. I finally feel like the end is in sight. Just keep swimming-just keep swimming.
I'm not sure I've written anything about this on here but since I'm finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm ready to update you my summer plans. First and the biggest part is that June 17-26 I will be going to Ethiopia, Africa! I'm VERY excited and blessed to get the chance to go on this trip. Seven of us are going to do a VBS, medical clinic, and support for the Compassion ministries around the capital, Addis Ababa. Through many generous family and friends my trip is fully funded and only the planning part is left. I am in charge of planning the VBS but still have lots of work to do!
After that, I'm going to spend time in Michigan and hopefully plan a trip to visit dear friends and a new baby in Wyoming. : D Softball tryouts are July 25th and school will start at a "normal" time this year on August 17th so summer will be here and gone before we know it.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Spring Break (Extended Weekend??)
It's hard to call it spring break when spring started a month ago and there was only 3 school days and 1 weekend included but we'll take it. There was a point when I didn't know if we would make it or not but then there was a point when the end was in sight and no amount of tom foolery could have knocked me off my jubilant perch. Easter has come and gone and May is right around the corner. Last year, we started wrapping things up pretty early because of all the packing we had to do but this year we're going to take our time. I figure the less anxious I seem the more settled the kids will be. We do go until June 8th you know. I'm not yet counting down the days but when I take a look at the upcoming weeks I quickly realize that they are going to fly by quicker than most. We've got a walk-a-thon, reading night, testing, a zoo trip, a fun day, and a DQ walk all to squeeze in. Not to mention the personal day I am taking in mid May for my Bethany's wedding(!!!!) and we're talking no full 5 instruction day weeks left. Did I mention things are going to go fast??
Since I haven't taken nearly as many pictures this year and am even lazier about taking the time blurring faces so that you can see them, I'm going to share a few pictures of some lovely people who aren't minors. This is me and the bride. SO EXCITED for May 14th!!!
Since I haven't taken nearly as many pictures this year and am even lazier about taking the time blurring faces so that you can see them, I'm going to share a few pictures of some lovely people who aren't minors. This is me and the bride. SO EXCITED for May 14th!!!
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Hardest Part
Sometimes the hard parts of teaching aren't even teaching at all. They aren't in the classroom or have anything to do with academics. It's not the ornery one or the angry one or the whiny one. It's not even the dramatics, the meltdowns, tattling, or the fights. It's the ones that hurt your heart.
The one that walks to school over a mile on the coldest day of the year because no one bothered to tell him that it was too cold to go. The one who deflects his hurt with anger and attitude because it's the only defense mechanism he knows. It's the one that arrives to school too late for breakfast and when asked if he had any at home replies incredulously with "We don't do that!" and a look that tells you he doesn't think anyone else does either. It's the one who saves his snack for his younger sisters at home because he knows they're not getting one. It's the one with the biggest grin in the room for three tiny erasers he got at the PowerStore. It's the ones you try to fight for because no one is fighting for them.
It's hard because you're not sure what to do. A child whose resiliency is helping him make it but who knows when it might run dry? His heart isn't quite hardened to the world yet but I fear that it won't be much longer before it is. It's probably true that there is only so much we can do but it also seems like there should be something more. Something besides a phone call to a hotline and bag of food on Fridays. How can you do that when he is 1 of 22? The one with the most needs but the least "needy?"
And while I know there isn't really an answer to my questions, I still think they need to be asked. I need to ask them of myself because otherwise he will get lost in the 22. He might fall through the cracks anyway but I don't want to be asking myself if there was anything else I could have done. I need to be able to say that I did what I could to show him that there was someone out there who did care. Someone who did fight for him even when he made it hard. Because who doesn't think that this is worth fighting for?
The one that walks to school over a mile on the coldest day of the year because no one bothered to tell him that it was too cold to go. The one who deflects his hurt with anger and attitude because it's the only defense mechanism he knows. It's the one that arrives to school too late for breakfast and when asked if he had any at home replies incredulously with "We don't do that!" and a look that tells you he doesn't think anyone else does either. It's the one who saves his snack for his younger sisters at home because he knows they're not getting one. It's the one with the biggest grin in the room for three tiny erasers he got at the PowerStore. It's the ones you try to fight for because no one is fighting for them.
It's hard because you're not sure what to do. A child whose resiliency is helping him make it but who knows when it might run dry? His heart isn't quite hardened to the world yet but I fear that it won't be much longer before it is. It's probably true that there is only so much we can do but it also seems like there should be something more. Something besides a phone call to a hotline and bag of food on Fridays. How can you do that when he is 1 of 22? The one with the most needs but the least "needy?"
And while I know there isn't really an answer to my questions, I still think they need to be asked. I need to ask them of myself because otherwise he will get lost in the 22. He might fall through the cracks anyway but I don't want to be asking myself if there was anything else I could have done. I need to be able to say that I did what I could to show him that there was someone out there who did care. Someone who did fight for him even when he made it hard. Because who doesn't think that this is worth fighting for?
Sunday, April 10, 2011
I Can Breathe Clearly Now
the snot is gone! FINALLY.
Last week was full with the high school Ag Expo and our K-1 Spring Musical. I took a few pictures at the expo and video taped the dress rehearsal of the program. I had 19 of 22 students show up for the show and the gym was packed full of parents seeing their kids perform for the first time. Each grade level sang 4 songs and they sang one song together. It was super cute and enjoyable. Ask to see the video when you see me. It only takes one song to know exactly what my class is like. The loud kid is yell singing over the others, the fidgety kid is falling off the bottom riser, the needy kid runs up to me in the middle wanting her tied, the angry kid is singing with his arms crossed, the sweet kid is singing her pretty little heart out, the clown is doing some air guitar, the shy kid has his hands in his pockets, and the list goes on and on. It's a tiny microcosm of my day in a two minute video where everyone looks sweet as sweet can be. Most were dressed to the nines with gelled hair, fancy pants, pretty dresses, and even a little cologne. Even the orneriest kid is easy to forgive with gelled hair, slacks, and a polo singing about planting love in others.
Last week was full with the high school Ag Expo and our K-1 Spring Musical. I took a few pictures at the expo and video taped the dress rehearsal of the program. I had 19 of 22 students show up for the show and the gym was packed full of parents seeing their kids perform for the first time. Each grade level sang 4 songs and they sang one song together. It was super cute and enjoyable. Ask to see the video when you see me. It only takes one song to know exactly what my class is like. The loud kid is yell singing over the others, the fidgety kid is falling off the bottom riser, the needy kid runs up to me in the middle wanting her tied, the angry kid is singing with his arms crossed, the sweet kid is singing her pretty little heart out, the clown is doing some air guitar, the shy kid has his hands in his pockets, and the list goes on and on. It's a tiny microcosm of my day in a two minute video where everyone looks sweet as sweet can be. Most were dressed to the nines with gelled hair, fancy pants, pretty dresses, and even a little cologne. Even the orneriest kid is easy to forgive with gelled hair, slacks, and a polo singing about planting love in others.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
April Fool's!!!
Not sure if you could call it a success to make kids cry but our April Fool's Day pranks with the kids brought out the emotions right away yesterday. One of the other K teachers and I traded classes for the first bathroom break of the day so the kids thought that they were going to have to have another teacher for the day. One of the kids from the other class was very weary of me and this idea and when I wouldn't tell him what was going on he burst into tears. He had to consoled and let in on the joke before he settled down. Not sure what that says about me but I'm pretty sure it wasn't a compliment.
Then, we went into the classroom and I had changed their names on the Smartboard to be backwards. (We use the Smartboard for attendance and they move their name to either hot or cold lunch.) One of my boys goes by his initials so his was the only one that was really readable and he did NOT like it. I think he thought I was going to call him that all day. He burst into tears and was pretty upset that he might have to have a new name but got over it when he learned it would go back to normal on Monday. Everyone else was pretty chill with both things. Kindergarten is funny because they don't really get it. They thinks it's hysterical to tell you there is a spider on your shirt and yell April Fool's before you even say anything. Or my favorite is when they tell you something that's actually true and then try to tell you it's an April Fool's joke. Then, they think it's the funniest thing ever. Then, when things are actually funny, like the other teacher and I pretending not to know our own students' names, they think we're serious. Oh the babies of the school-how I love them.
Then, we went into the classroom and I had changed their names on the Smartboard to be backwards. (We use the Smartboard for attendance and they move their name to either hot or cold lunch.) One of my boys goes by his initials so his was the only one that was really readable and he did NOT like it. I think he thought I was going to call him that all day. He burst into tears and was pretty upset that he might have to have a new name but got over it when he learned it would go back to normal on Monday. Everyone else was pretty chill with both things. Kindergarten is funny because they don't really get it. They thinks it's hysterical to tell you there is a spider on your shirt and yell April Fool's before you even say anything. Or my favorite is when they tell you something that's actually true and then try to tell you it's an April Fool's joke. Then, they think it's the funniest thing ever. Then, when things are actually funny, like the other teacher and I pretending not to know our own students' names, they think we're serious. Oh the babies of the school-how I love them.
Friday, April 1, 2011
What I Love About . . .
SPRING!
Spring is officially here and in keeping with the theme of listing what I love about the seasons here's the last one.
OUTSIDE RECESS!!! (Yes, I'm shouting it. You can shout outside. It's what outside is for.)
Longer amounts of daylight
Walking outside and breaking a sweat without being sweaty
Green grass
Upturned dirt
Tractors out in the fields
Flowers
Sunshine
4th Quarter (It's the last one)
Still sleeping with blankets
Saving money by using less heat/no air
It seems like this list is a little bit shorter but that's I've got for a Friday evening. In the health update department, I would love to say the snot is gone but the last time I said that two weeks ago it came back with a vengeance. However since this is the best I've breathed in a month, I'm back to being optimistic.
Spring is officially here and in keeping with the theme of listing what I love about the seasons here's the last one.
OUTSIDE RECESS!!! (Yes, I'm shouting it. You can shout outside. It's what outside is for.)
Longer amounts of daylight
Walking outside and breaking a sweat without being sweaty
Green grass
Upturned dirt
Tractors out in the fields
Flowers
Sunshine
4th Quarter (It's the last one)
Still sleeping with blankets
Saving money by using less heat/no air
It seems like this list is a little bit shorter but that's I've got for a Friday evening. In the health update department, I would love to say the snot is gone but the last time I said that two weeks ago it came back with a vengeance. However since this is the best I've breathed in a month, I'm back to being optimistic.
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