It's no fun being sick.
It's even worse fun being sick and having to teach 50 kids.
:(
But, I've got the best kids. They get it. I told them I have a headache and they work with me.
Plus, they always get me laughing. No matter what. Some of them are just too cute, too adorable, and full of funny things to say.
For example, right after I told the class that I have a headache and wasn't feeling well, one of my boys said, "How come you dressed like a little girl today?" I guess I do look like a kid today. I'm wearing a yellow sun dress with a sweater and jeans. I just laughed and so did everyone else. See, they're cool kids.
We've had quite a few recent developments in my classes.
We currently have over $80 raised for a Christmas donation to World Vision.
I am buying our class bearded dragon sometime this weekend.
And I just got an iPad, which means sometime in the near future, my class will have a makeshift smartboard. I can't wait!
However, in the meantime, I'm stuck with a headache, sore throat, and stuffy nose :(
This is the second time this season that I've gotten sick. I don't usually get sick much at all. Not even last year with my 3rd graders. But this year I see twice as many kids daily than I did last year. So I guess it would make scientific sense that I would get sick twice as much.
Anyways, lunch is almost over. Got to go. Dueces!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
November Update
I couldn't think of a creative title. Maybe I will by the end of this post.
Well, I still have my job...for now. The layoff was rescinded. However, my principal announced at our meeting last Wednesday that she does have to let go of one staff person. She didn't say who. And she hasn't talked to me. So, here's hoping that I get to stay.
Donorschoose has been such an amazing gift this year. Things that I don't have the money to buy but really need in my classroom have been supplied through the donations of friends, family, and strangers. It's been absolutely wonderful. I finally have a real pencil sharpener in my class! We were using a small hand-held metal sharpener before that. It is amazing how a classroom can change with a real pencil sharpener! From hand sanitizer, kleenex, paper towels to construction paper, markers, crayons, scissors, Donorschoose has made a way for me to be able to function in this confusing district! And, I've applied and been accepted for a grant to get a classroom pet. We are going to get a bearded dragon. My kids are super excited. I might even be more excited than them. I can't wait to get the supplies for it!
Report cards went home last week. Luckily, students did get a lot of their grades up so I didn't have to give as many F's as I gave on progress reports.
Treating everyone fairly is still a challenge. Some of the kids just get me so irritated. Its something I have to work on daily. But, I think that's usually how it is. If you're really trying to teach well, you've got to readjust on a daily basis.
Currently, math is kicking the butts of my students. We are practicing unit conversions. Most get it now, but it's taken several days. We've begun moving on to precise measurements using fractions of inches. This is the 2nd day on it, but I think we'll be ready to move on by Monday. According to the district pacing chart, we are only supposed to spend one day on each lesson. That kind of pacing isn't student friendly. If kids don't understand, a teacher needs to stay there until the kids are ready to move on. There's so much wrong with public education...
One day I'll be able to run school the way that I think it should be run. That day will come when I home school my kids, or at least, when I'm able to teach fewer children at one time. I wouldn't mind working for a school that had small class sizes. They say the research isn't conclusive on whether or not small class sizes actually benefit student learning. I'll tell you from experience that those studies are hi-jacked by politicians. No one wants to pay for more teachers. The class limit for middle schools in Detroit is 38. THIRTY EIGHT students! The average kid will remain average in a class size like that. No wonder we're not moving up. I think it's reasonable to deal with 12-15 students. Classes should not exceed that number. Ever. Not if you want knowledgeable scholars. But I don't think politicians really want knowledgeable citizens. They may say that they do, but they are not willing to pay the people to get the job done.
Now I'm just talking.
The school year starts feeling amazing once November rolls around. We have 1/2 days, finally a day or two off, and then Christmas break, and mid-winter break, and spring break, and more random days off and 1/2 days. Getting to November is the tough part. September-October is a solid block of school day after school day. People, every kind of person, needs a break. And because school is so work and brain intensive, more breaks = more happy people ready to work and use their brain again.
I've had 2 students move. One to Mexico and one to Fort Meyers. Now that Christmas is around the corner, I have a handful more students saying they are leaving to vacation in Mexico soon. That sucks. These students tend to miss 1-2 months of school, if not more. I wish their parents could understand how much their kid misses by being gone. Oh well.
Well, that's whats going on. I know it's a random assortment of all sorts of things in my head at the moment. I like teaching. I like my kids. It's hard every day. But I also laugh every day. That makes it worth it. Plus-I get notes on a daily basis telling me how awesome I am! (Seriously-according to this certain group of 10 and 11 year olds, I am the BEST math teacher and the BEST science teacher, and the COOLEST teacher ever! I don't know about you, but I care what 10 and 11 year olds think about me ;)
Well, I still have my job...for now. The layoff was rescinded. However, my principal announced at our meeting last Wednesday that she does have to let go of one staff person. She didn't say who. And she hasn't talked to me. So, here's hoping that I get to stay.
Donorschoose has been such an amazing gift this year. Things that I don't have the money to buy but really need in my classroom have been supplied through the donations of friends, family, and strangers. It's been absolutely wonderful. I finally have a real pencil sharpener in my class! We were using a small hand-held metal sharpener before that. It is amazing how a classroom can change with a real pencil sharpener! From hand sanitizer, kleenex, paper towels to construction paper, markers, crayons, scissors, Donorschoose has made a way for me to be able to function in this confusing district! And, I've applied and been accepted for a grant to get a classroom pet. We are going to get a bearded dragon. My kids are super excited. I might even be more excited than them. I can't wait to get the supplies for it!
Report cards went home last week. Luckily, students did get a lot of their grades up so I didn't have to give as many F's as I gave on progress reports.
Treating everyone fairly is still a challenge. Some of the kids just get me so irritated. Its something I have to work on daily. But, I think that's usually how it is. If you're really trying to teach well, you've got to readjust on a daily basis.
Currently, math is kicking the butts of my students. We are practicing unit conversions. Most get it now, but it's taken several days. We've begun moving on to precise measurements using fractions of inches. This is the 2nd day on it, but I think we'll be ready to move on by Monday. According to the district pacing chart, we are only supposed to spend one day on each lesson. That kind of pacing isn't student friendly. If kids don't understand, a teacher needs to stay there until the kids are ready to move on. There's so much wrong with public education...
One day I'll be able to run school the way that I think it should be run. That day will come when I home school my kids, or at least, when I'm able to teach fewer children at one time. I wouldn't mind working for a school that had small class sizes. They say the research isn't conclusive on whether or not small class sizes actually benefit student learning. I'll tell you from experience that those studies are hi-jacked by politicians. No one wants to pay for more teachers. The class limit for middle schools in Detroit is 38. THIRTY EIGHT students! The average kid will remain average in a class size like that. No wonder we're not moving up. I think it's reasonable to deal with 12-15 students. Classes should not exceed that number. Ever. Not if you want knowledgeable scholars. But I don't think politicians really want knowledgeable citizens. They may say that they do, but they are not willing to pay the people to get the job done.
Now I'm just talking.
The school year starts feeling amazing once November rolls around. We have 1/2 days, finally a day or two off, and then Christmas break, and mid-winter break, and spring break, and more random days off and 1/2 days. Getting to November is the tough part. September-October is a solid block of school day after school day. People, every kind of person, needs a break. And because school is so work and brain intensive, more breaks = more happy people ready to work and use their brain again.
I've had 2 students move. One to Mexico and one to Fort Meyers. Now that Christmas is around the corner, I have a handful more students saying they are leaving to vacation in Mexico soon. That sucks. These students tend to miss 1-2 months of school, if not more. I wish their parents could understand how much their kid misses by being gone. Oh well.
Well, that's whats going on. I know it's a random assortment of all sorts of things in my head at the moment. I like teaching. I like my kids. It's hard every day. But I also laugh every day. That makes it worth it. Plus-I get notes on a daily basis telling me how awesome I am! (Seriously-according to this certain group of 10 and 11 year olds, I am the BEST math teacher and the BEST science teacher, and the COOLEST teacher ever! I don't know about you, but I care what 10 and 11 year olds think about me ;)
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