Together We Are Unlimited

Hug Your Family

2010-10-27T21:00:00.003-04:00

I tend to add some comments to my homework to remind my students to share themselves. To acknowledge who is important in their lives and let them know. Show them. You know - before their big fifth graders and don't want to hug their moms and dads anymore.

So yesterday I wrote "Hug your family."

In their agendas the next morning I had a few notes in agendas - most in the form of a smiley face written by mom or a check mark from dad.

Today, one of my students wrote it again on her own.

Then she walked up to me, and said - simply - "Hug your family."

Then she gave me the biggest hug possible from her little fourth grade arms.

My extended family.

Conference Time

2010-10-27T20:46:00.002-04:00

This year is flying by. I can't believe it is already the end of the first quarter, and I haven't blogged more than - um - once? It's not for lack of activity, that's for sure. I attribute the lack of blogging to the sudden lack of time. I swear someone stole a few hours a day from me.

The end of the quarter also means - (insert scary music) - CONFERENCE TIME. This is the 2nd year I have offered home visits as a conference option for parents. Why come to me, when I can come to you!??

I have had a handful of these conferences in the past few weeks - but tonight's visit was the most exhausting. I can honestly say I was only able to squeeze in 3 sentences of actual teacher conference dialogue between the two boys chatting - with me - at the same time - about EVERYTHING. Only one of the boys is my actual student - but the other is an older brother that once attended our school. I walked in the door and they greeted me with hugs. AND, oh, the wonderful smells of home cooking. I do not encourage that families feed me - and I try to avoid "dinner time" conferences - but something tells me that no matter what time I chose for the conference, they would have fed me.

So, hugs upon entrance. Then a whirlwind tour of the boys' room, parents room, family room, game room, art work on walls, porcelain figurines that have after-factory marker embellishments. And, of course, the bathroom. It takes everything I have to not say "oh, so this is where you poo..." Instead, I replace it with something about the wonderful light fixture or hand made rugs.

I am seated at the dinner table - the head of the table. I am served delicious food - and dessert - with various beverages laid out in front of me. The boys surround me with family pictures and stories that I'm sure the mama wouldn't necessarily want to be shared on my first visit. Tales of when the chairs used to be covered in plastic and the time they were locked out of their house and did I "want to see the window they had to break into?"

This insight is priceless. The hugs from grandma, the cheek kisses from mom, and the hugs and handshakes from the boys.

Learning. I learn about them and where they are from and their history. And really, only then, am I ready to teach them.

An Octopus in Water

2010-09-15T19:58:00.003-04:00

I imagine an octopus in water is constantly moving - all 8 arms flailing around as the body floats through the water. Floppy and awkward.

It reminds me of a new student to our school - who landed in my classroom. Just as a reminder to you, the reader, I will tell you that my classroom is outside. I live in a quad that is adjacent to a local wooded park, our windows facing a back field of the school property. Anyone could walk up to my door and knock. Or, in this case, parents.

On the first day of school, Octopus arrived. Both parents in tow. He looked what I thought was timid and unsure at the moment. Now I know that perhaps he was just stuck in his brain and not accessible. I opened the door and welcomed the student to the room. Both parents bombarded the classroom - cracking the working buzz that was happening for those students already hard at work at an opening activity.

Then.

Then the parents took the student to his seat. Then they stood there. Then they pointed and dictated what he would write. On his "All About Me" activity page. Then. Mom took the pencil and filled it in herself.

Twenty minutes of my humming and pacing around them didn't phase these 2. They didn't seem to register my subtle pleas to leave their son with me. They didn't mind when I ignored them. Finally, as I started my first lesson of the day - I somehow broke their spell and they left.

Now I see their little man when he struggles with focusing. When he can only be presented with one basic instruction at a time. In writing. His arms and legs are in constant movement, and he seems to be always locked in his own brain.

Slowly I will find a way to pry his brain open - and I will employ many techniques to help him focus his body energy in positive ways that will help him learn.

I'm going to go Google "how to teach an octopus."

Ish-ness

2010-07-23T12:13:00.003-04:00

Early in the year I read the book Ish by Peter Reynolds. I read this book many times throughout the year, but this first time is always my favorite. At our school, this book is usually introduced to the students long before I get them in fourth grade, but for some reason they are silent and spellbound when we pick it up for that first time.

Last year, I shared that thought with the students, to which one replied, "It's because every teacher has a different voice, and it gives a different feeling to the book."

Right back at them. Every class shares something different, reflects in a new way, or responds to the book in a manner I haven't yet heard. Some take Ish very literal, as if there is an end goal and they haven't yet reached it in the way they perceive it should be reached or completed. Others take a more general stand and see Ish as a "close enough" to succeed or feel successful. I hope I am explaining this clearly, it is sometimes hard to capture the thoughts and reflections of 9/10 year olds.

This past year was no exception. It wasn't uncommon to hear "-ish" added on to day-to-day conversations throughout the year from my students, sometimes making sense and sometimes not. And, in true form, on the last day of school I had this conversation with one student:

Me: How are you feeling about being a 5th grader?

J: It's complicated.

Me: Explain what you mean by "complicated."

J: Well, I feel like I could do my best. I could do what they ask, but it might not be what I want to happen or what I want to show. Like I will do something that I feel isn't perfectly right, but not really know how to change it.

Me: A little confidence goes a long way. Be proud of doing your best.

J: Then I guess I'm ready.

Me: Ready!?

J: Ready. (pause) ISH.

ISTE Presentation: Take 2

2010-07-02T23:03:00.003-04:00

Here is a link to one of my co-presenters. She has provided a link to our resources and projects site that we share with our attendees. I still have not had time to process this presentation, and will dedicate a post to this in the near future. For now, I wanted you all to be able to see what we share at ISTE.

Here for pre-presentation post.

Here for a direct link to delicious site with links - what we share with our attendees. These are things actually done in our school that we talk about during our presentation.

Minute to Win It

2010-06-24T11:17:00.004-04:00

Part of our end of year fun was a grade-level attempt to recreate the gameshow "Minute to Win It." We have 6 classrooms, so we picked 6 of the show's many activities. My room was the site of the "Junk in the Trunk" contest - where you strap an empty tissue box with 8 ping pong balls on your lower back. Without using your hands, you have to shake and jump those 8 balls out of the box in less than a minute.

Repeat 120 times.

The students were creative in ways you can't imagine - trying to get those balls out of that tissue box in any way possible. Some were a little shy about looking like a fool in front of their peers, but most just shook it out. It was hilarious to watch them - and I had giggles for at least most of the first 50. I tried to keep up my enthusiasm, which was definitely a challenge after watching so many... I also tried to keep my mouth shut about ways that worked so well for people before them - I wanted them to have the chance to figure out the road to success on their own.

I had this one student whose body just didn't seem to get the memo. His head was shaking furiously, but not one part of his body was moving. We were all cheering him on, in hopes that our cheers would ignite movement in the parts of this body that would help complete the task. No luck.

I had another student who didn't want to look silly, so he tried to bend backwards (without using his hands, if you can imagine). I was truly impressed by his flexibility and balance as he bent further and further back. Until he collapsed on the box and all 8 balls inside. Good thing I had extra.

These are the moments that I love to share with them at the end of the year.

The giggling moments.

Walking a Cat

2010-06-22T22:54:00.003-04:00

When I was younger I had this cat that I just adored. He was so cool. His name was Marbles because of his appearance, but ever since that "fat cat" phase we called him Bubba. Well, Bubba was an outdoor cat with full freedom to roam the neighborhood. In fact, he'd lay in the middle of the street. I remember hearing the neighbors yell "Bubba get out of the road!" as they would slowly drive around him. Well, it was my bright idea, that even though Bubba could walk outside as he pleased, that I should walk him. Yes. I should get a leash with a full harness, strap it all on him, and prance him up and down the sidewalk. The same sidewalk that he already walked, independently.

Well, I don't know if you've ever tried to put a cat on a leash before - but it was wild. Bubba bucked like a ticked off horse, hissed at the slightest touch of the harness. I carried him outside, all harnessed up, and when I put him on the sidewalk it looked as though all of his legs were broken. If a cat could tiptoe - he was definitely showing me how. He stood still for a moment, and then just went berserk - circling around and whipping his paws at the leash. I was sure that he was going to crawl up the thin red fabric between us. It wasn't natural. He wanted free and unharnessed and able to explore ... without the hinderance of my pesky leash.

This is a lot like the last weeks of school. Kids are free and playful and fun, and they can smell summer break like a bear can smell fear. Students have never been so keen to their surroundings as when they can sense the ripeness of the year fresh on their teachers' skin. They can sniff out the moment when their teacher is daydreaming and completely disrupt the rest of the day. So, I spend the last few weeks walking the cat. I try to harness their freedom that they know is SO CLOSE. They start to lose focus and restraint and good sense. So we strap on the harness and place them on the path.

What they don't know is that we're right there with them. We may be trying to keep them restrained for the little while we have left with them, but inside we are playing outside, daydreaming, and losing our own good sense.

Even with the pain of trying to keep them calm, this is my favorite time with the students. We laugh, have fun, and learn all without the pressure of testing. We can do experiments and we have time to explore things we aren't normally able to, due to curriculum restraints. It's a great way to end a year... seeing the students laughing and learning and having a great time. Definitely better than walking the cat.

Test Test Test

2010-05-19T19:44:00.002-04:00

Today marked the first of 3 standardized tests for my students - math, reading, and social studies. And, in true fashion, it wasn't without silliness.

1. This morning I handed each student a Magic Pencil. See, I can't say anything to them as they finish their test - none of my usual "Are you sure?" or "Did you double check your work?" They are on their own. So, I passed each of them a Magic Pencil and told them, that if they held the pencil eraser up to their ear... if they were really, REALLY quiet, that they could hear the pencil say... "Did you check all of your work?"

Some of them scoffed, chuckled, and deemed themselves as non-believers in my Magic Pencil. All I replied was "I believe." I believe in them, I believe in what they can accomplish....

After we started the test - I was walking around the room I noticed one of my students staring at her pencil. Intently. Then, all of the sudden, she starts mouthing words. It looked like she was giving herself, or her pencil, a pep talk. Then, as I was watching from the corner of the room, I saw her even give herself a little fist pumping action. Well, in the direction of her pencil. This happened a few times throughout the testing. I even caught her mouthing comments about the questions - smirking, smiling, and looking at the paper as if to say "Haha, I've got you, you fraction comparison!" (disclaimer: In no way am I saying that there was a fraction comparison problem on the test. Or wasn't. There, legal team.)

2. Some of my students, including Queen Goldfish, are tested outside of the classroom for various reasons. Distracting, distractible, or because of some sort of modification from their IEP. QG was testing with one of her biggest admirers and former teachers. I received an email update mid-test from this teacher, sharing some of QG's comments - which - not shocking - had nothing to do with the test. At one point she emailed to tell me that QG had just "strangled her pencil. A-la Homer Simpson." I imagined that Magic Pencil was talking to her, and she was ticked at what it was saying. Thank goodness I later found out that it wasn't the magic pencil, but just a regular ol' number 2. I would love to know what was going through her head, and at what point she decided that strangling a pencil would resolve the issue. I bet on a multiplication problem.

3. Ants in His Pants - the kid that just can't keep still - the kid who picks his nose and eats it (it's a habit that he's growing out of - I have one month to rid him of it completely) - he was working so diligently on his test. I imagine that he was thinking of my "if we make loud noises and disturb others everyone will have to redo the test." I imagine he was thinking this at the moment he FELL OUT OF HIS CHAIR. Right onto the floor.

I'm not sure how we avoided the giggle outburst, but we did. I bit my lip and had to busy myself immediately, in order to get my mind off of the kid that had just fallen on the floor. He hopped right back up and got right back to work. I guess he was just blown out of his chair.

These kids... these amazing kids - they work so hard all year. We work so hard all year, making progress and then taking a few steps back when we need to in order to get it all together. They look at us with honest eyes, hoping that we are teaching them all they need to know. Giving them all of the tools they will need in order to succeed. This test doesn't measure all of that - but it is measured by our confidence and determination during these few weeks.

Leaving Too Soon

2010-05-11T21:29:00.003-04:00

For the first time in a long while, I decided to leave school at a reasonable hour. This means within the hour that school let out. It was 4:05 when I drove away from school. As I was turning the corner, I saw Queen Goldfish and her little sister wandering back towards school.

Since QG has a history of wandering, I rolled down my window to ask where they were going.

"Big Sister didn't show up."

"Why can't you just walk home yourselves? I thought your mom said that was okay?"

"Because then Big Sister will be mad we didn't wait for her. We might go the wrong way."

So, I shouted from my window: "Go back to school and we'll call."

I turned my little going-home-early car around and parked myself in the front of the building. Moments later, they joined me as I got out of the car.

"Wow, nice car," she said.

"Thanks, it's Mr.'s car."

"Well, next time you see him, tell him I said it's nice," QG replied.

Then, her little sister chimed in:

"You have a husband?"

"Yes I do! Didn't QG tell you all about me? I am VERY important, you know."

"Do you have any children?" (This, in the mind of children, is what the purpose of being married is. If you're married, you have children. That's that.

"Yes, I have 18 of them, and I teach them ALL DAY LONG."

Little sister enjoyed this response. Then QG chimed in:

"Which one of them is your second favorite?" she asked.

"They are all my favorites," I replied. Then I realized what she said... second favorite. As I realized, I looked over at her... there was a glimpse and a smirk waiting for my recognition...

"Get it, I said SECOND favorite. You know, besides me."

"Clever, Queen Goldfish."

We continued our conversation as we walked into the main office to make the call home.

As we were sitting there, waiting for someone (please someone, anyone, pick up the phone) to answer - the three of us got into a discussion about hygiene. It is true, that as QG gets older, her hygiene habits are becoming more and more apparent. There is NO reason I should smell you before I see you.

Little sister started the conversation by saying that QG told her about the "kit" I kept for her in the classroom - toothbrush, toothpaste, and a hairbrush.

"I take 2 showers a week," little sister said.

"Well, that's pretty good for a 2nd grader, I suppose. You'll probably need more when you get older." Please.

Little sister continued: "QG only takes one a week."

"Sometimes!" QG chimed in. "Sometimes I go more than a week."

We then discussed what would probably be a better routine and for what reasons. I casually and teacher-appropriately hinted that she should probably increase that amount. Then she told me that she doesn't wash her hair every time. Which means that she's washing her hair less than once every 2 weeks. Remember, this is the girl who had all of her hair cut off over Thanksgiving. It may be shorter than normal, but in need of a wash regardless.

I knew I was treading on thin ice, but felt the eyes of encouragement from several co-workers that were passing by.

QG says, "I just took a shower last night to wash my butt because my butt was dirty."

Uh-oh. I can hear the ice cracking.

"Oh, so you just washed your hair!"

"No, I only washed my butt."

Cue change of conversation.

Goose Geese Duck

2010-05-09T20:27:00.002-04:00

One of my lovely ladies - a usual quiet but powerful presence in the classroom - shared some interesting news with us the other day.

We were discussing the plural exceptions - the words that you can't just "add an S" onto. As we were listing some of the words we are familiar with - the word goose came up. We then wrote out the plural form.

Then, suddenly, from the corner of the room I hear a loud "OH!" Following the outburst, the quiet lady slapped one hand across her mouth (apparently shocked she could achieve that voice level), and threw the other hand in the air. I love when they are so excited about sharing a thought that their fingers, while the arm is straight as a stick, will wiggle frantically. I imagine all of the dendrites going berserk in the brain with all of this action.

I call on her, and she tells us all that her family now has a new pet. Two, actually. Ducks.

This is a girl that lives in a relatively confined space. With a small outdoor area. And minimal bathroom space. (For some reason I am imagining that the ducks live in the bathtub. I blame Friends).

But, ducks. City ducks.

I imagine that the stories will really start to become interesting as these ducks become bigger. And louder.

I asked her where they got the ducks, and she simply said: "The store." She made it sound like the local Kmart was having a clearance on ducks, and, well, her family happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Who sells ducks? In the city?

Don't Panic

2010-05-04T21:44:00.002-04:00

I have how many days to complete the Developmental Reading Assessments (DRAs)?

Our first Standardized test is in how many days? And I have how much material left to cover?

Did I mention I hate May?

But, I love me some June. It's the most fun month with my students- where we can learn what we want to, without a state test looming over us. We have a 4th grade carnival coming up, ice cream parties, technology projects...

Just have to get over May first.

Purple Barns 101

2010-04-21T21:23:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we were doing a lesson on visualizing during reading. Good readers visualize, don't you know?

A lesson I have used for the last 2 years uses a paragraph from the book Charlotte's Web. It involves a barn and a great description of the smell and look of the barn - including some words/items in the text that the students may not have ever seen or experienced. I typically either leave out some of the harder items (harness dressing), but still use it as it creates a great visual.

The one thing that I didn't count on was made clear in our discussion of their drawings of their "mind movie."

One of the students went into great detail about this magnificent barn:

He started with:

"It was huge, I'm imagining the size of our quad (our building), and it has a top that is rounded like this." He showed his image. He was on a roll, but I wanted more. I started asking questions about his barn that he hadn't included.

"Wow - a huge barn with a rounded top! I'm starting to see one in my head now, too! What color is your barn?"

"Purple."

Purple. Suddenly I became very aware at what I was missing. These kids don't know barns. They know fictional barns painted in bright colors in various books. They know underwater barns on SpongeBob or some other show they stare at. However, they probably have not ever seen a real barn. Perhaps some of them remember a field trip way back in Kindergarten. Most not. Most weren't even in our country in Kindergarten.

Shame on me for forgetting my audience.

So, adding to the curriculum (a common occurrence in my classroom) - Barn 101. (Not to include cartoon barns).

Bug Lover

2010-04-11T10:41:00.002-04:00

I have not seen my class for 2 weeks. Actually, I haven't even seen my classroom in that time. We have been on Spring break and Intersession during the past couple of weeks. So, most of my students started back last Monday with Intersession (optional) classes - while I have continued to nurse my sanity and mentally prepare for a very long fourth quarter.

Bug Lover, the student I have spent so much time in the office with (for various reasons) - the student I have gotten to know so well - the student I have monitored so closely in social situations because of his impulsive urge for inappropriate behavior...

has moved. Out of our school district. In the midst of a school year. For the 2nd time in his school career.

His parents threatened this when they found out about some of their son's behaviors in school. They told us (admin, counselor, and myself) that his behavior was the result of our Nation's culture. His inappropriate touching and (perfect) use of words FAR out of his age-range was, to his parents, caused by television, peers, and the general environment.

When the behaviors escalated, they (unknowingly to me) told Bug Lover that if he continued, they (his family) would not love him any more. Would not LOVE HIM ANYMORE. So, after another incident, when I was walking & talking on our way to the office and he realized where I was taking him - he began sobbing and had tremors so bad I thought he was seizing or something awful.

If the threat of your parents not loving you, which clearly was significant for him (as it would be for anybody), could not control your impulses - then guess what - maybe your impulses have a deeper root and you can not actually control them.

The parents didn't believe this. We suggested counseling. We gave contact information. We pleaded. Pleaded. I adore this student, and it was breaking my heart that he needed this help and we could not give it to him. We couldn't force his parents to get him the help either.

And then it came out.

The parents next threat. Not only did they tell Bug Lover they would not love him... but they told him that if the behaviors continued that they would send him (alone, by himself, without his family) back to Ethiopia to stay with strangers (family that he has never met).

That was 2 months ago.

Previously the parents had moved Bug Lover out of another school for similar behaviors, which is why he ended up in ours. That was in 3rd grade.

Our admin, counselors, myself, and other teachers have put so much effort into turning this into a success for Bug Lover. Something he can learn from, something he can learn to express in appropriate ways. He is so smart, and his addition to my classroom is imperative for us to function. We are all a team, and he plays a very important part. His classmates were accepting and trying to help (after many class discussions), and were being amazingly supportive - and quite frankly - pretty amazing friends to Bug Lover.

Then, last night, I received an email from one of my students. It was simple, and it said :

Bug Lover moved away on Friday.

They moved him. They pulled him out of a school that was working so hard to make it happen for him, a school that surrounded him with support... and they didn't even get his stuff. There is a full desk waiting for me when I get back.

I'm already plotting how that full desk will result in me finding out where he went - so that, you know, I can return that stuff. Because I'm oh-so-concerned about getting him his math notebook.

Or maybe because I want closure. Or follow up. Or for him not to fall through the cracks and to not get the help he desperately needs.

Moving will not change the behavior or the root of it. I wish the parents would have understood that when we spoke those words in every meeting.

They have moved their son. For the same reason that they moved him last year.

I think I'm just shocked. Sudden movement... so strange.

When in Rome...

2010-04-05T23:17:00.002-04:00

No, I'm not in Rome. But I do live within a relative driving distance of the Nation's Capital. So, well, while I have grown up here, I have NEVER really explored DC. I have been to the Capitol Building once, when I was young... and had only ever been to a Smithsonian Museum in my early 20's (besides the Air & Space). So, my DC exploration was very limited.

I have never been inside of the White House. OR the Washington Monument, for that reason.

Well, on Friday I am going to use the last day of my vacation to go on a guided tour of the White House and the Capitol. I am psyched, and have spent a good portion of my day reading up on the history of both locations.

In all of my excitement, there is only one thing I keep thinking....

how starry-eyed my students would be if they were there.

The responsibilities of teaching includes sharing experiences that most of my students have not had or may never have in their lifetime. I can't wait to tell them all about this.

Substitute Survival Mode

2010-03-19T20:54:00.004-04:00

I was inspired by this post by a coworker to share in one of my latest experiences.

I have been out of the classroom numerous times this year - both for personal and professional reasons. Last week I was out of the room for a team-planning (eating) day - which means LOTS of substitute teachers in the building - 6 just for our grade - and whoever else is out for whatever reason.

My point? That there are times when your guest teacher will not be, um, the best.

Since I was still on property, I went in to check on my students while they were eating lunch.

Five of them had their heads down on the table, 4 of them with tears.

Apparently the day was not going according to plan - for them. They had recess taken away and a few traumatic interactions with the teacher.

We are a very diverse school community. Even with that experience, the students were struggling with communication with the guest teacher. And my plans... well, it seems as though he didn't understand a word of them. I had some great and fun things planned for the class, to keep them busy and keep them learning on a day when I could not be there with them.

In one of the richest counties in the world, and one of the largest and most well-known school districts - it seems odd to me that we do not have much of a training process for potential guest teachers. Job training is imperative for most jobs - why not teaching? Throwing someone into a room with 20 (0r more) kids seems like a perfect situation for job training. Kids are like dogs. They smell weakness and fear. Or monkeys. There are some days I think they might fling poo. At least my class does. There are some days, when I'm there, that I'm surprised that any of us make it out alive. They can leave the room in tears, with a hug, or muttering words under their breath. There's no telling, and it depends on a variety of factors. And, that's with ME.

And although I'm sure my guest teacher had the best of intentions and did the very best job he could - I was still surprised to see this note when I returned to my room:

Learning Takes a Snow-cation

2010-02-10T10:38:00.002-05:00

I have put on my teacher hat ONE day since last Tuesday. LAST Tuesday. Monday was a teacher work day. Tuesday we learned. Wednesday was a snow day for a measly 6 inches. (I only say measly now because of what was to come). I was out on Thursday per Dr.'s orders. Friday we had a snow day to "prepare" for a huge blizzard looming over our regions and making our reporters go batty.

Then, the storm came, dumping between 22 and 30-something inches (depending on which part of the region you were in).

So, logically, we were out Monday.

Then Tuesday.

Now Wednesday.

And wouldn't you guess it. More snow. They're calling for somewhere between 8 and 16 inches in my neck of the woods, more as you head east (where my school is).

So now, my hopes of teaching (read: getting out of the house for something purposeful) is dwindling for this week.

Don't get me wrong, I'm loving the snow and snow days as if I were a kid. In fact, I think that being an adult with a snow day is way cooler. But I worry that now, with all of these days, I will struggle to get through all of the curriculum that I must teach my little wonders before the (duh duh dum) BIG TEST.

So, I'm at home. Coming up with creative, yet totally speedy ways to make up for days lost. The county has so graciously taken away a holiday and at least 2 of our intersession days to make up for days lost. I remember in high school they added on 30 minutes to each school day remaining to make up for the lost hours that year.

If I have 30 more afternoon minutes I will throw a tantrum. Another perk of being an adult on a snow-cation. I can throw my tantrums in my own home. Tell me now, Mr. Superintendent. Break it to me gently.

Let There Be Light!

2010-01-25T21:42:00.002-05:00

I arrived at school today an hour plus before I am due to pick up my students. I walked into my quad and immediately noticed that the emergency exit lights were on. "Hmm," I thought.

Then, without giving my 7:15am brain a minute to process, I flipped the light switch up. "Hmm," I thought again.

DownUpDownUpDownUp went the switch.

Off, stayed the lights.

Uh-oh.

I walked into the main building, thinking that my poor little quad was just malfunctioning. Darkness greeted me, and I saw a huge crowd of teachers in the office. Holding flashlights that the office was providing.

Quick. Think. How can I take my 3 smartboard lesson plans and recreate them as active lessons. In the dark.

I walked around my room for a bit with the flashlight beam, searching for something, anything, to give me an idea of how to make the best of the morning. I had to dark plan for instruction until 10am - the time the power company promised the power would be back on.

Then the flashlight beam fell upon something wonderful. A big brown box delivered a week ago, sitting in the corner of my room waiting for me to pull it out and plan.

The Science Kit.

The Science Kit for Magnets and ELECTRICITY!

Forget that we are in the middle of a plant unit. I have batteries! And bulbs! And wire!

On each desk, I put all of the materials a student would need to... you guessed it... create light.

I told them some camp story of the Life Before Lights and they were hooked. I then challenged them to use each of the items on their desk to create light. They discussed, they squinted, they clipped and cut wire. Then, one by one, I made them declare: "LET THERE BE LIGHT!"

We all read by the light of the wee-bulb. They each had a personal circuit on their desk. I even heard some say "I'm going to save energy and turn my bulb off," as they chose to read by some light coming in (finally) through the window.

Even with this wonderful experience, they all still cheered when the lights flickered back on at 9:50-something. But for a few moments, we were all there. Back in time.

Thinking About Numbers

2010-01-20T20:57:00.003-05:00

We just survived a long unit in multiplication. The test showed that while they understand the actual act of multiplying, what it meant, etc... it also showed that they are having a hard time remembering the little facts - the multiplication facts that they have been learning for, oh, a few years now.

So we're doing a little backtracking. In order to prepare for division, we are making what the Investigation series calls "Multiplication Towers." Each pair of students gets a 2 digit number. I gave them a 300 chart to highlight all of the multiples of their given number. For some students, this meant they were only highlighting a few numbers on the chart. So, they were also asked to look for a pattern to help them continue the multiple pattern. Some students, such as the pair that was given the number 60, decided to instead highlight the multiples of 6 - knowing that they could add the "0" and create the multiple of 60.

Once they created a sufficient list, checked it, etc... I gave them a long strip of counting tape - "As tall as you are!" to create their multiplication tower. They start with the original number on the bottom, adding multiples above. My plan is to go over some observations of the towers, including what are multiples of 10 and 20 on their tower (without letting them count up!) Then, we will begin division discussions using the towers (thinking top down instead of bottom up). Here are some shots of my worker bees:

Hands

2010-01-20T19:17:00.002-05:00

We all remember the rule.

Keep your hands to yourself.

Well, what happens with this rule backfires? When really, you just want to see the kid's hands on the desk. Not touching anything, including themselves.

Please.

One of my jobs in the classroom is to keep my students safe. From lots of stuff. Danger, sharp pencils, math books, and each other. I remind them about PE homework (seriously), music tests, to bring their instrument... and, to keep their hands to themselves.

Well, one of my students is having a very difficult time with the hands. In fact, his hands have overpowered his brain and now control comments from the mouth as well. Invasion of the touchy-feelers. It's not just his hands, unfortunately. It's also his body. His movements. You may remember the post about humping a few weeks ago.

Things really started escalating from there, so we called the parent in to meet. School counselor, assistant principal, myself, and the father. It was at this time that I had to explain what his son did, so unaware of consequences, to that bathroom mirror. At this point the AP quoted the witness - "humping" - she said. The dad made it clear he didn't understand what this meant. So, while the counselor and I mentally fled the scene avoiding all eye-contact, our brave AP did her best to describe the term. On the spot.

This may be the single most painful example of "keeping it together" I have experienced in my professional career. After all, it was the dad we were explaining this to. We, no, no.... SHE.

So, my AP, my wonderful AP, went to town. Picture this:

While saying "You know that action a dog does....???" she proceeded to make a pumping action with one hand towards the other hand. This is totally one of those "If only you were there" moments... but I swear... I was both impressed, embarrassed, and totally trying to control myself from spitting out a huge guffaw.

Reason 450 why I'd never make it in administration.

Well, we're back in another meeting with the dad tomorrow. I'm hoping for another vocab lesson, to be honest. We have a few new words to discuss.

Rejuvenated?

2010-01-11T21:32:00.002-05:00

Isn't that what is supposed to happen after 3 weeks off? It's 9:30 and I can barely keep my eyes open. AND I only saw my students for a total of 1 hour today. We have early release, I had an IEP meeting, and the students had art (I love art).

I have so much to share. About Queen Goldfish, Bug Lover, and Future President (new to the blog, not the class). Alas, those stories will have to wait until another, more energy-filled day. This, however, is my promise to you that I will return with said stories. I am alive and well and will thrill you with my educator commentary in a jiffy.

Quick observation (more so I don't forget this small thrill): I love seeing my students after a long break. Their hair is different - either shorter or more grown out. I love that the boys that have short hair have just a bit more length and it's all fuzzy. I love the new braids, the new ponytail holders, and the new shoes that they are so protective of. Take that - outdoor recess - no mud on those new foot puppies! They are also taller and, well, they're growing.

And they are still little geniuses.

Vacation Brain

2010-01-05T19:20:00.002-05:00

Most of my students are back in school this week for our intersession. I, on the other hand, learned my intersession lesson and instead chose to take the extra week off.

I have found, however, that more and more of my thoughts and conversations are starting to revolve around them. Breakfast conversation involved the trials and tribulations of some of my students, past and present.

I'm not going to lie. I miss them. And I promise to wait at least 2 weeks after going back to verbalize my countdown to our next break.

****

I have also been reading grown up books during our break. As in books that in no way will tie into my curriculum, books that do not tell me how to be a better teacher, or even books that I want my students to read. Bona fide grown-up books. In one of the books, Glass Castle, there is a section about how a girl shows up at her Grandma's house with a mess of hair and the Grandma simply puts a bowl on the top of her head and cuts anything hanging below the dish clearly off.

I have a connection. Well, truly, one of my students does.

I went back to read that section in the book about five times. The rest of the book shares other similarities with one of my student's family, sadly. The book is great, but it's unfortunate that I connect it with a student.

2009-12-23T23:55:00.002-05:00

The snow kept me from closure of 2009 with my class. Three days of school were cancelled, and so my students and I were all home bound instead of sharing in excited glances and anticipating voices. And by anticipating, I mean they would be all hyper and I'd be all Scrooge and "Stay in line!" and "Stop talking!" So, honestly, maybe this is a Christmas, er, Holiday, er, Winter miracle. Our sanity saved, but at the expense of closing out a few tasks.

I'll take it.

Merry Holidays, my little smarties. Stay warm and know that the greatest gifts you have are your family and friends.

2009-12-17T23:14:00.002-05:00

One of my English Language Learners. We are working hard on learning the letters of the alphabet and some simple words. He is a trooper.

Working so hard on writing. HUGE accomplishment. She's working on a chapter book about her favorite cartoon. Characters recycled, but storyline is unique. Also - she found her glasses. I want to tape them to her.
Peer editing champions. These girls worked for a full 40 minutes on adding feelings and correct punctuation to a play they are writing. Every time I heard them, they were reading their lines out loud and then making changes to the writing so that the "reader will know how to say it." Sigh.

As an aside, the girl sitting facing the camera is new this year. Her mom brought her and 3 older siblings to our area for more opportunities - from Saudi Arabia. The mom spent days - weeks- months working long days and nights with her children to teach them English so they would not fall behind in school. You'd never know that just 1 year ago she didn't know any English. Except, well, I'm telling you. In her story she wanted one of the characters to have an Australian accent, which, in her mind, meant naming the parents in the story "Momyo" (mom-e-oh) and "Dadyo" (Dad-e-oh).

I am so proud of my authors. They just created their very own writing rubric from scratch, and we have been practicing using the rubric on sample writing. They have amazing input, and actually debate each other on the evidence to support the rubric in the piece we're studying. They actually cheered when I told them that tomorrow we'd be using the rubric on their own writing. Hooray for ownership over their writing!

Holding Our Breath

2009-12-15T22:58:00.002-05:00

Here we are... my 19 learners and I... just a few days away from our "Winter Break." A few days that, no lie, will last a month. They are buzzing with santa talk and their plans to foil his quiet trip to their homes. They will hide "where the presents show up," as some of them do not and will not have trees. I love hearing about their family traditions.

Yeah yeah, you're probably totally getting your panties in a bunch and thinking "She TALKS about holidays?"

Yes. Yes I do. I talk about all of them, as long as the students start the discussion first. I share my thoughts, I listen to their stories. Their stories that are completely alive and moving with excitement and anticipation. I LOVE it.

I also love how we are all, all 20 of us, just dancing in our shoes about our upcoming break. They have such a great spirit. This is the week that my job becomes doubly hard - keeping 19 hyped up 9 year olds still in learning mode at this time of year is just, well, worth the summer break.

I will earn that break in the next 5 school days left until our break. Trust me.

Hang in there, sanity.

Adoption

2009-12-14T22:57:00.003-05:00

My classroom was adopted today! My stinky, bug-infested (more on this later) fourth grader-filled classroom has been graciously adopted by a complete stranger. Literally.

Last year I registered on AdoptaClassroom.com on a whim. "What are the chances?" I thought. Well, here I am, a year later, and $100 richer. The site doesn't send you a check or anything, but instead offers a list of participating vendors, and then pays them directly. Lucky for me, one of the vendors happens to be OfficeMax. But you can also buy classroom chairs, desks, shelves, or, well, anything all the way down to erasers and staples.

I went on a pencil-buying frenzy. I bought good pencils, projector markers (for use on our math folder-games), clipboards (for those outdoor writing days), and publishing pens. I am beyond excited, and can't wait to share our gift with my class. Thank you, generous stranger, for giving us this wonderful gift. (My wallet and husband thank you as well).

What a wonderful day!

Slip and Slide and Fall Down

2009-12-10T21:42:00.002-05:00

This morning we went for an early morning jog right before PE. We have been cooped up inside for DAYS due to wet weather, and even as early as arrival to the classroom I knew they'd need it. It was still pretty damp in the field, but dry enough to keep from getting muddy. I sent my group running "down and back," a quick jaunt compared to the normal 2 laps.

"Watch out for mud!" I exclaim as they go huffing off.

Then I see it. One girl's foot happens to find a huge mud puddle hidden by overgrown grass. She starts to slip, loses balance, and begins to fall into the puddle - which was 3x her size. Then a friend, a darling little girl, reaches her hand out to try to catch her friend... and is then taken down. Boots, jackets, and all... covered in mud.

Those poor things waddled their wet tushes (and toes) all the way up to the clinic to call home for replacement clothes.

Fast forward 3 hours to recess. A coteacher gave his class this lecture:

"Mrs. M's class has a sickness. They are going down fast. It's... it's... a serious case of mud-bottom. Stay away! And stay away from any and all mud at recess!"

Then I saw a student's foot sink into a huge quicksand-esque pool of muddy mulch and lose his shoe. Clinic.

Then I saw a student, so desperate to get control of the basketball, that he rolled right into a mud puddle at the other end of the playground. Clinic.

Both from my class.

AND THEN.

I look out at Bug Lover - bless his little tiny-boned touchy-feely heart - and BAM - right as I made eye contact with him as he was running in the field (30 yards away) - he froze, stared at me...

as his pants fell down.

To his ankles.

In the middle of recess of about 10 classes. In the middle of the field.

He just could not manage to get his hands under his coat to pull them up in time.

At least that's what I'm hoping.

Extracurricular Activities

2009-12-08T21:34:00.003-05:00

Do you want to join a club?

Thinking that there are some free moments in your day that you'd like to commit to a student-organized group?

Wishing YOUR writing workshop produced such authentic (ha) activities as a student-written oath for his NEW club? An oath that he took through the ENTIRE writing process (hooray for now)??

Let me share the oath (shh, don't tell I told!), and you can tell me if you'd be interested.

I, (enter your name here), do sullenly swear (solemnly is meant, but this is the word the student spell checked on in there...)

that by joining this Gay Club,

that I will abide by being Gay for Life.

What? But Mrs. M, I meant gay like happy!

In case you're wondering, this student did not actually mean gay as in happy. This is my can't-keep-my-hands-to-myself Bug Lover who has been on a constant track between counselors. So here I stand, oath in hand, armed with the most brilliant professionals that are locked and loaded and willing to help this young man. Before.... well, before his hands roam too far from home.

I wasn't too gung-ho about above mentioned power-intervention until yesterday. The day my friend asked another "Do you want to sleep next to me tonight?"

Yup, I'd take that as a sign that it was time.

And just for fun, here are some of the recent questions I have had to ask Bug Lover:

"Did you lick _______'s shoulder?"

"Were you just chasing ________ with your hand?" & "Why?" & "What was it doing there?"

"Do you understand what I mean by 'you're making people uncomfortable'?"

and my personal favorite (which was actually said by a student who witnessed strange behavior in the bathroom):

(Setting: QUIET writing workshop. Enter huffing and puffing students who ran from the bathroom, who then SHOUT across the quiet room:)

"BUG LOVER WAS HUMPING THE MIRROR!"

Grade Appropriate Occurrences

2009-11-25T21:48:00.003-05:00

I was hoping that this week would be without any difficulty, without any abnormal events. We only had 2.5 days of school due to the holiday, so I was feeling as though my hopes were reasonable.

Then came yesterday.

1. No more than 30 minutes into school, Queen Goldfish came walking up to me while I was taking attendance. Calmly, she not-so-quietly shares that she believes (rightfully so) that she has just "pooped herself a little bit." No lie. The poor thing apparently has been having "issues" and, while she should be at home, instead she was sent to school with an upset stomach. Luckily, no one catches on and we're able to make our escape to the clinic while the rest of the class goes to PE.

Later in the day, the principal pulls me aside to tell me that the mom's explanation was that (and she quoted) "My girls like to force themselves to pass gas and make themselves poop their pants." (You're welcome for the term substitution.)

I'd like to share more about my thoughts on that, but I fear that 1. I will become disrespectful to a parent who I'm almost sure is doing their best. Or something. and 2. I will go on forever.

2. I send my students to the bathroom in small groups of three or four. I have my Bug Lover, who is having trouble keeping his hands to himself lately (or keeps his hands TOO MUCH to himself, if you get my drift)... so I sent him with 2 of my most responsible students. Flash forward 10 minutes (it's a long walk to the bathroom) when they come busting back into our quiet writing workshop and exclaim from across the room "BUG LOVER WAS HUMPING THE MIRROR!"

His account during my interrogation: "Well, I heard that you can't really see yourself up close, so I got as close as I could to the mirror."

Me: "Is that all?"

BL: "Well... I... uh... I was moving around a little."

Enough said.

And, well, for those gloriously innocent students who didn't know what "humping" meant, at least they learned something yesterday. They probably now think that every time they move around in front of a mirror they are humping it. For me, I just ignored the vocabulary lesson. Ignore is a strategy. Yup. That's my story.

Thank you, four day weekend.

Successes

2009-11-05T17:15:00.003-05:00

She did it.

To the whole class I said "Now is the time to get out your agenda and write the homework."

And she did it. She put down her drawing. She walked to her backpack, pulled out her agenda, found a closer spot and WROTE HER HOMEWORK (on the right day and not in marker!) She then took the homework out of her desk, put it INSIDE of her agenda, closed it and put in back in her backpack.

Now to get her to bring it back. Baby steps.

P.S.

2009-11-04T20:59:00.002-05:00

I sounded awfully negative in my last post about this student. I sounded like a hard you-know-what. I mean, big deal that she didn't write her homework, right? I hate homework.

No reason to have a breakdown about it.

Pick your battles. Sigh. Deep breath.

SHE is my battle. I am fighting for her because I know she can do it. I am fighting for her to be there, be active, be present, BE A LEARNER, because I know how smart she is. I want to see her succeed and love and learn and grow in every way possible. I demand that she meets us on the carpet. I demand that she put that sketch book away and pull out the materials with which we're working. I demand that she becomes aware of her surroundings and her available resources.

At first I was flexible, too much so... and I let her draw and seclude herself from the rest of the group and then draw some more. She could spend all 7.5 hours with me in her sketchbook. I love that. And I hate that. Then I got to know her. I figured out her threshold. And I pushed it. Because SHE can do it. She can put that drawing paper down and follow along with us... IF she finds the drive to do so.

I want to find her drive. I want to find her inspiration to WANT to do things. I want to find them so that I can show her, prove to her that there is MORE.

And today, when I literally ran after her at dismissal (she slipped out the door while I was talking to another student), I found her waiting at our Kiss and Ride. She saw me, and immediately walked over. When I said "Let me see your agenda," she immediately gave me a look - the look that she knew what she'd have to do since she didn't write her homework. She walked right back to the room with me, happy as a lark, where we wrote the homework. Without tears. Without screaming. Without angry thoughts. And then we went merrily on our way.

I will call this progress. One day at a time.

The Standoff

2009-11-02T13:33:00.002-05:00

It was 10 minutes until dismissal. Everyone in the room began furiously writing their homework into their agendas. All but one. Queen Goldfish was busy throwing her used tissues on another student's desk. Until my voice turned into flames and axed down that activity.

It was 5 minutes until dismissal. Students were circling around me to share their weekend news and "Guess what I pulled out of my nose" stories. We were happily getting ready for dismissal... I was smiling, they were smiling, and then, DING... they were gone in a flash. As they paraded past my post at the door, I would look up at their desk, then give them a hearty "Have a great afternoon," and send them on their way.

Queen Goldfish was in the line to leave. Since I know that Queen Goldfish is not good with homework - writing it down or doing it - I made sure to ask her a few extra questions. I'm trying to be good about helping her learn organizational skills. If you know me, then you'll know that this does NOT come naturally.

Me: "Queen Goldfish, did you write your homework in your agenda?"

She sticks her bottom lip out and turns away, pulling out her agenda to go write her homework. A few moments later she's back up, trying to push past my post at the door.

Me: (noticing that THAT didn't take long) "Did you write your homework in your agenda?"

Queen Goldfish: "YES" (grumble)

Me: "May I see it, please?" (all honey, right?)

Queen Goldfish: GRUMBLE and pulls out her agenda, where her homework is in fact written, but on the back of some random page - sprawled in scribble and barely legible - in marker.

Me: "Please go write your homework in the correct spot, on today's date, and in the correct way so that you can understand what you wrote later today."

This is when the standoff begins. There was throwing, there was huffing, there were LOTS of tears and sobs.

After a few moments I approached her and asked if she needed my help. I'd be more than happy to help her, I repeated. She grunted at me and threw her pencil. I said, "Looks like you're not ready to answer me, I will be back in 2 minutes."

Two minutes later I walk over and repeat the same thing. This time, she responds with YES, she does need my help. I happily sit next to her, pulling up a chair and getting a pencil ready. When I ask "How may I help you?" she tells me that she needs help writing her homework because (and here's where I have to take a breath)....she "doesn't feel like doing it."

I walked away. I ended up finding her a spot closer to the homework board, since she was sans glasses today. She huffed and grunted and pouted her way through writing all of the homework. All the while I kept the sugar tone in my voice in hopes that she'd just come around.

I walked her to meet her sister to walk home. The whole way I tried to lighten the mood by telling jokes and asking about what she'd do tomorrow (a day off). If you were within a miles distance, you would already know how she took that...

Tomorrow we have a day apart. Back to the demands on Wednesday though.

2009-10-31T20:28:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we were all sitting in a circle doing some exciting Author Share. In walks our wonderful school social worker to deliver a note to a student and to observe a bit. After our author share, I reposition myself next to the student being observed, as I often do, to keep her active in our activity.

I began to explain to the class that we would be leaving soon to visit with our first grade buddies, which they all love. In fact, the student I had placed myself next to was so excited that she leaned on me, putting a hand on my leg and a hand on my back (we're criss-cross on the floor). Promptly after her "hug," she looks at me and whispers (think volume level of a game of tag at recess),

"I can feel your bra!"

In front of everyone. I quickly turn and whisper, "Please keep those thoughts in your head." In order to not draw attention.

She then leans forward to a friend across the circle and says,

"Psst, I can feel her bra!"

Then a boy on the other side of the circle yells out "That's gross!"

Later we had a private talk about appropriate comments, blah blah blah. I had to wait a bit for my face to return to normal shade.

I couldn't even make eye contact with the social worker or I'd share her response as well. Aw, well, that will just be something to laugh about during our meeting. Wonderful.

Intersession Recovery

2009-10-26T19:40:00.003-04:00

I am currently recovering from 2 weeks of intersession with 1st and 2nd graders. About 25 of them. Two classes, one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Today I told my students, my fourth grade students, that I was so happy to be back in the classroom with them.

What did I find a new appreciation for? The fact that they try to at least hide the fact that they are picking their nose. And that they can tie their shoes. Or if not, they have moved on to velcro.

They look a foot taller and sound so much smarter than when I left them two weeks ago.

I will not complain about my wonderful fourth graders for at least a week.

I also have to say that my classroom is mighty lonely. I dropped down to 19 students today after getting used to 23. We added a new fourth grade classroom, and each class "donated" some students in order to populate the new class and lower our teacher-student ratio. Hooray. But in looking around my room today, "full" of students, I couldn't help but think "where is everyone?"

Home Visits

2009-10-07T16:12:00.004-04:00

I have travelled back in time to the ways, the good old days and good old ways, of door to door service. One door is creaky, metal, and leads to my classroom... the other door is to the home of my student.

I have found that experiencing what is behind THEIR door is what makes what goes on behind mine that much more meaningful. When I can reach them by reminding them about what they learned in Karate in second grade - you know -when their dad made them go to karate and they hated it at first but then they loved it and learned how to become more assertive in a GOOD way... These are things that I learned around the coffee table with my student, and her family.

I drove up to my first home visit the other afternoon. I waited around school until about 6pm, then headed over to her house. THEIR house. I strolled up to the door, not knowing what to expect behind it, and a little uneasy. After all, it was my first trip to their house. I imagine it was how the student felt when she walked into my classroom for the first time.

I stayed there for an hour, lounging around the living room (no TV, this was the formal space in the house), and listened to how the parents have provided for their daughter and siblings in the last 10 years. The trip to Disney, the trip back to Panama to see family for the first time since they left, the karate, the soccer, and the questions about how to pay for college.

Yes. Their daughter is a fourth grader. She was born in the US, while her parents were not. They came to the country "to make family and get good jobs for our children" (the ones not yet born). I was energized by their questions, and so proud that they were already thinking about how and when to worry about college. I shared stories about my first time figuring it out, and how it was scary figuring out where all of that money was coming from. I laughed with them as they shared that they were shocked that I wasn't "a natural" in figuring out the college thing - and how hard it was for me to get through and finish. I hope, and I think, that some of what I shared put them at ease.

The parents also shared that they talk to their daughter, my student, telling her the dangers of drugs and alcohol. They were so open and honest with the student, and I hold it close to my heart that they shared those previous discussions with me.

I left the house feeling excited about the connections I could make with this student in class. How I could use what I know about her and her family to bridge our school world and her home world... extending the learning.

I gave my students the choice this year - home visit or school visit. I was curious to see how many families would choose the home visit if given a choice. So far I have four. Out of 19 families that have responded.

Next year I am not sure if I will give them a choice at first. I am realizing quickly what a hearty lifeline the home visits are to education.

Oh, and a mental note. Snacks are necessary if staying that late at school. I think my stomach rumbled right around minute 12. An uninvited guest.

Moments When Grading Pays Off 2

2009-09-29T21:22:00.004-04:00

Grades are due this week. We just finished a unit in Social Studies (insert brow-wiping motion followed by a "phew"). So, like always, I have collected their notebooks/masterpieces in order to scrutinize and put a letter on an item that may or may not show actual learning or knowledge. But, in all of these long days of grading, there's bound to a needle in the haystack. And I believe, by golly, that I found it today. The instruction was to create a symbol for each product. This student chose to go a different route.

For a blast from the past, previous notebook grading produced this.

Shout Out

2009-09-23T16:58:00.003-04:00

I was pulling out of the parking lot of school today when I saw a student, holding a skateboard, walking down the sidewalk with 2 of his friends. My window was down, so I stuck my arm out to wave furiously at this student, as he was in my class last year.

I shouted "HI, _____!!" out of the window.

He waved frantically back with a huge smile on his face. As I continued to drive off, he shouted "I GOT AN A ON MY SCIENCE TEST!!"

I, of course, shouted a response back. But no response could have expressed how proud of him I was. For the A. For making strides this year after a rough one last year (he lost his grandmother, and they were close). And for screaming it at the top of his lungs among his peers - which - at his age- sometimes takes more bravery than we know.

What She Said

2009-09-21T20:53:00.003-04:00

We were at different meetings on the same topic in completely different schools. And yet, I could quote the same exact things. And instead of trying to say it better, I will just post a coworkers blog.

Find out what we did for 1.5 hours after school here.

Perhaps when I can speak about this experience without fuming, I will add my own 2 cents.

Atlantic City

2009-09-18T21:37:00.003-04:00

I'm struggling with how to give this story it's appropriate voice - a voice to match the spontaneity of the conversation. But here it goes...

Today we were meeting with our first grade buddies for the second time this year. Knowing how my students have been behaving this week - I could only imagine trying to corral them into the building and all the way to the other side to reach the first grade classroom. Imagine 23 monkeys being led through a banana plant. Pure chaos. I decided to sit them down and give them a "talk."

I will spare the full transcript of the discussion. However, at one point I was explaining to them what they would be doing - decorating a shared notebook with their buddy - for future notes back and forth. One of my students - Super H (name he called himself in a story) - quietly raised his hand. Background on him: He's a bug saver. He goes through my trashcans at the end of the day to pull out all recyclables. Here he is at the end of today:

So, Super H raised his hand and asked if he could, on the notebook, draw a picture of a shark. Knowing that he's fascinated by sharks, and imagining a fourth grade boy's vision of a shark, I said it was fine as long as there was no blood and the shark wasn't eating anything, or anyONE. In which he replies "Sharks are the most MISUNDERSTOOD CREATURE! They are harmless." We calm down a bit and then I begin answering other random student questions. Then Super H raises his hand again and asks "What if I draw the shark in a feeding frenzy." Not knowing what to say, I put it out for the class with a swift "Discuss with the class how to make that school appropriate." Students practically jump at the chance to add their 2 cents - and hands shoot up all over the room. Super H calls on another student who said "What if your shark is eating HOT DOGS! YEAH!" And then the class claps at the idea. CLAPPING. I mean, I'm greatful for the support, but CLAPPING OVER sharks eating hot dogs.... hm...

So Super H strokes his chin... literally... and there's a hush over the crowd...

"Where would the hot dogs come from?" he finally says.

The boy next to him excitedly shouts out "ATLANTIC CITY!"

In which a large portion of my class echos in agreement. "Yeah! Atlantic City!"

I am not sure, but I'm pretty sure that my class went on a summer trip. And now they all have some inside joke about AC and hotdogs. I hate being left out.

Why He Had To Be Quiet

2009-09-15T21:38:00.004-04:00

Today I was leading a guided reading group using the book Sun and Spoon by Kevin Henkes. You don't really need to know the book, other than that it's a good one that my students (and myself) were able to find many connections with. I am not ashamed that I had such a powerful connection in my pre-reading of the book, that it brought me to tears. I had to share it with my group.

Well, at the end of our conversation we were discussing some of our connections, and a member of my group shared that the book reminded him of his grandfather. And then, completely off topic, the student begins to share one of the most vivid memories of his grandfather. The snippet of his memory led to what is written below. Here is what he shared today, paraphrased by me:

My family lived in El Salvador, but my dad and grandpa already lived here, in our state. But the rest of my family needed to get here, so we left our house in El Salvador. We left our pets and some family that were not strong and some of our stuff. We didn't have a car or even a bicycle to ride. We really wanted to come here so that we could learn and grow up and get good jobs. We walked all the way here. It took us 10 days. We stopped at these houses along the way and they fed us and made us their family for a day. At this one house my dad and grandpa were waiting for us, and he (grandpa) told me jokes and stories even though I was really tired from walking. We had to be really quiet when we were walking because if people found us they would send us back to El Salvador because they would think we were coming here for bad things. But we are good people and we wanted to work hard. We spent all of our money to get here. We had to cross this river once, but some of my family couldn't swim, so we had to pay these men to carry us, to swim us, across the river. After 10 days, we were at our new home.

He was 5 years old.

20 Minutes of Attention

2009-09-13T12:01:00.001-04:00

They listened, and then they made the most profound statements afterwards. It was worth the watch, for all of them.

Update on the Mafia and More

2009-09-11T20:10:00.004-04:00

It's true. The job written on purple post it. Paid for using goldfish. Sigh. Just call my classroom the Goldfish Mafia. Will do dirty work for miniature cheesy fish, yes we will. In fact, I don't think I should take so lightly that I find goldfish cracker carcasses around my room after the students leave. Perhaps it's a path to the next "job." Ho, hum... guess we'll find out soon enough.

If we're playing a game of Heads-up, 7-up, and we come up missing a few thumbs.... I'll know where to look.

On another note...

Have I ever mentioned how I hate indoor recess? Slushing them through the puddles and rain, only to track the drippiness into our room. Dampness surrounding, squeaky shoes, wet papers... And then to play games indoors when all they want to do is sprint around a green field getting all sweaty and gross. Somehow Mancala doesn't quite fill the shoes of Death by Four Square. (A new, brutal game of our sweet Four Square... apparently the students thought the older version was too dull.)

It's also about 10 minutes into indoor recess that I realize that many, most, of my students haven't played board games. Ever. Which makes the social interaction during these games that much more interesting. This is possibly where the hostility for the Goldfish Mafia stems from. Hm... I should rethink allowing them to play the Game of Life. Goldfish-paid hits and peg-children in a little plastic car just don't mix.

For the Students

2009-09-07T21:35:00.001-04:00

Prepared School Remarks from President Obama

For Hire

2009-09-04T21:01:00.002-04:00

This morning I did my usual stroll around my classroom. You know the one... where you know you have a purposeful list of things to complete, but instead you must, simply MUST put that stapler over on the other side of the room... IMMEDIATELY.

As I was find a new home for said stapler, I meandered past a students desk. This particular student has found her own learning spot, and her desk happens to face a wall. When I try to move her desk to a more accessible learning spot, the student huffs and scrapes her desk & chair across the room, banging everything and everyone out of her way in the process.

Lately this student has been caught "handling" the students on the playground.

Exhibit A: Student approaches me with another, much smaller student, asking for the smaller student to use the restroom while out at recess one day. I say "Take a friend," knowing that he will be that partner for the bathroom. As they walk away, I see her, towering over him, with her hand firmly gripping the back of his neck - keeping him in a straight path directly to the bathroom. As I watched them walk out of my hollering-range, I see him try to stray from the path for a moment, and then watch the towering student grab his arms and pull him back onto her imaginary track.

Exhibit B: She was caught yesterday picking up another student - male - on the playground. As she picked him up - face to face - he wrapped his legs around her at waist level. After all four teachers stared in amazement or shock for a moment, we then had the right mind to go over and give the "appropriate behavior" talk... again.

So, back to the meandering past her desk....

I see a post-it note on the wall. Not in her handwriting, I think... but I haven't totally eliminated the possibility.

The note says "Push _________ up against the wall at lunch."

A gentle reminder of the bullying she would partake in at a later date and time.

I took the post-it for a later discussion with the student.

Then I started thinking... if someone had written it - then that would mean that they were asking another student to do their dirty work... to be the heavy hand at lunch.

I was chewing on this as the students were arriving. Within 10 minutes, I walked past the student's desk again... only to find what I can only assume is payment for the post-it deed...

A small ziplock bag of goldfish crackers with a note - a purple post-it - that says: For _______. And a smiley face signal as a "go ahead."

So... I'm still thinking it through.... Hired with goldfish or not?

Reason 843 I Love My School

2009-09-02T18:23:00.002-04:00

Support.

I teach fourth grade. Today, as I was rushing into a meeting, I stopped in to talk to a fabulous teacher of first grade (used to be fifth and fourth as well!). I am desperately seeking assistance, and Jenny instantly came to mind. In my few moments, I spouted out my agony over one student in my class for the sole purpose of opening a dialogue, selfishly hoping to leach out any grand ideas she may have to help with my current concern, er, opportunity for growth and learning.

I have a sweet new student from Honduras. In the past few weeks I have gotten to know him a bit, and in my broken spanish I have managed to direct him on our classroom procedures and typical American customs such as how it's not okay to tickle people while in line for specials. He has grown socially, and through that growth has become more willing to accept his learning deficits and successes with pride and a sense of accomplishment. So far.

As we have been working with this student, we made observations....

- he will mimic those around him, answering using the same word or thought

- he claims he's 11, no, 10, no, 11....

- he can't tell us when his birthday is

- he can not read to you, but is very good at echoing as he is read to

I decided, one day, to pull out some calendar words that were written in Spanish to see if I could solve the birthday mystery. I had a calendar, and sentence strips with the words written on them - in Spanish. To begin, I asked him to read some of the words.

This is when the emergency brakes screeched. I pulled out picture flashcards I have, and had him identify the picture verbally. Then I showed him the word under the picture and asked him to read it. Silence.

I found out, in this moment, that Mr. November can't read. Or write. In Spanish or English. In fact, he wasn't able to identify the letters of the spanish alphabet. I wanted to hug him and tell him that we were going to try our best to help, and how on earth has he gotten this far without something, someone, anyone... asking him to read. Or write. Someone, something, some system has failed him.

So I could step back and think, I pulled up a great website that has the spanish alphabet, and when you click on the letters it says the name of the letter out loud - which he was happy to repeat, and had a wonderful time listening to and repeating...

and all the while I was thinking.

He is in fourth grade. I'm his fourth grade teacher. I desperately want to help him. But he is on the older side of our usual "age." I'm looking for activities, lessons, games, anything and everything that can help him, but will also not be a blow to his ego. He is very conscious of surroundings and wants to be doing what everyone around him is doing... so even if it's not all of the time, I want him to be sharing in our classroom experiences...

Thoughts?

The Pick and Nag

2009-08-30T21:58:00.003-04:00

Brace yourselves. Let me set the scene.

My current classroom is in a new "quad" trailer set up, about 200 fourth grade steps, or 8 minute fourth grader walk, to the nearest bathroom and hand washing station. 8 minutes. If they're efficient. And by efficient I mean they AREN'T tempted to peek under our trailer (which is currently uncovered, so you can see all of the support beams and cinderblocks holding us up). The peek will lead to another, and before you know it you have half a class of fourth graders peering under the trailer with their bodies slithering far too close to the "no no zone."

This means that we wash our hands, on average, 3 times a day. IF we're lucky. Otherwise you have a germ-a-phobe teacher chasing you around the room with hand sanitizer... which has been banned at our school because of a few unfortunate incidents involving a teacher's drink and (separate) incidents of students licking the hand sanitizer off of their hands, and thus, becoming ill and negating the purpose of the application of the hand sanitizer in the first place.

So, the other day I'm minding my business doing one heck of a bang-up job reading a book aloud to the class. I look up during my dramatic pause, and there it is. I count one-two-three-four fingers on a student. Where is the fifth finger, you ask? Three-quarters of the way up one nostril. I think I can see him going cross eyed. Too far, too far! And then, when I made eye contact with the student, he pulled the finger out (YES!) and then stuck it in his mouth (NOOOO!!!!) And then, while still holding my eye contact, he DID IT AGAIN!

No shame. The worst type of nose-picker-and-licker.

I was calculating, in my head, how many minutes, hours, days, this student would be missing from my classroom because he'd be in the bathroom. Sent there by his teacher to scrub his paws.

I made the obligatory "no no no" shake of the head and then the silent mouthing of "go wash your hands."

Ten minutes later he was back at his desk. And for just a moment, I thought he had kicked the public habit. Just for a moment.

Home Visits

2009-08-24T21:16:00.002-04:00

Inspired. Drive surrounds. Ambition abounds. The hallways. The rooms. The brains.

Leaking. Bleeding learning into homes. Homes bleeding life into the classrooms.

Pumping, growing, giving life a new meaning inside of my small four walls.

No Quiero Decir Adios

2009-08-18T20:24:00.004-04:00

Among the members of my class I have a few who are new to our school, and two that are new to our country. One student in particular is from Bolivia. He speaks minimal English, but man does he have this amazing drive and potential. I believe that of all of my students, of course, but this little man is just a pleasure to attempt to communicate with. In my out of practice best impression of a person who knows spanish, I have been able to tell him where the bathroom is and where to go in case of a fire (And no, Dept of Ed, these are not in our standards. Take that). He can label our state on a map, play place value math games, and, and this one I love, he finally mastered my name (which, I have to say, is not easy for native spanish speakers). His mom and baby sister came to back to school night, and at the end they had me pose for a picture with the family. His strides in just 2 weeks were so marvelous - even he sensed his accomplishments and showed his pride through his smile and adorable fourth-grade puffed up chest.

I have grown attached to this one - perhaps because when you are trying to mime "Where are your library books, you need to return them here," you become connected in a Helen Keller and Teacher sort of way.

I found out yesterday that our new family is moving back to Bolivia. I'm not sure of the exact reason, perhaps the pressure of a single mother in a new country with two little kids and no money... who knows... but all I do know is that my Bolivian friend is leaving. And today I found out that his last day is tomorrow.

How do you express sorrow and well-wishes in mime and broken spanish?

The New Class

2009-08-11T23:06:00.002-04:00

I am about a week and half behind in sharing about my new classroom family, and I have to be honest, I am still gathering my thoughts about them.

At first I had this "I'm subbing for this new class" feeling, where they didn't really belong to me. I would walk past my students from last year in the hallway, standing outside of their new classrooms, and I would want to gather them up. Tucking them into my pocket, I could carry them with me into the new year. This must be why some teachers loop with their class.

This is a big transition year for me, not because I'm changing grades or anything, but because I moved out of my current classroom on top of the whole "who are these little kids in my classroom" thing. My school is growing. Seriously growing. Our population is up, as well as our teaching staff. More people everywhere! So, in order to accommodate our growth, we had to spread out into EVEN MORE trailers. We have singles, doubles, quads, and mods. Oh, my! My adventure began when I volunteered to move out of the Modular building (10 classrooms and an office, bathrooms, and workroom) into a new Quad (bare bones, brand new!, 4 classrooms).

After a rough start, we are getting settled in nicely, the Strangers and I. There are still some kinks to work out, but for the most part we are making our transition to the new building very nicely. I have to say, the biggest downfall is the lack of a restroom nearby. A bathroom break for a pair of students takes a minimum of 8 minutes. Add up all of those emergencies, and that's a lot of time lost. That's our biggest ripple right now... but we're working through it.

As for my new group, well, I will reserve my comments on most until I get to know them a bit more. I have some wonderful students, I can see that already.

The one student I will mention is new to our school. She is so sweet, her face, her demeanor, and her voice. She moved to the US just a short year and a half ago with her mother and 3 siblings. In speaking with her today, I found out that they came to the US "to study," as she puts it. In the last year and a half she has made incredible progress, learning English for the first time, and even learning some Spanish as well. She spoke with me today about her mother, and how hard her mother worked to teach the children about the US, reading, writing, and speaking. I can not wait to meet her mother at parent orientation. And I have to come up with a nickname for this one, as I can already tell that I will be sharing about her frequently.

Stay tuned for Season Two!

NECC

2009-07-23T17:13:00.002-04:00

Or National Educational Computing Conference, version 2009.

I was asked by a co-worker to "co-present" with him, and along with another experienced teacher, at the NECC conference this year. During my internship I did that e-partnership with the school in Beijing, so he wanted me to be there to represent. I, of course, jumped at the chance, recognizing this as a great opportunity. Jenny documents our presentation in words that express my feelings as well, so you can find her synopsis here. Please use the links she provides to generate ideas on how to go such grand things in your own classroom.

I couldn't help but feel way out of my league. Jenny and Clairvoy, the "head" presenter (as he is the only one of us that got the red "presenter" ribbon on his ID), are both very experienced and have done wonderful things through integrated technology in the classroom. I am just beginning, and feel that I spent the last year just treading water. While my visions for future instruction are right with them, I was still in awe at the way in which they were able to not only integrate, but also explore and share with other teachers in such a professional capacity.

Now, in my elementary interpretation (har har), here's my take:

Wow, this room is big.

Hm... there are people arriving. Yes, Clairvoy, I'm focusing on what you're saying. Sounds good. Yep. You've done good.

More people. Yes, I'm still listening, Clairvoy. Yes tech man working on our sound, I do have internet. Thank you. Microphone? No, we won't need those. I need a drink of water. Clairvoy is still talking through the presentation. I think.

Ah-hem. Rooms crowded. Is there someone talking to me?

The room is packed, the doors are closed. And we begin. Calm. Collected. I will not drop the microphone that we ended up having to use.

I'll skip ahead to after the formal presentation, when there were about 50 adult teachers sitting on the floor listening and watching as Jenny shared some of her classroom examples.

Then I met some amazing people and made some great contacts. I made contact with a Robotics teacher from Canada who wants to do a blog with my class next year on what it means to be a citizen in different parts of the world. Then I met a teacher from Vermont who wants to Skype with my class about something else... they just kept on coming!

The whole thing is sort of a blur - a smiley happy blur. I thank Clairvoy and Jenny for giving me the opportunity to share this experience with them, and to get my foot in the presentation-giving door. I want to do wonderful things using technology in my room this year, and the possibilities of being able to share it in such a way is just inspiration to keep the wheels turning!

Blank Slate

2009-07-16T20:53:00.002-04:00

Quite literallly. The following pictures are from my brand-spanking new classroom. The current downfalls are: no power. no occupancy permit. no bookshelves.

I'm excited about the possibilities. I'm nervous about the lack of storage. I'm a little frightened that not all my boxes will make it out there. And I'm curious to see how the tornado drills go, seeing as how my door backs up to an open field - and the furthest point from the main building. This is going to be an adventure.

An image taken from the outside corner towards the middle of the building. This is my co-workers room, as mine was filled with building supplies. My room is through that door on the right.

A view from the entrance.
I call that parking spot right in the front. My room is on the back left corner, not visible in this pic.

The Moment You Realize You're In Over Your Head

2009-05-28T19:38:00.002-04:00

...or the moment you realize that no matter how hard you try, you just don't have what a student needs. I'm not talking about learning. I'm not talking about instruction or curriculum. I'm definitely not talking about teaching my students how to take a test. I'm talking about needs, and life, and food and bathing and caring. I'm talking about what my students really need.

Sure, there are some who go home to a full house, warm bed, and complete dinner. Then I have a few in which go home to nothing and no one, and fix themselves food. And nap. And wait for someone to come home. The ones who hate everything we do in class, yet are the first ones there and the last ones to leave. And the ones who give you a hug, even after you send them to the office.

In the past few weeks my heart has been committed to these few students in my class. I have exhausted myself giving them choices and flexibility and, well, space. With each of these students I have one single moment that I can recall the thought "They need more than this, and I can't give it to them." More experiences teachers have told me that I have to let it go, that I just can't touch them.

Today I had a moment. The past few weeks with this particular student has been rough. Throughout the year the student has been making huge strides, and it seemed as though my flexibility and differentiated activities have been working. Then, suddenly, everything started going downhill. Wandering around the classroom, general combativeness and disregard. This student hasn't legitimately participated in any classroom activity in weeks. The last few days I have been feeling the stress, and feeling my fuse being cut shorter and shorter. Yesterday, the student huddled in a corner, covering the entire upper body in a huge book basket. AP had to come down and sit on the floor, and ended up taking the student back to the office for dismissal. Then today, student again started "rolling" around the room - literally pacing back and forth while I was instructing the class. We tried having the student call the parents as soon as the behavior started (a decision made by myself and my fab co-teachers as the "next level"). Student refused, leaving co-teacher to do it. (She left messages).

Then we attempted to send the student to the office. I walked her about halfway, which involves going outside. Once outside the student collapsed on the ground, sobbing. I flagged down some help, and the Principal took over.

So. This student wound up calling mom from the office, and mom came to pick up.

Tomorrow I'm hoping for my fuse to be longer, and for me to listen to my own advice.

"Tomorrow is a new day. Let's start over tomorrow."

Overstocked

2009-05-11T21:17:00.002-04:00

...on posts. I have been gone far too long. This time of year I am feeling the pressure for the standardized assessments looming - we start next week! ACK!

During the year we take practice tests (2) - one in the fall and one in the early spring. Because of the latest results of this testing, we entered what I lovingly refer to as "MathGate 2009." Only one of my students passed the math practice test, and my class results stood true for almost every other fourth grade class at my school. Panic ensued, meetings after meetings discussing "WHAT ON EARTH ARE WE GOING TO DO?" My answer? Teach. Let's teach. Stop taking me out of the classroom to discuss what can be done, when what needs to happen is for me to stay in my room and teach my students.

One of the tasks I decided to take on was an afterschool math club. I have about 16 students who stay afterschool 2 days a week to get an extra hour of math practice. Sometimes we do games, and other times we just discuss and practice. That hour goes by quickly, but I am able to remodel and reteach lessons, concepts, etc... that I have already gone through in class. Goodness me, these students need it.

I decided today that I'm going to pump up the students for the test. I am going to make it a party, and we are all going to rock it. These students need to be built up. They need to know that I believe in them, and I truly do. I believe that their ability will shine if they allow it to do so. So come on, little ones... show us what you've got!!

Plus... If I don't party it up with them, I'm going to go insane. I believe in them, and I believe in me. I will survive my first SOLs.

Optical Topography and Me

2009-04-22T22:34:00.002-04:00

I am going to the NCTM conference tomorrow - how lucky am I!?!

I am really getting psyched about it. I have anxiety about being out of the classroom, as it is really getting down to the "nitty-gritty" before testing time rolls around... but once I got over that mental block I was free to day dream about the events tomorrow.

I was looking at the schedule online and I found a seminar about the topography of the brain - seeing the brain light up as various math concepts were introduced - and I know for sure that I will not be able to sleep at all tonight.

Sounds ridiculous, right?? I love the brain. I love seeing it respond to stimuli. And I am beside myself with seeing this reaction in children. I took a course on neuropsychology and physiological psychology in undergrad, and I have been hooked ever since. Here's to hoping the show is as great as the program...

2009-04-15T20:40:00.002-04:00

Wondering about your thoughts on this.

Spring, Please Come Quickly

2009-03-29T11:10:00.003-04:00

He stared out of this window for most of the rainy day we had yesterday. Poor guy. He just wants to get out and play! ME TOO!

Breakfast

2009-03-27T12:41:00.001-04:00

There's nothing like breakfast with Mr. on a day off of work. Yum. PS: Catholics, ignore the bacon.

Insults According to Nine Year Olds

2009-03-19T21:52:00.002-04:00

Today I had to have a discussion with two of my students about the ways in which we treat friends. Lately, I have had to break up verbal arguments between these two specific students, even though they say they are good friends.

Last week, I caught them in the middle of a "Your mama" war of wit. I immediately cut that line of discussion... but then I kept overhearing one or the other make completely rude comments such as "You are stupid," or "You are bad at checkers." These are things I can "handle" (if by "handle" I mean chuckling under my breath right before I address them in my super-teacher voice.

Then there was today. I overhead another "stupid" comment - which, in my professional world, is referred to as "The S-word."

When I took one of them in the hall, he was quick to note the names that were being spit back and forth between the two.

"Jenny 20" (a nod to a fat joke that involves the end of the Jenny Craig phone number)

"White primate" (fourth grade racism. sigh)

"Fat" (how unoriginal, right? yawn.)

And my personal favorite: "Bisexual dinosaur."

My response to the last one: "Dinosaur? Now that's absurd. You're 9."

I'm awesome.

Discipline

2009-03-18T23:25:00.003-04:00

At my school, Wednesday is the usual day in which our fabulous student support staff, special ed specialists, and administrators, all get together to have meetings assessing support for identified students. This team is amazing, and I truly admire all that they do.

As the classroom teacher, I often attend said meetings that involve my students. Today was one of those meetings.

What goes on in that room is completely confidential, but I will say, that at one point the parent said to me:

"Why do you allow _____ to do that in your room?"

I remained professional, but really wanted to have at it with the parent.

Urgh.

Field Trip and Fall

2009-03-13T22:37:00.002-04:00

For the last 2 weeks, Rain Dancer has had a "sore" toe. I say sore, because I'm not really sure what is going on with it. When he first started complaining, I decided that his toe was crammed into a too-small-shoe. Apparently the doctor agreed, and we both gave the advice "Buy new shoes." Well, apparently what we needed to say was "Buy new shoes of a larger size."

So, for two weeks now, he has been dragging his injured foot around the school - at a slower than normal pace (and if you know him, you know that there is absolutely nothing that will get him to move faster). My pleas of "We need to pick up our pace" have been met with a hunched back, practically dragging hands on the ground, and the pace slows even more." I have also been met at the door with a shoe in one hand, and a bloody sock on his foot. He has offered to show me his bloody foot, and has described in great detail how the care of the toe is going and what has been happening with said toe - and what sticks to it.

Apparently, last night, RD went to the hospital for the offensive toe. At this point you should be imagining the slowest walker on the face of the earth, plus he's now faced with a toe injury, and to top it all off - he was at the hospital until 2am - so he's sleep deprived.

Fast forward to today:

Today we went on a field trip. It was outdoor for 90% of the time. Amidst snow flurries, we hauled onto our busses and waved goodbye to our nice warm classroom. And our nice chairs.

We walked. And walked. And walked.

RD was taking all of this with great stride, and was managing to keep up with the class with no problem.

Then he saw the stairs.

Our class IA led us up these stairs by the water. At the bottom, RD declared NO, HE WAS NOT GOING TO GO UP THE STAIRS. He couldn't, he just couldn't. He could not possibly survive the stairs.

As our class passed us on the stairs of death, we took our time - one step at a time. My arm was linked in his, and I was walking the stairs for the both of us.

As we touched down at top stair, I released my grip to prance around like Rocky. I even began making crowd noises and humming the theme song. As I released my grip, RD dropped to the ground like a rock.

So there he was, lying in the middle of the walkway. It was just the two of us - our class was out of sight. The other classes from our school (including my wonderful co-teacher that is my usual "backup") were on a different path. I was sure that this was the end of me.

There was no getting him up - none of my usual tricks were working, and he was just rolling on the ground, moaning, and telling me that he was going to go drown himself in the river. I had nothing left in my pocket of tricks. I couldn't even distract him (the biggest trick of all).

Then, I see some people - a nice couple on a stroll - walking right towards us. I was preparing myself for the "Oh you poor girl" look that I'm sure parents get with toddlers throwing tantrums in the grocery store. Then, in a nice loud voice, I bend down to RD and I say:

"C'mon little boy, let's go find your teacher."

He laughed, and stood up. Just in time for those strangers to pass us and smile.

Finding Voice in History

2009-03-12T19:42:00.000-04:00

"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little coarse, and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I recently made barely a touch of reconnection with an undergrad professor of mine. So, my thanks to him for the knowledge and power to make it my own in my current environment. I found this under his favorite quotes, and I plan on sharing it tomorrow with my students.

Clinic Pass

2009-03-04T21:39:00.001-05:00

Note from nurse:

"Pls allow him to remove shoe to put ice on toe."

What she did not say was that THAT ice pack would be on his toe, in his shoe, on the table, on his face, and back around again. But thanks for the note.

The Storm IS the Calm

2009-03-03T20:27:00.002-05:00

Today was the first day of the school/work week for us. We didn't come in Monday because of the snow, and today was a 2 hour delay. On the outside, the crusty part as it turns out, a day off and sleeping in today - awesome. The gooey undercooked middle is the mental state of the students on such days.

For instance:

One student refused to do any work at any point in the day - and anytime I would try to coax her into anything productive, she would stomp around the room chanting "I want to go back to my ditch." Community service? No - she had just spent a day digging a ditch in her yard out of snow. She stopped talking to me about halfway through the day, or I'd update you on her ditch planning status.

Another student came in to school wearing a cloak of horrible mood. He laid in the middle of the room and refused to move for a good portion of the morning, and then finally sat up in the middle floor for the rest - pushing everything around him out of his way and across the room. As we were lining up for lunch, he retreated to his seat. Horrible timing - as we were trying to talk him into leaving the room now to go to lunch. My usual trick of sending him early to "hold our seats" didn't work, as he groaned and grunted his disagreement.

He finally showed up to work, but refused to eat lunch. The rest of the afternoon did not look up for us, he and I... and we just agreed to disagree on any and everything - including when he plugged his ears and hummed at the top of his lungs. During my minilesson. I was definitely at a level 4 voice trying to talk over him. But, friends, at least I wasn't talking over his sobs like last week.

Here's to tomorrow and all of the potential to be a better day!

Taking My Kid Out

2009-03-02T10:50:00.002-05:00

Here is my handsome little Jack... enjoying his snow day! He doesn't quite get sledding - but he's just as happy romping around in the white stuff! He leaped off of the steps and took off!

11:30pm Update

2009-03-01T23:28:00.002-05:00

School is cancelled for tomorrow, so I am up late. The snow is really coming down, so I thought I'd update my weather video.

Here's to zzz-ing through usual school-start time!

Weather Update

2009-03-01T18:47:00.002-05:00

This is what it is doing at my place right now.

2009-02-26T16:31:00.003-05:00

I was just thinking yesterday that I haven't had any instances in my days, lately, that have warranted the thought "I have to blog about that!" Until, of course, today.

My fab coworker and I were reading with buddies when she overheard the following conversation: (And for this story I am introducing a new character, er, student - BeatBox)

Glasses: says something not nice.

RainDancer: Glasses, that was not nice!

BeatBox: Wow, RainDancer, you stuck up for yourself! I'm glad you've gotten over your issues!

RainDancer: I've been taking Anger Management.

I was sad that I missed it. I didn't, however, miss it when Beatbox told me that Glasses "jacked his book" during reading workshop.

That was right after Beatbox and Raindancer came back from taking a trip to the clinic - and Raindancer coming back with a note.

The note read: "Please allow RainDancer to take his shoe off to put ice on his toe."

I am such a grinch that I would not allow ice to be put on this small appendage? I'm a pretty reasonable girl, and I was okay with the ice-through-the-sock concept - but it was when he was removing his sock to show off his funky toe that I drew the line. That and the fact that the ice made its way from the sock, to the bare toe, to RainDancer's cheek, to the tabletop, and then back through the cycle over and over again. I stopped him right before he wanted to use the flat ice pack as a bookmark (you're welcome, Tree).

Hurray for Friday.

The Face

2009-02-23T20:30:00.003-05:00

Students were working on a group project about famous Virginians. "Fun Facts" was part of the project. Check out the student's face in the background.

Until I have more time to edit some clips, this little gem will have to tide you over.

Flip

2009-02-22T00:21:00.002-05:00

Mr. bought me this for V-day, and I have had it attached to me ever since. It holds one hour of video, and plugs right into the computer. It has one button record, only 3 simple functions, and is easy enough for students to use independently. So far I have used it to record students researching, producing, and presenting material in the classroom. Tomorrow I am going to spend some time editing, but the recording and capture were easy!

Today Please Now

2009-02-12T23:04:00.005-05:00

As I was getting ready for I Heart Writing day, I was checking out some of the student writing on the computers. I have a few students who have access to the computers on a regular basis as part of their learning plan. In my exploring, I found this gem:

I suppose she's having a hard time with her brother?

Other students us an AlphaSmart in writing workshop. At the end, if they have something to be printed, they simply put a post-it on the AlphaSmart and leave it next to the printer for me to take care of after school. (Only b/c there are currently many students trying to publish on the computers, otherwise they'd plug it right in and print!) Well, I went back to print a few pieces of writing, and sure enough - there was a "print me!" post-it on an AlphaSmart:

When Grading Notebooks Pays Off

2009-01-23T21:18:00.004-05:00

I found this picture and caption in a science notebook:

So, logically, I photocopied it and took it home to show the Mr.

He skipped right over that image and looked at this one, which I didn't even notice (I was distracted by the first image):

Both pictures happen to be exactly what I asked for - artistic interpretations of the tasks completed during a lesson that day. And all of it was legal. I swear.

Respect

2009-01-22T15:23:00.002-05:00

One of the fabulous teachers from my school came in to visit today. She is not teaching this year, choosing to spend the year home with her darling new son. While she was visiting, some of her former students from last year were able to see her and say hello.

One of her former students is a fan of showing some skin, to put it lightly, and it's not always in the most appropriate way. (Elementary school, gasp!) Well, today, when she saw her former teacher, instead of rushing to her like everyone else was - she took a few steps in another direction, turned her back, and zipped up her outer layer.

She was then prepared to face her former teacher. But not before covering herself up.

Respect for herself, former teacher, or both?

What's Your Hobby

2009-01-12T21:51:00.003-05:00

Today was the first day back after holiday break. I was glad to see the students, but oh-so-sad that they didn't bring their manners back with them. I spent most of the day reminding them about voice level and about the definition of respectful listening. What I really wanted to say was SHUT UP. That's harsh, I know, but it was like breaking in a pair of shoes that you've been wearing every day for 5 months. Annoying.

The day was not without perks though. A good report from Art (Thanks Snippety), and great stories about Intersession and break were wonderful.

We were walking down the hall to the library at some point in the day, and the students were chatty as ever in line. I reminded Glasses about our hallway voice, which he apologized for and quieted down for the moment. A little while later, I had to remind him again. I walked up to him in line and put my hand on his shoulder as a quiet reminder.

He looked up towards me (as he doesn't really make eye contact), and said:

"I'm sorry! Talking is my hobby."

What's yours?

A Spritz?

2009-01-09T00:19:00.002-05:00

He said, "I am wearing perfume today, can you smell it?"

"Perfume?" I said, thinking he meant cologne.

Then, suddenly, I could smell it. It was definitely perfume. A lot of it. And no, he didn't have to even be in the room for me to smell him.

"You smell like a very large bouquet in a very small confined space," I said. "How nice."

And no, my eyes were not watering because I was sad. It was the human bouquet.

Growth Spurts

2009-01-09T00:14:00.002-05:00

Could it be that I am ready to go back?

Today I had the first urge to actually do work. It took me 2.5 weeks to get there, but here I am. I am pondering my lessons for when my class convenes again. I am wondering, as I have been all break, how and what my students are doing. Did they have a good break? Did travel go well for those heading to other countries? And, alas, are they ready to change up math workshop when we get back?

I am sure they've been thinking about math workshop this entire time. And our language arts block. They have education on the brain. Or so I imagine. I also imagine that the first day back will be a breeze. Right? Right.

See you soon, my friends. I hope you didn't get to big while you were away. :)

Bad Idea Bears Told Her To Do It

2008-12-22T15:07:00.002-05:00

One of my students was caught cheating today. There, I said it. She was cheating. She sat there, her petite stature cradling the notebook in her lap. She had painstakingly written all of the words and definitions in a small notebook at home sometime over the weekend, and now it lay in her lap. While I was helping a student take the test, a student I am often working with and usually write the answers for, she was over there reading the notebook and filling in answers.

My fabulous co-teacher busted her. Took away the notebook and quietly informed me. In my brain I went ballistic.

Later, when I took her in the hall to confront her about it, she broke down in tears. To be expected, she rarely has run-ins with authority, and normally just keeps to herself.

I tried to toughen up - to not let the tears get to me. As I made it clear the significance of her actions (and their dooming consequences on our trustworthy relationship), she told me that she was afraid of doing poorly because her Dad would get really mad at her. She was very specific in naming her "home" consequences.

Great job, Mom and Dad, for pushing your daughter to a point where she feels she has to cheat in order to accomplish her goal - no matter what the cost, she was willing to risk it. Or perhaps I'm being naive, and thinking that she was even able to consider the repercussions of her actions at this age. Whichever the case, I'm disappointed. I hate the first year teacher cuts and scrapes. Dents and Dings.

And, the icing on the cake - when I walked back in the room I overheard Glasses yell at another student over a rousing game of chess "You are seriously pissing me off right now."

Outside Looking In

2008-12-21T23:28:00.002-05:00

Warning: Non-school related post. Rain Dancer, Glasses, and the usual cast of characters will not be involved in the making of this post.

This evening I went to dinner at my grandma's house. Her home is all decked out in it's holiday finest. Every nook and cranny is splattered with some form of holiday decoration. She even wraps the pictures on the wall, so they look like large gifts hanging all around the house. The smell of those musty and old oraments and decor instantly warm my spirit. Christmas is big in my house, as this is the house I grew up in.

One particular memory makes me laugh every time I think about it. Recently my cousin wrote a note stating the same memory, so I'm glad I am not the only one that holds it dear.

Oddly enough... it involved toilet paper.

From the time I was little, Grandma went overboard on the decorating. The greatest example of this would be our bathroom. Yes, bathroom. You walked in, flipped on the lightswitch, and instantly be serenaded in high-pitched, mechanical Christmas tunage. The soundtrack was short, and would cycle through a few (tens) of times while you were brushing teeth, showering, etc... The entire bathroom looked like Santa himself had vomited the North Pole. We even had a Santa shower curtain - showing him in skivvies with soap suds generously covering his skin.

The best memory though... the toilet paper. Next to our "real" roll of toilet paper, there was a much more enticing roll. This roll was printed with the words "Merry Christmas" and "Seasons Greetings" throughout the entire roll. One sheet might have atleast 50 holiday wishes. It was one ply, and may as well have been trace paper - it was so thin. But... for some reason... we all wanted to use it. We would all sneak uses, in hopes that the missing sheets wouldn't be noticable to my Grandma. She, inevitably, would walk into the bathroom at some point in the day and shout "Who's using the Christmas Paper!?" She'd get so mad, curse in the sweet way that only Grandma's can, and threaten to not put the paper out ever again.

Well, I walked into the bathroom tonight and, what do you know... the roll was there. Again. For the 20-something year in a row. The same roll. The years have been hard on the Christmas Paper - it is very clear that there are many that have fallen into the trap of the paper temptation. While there are only about 20 sheets left, and the cardboard is clearly visible, the sight of the same roll.... the same roll that I stole sheets from over the years... graces us once again. And if you listen really carefully on a quiet holiday evening by the tree - you can still hear Grandma yelling "Who's using the damn Christmas paper!?"

Are You Married?

2008-12-16T21:17:00.004-05:00

I am posting this "for" a coteacher who is a non-blogger. This is just too good to not share.

My male coteacher, who I will call Mr. J, is often sharing the funniest stories with us. The other afternoon, he had a doozie. Let me see if I can do this story some justice...

A student walked up to Mr. J and plainly asked him if he was married. Simple enough, and not a totally off the wall question... students want to get to know us personally. Mr. J happens to be of the non-married variety, so he answered with a simple "No."

It became clear that the student was not quite finished with his line of questioning, as he did not waiver in his stance. Without hesitating, he followed Mr. J's response up with

(Hold onto your britches..)

"Oh, then you must be a virgin."

Fourth Grade Blush

2008-12-16T19:09:00.003-05:00

I am often amazed at how fourth graders - particularly girls - are going through such a huge change. Socially, emotionally, physically - it all seems to be coming together - and by coming together I mean going completely f*&#ing nuts.

My favorite so far this year was today. I looked over at a few girls as I was giving my lesson. These few girls tend to gravitate to the same corner of the group setting... and if I'm not careful, they will sink into the "outside of the group" hole and I will not see them again until math.

Two of the girls were holding what looked like chapstick, but in a smaller tube. I imagine they were holding some sort of smelly shiny lip gloss that came as a set of three in a tube. I then, oddly, and as if in slow motion, saw them take the lids off of their lip gloss and then proceed to dabble it on ...

... their cheeks. They bounced the lip gloss up and down all over their cheeks.

Fourth grade blush.

One, Two, Step

2008-12-05T23:21:00.002-05:00

We are studying patterns in math. Looking at color, shape, size, rotation, function, etc... my students have spent about a week dissecting any sort of pattern I throw in front of them.

Yesterday I had them listen to a rock song about patterns (http://www.hbschool.com/jingles/jingles_all/35i_repeat.html)

Today, we got all of this knowledge moving. I played a number of songs for them, all of which have a well-known dance attached. We started with the Chicken Dance. We performed the dance as a class, and then we wrote the pattern out using letters, pictures, and then shapes. Then we moved onto the Macarena. Then the Hamster Dance, Cha Cha Slide... and then, to top it off, we went completely Pattern Crazy on a lil' dance we like to call "Soulja Boy." I looked up an instrumental version of the song, and the students began dancing like crazy. Most of the students knew the steps.

I realize as I reflect on my day, that this lesson and this energy is something that can not be easily replicated on an every day basis, across every lesson. But I want to. Sounds like a dare.

I Will Never Say No When You Ask To Go To The Bathroom Again

2008-11-12T21:49:00.004-05:00

There I was, sitting at a table with 4 students who were riveted with my extensive knowledge on mixed numbers. Glasses (who's been without glasses now for a few weeks) bursts through the classroom door. He was on a bathroom break with a 'smate that we'll rename Punk (for his inappropriate dance moves one day).

Back to the bursting through the door. So, Glasses BURSTS through the door - comes gliding across to my table, all the while shouting "PUNK.......PEED..... IN....... HIS....... PANTS!!!!"

By that time, he had reached my side. I looked at his frantic expression and said "Was that an appropriate thing to shout across the classroom?" I was really giving myself a moment to think about my action and to ponder on the whereabouts of Punk at this moment.

To my amazement, instead of simply saying "No, it wasn't," Glasses stares at the floor and rephrases his declaration.

He looks back up to me, in the same gaze as before, and says:
"Punk has a watery substance on his pants!!"

I stifle my laugh and walk across the room to the door. By the way, no less than 5 students followed me begging to go with him to the clinic. What is with these kids? Haven't they every seen a watery substance on pants before? When I open the door to ask Glasses to take him to get new clothes (I heart the parent center), I see the top half of Punk's body gazing into the classroom. He was hiding his bottom half with the doorway and wall.
Without saying anything, I motion for them to be on their way.

Classroom Invaders

2008-11-12T15:55:00.002-05:00

At this very moment there is a nice man in my room spraying a horribly stinky & disgusting gel all over my floor, cabinets, walls, etc... Won't take you long to figure out why. My students spotted a cockroach running out of the supply bins today. The PENCIL bins. I mean, is nothing sacred? So, I am sure that I am currently losing brain cells as I inhale the supposed odor-less substance that will squash any cockroach attempt at practicing literacy again. Atleast in my classroom.

I want to mention what you may have noticed... that I downplayed the role that the students played in finding the invader. That is just the kind of teacher I am. Calm, cool, and collected. Actually, the students that saw it first - they deserve some kind of "Thanks-For-Not-Screaming-COCKROACH-From-Across-The-Room" award. Instead, they were quietly moving their backpacks and supplies until I stomped over and demanded to know why they weren't on task. Foot-in-mouth, on that one, right?

After a bit though - the word leaked and Rain Dancer stated "I live with cockroaches everyday. They're ugly. And FAST."

Home Humor

2008-10-28T20:34:00.002-04:00

My husband just stood in front of me wearing this, and asked

"Is it okay if I wear this to work tomorrow?"

Note: Crocs. PJ pants. Wrinkly top with bling cufflinks.

(In all fairness, he was just asking about the top, minus the wrinkles).

Heart Sick

2008-10-26T19:32:00.002-04:00

On Friday, I met with a parent of one of my students. This student is new to our school this year, and arrived about a month late. While the family didn't come from far away, if you're looking at a map, they have come a long way emotionally.

What I heard in this meeting has kept me awake all weekend. The weight of this student's shoulders is no match for most adults, although you would never know it. This student is such a happy, smiling, generally well-adjusted kid. The picture and the circumstances and the stories that this parent shared with me just broke my heart, and I realized that this was one of those moments that good teachers talk about... the moments in which you have to remain objective, professional, while still managing to "care" (read, "love").

I will spare most of the details, but instead tell you about the part that has been haunting my thoughts. Mom of student left the father - took her four children and moved out - due to spousal abuse. One day, during school, the father arrived unannounced to have lunch with my student (and perhaps his other children at the school).

It was during this lunch that the father told my student, a 10 year old, to run away from his Mother's new home. He told him what time to leave, where to go, and that he'd pick up his son at that time and location.

What a weight to bear on a 10 year old. I keep replaying what the father must have said, the demands he must have placed, and how the student must have been feeling. Torn, confused, angry, happy to see dad, wondering what was going to happen to the three sisters if... just if....

My demands on this student in the classroom seem so insignificant. Yet still necessary, I know.

This, for this student, is far from over. I could see from the mother where this student gets strength. But ... only 10 years old.

I am writing this in hopes that "talking" about it will let my mind filter out the parts of the story that I need to know, as his educator. Distancing it from my mind, and from me, personally. Here's to hoping.

Lysol Wipes, Anyone?

2008-10-23T11:30:00.002-04:00

She had to go to the bathroom.

It was an emergency.

It is always an emergency, so I wave her the okay, and add "Take a friend." Pee with a buddy.

She should have just walked out the door with her friend, taken care of business, and returned.

Instead, she stalled in the place she made her request, staring at me still.

It's an emergency. There's more. She has a Rash. There's more. Down there. With every detail, I simply said "Go ahead, take a friend."

I guess she doesn't know that's the signal for "Please don't tell me anymore."

Picture Detectives

2008-10-22T11:32:00.002-04:00

In Social Studies, I asked my students to become picture detectives today, and explore some images, looking for details and what those details tell us about that time, etc...

In one of the pics there is a small pipe (SMALL, with a lot of other details that they could have focused on). Here is a convo that I overheard:

Funky: I know what that is! It's a pipe!

Innocent: What's a pipe?

Funky: (without missing a beat) It's what they smoke pot with.

Rad

2008-10-21T21:40:00.003-04:00

A little while back, Snippety Gibbet tagged me to reveal 5 things about myself.... so here we go.

1. I was practically born with a softball glove on my hand. I remember standing in the outfield while my aunts practiced with their teams (when I was barely walking), and I spent much of my cradle-life in the concession stand, while my grandparents watched their children and ran the stand. I was even nationally competitive for most of my "career."

2. I was in a sorority at one of the 2 universities I attended. They roomed me with the VP of Academics because I was such a bad student. They thought that way, I'd have to study. I showed them. If you know me now, you would never have guessed. I turned it around, to say the least.

3. I am the only child for my father, but I have three siblings on my mother's side. Two brothers, one of them 23, the other 10 - and one sister (25) who's in Pharmaceutical school in Florida.

4. I eat potatoes raw. My husband thinks this is disgusting. (He corrects me by saying "Weird, not disgusting!" but his look tells it all).

5. I am bringing back the word "rad." Embrace it.

October Break

2008-10-20T20:46:00.002-04:00

Oh, intersession break, how I love thee. I had a nice break, and managed to take a few shots along the way...

Book Club Weekend at the lake - wine, cheese, fresh popcorn, candlelight... on the beautiful deck!

Trip to Smithsonian - GREAT Ocean exhibit!

A trip to the incredible butterfly exhibit... they were flying everywhere around me - and one even landed on my arm for a moment. This was by far the highlight of the Smithsonian tour.

I have a few other images I will add later... I didn't want to forget to say THANK YOU INTERSESSION!

Quick Response

2008-10-20T11:24:00.001-04:00

I was standing outside at recess today with a coteacher, and all of the sudden a squirrel darts across the middle of the playground. I state that the squirrel just saw its life flash before its eyes (b/c there are about 80 kids on the playground, running and darting about).

My coteacher responds "He better keep running... I have some students who might want to skin it and eat it."

Here's to a healthy lunch.

Ducks in a Row

2008-10-01T22:24:00.003-04:00

I am loving year round school. I can't imagine my year of teaching without this break. We've been in school since the end of July, and we are now off for two weeks. One day, I will teach intersession - but not right now. I need the time.

I have big plans for over the break. I am going to breathe. I am going to cook. I am going to go have lunch with my husband, my dad, my family... I am going to read. But the thing I am most looking forward too (don't laugh) - is planning. I have this significant chunk of time in which to lay out and take another look at the rest of the year. I am relaxed at the thought that I will go back in 2 weeks revived, and ready to conquer the next quarter with my students.

Highlight of the day: As I was greeting my students at the door this morning, they each handed me a birthday card (when we normally shake hands). Each and every one of them had made these amazing masterpieces on their own time. Hugs all around.

Some snapshots of what they wrote:
"I love you like a Mom."
"Wow! 30!"
"Happy Birthday for being 30. My mom is 30 too."
"Are you 36 or 37?"
"You silly girl."
Not to mention the two students who decided that it was completely okay to call me by my first name when addressed in my birthday card.

These will be hung at my birthday party. I can't wait to show them off.

Off to get my ducks in a row... .

Rain Dancer & Glasses

2008-09-29T18:59:00.002-04:00

RD: I don't want to watch your video. (project)

G: Why don't you?

RD: I just don't.

G: Well, then I won't watch yours.

RD: You already watched it yesterday.

G: I did not commit it to memory.

Other things G doesn't commit to memory: Homework. Lunch Money. Remembering Glasses everyday.

That's One Way To Do It

2008-09-22T11:10:00.003-04:00

A student comes up to me holding a pink, slobbery, partially chewed piece of candy. (Starburst, if you need a visual). He has a grimace, clear sign of pain across his brow.

In his partially chewed piece of candy, there was his tooth. One of the big ones.

Gross.

Trouble in Paradise

2008-09-18T21:44:00.002-04:00

I have two students in my room who are totally the fourth grade versions of the Odd Couple. Except, of course, neither of them is neat.

They do everything together. They co-write, co-read, walk in the halls together, support eachother, etc. The other day one of them was having a bad day, an "I-don't-have-any-friends" kind of bad day, and the other chimed in with "I'm your friend!!!" with a good ol' pat on the back. AND they sit at the Peanut Free table at lunch, by themselves, even though they aren't allergic to peanuts.

Well, today a huge hill appeared... and their relationship went down it. I overheard one say to the other "You're a bad friend." and then a "But I don't know what I did wrong, you have to tell me." and then "You should know what you did."

One of the friends spent the entire lunch period by himself at the Peanut Free table... the lone island of their former friendship... and cried the whole 30 minutes. And then cried the whole way out to recess.

I later found a note... I couldn't make out the whole thing, but it was the start of an acrostic poem:

N
O
T
C
O
O
L

I hope that in the morning we will be back to normal, and the relationship will be back on track. I will keep you posted.

Rules for Teachers

2008-09-16T22:00:00.002-04:00

Food and Shelter

2008-09-16T18:00:00.002-04:00

This weekend I went to the bookstore to spend my $20 giftcard I received as a thanks for a small inconvenience.

I was in search of something, anything, that could rope in my "I don't want to read" readers. I have a few of them. I combed through student-aged "how-to" books, books about cars, buildings, candy... Nothing seemed just right for any of my little darlings.

My poor husband was trailing behind me as I wound my way around the entire store. (In all fairness, I did suggest he get a beverage from the bookstore bar before we began).

Finally, I found something. I situated myself in front of the magazine rack and picked out 6 magazines for various readers. They looked cool... The language varied enough to hit a wide range of readers, and I thought the topics would look interesting to the readers.

I brought the magazine stack in on Monday and unveiled it to the class. I showed them the awesome pictures and an article in each one that I thought was really interesting. I was excited, I showed enthusiasm (which was completely genuine - these mags were right on!)

It worked... they looked so psyched and the magazines have been a hot comodity ever since, well, yesterday. Some students have even removed the ordering slip from them in hopes of asking their parents to get it for them. One girl even said - "That's all it costs for a year? I can earn that money!" Hooray for them.

Right after I gave my Read These Cool Mags talk, I asked if there were any questions. Beyond the drooling and GimmeGimme looks, I saw a lone hand. Rain Dancer. This was going to be good.

RD: Why did you waste your money on us?

Me: Waste? I love these magazines and I wanted to share them with you all!

RD: You should spend your money on Food and Shelter.

Good point. I can see someone is ready for the economics lessons.

Classroom Management

2008-09-15T18:14:00.003-04:00

Today. Oh, today.

Today I had to whip out the "Take a Break" talk.

Is it true irony if I was interrupted by shout outs during a talk about shouting out?

I knew I needed it, it's true. It was confirmed today, after my talk, when I was approached by Rain Dancer. He handed me a list and simply said "Here they are."

"What's this?" I said, scanning the list of names.

"It's a list. A list of students who were talking."

"Talking? When?" (Knowing, that in my classroom, I channel Organized Chaos and it's usually a loud productive mess).

"Talking too loudly. Talking when you were talking. Some of them were whispering, but I got 'em. I wrote them down."

We need noise-cancelling headphones, and stat.

Blog Wordle

2008-09-14T17:55:00.003-04:00

Snippets from the Party Room

2008-09-11T22:16:00.002-04:00

Today was humorous. Funny. Laugh out loud at the end of the day funny. Trying to catch my breath funny.

Let me say, that not all of this might be funny to you. But pile it all together, and, by-golly, you have one heck of a day.

1. In math, we are talking about fractions. Students were building fractions using anything and everything in the classroom - clocks, pattern blocks, tangrams, fraction bars, money... you name it - we had it out. I was at one table, while my math co-teacher was W-A-Y on the other side of the room at another. The table I was working with happens to be a crammed table of seven boys (oy). They were building the fractions with no problem, in partners and independently. So, of course, they started to get distracted by their brains. "HEY!" their brains shouted. "Let's bust out in song in the middle of math!" And, of course, they obliged. (Tree - you should be channeling the bad idea bears)
I then stepped in and busted up the fun. Yeah, right. I told them that if they were going to sing, then they had to sing about the fractions they were building. Write a song, make up a song, sing it out... have at it! BUT it had to be about fractions. They said "I don't want to write a song." I said "What about a rap?" and they said "What's a rap?" SERIOUSLY? I thought I was so cool and hip on this stuff... but they don't know what a rap is? I couldn't help myself, I just started rapping about fractions. "Yo, Yo, Yo, fractions here..."

From across the room, the coteacher began laughing. I couldn't help myself.
Product? A song (rap) about fractions, created by two students in math today.

2. Not shortly after, a student, we'll call him Snail (because, as one teacher noticed, "If he walks any slower, he'd be going backwards), was bumped into by another student. Imagine a tap. Now divide that by 10 degrees of contact. This brush caused Snail to collapse to the floor in tears. Not because he was in pain, but because it disrupted him from his standing up. I know I know, poor Snail. I love this kid. But his collapse was award winning. The puddle (literally) of tears on the floor proved his dedication to the cause. No coaxing, pats on the back, encouragement, etc... were going to get Snail to get up. He laid there with our coteacher trying to convince him to get up for about 10 minutes. Puddle and all. Finally, with promises of kleenex, coteacher was able to get him to stand back up.

3. Nosepicker in the second row... go wash your hands.

4. Singing in the hall with an assistant leads to "dance party in the mod." It was part of my reading lesson, I swear. (Not the dance party part - but the reading the lyrics part).

5. This is from yesterday, but it is worthy of a two-day chuckle. We - another teacher and I - were lucky enough to have our school's tech guru come into the class to give an "Internet Safety" talk. Do not share personal information, great metaphors for safety they are familiar with, Stranger Danger online, etc... They should totally have connections with everything they were hearing. Here's one that will stay with me:

Yeah - that's like a movie I saw where a kid was setting his mom up on a date, but he found the date online, and gave the guy all this information and had his mom meet this stranger somewhere, and when she got there - it was a VAMPIRE!
All of the students either said "OH YEAH!" or their faces said "Vampires are online?"

I know there are more moments - but there's another day to blog :)

The I'm-so-proud-of-you-my-heart-expands feeling

2008-09-09T15:56:00.003-04:00

I promised myself that I would be better about blogging on the day to day occurrences in class. Without sounding like a whiner, I'd like to say how difficult that is when you don't have internet (or cable, gasp!) at home.

Today... I want to remember today. Nothing particularly fabulous happened, but that is the fabulous part. I was being observed by some county folks for reading. I had all of my materials in order. The students were super chatty. We had outdoor, then indoor, then outdoor recess announcements (always a classroom disruptor when the announcer messes with their recess!).

I planned this carousel-ish activity for reading today. We are starting the discussion of author's purpose, starting with "inform." On each table I put a different style of informative text.

Table 1: Gaming guides for video games, instruction manual for my ipod, board game instructions.

Table 2: Time Almanacs (they are addicted to these lately, so I thought I'd throw them in the mix).

Table 3: Biographies

Table 4: Articles from Kids Post (including a pretty gross one that they loved on earworms).

In the back of the room, I had three computers set up with various sites, such as National Geographic for Kids, KidsNewsRoom, and Scholastic.

Their job was to read at each table. Then, after about 10 minutes, I asked them to write a thought - any response - to the text they were reading at that table on a post-it note, stick it to a parking lot on that table (a blank piece of paper), and then move to the next table. As it was happening, I was thinking I should refine the reflection by giving them a mini-prompt - but I am not glad that I did not.

Guess what? They ALL got in about 50 minutes of independent reading. And at the end, the students that would typically cringe at the thought of reading said "Are we going to do reading today?" When I said "We just did!" it BLEW THEIR MINDS. Amazing. Truly.

At the end, we came together and talked about our reflections. I asked for hands to tell me something they were thinking about all of these books, etc.. and I also read some of the post-it notes from the tables. From those thoughts, we constructed a general statement about the resources. The students decided that these materials: showed them information, tells them something, teaches them something, or they learn something from it.

They get it, folks! A student said the word INFORMation and we deconstructed it... well, THEY deconstructed it. And the looks on their faces as they buzzed with ideas, thoughts, and statements was indescribable.

On the post-its? They wrote a lot of "Tells me about...," "Shows me...," and "Teaches me..." BUT they also wrote a lot of "I learned..." "This book was about..." "Are there really earworms?"

So, for today... reading at the end of the day was just fine and dandy. What a great way to end a day...

Hateful hateful computer

2008-09-08T11:07:00.001-04:00

Twitter will not let me update from this computer. Grr.

That Chair is Dangerous

2008-09-05T15:18:00.003-04:00

My students sit. In a chair, sometimes. Not too often. Often they are on the floor. So, when reading the following story you have to keep in mind that these students don't have much experience with, uh, chairs.

Math was going "swimmingly" (My fave Dr. G word). I was allowing the students to pick their own math game after an excruciatingly long rounding quiz. When I called one student, (we will call him Glasses) to come select, he did not arrive. I kept calling other students, assuming that Glasses would arrive in his own time. A few students later, I realize he is still at his desk - but looks rather uncomfortable. I go over to investigate, and he says:

"My hand is stuck in my chair."

"What?" I say.

"My hand is stuck and it hurts." pause "Ouch."

"How on earth..." I'm thinking out loud.

I push and pull, gently trying to ease his hand out of the slat in the back of the chair. Nothing.
I cut off his supply bag (a bag of books and belongings on the back of the chair), in hopes that if he can lower his hand into the slat, it would come free. Nothing.

I suppose it was at this moment that I suggest we move our project into the hallway.

"Can you stand up?" I suggest.

"I can't. My hand is stuck."

I slowly lift the chair, with his hand still in it. He slowly stands with me. We walk across the room together, exiting the door without bumping into anything (whew).

I'd like to say that I was not at all laughing at this point.. but it was a funny situation. Right? Whatever, you'd be laughing too.

I put the chair down in the hallway.

"Sit down and wait here." I say.

"I can ONLY sit down and wait, my hand is stuck." Yep, he's right. Point Glasses.

Then, as if the move into the hallway has some magical power that will free the chair's grasp on his bony hand, I attempt to free his hand one more time. Nothing. Then he says:

"Mrs. _______, do you have any butter?"

Chuckle Chuckle Snort.

I leave him to ponder his "sticking my hand through the slat to get something out of my bag" decision. I enter the bathroom, fill my cupped hands with liquid soap, and return to the hallway. This is when the videographer should have shown up.

I proceed to grease this kid's arm up like a pig at the county fair. There is soap dripping everywhere, and I'm lathering it up and down his arm and hand. Seriously, videographer's dream.

He proclaims "SOAP? This is not going to work at all!"

For those of you thinking that this may have been a Teachable Moment, let me assure you, the last thing you are thinking as you're greasing up a kid's arm is "Let's think about how we can make a hypothesis about the likelihood that soap will help in getting your arm out of this d*&@ chair."

Well, it worked. Hand free - he exclaims "IT WORKED!" "How did that work?" And as he walked away to wash the soap from his arm he leaves us with his final thought:

"THAT chair is DANGEROUS!"

In which I reply: "We'll try a new one when you get back to the room."

The UP side:
He had clean clean hands for lunchtime.
and
I only had to excuse myself once from class to get all the giggles out.