I walk in, turn on the light, and say hello to the dragon.
I walk to my desk and turn on the computer.
I grab the remote and turn on the projector.
I try to hook up the iPad. Still not working.
I open the PowerPoint presentations for the day.
The bell rings and I greet my kiddos.
I take attendance online.
I refer to the PowerPoint slides.
I show videos on scaled models of the solar system. We see the earth. We see the sun. We see the orbits and rotations of the objects in the solar system. We learn how vast and diverse the place we call home is.
I show images of landmarks in the Northeast. I have students describe what they see and infer how people interact with the land and geography of the region.
I turn on the document camera and place the iPad underneath it.
I open the Stack the States app.
We play games. We learn the names of the states. We learn the flags and landmarks of the states. We learn where the states belong, how they look, and their size compared to each other.
My kids earn class points because they are engaged.
Today was amazing. Technology really does make a huge difference.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Let the Countdown Begin!!!
I am ten weeks away from having my first year of teaching in the bag. Woooo!
This year has been quite a challenge. No one can really prepare you for being a teacher. It is a hands-on job that you can only learn in the field.
I was ready to be a teacher. I was ready to teach in Detroit. I was even ready to teach in a messy district. I really was and it is almost entirely because I had amazing leadership in my life growing up. I was practically raised by teachers. My youth pastors taught me how to lead, love, not make excuses, endure, and stare hard things right in the face. I was taught not to compromise, to do everything with integrity and to evaluate and reevaluate. Spiritually, I was raised by two of Detroit's finest mentors-- themselves being grads of DPS, residents of Detroit and lovers of Jesus. Honestly, if it wasn't for the influence of the Meriweathers in my life I don't think I would have been ready for this job.
In saying that, even though I was ready for it, it has been a tough year.
I have learned many valuable lessons.
1- I hate writing lesson plans! They are never done. They just hang over your head every second of every day. I mean, once I have them done for one week, I still have to think about the next week and the week after that and the week after that... It is a stress that doesn't end.
2- I show my emotions on my face. And some days that means I show kids how much they are annoying me. This is definitely my first priority during summer. I've got to develop a classroom management plan that fits me and is proactive in every way.
3- I have a lot left to learn. There are so many areas for me to grow in as a teacher. Better assessments, better use of time, better classroom management, better lessons, better communication with parents.... The list goes on. Usually I am very hard on myself. I have been able to have grace for myself this first year, but you better believe I'm using this summer to make many necessary changes. My kids deserve the best teacher I can be.
4- I'm comfortable in front of a crowd. I love to be goofy with my kids. I love to talk in weird accents and do fun dances. I love to surprise my students so that they listen. I like kids.
5- I really do believe that no child is too far gone. Every student can learn. Every student deserves to learn. Every student is loved and treasured by God, even if they get under my skin. This year I have realized that the grace God has shown me in my sin has helped me to show grace to my students in theirs. And every student NEEDS to know that I love them. They need it so much. They need to know that I am on their side cheering for them. It changes everything!
I've got a long way to go, but I am happy with this year. It hasn't been terrible. It's not a horror story I will have to tell in the future. It has been good. Maybe even great. I've gotten the chance to interact with 150 kids as students. I've gotten the opportunity to love 150 students. And though I haven't done this without fault, I have done it.
And I still have ten weeks left! Oh, that God would let me ooze with love and grace each of these last 50 days!
One of the most important things I've learned from the Meriweathers is finishing strong. Warriors don't fizzle out near the end of the battle. They know the end is near and so they go hard til the end. (If only more people understood this concept.) I'm not going to slowly fade away during this last stretch. I've been taught better than that.
So let the countdown begin! I've got ten more weeks to do right by my kids and prove they are worth fighting for!
(Thank God for Pinterest!)
This year has been quite a challenge. No one can really prepare you for being a teacher. It is a hands-on job that you can only learn in the field.
I was ready to be a teacher. I was ready to teach in Detroit. I was even ready to teach in a messy district. I really was and it is almost entirely because I had amazing leadership in my life growing up. I was practically raised by teachers. My youth pastors taught me how to lead, love, not make excuses, endure, and stare hard things right in the face. I was taught not to compromise, to do everything with integrity and to evaluate and reevaluate. Spiritually, I was raised by two of Detroit's finest mentors-- themselves being grads of DPS, residents of Detroit and lovers of Jesus. Honestly, if it wasn't for the influence of the Meriweathers in my life I don't think I would have been ready for this job.
In saying that, even though I was ready for it, it has been a tough year.
I have learned many valuable lessons.
1- I hate writing lesson plans! They are never done. They just hang over your head every second of every day. I mean, once I have them done for one week, I still have to think about the next week and the week after that and the week after that... It is a stress that doesn't end.
2- I show my emotions on my face. And some days that means I show kids how much they are annoying me. This is definitely my first priority during summer. I've got to develop a classroom management plan that fits me and is proactive in every way.
3- I have a lot left to learn. There are so many areas for me to grow in as a teacher. Better assessments, better use of time, better classroom management, better lessons, better communication with parents.... The list goes on. Usually I am very hard on myself. I have been able to have grace for myself this first year, but you better believe I'm using this summer to make many necessary changes. My kids deserve the best teacher I can be.
4- I'm comfortable in front of a crowd. I love to be goofy with my kids. I love to talk in weird accents and do fun dances. I love to surprise my students so that they listen. I like kids.
5- I really do believe that no child is too far gone. Every student can learn. Every student deserves to learn. Every student is loved and treasured by God, even if they get under my skin. This year I have realized that the grace God has shown me in my sin has helped me to show grace to my students in theirs. And every student NEEDS to know that I love them. They need it so much. They need to know that I am on their side cheering for them. It changes everything!
I've got a long way to go, but I am happy with this year. It hasn't been terrible. It's not a horror story I will have to tell in the future. It has been good. Maybe even great. I've gotten the chance to interact with 150 kids as students. I've gotten the opportunity to love 150 students. And though I haven't done this without fault, I have done it.
And I still have ten weeks left! Oh, that God would let me ooze with love and grace each of these last 50 days!
One of the most important things I've learned from the Meriweathers is finishing strong. Warriors don't fizzle out near the end of the battle. They know the end is near and so they go hard til the end. (If only more people understood this concept.) I'm not going to slowly fade away during this last stretch. I've been taught better than that.
So let the countdown begin! I've got ten more weeks to do right by my kids and prove they are worth fighting for!
(Thank God for Pinterest!)
Monday, March 18, 2013
March Madness
I miss my fifth graders!
I thought the switch was going to be incredibly easy. I thought that I would do an amazing job.
HA! ...not even close.
I went from 50 fifth graders to 90 fourth graders. And I just have to say it because it must be said, the 4th graders are BABIES compared to the 5th graders. It's sad, but oh, so true. It can take 15 minutes for a 4th grader to copy 3 sentences.
I had to slow my pace waaaaaaay down.
Having 3 classes is a LOT different than just 2. My last class is Ca-RAY-ZAAAY! They spend the first 6 hours of school learning and by the time they get to me they just want the day to end. It is extremely difficult to keep them quiet in their seats.
And the number of behavior problems doubled. Naturally.
So, it's been a tough couple of months in 4th grade. Right now we are doing our electricity and magnetism unit. The kids love being able to make circuits and get light bulbs to light or motors to run. However, they are not able to put their learning into valuable language. They can't explain to me anything they've learned using the accurate vocabulary. It has gotten very disheartening.
In addition to trying to catch an entire grade up to where they should be by this point in the year, there is almost no instructional time in March. My kids have THREE different standardized tests to take in one month. We have to test all of the students in their reading, language and math skills with the NWEA MAPs test. Then we have to test each of them on their science and social studies skills with district mandated pre-tests. And we have to test them on their ability to read, write, listen and speak the English language with the ELPA test. This one is the worse because it requires each student to be tested individually! So I have the option of either testing my kids or teaching my kids. Of course, I have to test them because there are deadlines and it isn't an option to test regardless.
My first semester of teaching was so much rosier than this last one.
I've decided that I will spend my summer on my teaching skills and getting prepared for the fall. Hopefully I'll have the same assignment as fourth grade sci/ss teacher so that I can refine my lessons this summer and not have to worry about it during the school year. And I desperately need to work on my classroom management. I'm finding that I'm falling into bad habits and showing my annoyance with kids much easier than ever before.
Phew. Pray for me. :)
I thought the switch was going to be incredibly easy. I thought that I would do an amazing job.
HA! ...not even close.
I went from 50 fifth graders to 90 fourth graders. And I just have to say it because it must be said, the 4th graders are BABIES compared to the 5th graders. It's sad, but oh, so true. It can take 15 minutes for a 4th grader to copy 3 sentences.
I had to slow my pace waaaaaaay down.
Having 3 classes is a LOT different than just 2. My last class is Ca-RAY-ZAAAY! They spend the first 6 hours of school learning and by the time they get to me they just want the day to end. It is extremely difficult to keep them quiet in their seats.
And the number of behavior problems doubled. Naturally.
So, it's been a tough couple of months in 4th grade. Right now we are doing our electricity and magnetism unit. The kids love being able to make circuits and get light bulbs to light or motors to run. However, they are not able to put their learning into valuable language. They can't explain to me anything they've learned using the accurate vocabulary. It has gotten very disheartening.
In addition to trying to catch an entire grade up to where they should be by this point in the year, there is almost no instructional time in March. My kids have THREE different standardized tests to take in one month. We have to test all of the students in their reading, language and math skills with the NWEA MAPs test. Then we have to test each of them on their science and social studies skills with district mandated pre-tests. And we have to test them on their ability to read, write, listen and speak the English language with the ELPA test. This one is the worse because it requires each student to be tested individually! So I have the option of either testing my kids or teaching my kids. Of course, I have to test them because there are deadlines and it isn't an option to test regardless.
My first semester of teaching was so much rosier than this last one.
I've decided that I will spend my summer on my teaching skills and getting prepared for the fall. Hopefully I'll have the same assignment as fourth grade sci/ss teacher so that I can refine my lessons this summer and not have to worry about it during the school year. And I desperately need to work on my classroom management. I'm finding that I'm falling into bad habits and showing my annoyance with kids much easier than ever before.
Phew. Pray for me. :)
Sunday, January 27, 2013
First day of School...all over again
Hi friends!
2 weeks ago MEAP results were released. My principal, who is known as the "turn around" principal, was furious. Some of our scores went down from last year. And while some of the scores went up, the highest proficiency percent was in the thirties. This means that 70ish percent of the school is not proficient in academic subjects.
At the same staff meeting we were told that teachers would be moved around because we've got some major changes that need to happen to get our kids in shape. Last Wednesday my assistant principal announced the changes. I'm being moved from 5th grade science and math to 4th grade science and social studies.
Now, here are the pros and cons:
Cons: new kids, my kids won't get the science they deserve anymore, half a year left to teach what you would cover in a whole year.
Pros: NO MORE MATH!!! Had some of the kids as 3rd graders, I like teaching science and social studies, I get to keep my room, I get to start over as a teacher
I could stay mad about the fact that my fifth graders will be with a teacher who doesn't really know how to teach science. That is an injustice. I've poured into them, I've had plans for them. I could stay mad about the fact that I'm going from fifty students to eighty. I could stay mad about all sorts of things. But I don't want to.
I'm happy I'm done with math. I hate teaching math. I'm happy I get some of my third graders from Maybury. I liked those kids. It's going to be like a family reunion on Monday. I'm happy that my administration has enough faith in me to put me in a more critical teaching position (5th grade takes the science MEAP which tests on science learned in 4th grade).
What I'm really happy about is being given the chance to start over in the middle of my first year as a teacher. Thursday night I couldn't fall asleep. My head was full of ideas and plans to shape the culture of my new classroom. I was dog tired on Friday, but had gotten all of my ideas written down so Thursday night's brain explosion was worth it.
I think the most critical thing lacking in student's ability to achieve is motivation. I am reorganizing everything in my classroom and the way that I teach and handle discipline so that students feel empowered and motivated and want to learn. My goal is to be able to convince my students that they are full of greatness, that they are oozing with it. The best part is its not a lie. How crazy is it that the creator of the universe made human beings and hid in them greatness that represents their creator!?! These kids are full of greatness. I know because I have experienced God's love. Oh, how He loves us! I can't preach the gospel, but I can speak the truth. I think students who believe they can succeed will.
I need to make learning fun. Now, I don't usually have a problem with this when it comes to science and social studies, so that's almost already taken care of for me now that math is gone. But learning has to be fun. No one looks back on the lectures they had in the classroom as life changing moments. It is the activities, the investigations, the hands-on experiences that change the lives of learners.
I need to treat students with the utmost respect. Pulling kids aside to address issues instead of putting them on the spot in the middle of the classroom is a must for students to feel safe and cared for. Not showing annoyance is a must for students to feel valued and respected. I've got to change the bad habits I've gotten into. I know I'm going to have some behavior challenges, and I pray that when those come the grace of God falls on me and I can do justly in that situation. I want my kids to be excited to come to my class. And I want them to prove that they are as capable of being respectful, courteous, and kind as any other kid this world has seen. That starts with me being the example.
Detroit has a lot to prove. The nation is waiting for Detroit to finally disappear. But there is too much heart here. Detroit isn't going to just quiet down and get out of the picture. Detroit is going to rise. A shaking has to happen first though. The old structures that aren't stable and secure have to be shown for what they are and broken down. That's what we are going through. That's what I want to make it through. In the middle of the smoke and ashes when this is all said and done, I want to be with an army of kids that are ready to turn this whole thing around - Kids that are intelligent, creative, and determined. That's what I want to give life to in my classroom.
And so, in a way, it is the grace of God that I get to start over. My mind is renewed. My strength is renewed. My vision is clear. And as long as Jesus stays by my side, I will succeed and my kids will come out of this messy city with the wind under their wings. I'm ready for that.
Tomorrow I'm going to make it happen.
2 weeks ago MEAP results were released. My principal, who is known as the "turn around" principal, was furious. Some of our scores went down from last year. And while some of the scores went up, the highest proficiency percent was in the thirties. This means that 70ish percent of the school is not proficient in academic subjects.
At the same staff meeting we were told that teachers would be moved around because we've got some major changes that need to happen to get our kids in shape. Last Wednesday my assistant principal announced the changes. I'm being moved from 5th grade science and math to 4th grade science and social studies.
Now, here are the pros and cons:
Cons: new kids, my kids won't get the science they deserve anymore, half a year left to teach what you would cover in a whole year.
Pros: NO MORE MATH!!! Had some of the kids as 3rd graders, I like teaching science and social studies, I get to keep my room, I get to start over as a teacher
I could stay mad about the fact that my fifth graders will be with a teacher who doesn't really know how to teach science. That is an injustice. I've poured into them, I've had plans for them. I could stay mad about the fact that I'm going from fifty students to eighty. I could stay mad about all sorts of things. But I don't want to.
I'm happy I'm done with math. I hate teaching math. I'm happy I get some of my third graders from Maybury. I liked those kids. It's going to be like a family reunion on Monday. I'm happy that my administration has enough faith in me to put me in a more critical teaching position (5th grade takes the science MEAP which tests on science learned in 4th grade).
What I'm really happy about is being given the chance to start over in the middle of my first year as a teacher. Thursday night I couldn't fall asleep. My head was full of ideas and plans to shape the culture of my new classroom. I was dog tired on Friday, but had gotten all of my ideas written down so Thursday night's brain explosion was worth it.
I think the most critical thing lacking in student's ability to achieve is motivation. I am reorganizing everything in my classroom and the way that I teach and handle discipline so that students feel empowered and motivated and want to learn. My goal is to be able to convince my students that they are full of greatness, that they are oozing with it. The best part is its not a lie. How crazy is it that the creator of the universe made human beings and hid in them greatness that represents their creator!?! These kids are full of greatness. I know because I have experienced God's love. Oh, how He loves us! I can't preach the gospel, but I can speak the truth. I think students who believe they can succeed will.
I need to make learning fun. Now, I don't usually have a problem with this when it comes to science and social studies, so that's almost already taken care of for me now that math is gone. But learning has to be fun. No one looks back on the lectures they had in the classroom as life changing moments. It is the activities, the investigations, the hands-on experiences that change the lives of learners.
I need to treat students with the utmost respect. Pulling kids aside to address issues instead of putting them on the spot in the middle of the classroom is a must for students to feel safe and cared for. Not showing annoyance is a must for students to feel valued and respected. I've got to change the bad habits I've gotten into. I know I'm going to have some behavior challenges, and I pray that when those come the grace of God falls on me and I can do justly in that situation. I want my kids to be excited to come to my class. And I want them to prove that they are as capable of being respectful, courteous, and kind as any other kid this world has seen. That starts with me being the example.
Detroit has a lot to prove. The nation is waiting for Detroit to finally disappear. But there is too much heart here. Detroit isn't going to just quiet down and get out of the picture. Detroit is going to rise. A shaking has to happen first though. The old structures that aren't stable and secure have to be shown for what they are and broken down. That's what we are going through. That's what I want to make it through. In the middle of the smoke and ashes when this is all said and done, I want to be with an army of kids that are ready to turn this whole thing around - Kids that are intelligent, creative, and determined. That's what I want to give life to in my classroom.
And so, in a way, it is the grace of God that I get to start over. My mind is renewed. My strength is renewed. My vision is clear. And as long as Jesus stays by my side, I will succeed and my kids will come out of this messy city with the wind under their wings. I'm ready for that.
Tomorrow I'm going to make it happen.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Hump Day
Sometimes just making it past Wednesday is the encouragement that you need for the week. Right now, I feel like making it back to school on Monday will be the ultimate hump day challenge.
I like teaching. I like teaching in Detroit. I like teaching my students.
I hate the system. It is so broken. And it is absolutely beyond me, or any other teacher, to fix it. I am given a pacing chart and told what to teach each day. I am expected to stay on track with the pacing chart. I am expected to differentiate my lessons so that my students, who are all at different levels, can be fairly accessed on the same content but not at the same depth. And yet, each of my students needs to know the same things for the standardized tests because I am evaluated on their performance on these tests. None of it is fair. It's not fair to the teachers and its not fair to the kids.
In the perfect school, kids would be assigned groups based on what they know, not their age. They would be taught in groups no larger than twelve. They would be able to move to another group based on their skill level gained or need for more instruction. Kids would be allowed to study in depth the things that fascinate them, whether it be music, social studies, physics or pottery.
But we have standards for each grade level because we are in competition with other countries. And the people who are in charge of making our children competitive on the world playing field are underpaid, under supported, and stretched too thin.
I love Detroit. I couldn't imagine myself teaching anywhere else. I am not in love with any other group of kids the way that I love kids from my city. I feel like no other place needs me. Detroit needs people who believe in the hope of redemption. Detroit needs people like me. But, being here is so hard. Teaching here is so hard. I don't know how people raise families and teach. It blows my mind that it is even possible. Teaching consumes your life. Teaching requires continual self improvement and reflection and tweaking after tweaking after tweaking.
The first year is the hardest. Yeah, I get that. But there are no guarantees that next year will be any easier. Who knows what school I'll be working at, or what grade I will have, or what subjects I will be teaching. ...and for what? A broken system that cannot be fixed? To fix education in this country school must be completely rethought. Teachers will have to be completely retrained. Universities will have to be completely turned around to produce a mass of people ready to tackle injustice like never before. And the public will have to learn to value something that our culture has always valued in speech, but never with action.
This problem is so much bigger than I can even imagine.
I know I can make a difference in Detroit because it all comes down to how you treat people. The biggest impact I can give to my kids is not how much math or science they learn. Kids don't really care about that. Humans don't really care about that. Humans care how they are treated. Now, in education that means meeting kids where they are and genuinely trying to bridge the gap between what they know and what they don't know. But kids won't let you give them knowledge. You have to earn their respect and trust in order for them to allow anything you say to make a difference.
The only problem is with 50 students, 2 hours given by the district to prepare, plan, intervene, and grade a week, and a plethora of learning styles and abilities, it is nearly impossible to reach every kid.
And so I approach the beginning of the 2013 school year much like a hump day morning, staring at the alarm clock in disbelief that it is already time to get out of bed. I am faced with two choices. One-hit snooze, go back to bed, and then just try to make it to the weekend. Or two-suck it up, breathe in deeply and fill my lungs with life so that I have something to work with when I am up to my neck with problems I cannot solve but a heart that will not let me look the other way.
I will not always be a teacher, of that I am sure. But I will be a teacher here in this city for the next 2 1/2 years. The Lord has put me here. The Lord has allowed my heart to be burdened with some of the things that burden his own heart. I have no other choice but to go back to work in Monday with a resolve in my heart to once again treat and teach my students with justice. I must do justly by them. They are what I have been entrusted with. Even though I can't defeat the monster of education, I stare it boldly in the face knowing that somehow I can be a threat.
My God sees. My God hears. He knows better than me what I am up against. He knows that this job is much harder than most anyone supposes. And so I can go back to work rejuvenated, not because anything is solved, but because I trust my Lord. He has not failed me. And I would hate to live each day just hoping for a weekend without responsibilities to waste away my time.
Cheers to hump day, it's a day of forming character from deep within.
I like teaching. I like teaching in Detroit. I like teaching my students.
I hate the system. It is so broken. And it is absolutely beyond me, or any other teacher, to fix it. I am given a pacing chart and told what to teach each day. I am expected to stay on track with the pacing chart. I am expected to differentiate my lessons so that my students, who are all at different levels, can be fairly accessed on the same content but not at the same depth. And yet, each of my students needs to know the same things for the standardized tests because I am evaluated on their performance on these tests. None of it is fair. It's not fair to the teachers and its not fair to the kids.
In the perfect school, kids would be assigned groups based on what they know, not their age. They would be taught in groups no larger than twelve. They would be able to move to another group based on their skill level gained or need for more instruction. Kids would be allowed to study in depth the things that fascinate them, whether it be music, social studies, physics or pottery.
But we have standards for each grade level because we are in competition with other countries. And the people who are in charge of making our children competitive on the world playing field are underpaid, under supported, and stretched too thin.
I love Detroit. I couldn't imagine myself teaching anywhere else. I am not in love with any other group of kids the way that I love kids from my city. I feel like no other place needs me. Detroit needs people who believe in the hope of redemption. Detroit needs people like me. But, being here is so hard. Teaching here is so hard. I don't know how people raise families and teach. It blows my mind that it is even possible. Teaching consumes your life. Teaching requires continual self improvement and reflection and tweaking after tweaking after tweaking.
The first year is the hardest. Yeah, I get that. But there are no guarantees that next year will be any easier. Who knows what school I'll be working at, or what grade I will have, or what subjects I will be teaching. ...and for what? A broken system that cannot be fixed? To fix education in this country school must be completely rethought. Teachers will have to be completely retrained. Universities will have to be completely turned around to produce a mass of people ready to tackle injustice like never before. And the public will have to learn to value something that our culture has always valued in speech, but never with action.
This problem is so much bigger than I can even imagine.
I know I can make a difference in Detroit because it all comes down to how you treat people. The biggest impact I can give to my kids is not how much math or science they learn. Kids don't really care about that. Humans don't really care about that. Humans care how they are treated. Now, in education that means meeting kids where they are and genuinely trying to bridge the gap between what they know and what they don't know. But kids won't let you give them knowledge. You have to earn their respect and trust in order for them to allow anything you say to make a difference.
The only problem is with 50 students, 2 hours given by the district to prepare, plan, intervene, and grade a week, and a plethora of learning styles and abilities, it is nearly impossible to reach every kid.
And so I approach the beginning of the 2013 school year much like a hump day morning, staring at the alarm clock in disbelief that it is already time to get out of bed. I am faced with two choices. One-hit snooze, go back to bed, and then just try to make it to the weekend. Or two-suck it up, breathe in deeply and fill my lungs with life so that I have something to work with when I am up to my neck with problems I cannot solve but a heart that will not let me look the other way.
I will not always be a teacher, of that I am sure. But I will be a teacher here in this city for the next 2 1/2 years. The Lord has put me here. The Lord has allowed my heart to be burdened with some of the things that burden his own heart. I have no other choice but to go back to work in Monday with a resolve in my heart to once again treat and teach my students with justice. I must do justly by them. They are what I have been entrusted with. Even though I can't defeat the monster of education, I stare it boldly in the face knowing that somehow I can be a threat.
My God sees. My God hears. He knows better than me what I am up against. He knows that this job is much harder than most anyone supposes. And so I can go back to work rejuvenated, not because anything is solved, but because I trust my Lord. He has not failed me. And I would hate to live each day just hoping for a weekend without responsibilities to waste away my time.
Cheers to hump day, it's a day of forming character from deep within.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Under the Weather
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!
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 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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