We had ELF this morning - Environmental Learning for the Future. Or something. ELF is basically the best thing ever. A group of volunteer parents come in and run a bunch of hands-on science stations for the kids, leaving me free to get some work done for about two hours. Unfortunately, it only happens every six weeks or so, which is not nearly often enough in my opinion. Afterwards, a few of the parents talked to me about what a handful my class is, and how they "don't know how I do it." Me neither, ladies. Me neither.
Keon and Jake have started pretending that their water bottles are beer bottles... I think. They keep cheers-ing each other and then taking a big dramatic swig of water. Then they giggle a whole lot and slouch while they sit.
What do I even do with this?!
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Mommies Don't Have Bones
For our social studies unit, we are talking about characteristics of ourselves. We made two different bubble maps about ourselves - one describing the way we look and another describing who we are on the inside. As I was modeling how to do it by making bubble maps about myself, Josh recommended, "You have bones! On the inside." Obviously, totally not getting it. I responded, "Well, all people have bones, and we're talking about things that describe me and help make me unique." Then Johnny chimed in, "Mummies don't have bones!" Except I thought he said mommies. And mummies do have bones, Johnny.
On a totally different note, I'm trying to focus my non-work life on getting healthier. I have gained at least 5 pounds since school started, due to all of the stress and eating my feelings. One time in Seattle, I was watching a really awesome made-for-tv movie with Julie and Laura about Nikki Blonsky being fat. There was a scene where she ran home crying, threw open the freezer, and dramatically sobbed into her ice cream while she ate it. It was hilarious, but seriously this is how I feel sometimes. So, yesterday I started myself back on healthy eating habits, and today I actually went to the gym - a minor miracle. My high school reunion is in about 6 weeks, which also feels like a good motivator to get my ass in shape. I'm thinking this might also be the appropriate time to do Jillian's 30 Day Shred for a real 30 days - something I have tried and failed to do numerous times. Now I just have to figure out how to leave work early enough to stay on top of this.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Unusual Suspects
It seems like if my usual offenders (Johnny and Everett) are trying to be on their best behavior, which they were today, then other kids feel the need to take over that role in our room. Rylyn is usually a very good little one, but decided to be rude and hide Abbie's coupons from her today. And then lie about it. And Keon, who is normally pretty quiet, was in quite the mood. During our (first ever) reading groups today, he was being a little jokester and then leaned over and smugly whispered in my ear, "I'm sarcastic."
We've finished our science unit, which is good since all of fish died anyway, and are moving on to social studies - learning about cultures and traditions. I'm discovering that these babies have no idea the difference between states and countries. I was explaining that three of our students have parents from different countries - Philip's parents are from Korea, Amelie's from France and Sweden, and Nathan's dad is from Slovenia. We even talked about how they speak different languages and come from different cultures. To which the kids started responding, "My dad is from Idaho! My mom is from Florida!" I feel like this unit is going to open up a whole world of misconceptions.
We've finished our science unit, which is good since all of fish died anyway, and are moving on to social studies - learning about cultures and traditions. I'm discovering that these babies have no idea the difference between states and countries. I was explaining that three of our students have parents from different countries - Philip's parents are from Korea, Amelie's from France and Sweden, and Nathan's dad is from Slovenia. We even talked about how they speak different languages and come from different cultures. To which the kids started responding, "My dad is from Idaho! My mom is from Florida!" I feel like this unit is going to open up a whole world of misconceptions.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Career Choices
I was too sleepy to post on Friday and have managed to procrastinate it until now - late on Sunday night, trying to put off Monday morning for as long as possible.
Friday was good. This whole mean tough teacher thing seems to be working. Like I said, it is absolutely draining and exhausting, but I am feeling much happier overall.
We had our first Friday free-choice time for my seven students who had next-to-perfect behavior, while the other 15 kiddos went to my teammate's room to write about the poor choices they were making. I received a pile of apology letters, which were sweet. Except look at Kendal's:
Friday was good. This whole mean tough teacher thing seems to be working. Like I said, it is absolutely draining and exhausting, but I am feeling much happier overall.
We had our first Friday free-choice time for my seven students who had next-to-perfect behavior, while the other 15 kiddos went to my teammate's room to write about the poor choices they were making. I received a pile of apology letters, which were sweet. Except look at Kendal's:
 |
| What?! I can read "Dear" and her name at the end. That is all. |
Earlier in the day, we were working on our All About Me books and discussing what we want to be when we grow up. Most of the kids wanted to be whatever their parents are, and there were some pretty normal answers: lawyer, work for the mayor, police officer, painter, doctor, dolphin trainer, etc. Jake said he wanted to be in the FBI, and then everyone wanted to be in the FBI. And of course there were also some funny ones: cowgirl, famous, an artist who makes 3,000 bucks, and (my favorite) a maid. Dream big, babies!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Really Doing It
Well, I'm really doing it. Today I was as strict as can be. On our behavior chart, I usually only have two or three kids each day who need to move their names, and today I had 15. Not because they were being unusually bad, but because I was being unusually rigid and tough. Those 15 kids will spend choice-time writing about their behavior tomorrow, while my 7 who stayed on green (assuming they can also stay there tomorrow morning), will get to play for 30 minutes. Guess whether or not I had some tears? Kendal just about lost it. She told me later, "Do you know what I'm going to do when I get home? I'm going to put down my backpack, walk down the tile hallway, go to my room, and cry." I think she may have been trying to guilt me into giving her free choice time back. It's not happening. But I still love her.
As exhausting (and sometimes unreasonable-feeling) as this new rigidity is, I am much happier than I was before. And we actually got to have some time to learn today! So there you have it.
I am now done with parent-teacher conferences (besides three that went rogue and are next week) and got home from work well after 7:00 tonight. Pooped, pooped, pooped.
As exhausting (and sometimes unreasonable-feeling) as this new rigidity is, I am much happier than I was before. And we actually got to have some time to learn today! So there you have it.
I am now done with parent-teacher conferences (besides three that went rogue and are next week) and got home from work well after 7:00 tonight. Pooped, pooped, pooped.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Happy Anniversary!
One year ago today, I started working at my school. I am incredibly blessed to have a job at such a wonderfully supportive and incredible school. I work with such positive, caring, helpful, kind, and inspirational people. We have one of the most involved, thoughtful, and understanding parent communities imaginable. I genuinely hope that I will still be here in a year, and for many, many years to come.
I know I've been complaining a lot lately, but everything I just said is one hundred percent true, and I don't want to forget one bit of that. I do not by any means take this job for granted. I am truly blessed.
This morning I went to observe a first grade classroom at another school in our district. As a new(ish) teacher, I am given a couple of half-days to go observe for the sake of professional development. I left my observation with 3 pages full of awesome ideas to try and implement in my classroom, which is both exciting and overwhelmingly daunting. The classroom I was in was ridiculously amazing, especially in terms of the students' behavior. They were practically silent all day, following directions, respectful, and on task. In my class's defense, though, they only had 13 students. 13! That's just unrealistic.
While I was at my observation, my kiddos had the same sub that came on Monday, and who I now owe a whole bucket of treats. She is amazing and totally laid down the law with them. She started keeping tally marks on the board every time they talked, and got to nearly 100. Not even kidding. I came back to a quiet classroom full of students who were on task and working. I did my best to keep it going through the afternoon, and they did a pretty good job keeping up with it, but boy is it exhausting! I can't be off my game for even a second.
And then I ended my day with a good old round of parent-teacher conferences. I have the other half to do tomorrow still, but so far so good.
So, yep. I'll just keep on keeping on.
I know I've been complaining a lot lately, but everything I just said is one hundred percent true, and I don't want to forget one bit of that. I do not by any means take this job for granted. I am truly blessed.
This morning I went to observe a first grade classroom at another school in our district. As a new(ish) teacher, I am given a couple of half-days to go observe for the sake of professional development. I left my observation with 3 pages full of awesome ideas to try and implement in my classroom, which is both exciting and overwhelmingly daunting. The classroom I was in was ridiculously amazing, especially in terms of the students' behavior. They were practically silent all day, following directions, respectful, and on task. In my class's defense, though, they only had 13 students. 13! That's just unrealistic.
While I was at my observation, my kiddos had the same sub that came on Monday, and who I now owe a whole bucket of treats. She is amazing and totally laid down the law with them. She started keeping tally marks on the board every time they talked, and got to nearly 100. Not even kidding. I came back to a quiet classroom full of students who were on task and working. I did my best to keep it going through the afternoon, and they did a pretty good job keeping up with it, but boy is it exhausting! I can't be off my game for even a second.
And then I ended my day with a good old round of parent-teacher conferences. I have the other half to do tomorrow still, but so far so good.
So, yep. I'll just keep on keeping on.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
I guess I have a lot to say today...
A trip to Seattle was exactly what my heart needed. I had the most wonderful birthday weekend I could have hoped for! I stayed with Laura and Mike, who are such cherished and wonderful friends, and they spoiled me with gifts and meals and play-time with kittens. I was able to reconnect with quite a few old friends and just breathe in every bit of Seattle that I could. Plus, Mount Rainier was out every day I was there, which is a real treat! Lucky, lucky me.
Instead of spending the day with my crazy little first graders, I spent Monday with my favorite people from when I taught in Washington. The majority of my day was spent with my old work-BFF, Lindsey, and the two adorable baby boys that she's had since I moved away two years ago. It was such a blessing to just hang out and talk with her again, even in the midst of the craziness that is now her life. I desperately miss working with Lindsey and being able to talk to her on a regular basis, so that time was very precious to me. In the afternoon, I actually got to meet up with a few of my old students. Three years ago, I had my first full-time teaching job with sixth graders, who are all now ninth graders, whether I like it or not. I realize that meeting up with your old students is not exactly a normal thing for most (or any?) teachers to do. But the way that my heart operates is that once you're important to me, you always are. And the few girls that I met up with were seriously important to me, even if they were/are sometimes awkward and act like they don't even want to see me. But sweet Sophia, who is brilliant and beautiful and admirable, showed up with a gift (including a glass vile with rocks and water from Green Lake in it!!!) and actually started crying because she was so happy to see me. And then I cried too, obviously. It just reaffirmed for me how much I miss being able to have that kind of connection with my students. I think that's why I'm having such a hard time with these little first graders - they are sweet and cute, but we will never be able to connect on that deeper level like I did with my sixth graders (and a few of my third graders too). I miss the kind of relationship that I could have with my students, which seriously looked so different from what I am able to have this year.
Anyway.
I came back to find out that my students had been pretty awful for our sub, and Everett took two trips to the office, which is a first. My sub is in our building all of the time, and had even subbed for my kids before, and said the following:
"You have no reason to think that you are not succeeding with these kids - they are impervious to any kind of verbal directions (that last more than 20 seconds) for the most part. Sorry to say, but you have a very tough group of kids that do not follow directions very well."
It is actually quite comforting to know that I am not the only one who thinks or sees this.
I also came back to find this:
So maybe it was because I was sad about leaving Seattle and sad about Spiky and tired as hell, but the kids absolutely broke me today. I cried. Yep, it happened.
We spent so much of our day relearning how to behave - how to transition to and from the carpet, how to work quietly at our seats, how to read silently, how to play math games, etc, etc. And this afternoon I spent 5 minutes getting them silent (which is nearly impossible), and bribed them with "smiley points" for staying quiet while they packed up, and they didn't even make it ten seconds. After a whole day of this kind of crap, I just lost it. I didn't let them see that I was crying, and they wouldn't have noticed anyway because they were so busy acting like raving lunatics. Then while they were in P.E., I really let it all out to my teammate and special ed teacher.
I am just so frustrated. I feel like I am trying everything I know and have learned when it comes to management, taking in all of the advice that I'm getting, and it's actually getting worse. They just don't. stop. talking. And they don't respond to me at all - when I'm trying to get their attention or trying to tell them something important or trying to teach them or trying to get them to shut up. It's absolutely disrespectful, and they totally don't get it. And I just keep thinking, I have to do a whole year of this?!? I just don't even see how that's possible. Eight more months... it just might kill me.
Here's to hoping that some more sleep helps me keep myself together...
Instead of spending the day with my crazy little first graders, I spent Monday with my favorite people from when I taught in Washington. The majority of my day was spent with my old work-BFF, Lindsey, and the two adorable baby boys that she's had since I moved away two years ago. It was such a blessing to just hang out and talk with her again, even in the midst of the craziness that is now her life. I desperately miss working with Lindsey and being able to talk to her on a regular basis, so that time was very precious to me. In the afternoon, I actually got to meet up with a few of my old students. Three years ago, I had my first full-time teaching job with sixth graders, who are all now ninth graders, whether I like it or not. I realize that meeting up with your old students is not exactly a normal thing for most (or any?) teachers to do. But the way that my heart operates is that once you're important to me, you always are. And the few girls that I met up with were seriously important to me, even if they were/are sometimes awkward and act like they don't even want to see me. But sweet Sophia, who is brilliant and beautiful and admirable, showed up with a gift (including a glass vile with rocks and water from Green Lake in it!!!) and actually started crying because she was so happy to see me. And then I cried too, obviously. It just reaffirmed for me how much I miss being able to have that kind of connection with my students. I think that's why I'm having such a hard time with these little first graders - they are sweet and cute, but we will never be able to connect on that deeper level like I did with my sixth graders (and a few of my third graders too). I miss the kind of relationship that I could have with my students, which seriously looked so different from what I am able to have this year.
Anyway.
I came back to find out that my students had been pretty awful for our sub, and Everett took two trips to the office, which is a first. My sub is in our building all of the time, and had even subbed for my kids before, and said the following:
"You have no reason to think that you are not succeeding with these kids - they are impervious to any kind of verbal directions (that last more than 20 seconds) for the most part. Sorry to say, but you have a very tough group of kids that do not follow directions very well."
It is actually quite comforting to know that I am not the only one who thinks or sees this.
I also came back to find this:
Apparently my fish didn't survive the weekend. I'm actually really sad about Spiky - we had a good thing going.
So maybe it was because I was sad about leaving Seattle and sad about Spiky and tired as hell, but the kids absolutely broke me today. I cried. Yep, it happened.
We spent so much of our day relearning how to behave - how to transition to and from the carpet, how to work quietly at our seats, how to read silently, how to play math games, etc, etc. And this afternoon I spent 5 minutes getting them silent (which is nearly impossible), and bribed them with "smiley points" for staying quiet while they packed up, and they didn't even make it ten seconds. After a whole day of this kind of crap, I just lost it. I didn't let them see that I was crying, and they wouldn't have noticed anyway because they were so busy acting like raving lunatics. Then while they were in P.E., I really let it all out to my teammate and special ed teacher.
I am just so frustrated. I feel like I am trying everything I know and have learned when it comes to management, taking in all of the advice that I'm getting, and it's actually getting worse. They just don't. stop. talking. And they don't respond to me at all - when I'm trying to get their attention or trying to tell them something important or trying to teach them or trying to get them to shut up. It's absolutely disrespectful, and they totally don't get it. And I just keep thinking, I have to do a whole year of this?!? I just don't even see how that's possible. Eight more months... it just might kill me.
Here's to hoping that some more sleep helps me keep myself together...
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