In July (which feels a million years ago), I blogged about the second grade student in my summer gifted program who told me I looked "about 14." Those of you who know me know that it's one of my pet peeves for people to think I'm younger than I am. I guess I don't want people to think I look OLD, but I'd at least like to look my age! Anyways, I feel like I am constantly getting carded or given weird looks when I say I've actually finished college and have a job. When I'm trying to represent myself as an adult and a professional in my school, it makes me CRAZY for people to think I look young! (Yeah, I know. I do look young. No need to point it out...)
ANYWAYS, this morning, I had a flashback to July when a student commented upon seeing me in the hallway before school, "Miss Teacher, you look like a teenager today! You look 16!"
Me: "Oh...well, I'm not..."
The irony??? I was wearing the same outfit as the "You look 14" incident from summer. Who knew Ann Taylor bermuda shorts and pearl earrings translate to teenager. I'm never wearing a headband again... :)
September 9, 2009
September 8, 2009
Dear Mr. President
Dear Mr. President,
Today you addressed the school children of our nation in a live broadcast. Unfortunately, I was unable to share it with my 24 school children, because the district in which I teach would not allow it. Mr. President, I applaud you for taking the time to speak directly to the future of our nation. For some of these children, it is so easy to become convinced that they don't matter, or that their voices aren't heard, or that adults do not care about them. Thank you for acknowleding their potential and power, and for believing that the youth of our nation have ears and are eager to listen to adults.
I am sorry that so many adults allowed their minds to be clouded by political ideologies, and that they let their faith in teachers be forgotten. You see, no matter for whom I cast my vote last fall, my job is not to preach but to teach. I do not fill minds, I open them. I wish I had been allowed to embrace this perfect teachable moment. I wanted to shout to my students, "You see?? You can be anything! Nothing is impossible to you!" I wanted to encourage them to be critical listeners, and to take in your words and think them over before forming their own opinions. I wanted to remind them that despite their youth, they are important in this country.
Mr. President, do not let the ignorant adults who censored you today taint your faith in the young generation. Please do not stop speaking to the children, because they need to hear the voice of the leader of our country, no matter his party or race or platform. I will tell my students that their president cares about them, and remind them that they have both responsibilities and potential. I will do my best to help my students form their own political views, no matter what the views may be of the adults in their lives, mine or others. I know that this is my role as a teacher and a citizen. I will encourage my students to keep their minds open, in hopes that they will not grow up to be the jaded adults who would censor these moments from their own children.
Sincerely,
Miss Teacher
Today you addressed the school children of our nation in a live broadcast. Unfortunately, I was unable to share it with my 24 school children, because the district in which I teach would not allow it. Mr. President, I applaud you for taking the time to speak directly to the future of our nation. For some of these children, it is so easy to become convinced that they don't matter, or that their voices aren't heard, or that adults do not care about them. Thank you for acknowleding their potential and power, and for believing that the youth of our nation have ears and are eager to listen to adults.
I am sorry that so many adults allowed their minds to be clouded by political ideologies, and that they let their faith in teachers be forgotten. You see, no matter for whom I cast my vote last fall, my job is not to preach but to teach. I do not fill minds, I open them. I wish I had been allowed to embrace this perfect teachable moment. I wanted to shout to my students, "You see?? You can be anything! Nothing is impossible to you!" I wanted to encourage them to be critical listeners, and to take in your words and think them over before forming their own opinions. I wanted to remind them that despite their youth, they are important in this country.
Mr. President, do not let the ignorant adults who censored you today taint your faith in the young generation. Please do not stop speaking to the children, because they need to hear the voice of the leader of our country, no matter his party or race or platform. I will tell my students that their president cares about them, and remind them that they have both responsibilities and potential. I will do my best to help my students form their own political views, no matter what the views may be of the adults in their lives, mine or others. I know that this is my role as a teacher and a citizen. I will encourage my students to keep their minds open, in hopes that they will not grow up to be the jaded adults who would censor these moments from their own children.
Sincerely,
Miss Teacher
September 7, 2009
Pause and Regroup
This weekend was a continuation of my emotional rollercoaster, I'm afraid to say. Saturday morning as I glanced through the quizzes I gave the previous day and had my prediction that many had failed confirmed, as I wrote about two entries ago, my frustration began. After blogging, I tried to step away from thinking about school for awhile, and left the house. Unfortunately, school just followed me. Thankfully, Miss R consoled me for a good hour on the phone (I would be a disaster without you, Miss R!), and between her encouragement and a blended frozed green tea & mango cup of heaven from caribou, I was able to calm down and take my mind off things. I even allowed myself to go for a bike ride with a friend and see the outdoors for a change.
Today I am feeling a million times better. I have a plan for math this week, and I have accepted that I have to move on after another day going over this material. I know it will be okay, and I accept that I am doing my best. As I told Miss R, I have a long history of liking to be perfect at things immediately. It's sometimes hard for me to remember that most jobs have a learning curve, and of course, no one is perfect. I am trying to focus on one goal at a time, and tomorrow it will be math. Next week I will tackle reading when I start implementing Daily 5.
My aunt gave me a book this summer that was given to her years back by a student (yes, another teacher in the family, but this one no longer teaches). It's called Chalkdust: Prayer Meditations for Teachers. While I don't usually talk about this kind of thing, and especially not when it comes to teaching, I want to share one of the meditations here:
For the Slow Learner
Oh, Father,
this child is so slow,
and I am so impatient.
We are both trying hard,
and I desperately need to see some success.
If only I could see a little progress--
slow, plodding progress.
But the word he read yesterday
he can't read today.
The math concept he seemed to grasp yesterday
has slipped away today.
And somewhere inside me
Discouragement is moaning, "Give up."
Help me not to listen.
Help me instead to listen for your voice
reminding me of all the good and true things
I've learned about teaching.
Remind me that progress is more a spiral staircase
than a straight flight of steps;
that learning rarely moves at a heartening pace;
it is more likely to dip and double back,
and move on in little spurts of growth.
So help me, Father,
not to give up when we move so slowly
or stand still.
or even seem to slip backwards.
Give to me, and to this child,
the sure and steady faith to keep on trying.
But, Father,
when I grit my teeth and try so hard
that I am overcome with impatience,
let me hear your still, small voice saying,
"Relax!"
Today I am feeling a million times better. I have a plan for math this week, and I have accepted that I have to move on after another day going over this material. I know it will be okay, and I accept that I am doing my best. As I told Miss R, I have a long history of liking to be perfect at things immediately. It's sometimes hard for me to remember that most jobs have a learning curve, and of course, no one is perfect. I am trying to focus on one goal at a time, and tomorrow it will be math. Next week I will tackle reading when I start implementing Daily 5.
My aunt gave me a book this summer that was given to her years back by a student (yes, another teacher in the family, but this one no longer teaches). It's called Chalkdust: Prayer Meditations for Teachers. While I don't usually talk about this kind of thing, and especially not when it comes to teaching, I want to share one of the meditations here:
For the Slow Learner
Oh, Father,
this child is so slow,
and I am so impatient.
We are both trying hard,
and I desperately need to see some success.
If only I could see a little progress--
slow, plodding progress.
But the word he read yesterday
he can't read today.
The math concept he seemed to grasp yesterday
has slipped away today.
And somewhere inside me
Discouragement is moaning, "Give up."
Help me not to listen.
Help me instead to listen for your voice
reminding me of all the good and true things
I've learned about teaching.
Remind me that progress is more a spiral staircase
than a straight flight of steps;
that learning rarely moves at a heartening pace;
it is more likely to dip and double back,
and move on in little spurts of growth.
So help me, Father,
not to give up when we move so slowly
or stand still.
or even seem to slip backwards.
Give to me, and to this child,
the sure and steady faith to keep on trying.
But, Father,
when I grit my teeth and try so hard
that I am overcome with impatience,
let me hear your still, small voice saying,
"Relax!"
September 5, 2009
They left some of this stuff out of Ed 401...
What Teacher Education Programs forget to tell their candidates:
•A teacher cannot be all things to all people
•You are not a "bad person" if you are not always able to meet all the needs of all your students
•You are a powerful and compelling figure in the lives of your students
•In recalling their school years, students mostly remember their teachers, and not the courses they took
•You need to find a "critical friend" whom you can trust to serve as a sounding board
•At times students can be very cruel, difficult, and mean-spirited•It is a mistake to personalize a student's unacceptable behavior
•Teachers love their students as their parents love them--but in a different way and for a different reason
•Few people will ever appreciate the amount of time and effort teachers give to their teaching
•By choosing to be a teacher, you have entered an emotionally dangerous profession
•You are both a role model and change agent
•You need to pay attention to both your physical and emotional well-being
•Teaching is not like inducing a chemical reaction, but more like creating a painting, or planting a garden, or writing a friendly letter.
•Teaching is a complicated business because students are such unexpected blends of character, personality, and background
•Most of the significant advances in civilization have been the result of the work of teachers
•Teaching is an act of faith in the promise of the future
•Teaching is a way of life
James Marran, Social Studies Dept. ChairNew Trier High School, Winnetka, Ill
•A teacher cannot be all things to all people
•You are not a "bad person" if you are not always able to meet all the needs of all your students
•You are a powerful and compelling figure in the lives of your students
•In recalling their school years, students mostly remember their teachers, and not the courses they took
•You need to find a "critical friend" whom you can trust to serve as a sounding board
•At times students can be very cruel, difficult, and mean-spirited•It is a mistake to personalize a student's unacceptable behavior
•Teachers love their students as their parents love them--but in a different way and for a different reason
•Few people will ever appreciate the amount of time and effort teachers give to their teaching
•By choosing to be a teacher, you have entered an emotionally dangerous profession
•You are both a role model and change agent
•You need to pay attention to both your physical and emotional well-being
•Teaching is not like inducing a chemical reaction, but more like creating a painting, or planting a garden, or writing a friendly letter.
•Teaching is a complicated business because students are such unexpected blends of character, personality, and background
•Most of the significant advances in civilization have been the result of the work of teachers
•Teaching is an act of faith in the promise of the future
•Teaching is a way of life
James Marran, Social Studies Dept. ChairNew Trier High School, Winnetka, Ill
mood swings
It seems I am on a constant emotional rollercoaster when it comes to teaching these days. As I'm looking over the math quizzes my team gave yesterday, I am horrified to see that, after a week of teaching the same skill in many different ways, about half of my kids still have no idea what to do. I have taught the skill 3 different ways, used manipulatives, used drawings and visualization strategies, and worked with small groups of struggling kids before school. I don't know how else to teach this, and after about a week, I'm thinking it might be time to move on.
Last year, with my small group math during student teaching, I was able to teach and reteach until everyone grasped a concept. I did not give a quiz until I was positive that the kids would do excellently. However, not only was I working with a small group class of 10, but they were also my gifted learners, so we had no deadline or pacing guide to get through material--it was all enrichment anyways. I guess I got used to scoring 100% quizzes. Now, I'm not naive. I know that sometimes kids struggle with concepts. I struggled with math a lot as a child. But I know that I did a good job teaching them. I honestly am not sure what else to do for this.
I would spend another week on just this material if I were able, but I'm under pressure to finish chapter 1 at the same time as my team so that we can change up our classes for math. Do I try teaching it another way? Or do I move on?
I get so frustrated when I grade something and there are blank spaces. Kids, I struggeld in math as a child too. A LOT. I still struggle in math. But when there is a question that asks you to name a prime number, and you don't know the answer, TAKE A GUESS. Do not turn in your test half blank with "i didn't get it." written on the top.
I'm sorry. That probably sounds insensitive and like I don't understand learning disabilities, special needs, or my responsibility as a teacher. I do. I am just frustrated.
I never give up on my students--I know they are all capable of learning. But I honestly don't know what else to do about this.
Last year, with my small group math during student teaching, I was able to teach and reteach until everyone grasped a concept. I did not give a quiz until I was positive that the kids would do excellently. However, not only was I working with a small group class of 10, but they were also my gifted learners, so we had no deadline or pacing guide to get through material--it was all enrichment anyways. I guess I got used to scoring 100% quizzes. Now, I'm not naive. I know that sometimes kids struggle with concepts. I struggled with math a lot as a child. But I know that I did a good job teaching them. I honestly am not sure what else to do for this.
I would spend another week on just this material if I were able, but I'm under pressure to finish chapter 1 at the same time as my team so that we can change up our classes for math. Do I try teaching it another way? Or do I move on?
I get so frustrated when I grade something and there are blank spaces. Kids, I struggeld in math as a child too. A LOT. I still struggle in math. But when there is a question that asks you to name a prime number, and you don't know the answer, TAKE A GUESS. Do not turn in your test half blank with "i didn't get it." written on the top.
I'm sorry. That probably sounds insensitive and like I don't understand learning disabilities, special needs, or my responsibility as a teacher. I do. I am just frustrated.
I never give up on my students--I know they are all capable of learning. But I honestly don't know what else to do about this.
I teach for moments like this
After the crying at my desk episode last night, today was better. :) I am falling asleep (actually, I have already fallen asleep, on my friend's couch, and been woken up and sent home, and am now falling asleep again...). However, I want to share a few highlights of my day. Now, it was still a stressful day (as they all are), and I did have to yell a little about not talking during a test and a firedrill (yes, we had both today. lucky us...). But what I'm remembering as I think back about the day are these moments:
1. I noticed a student who is very into graphic novels was reading a Garfield comic book during independent reading. I have no problem with graphic novels or comic books, but I think we need some regular text mixed in there too, don't you? Anyways, I called him over to my desk and asked what the last novel he read was. He told me a couple of graphic novels, and I shared my thoughts with him about variety. He told me that he had read Holes by Louis Sacher, and that it was his favorite book. I immediately brought him over to the reading center and pulled two other books by the same author: There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom and Sideways Stories from Wayside School. He thought both sounded good, brought them back to his desk, and decided on Sideways. About 10 minutes later, he came up to me and said, "Hey, Miss Teacher, this book's good!" I teach for moments like this.
2. A student with whom I've been engaged in a power struggle for the past week (his mom and I are already practically great friends) has been noticing how I made puzzle pieces from a Simpsons puzzle into magnets for my whiteboard. The magnets are small and only show tiny bits of Simpsons characters, but this guy spotted Bart's legs immediately. He has been asking me if I had the extra puzzle pieces all week, and today I pulled them out of my desk drawer. After explaining to him that, because I had made some pieces into magnets, it was an incomplete puzzle, he was still asking if he could have some. Then, my aHa! moment of the day occurred.
Me: If you get no check marks for the day, I will give you a puzzle piece to keep. Deal?
T: Deal!
And guess what. NO CHECK MARKS. I thought it was impossible. This kid shaped up to earn one lousy piece of a puzzle with Lisa Simpson's face on it? Man, I'll buy a 1,000 piece Simpsons puzzle if this will help! *Fingers Crossed that the motivation continues next week*
I teach for moments like this.
3. I had three students this week who missed multiple hw assignments. As is my rule, I kept them in 10 minutes at recess to "strategize" a way to get their assignments done on time. Our conversation was fabulous. All three students supplied ideas for both themselves and each other. One even stated that having their parents sign their reading logs each month was their responsibility, not their parents' responsibility, because it was not their parents' reading log. I wished I had a big gold star to give him. :) I teach for moments like this.
4. I gave a short writing "quiz" today related to our shared reading selection of the week. All I asked was for the students to write a short paragraph about a mistake they had made. As I was skimming through them tonight, two of my students who are not my strongest writers did truly exceptional jobs. Just reading that little paragraph made me so proud of them and so excited about the possibilities that lay before us this year to continue developing as writers. I teach for moments like this.
1. I noticed a student who is very into graphic novels was reading a Garfield comic book during independent reading. I have no problem with graphic novels or comic books, but I think we need some regular text mixed in there too, don't you? Anyways, I called him over to my desk and asked what the last novel he read was. He told me a couple of graphic novels, and I shared my thoughts with him about variety. He told me that he had read Holes by Louis Sacher, and that it was his favorite book. I immediately brought him over to the reading center and pulled two other books by the same author: There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom and Sideways Stories from Wayside School. He thought both sounded good, brought them back to his desk, and decided on Sideways. About 10 minutes later, he came up to me and said, "Hey, Miss Teacher, this book's good!" I teach for moments like this.
2. A student with whom I've been engaged in a power struggle for the past week (his mom and I are already practically great friends) has been noticing how I made puzzle pieces from a Simpsons puzzle into magnets for my whiteboard. The magnets are small and only show tiny bits of Simpsons characters, but this guy spotted Bart's legs immediately. He has been asking me if I had the extra puzzle pieces all week, and today I pulled them out of my desk drawer. After explaining to him that, because I had made some pieces into magnets, it was an incomplete puzzle, he was still asking if he could have some. Then, my aHa! moment of the day occurred.
Me: If you get no check marks for the day, I will give you a puzzle piece to keep. Deal?
T: Deal!
And guess what. NO CHECK MARKS. I thought it was impossible. This kid shaped up to earn one lousy piece of a puzzle with Lisa Simpson's face on it? Man, I'll buy a 1,000 piece Simpsons puzzle if this will help! *Fingers Crossed that the motivation continues next week*
I teach for moments like this.
3. I had three students this week who missed multiple hw assignments. As is my rule, I kept them in 10 minutes at recess to "strategize" a way to get their assignments done on time. Our conversation was fabulous. All three students supplied ideas for both themselves and each other. One even stated that having their parents sign their reading logs each month was their responsibility, not their parents' responsibility, because it was not their parents' reading log. I wished I had a big gold star to give him. :) I teach for moments like this.
4. I gave a short writing "quiz" today related to our shared reading selection of the week. All I asked was for the students to write a short paragraph about a mistake they had made. As I was skimming through them tonight, two of my students who are not my strongest writers did truly exceptional jobs. Just reading that little paragraph made me so proud of them and so excited about the possibilities that lay before us this year to continue developing as writers. I teach for moments like this.
September 3, 2009
another frustration and a little crying at my desk
Today afterschool (after a wonderful surprise end-of-the-day visit from my good friend's mom who works in the district!! ), I met with my literacy coach to determine a plan of action for tackling my whirlwind of literacy that will take place next week (by next week, I mean the two days I will actually be with my kids...). Thankfully, she is going to come into my room and lead two of my guided reading groups. Phew. Thanks, Mrs. J! However, we still are determining what I need to start doing in the future for guided reading.
Mrs. J conferenced with the other literacy coaches today, and they decided that me, my other novice teacher buddy Miss R (not to be confused with the other Miss R from IWU!), and my team partner, Ms. R (too many Rs...), who are all confused about literacy this year, will be doing Daily 5. Or make that Daily 3. (I'm not sure which 2 they ditched, but I'll find out I guess). However, we'll be doing Daily 3 with a twist: instead of just reading to self, etc. all week, students will first be required to complete reading assignments in their leveled readers before and after our guided reading group sessions. After working with the reader, they will move onto the Daily 3. I am not exactly sure what I'm going to be doing for this since I am not entirely familiar with the ins and outs of the Daily 5 (just that it seems to be very "in" right now...), but I'm assuming that we are all going to work this out together.
I feel like Daily 5 is something I can handle (or will be able to handle with some help). It will be a lot of work to figure out at first, and tough to train my chatty bunch of kiddos, but at least someone is FINALLY giving me some direction on what to do here. Thank goodenss.
Anyways, that was a big long tangent. Back to the crying. Well, after this meeting, I began working on some plans and I decided I should probably look over the Literacy Test I am giving tomorrow. (I know, I'm a bad teacher. I should have looked at it at the BEGINNING of the week, not Thursday night! *hangs head in shame*) Well, imagine my surprise when, after my careful adhearence to the teacher edition lesson guides, my focus on teaching all of the "tested skills," and my emphasis on the week's target reading strategy, the extended essay question on the reading test is entirely based on a skill that appeared NOWHERE in the story or target skills. what the heck? I would have taught my students the skill if the text had asked me to! Why are they testing my kids on it???
Well, I called my team partner Ms. R and left her a very freaked out voicemail, then proceeded to cry for about 15 minutes. Thank goodness she called me back (after I had stopped being a baby) and calmed me down. Tomorrow's test will be fine, and I will talk them through that portion. And, as I was reminded today, I am the teacher now. If I don't like a part of a test, I can throw it out this week. Or, I can even do it with them.
I am the teacher. When did that happen?
Yikes.
Mrs. J conferenced with the other literacy coaches today, and they decided that me, my other novice teacher buddy Miss R (not to be confused with the other Miss R from IWU!), and my team partner, Ms. R (too many Rs...), who are all confused about literacy this year, will be doing Daily 5. Or make that Daily 3. (I'm not sure which 2 they ditched, but I'll find out I guess). However, we'll be doing Daily 3 with a twist: instead of just reading to self, etc. all week, students will first be required to complete reading assignments in their leveled readers before and after our guided reading group sessions. After working with the reader, they will move onto the Daily 3. I am not exactly sure what I'm going to be doing for this since I am not entirely familiar with the ins and outs of the Daily 5 (just that it seems to be very "in" right now...), but I'm assuming that we are all going to work this out together.
I feel like Daily 5 is something I can handle (or will be able to handle with some help). It will be a lot of work to figure out at first, and tough to train my chatty bunch of kiddos, but at least someone is FINALLY giving me some direction on what to do here. Thank goodenss.
Anyways, that was a big long tangent. Back to the crying. Well, after this meeting, I began working on some plans and I decided I should probably look over the Literacy Test I am giving tomorrow. (I know, I'm a bad teacher. I should have looked at it at the BEGINNING of the week, not Thursday night! *hangs head in shame*) Well, imagine my surprise when, after my careful adhearence to the teacher edition lesson guides, my focus on teaching all of the "tested skills," and my emphasis on the week's target reading strategy, the extended essay question on the reading test is entirely based on a skill that appeared NOWHERE in the story or target skills. what the heck? I would have taught my students the skill if the text had asked me to! Why are they testing my kids on it???
Well, I called my team partner Ms. R and left her a very freaked out voicemail, then proceeded to cry for about 15 minutes. Thank goodness she called me back (after I had stopped being a baby) and calmed me down. Tomorrow's test will be fine, and I will talk them through that portion. And, as I was reminded today, I am the teacher now. If I don't like a part of a test, I can throw it out this week. Or, I can even do it with them.
I am the teacher. When did that happen?
Yikes.
another frustration that i JUST NOW REMEMBERED
4 & 5. Next week is a 4 day week. Plus I am being pulled for a professional development all day Thursday and Friday. Plus my entire literacy block Tuesday is MAP testing.
And I'm still expected to teach an entire week of reading and give a test Friday.
hahahahahhahahahahhaha
And I'm still expected to teach an entire week of reading and give a test Friday.
hahahahahhahahahahhaha
frustrations
It's 5:33 am as I'm writing this, and I've already been up, showered, and dressed. As I wait for my bowl of oatmeal to cool, let me just share a couple of the frustrations I'm experiencing...
1. Math. I have been told to go in order, lesson by lesson, through the chapter. Thus, I am going in order. My frustration: My team who gives me a quiz to give to my class (oh common assessments...) this week, when at least a third of it isn't covered in the book until next week. Umm, huh?
2. Guided Reading. Just when I thought what I was doing with the kids this week while I was with my groups was working, I was informed yesterday by one of my teammates that she has been hearing that the principal doesn't want the kids working on individual seat packets during that time. I guess I should actually ask the principal, because it seems like I get very different opinions from everyone I talk to, including the literacy coaches...
3. ISAT preparation and pressure. Already. Let me summarize my emotions in the following "note" to my team:
Dear team,
Please do not mention ISATS to me for at least a month. Currently, I am not even going one day at a time, but one hour. I'm not sure what I'm doing after lunch today. Right now, I'm not sure I'm even teaching right, since no one is watching and letting me know. I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. If I single handedly bring down our grade's scores, I apologize. But please, continue discussing how we should probably be giving a math extended response every week only if you want to see me have a heart attack.
Love,
Miss Teacher
Anyways...I'm hoping to leave for school by 6 to begin tackling my pile of worry and things to do...
1. Math. I have been told to go in order, lesson by lesson, through the chapter. Thus, I am going in order. My frustration: My team who gives me a quiz to give to my class (oh common assessments...) this week, when at least a third of it isn't covered in the book until next week. Umm, huh?
2. Guided Reading. Just when I thought what I was doing with the kids this week while I was with my groups was working, I was informed yesterday by one of my teammates that she has been hearing that the principal doesn't want the kids working on individual seat packets during that time. I guess I should actually ask the principal, because it seems like I get very different opinions from everyone I talk to, including the literacy coaches...
3. ISAT preparation and pressure. Already. Let me summarize my emotions in the following "note" to my team:
Dear team,
Please do not mention ISATS to me for at least a month. Currently, I am not even going one day at a time, but one hour. I'm not sure what I'm doing after lunch today. Right now, I'm not sure I'm even teaching right, since no one is watching and letting me know. I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. If I single handedly bring down our grade's scores, I apologize. But please, continue discussing how we should probably be giving a math extended response every week only if you want to see me have a heart attack.
Love,
Miss Teacher
Anyways...I'm hoping to leave for school by 6 to begin tackling my pile of worry and things to do...
August 30, 2009
highs & lows
Once again reflecting on the first week, I decided it might be nice to think about the highs and lows:
HIGHS:
-getting my new computer :)
-reading aloud Thank You Mr. Falker and having the kids give me complete 100% attention
-helping the kids write their bio poems with piano music playing in the background (and having my principal peek in right at that time)
-when we wrote our class rules, having one student suggest that we sign them, frame them, and then refer classmates to the framed rules any time they break one (amazing)
-calling parents just to tell them how much I'm enjoying their child
-meeting with my most challenging student's mother, and finding out that she's incredibly supportive and down to earth
LOWS:
-the centers disaster (I won't discuss it again...)
-spending my entire weekend making work packets for the kids to work on during guided reading
-realizing every single second that there are at least 100 things I need to do but never even thought of before then
-waking up at 5am every morning, then falling asleep at 9 on Friday night
Hopefully this week goes smoothly, and the kids didn't forget their carefully practiced routines and procedures over the weekend!!
HIGHS:
-getting my new computer :)
-reading aloud Thank You Mr. Falker and having the kids give me complete 100% attention
-helping the kids write their bio poems with piano music playing in the background (and having my principal peek in right at that time)
-when we wrote our class rules, having one student suggest that we sign them, frame them, and then refer classmates to the framed rules any time they break one (amazing)
-calling parents just to tell them how much I'm enjoying their child
-meeting with my most challenging student's mother, and finding out that she's incredibly supportive and down to earth
LOWS:
-the centers disaster (I won't discuss it again...)
-spending my entire weekend making work packets for the kids to work on during guided reading
-realizing every single second that there are at least 100 things I need to do but never even thought of before then
-waking up at 5am every morning, then falling asleep at 9 on Friday night
Hopefully this week goes smoothly, and the kids didn't forget their carefully practiced routines and procedures over the weekend!!
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