Day 76: We're Finally Here!

Today was the last day before break.  Nothing like taking it to the last possible minute!

We finished up our Grinch writing projects, complete with cover letters.  (With the craziness of the day, I forgot to take a pic of the display!)  They turned out pretty cute.

Before the party this afternoon, we finished the projects, cleaned out desks (very important before any break!), did a snowman glyph I found on ABC Teach, and completed Daily Edit.  We also opened presents.  I opened theirs to me and they opened the ones I gave them.  (Hint: Never underestimate coloring/activity books featuring popular children's characters.  You would have thought I gave them gold.  It was really great to see the looks on their faces.)

Somewhere sprinkled in there was lunch, recess, special, and packing up before the party.  (It's too hard to do at the end of the day as they are winding down and cleaning up from the party.)  Once 2:45 came, it was party time!

The students made reindeer food, played a game called Pass the Present, played another game where they had to fill a stocking with candy using only spoons, ate, and listened to Christmas music.  When dismissal came, they were ready to go and enjoy their break.  And frankly, so was I!

The day is over, Winter Break has begun, and I am resting up for the next 10 days.

Enjoy your holidays!  Have fun with your family and friends, eat a lot of wonderful food, stay warm and cozy with people who love you, and enjoy your time away from the classroom.  In other words, R-E-L-A-X!!

See you in the New Year!

Day 75: TWO Assemblies?!?!

Okay.  Day 75 was one day before our last day before break.  (Did you follow that?)  This day was full of silliness and craziness, due mainly to the fact that we had two, count 'em, TWO assemblies in one day.  One in the morning, and one in the afternoon.  

The first assembly was our annual holiday sing along.  Since my school is so large, we have to break the assembly over two time periods.  Second grade (my grade) went along with kindergarten and fourth grade.  It was a pretty interesting experience to hear 250-plus students belting out Christmas carols and popular Christmas songs without anyone getting carried away.  (With the exception of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer."  Something about that song sets little ones off.  Same with "Jingle Bells.") 

Our second assembly was supposed to be a multicultural assembly, like a "holidays around the world" sort of deal.  The presenter tried to explain the holidays of Hanukkah, Navidad/Christmas, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, and Diwali.  He had a little skit that used student helpers, some music, and then a slideshow presentation showing each of the holidays and how they are celebrated.  For the most part, he was on, but some of his facts weren't correct.  It was funny, because my students, who either celebrate most of these holidays or were listening when we discussed them in class this week and last week during social studies, came to me afterward and told me he was wrong.  I'll not go into the details, but I think he needs to do a little more research for some of the material he shared.

The time in between the assemblies (which took about an hour and 15 minutes out of the day) only added to the silliness of the past few days because the children really had a hard time focusing. 

Day 76 is the last day before break.  Deep breaths, people, deep breaths.

Day 74: Three Days to Go (Counting Today!)

Day 74 (Tuesday, December 21) was more like a normal day.  Or as normal as it can be when you are in school those last few days before Christmas.  We began our Grinch writing pieces after reading the story aloud.  The students have come up with some really interesting letters. Once the letters are written, the students colored in a cover sheet with the Grinch looking his grinchiest.  (FYI:  If you plan to do this in the future, most of the coloring pages online have the Jim Carey version of the Grinch, so you may need to search a while if you want the original.  I am somewhat of a purist, so I searched.  Unfortunately, the site I got my sheet from is no longer permitted to offer and Dr. Seuss characters due to copyright/licensing issues. Or, if you have an artistic side, you may want to give drawing him a go.)

My students also wrapped up their science quiz on weather and played some math games, in addition to the usual stuff for the day (journal, daily edit, independent reading time, riddle of the day, etc.)  I was pretty impressed with their focus. 

Day 75 was a different story.  Read on!

Day 73: Holidays and Craziness

I realized that Day 72's post was a little off my usual, but I wanted you to get a feel for where I'm coming from as of late.  The church stuff is over, and now I am looking ahead to the school stuff.  Let me tell you (or maybe I don't have to tell you) that the last few days before Christmas/Winter/Holiday Break (whatever your school calls it) is the hardest week ever!  (Actually, scratch that.  The last week before summer is the worst, but this is VERY close--by thousandths!)

I have children who are eagerly counting the days (at home AND at school!).  No one is focused or wanting to work.  So what do I do?  Here is my game plan for the week:

**The students have journal and Daily Edit every day.  That goes without saying.

Today we finished up writing projects from last week.  We finished weather posters for science.  We reviewed for the math test they are having tomorrow.  (I like to have all units finished up before break so I can start fresh after the break.) Somewhere in there we had silent reading time, reading skills groups, our riddle of the day ("How many animals can you think of that have only three letters in their names?"  I must say, they did well on this one!), special, and a discussion and minbook project about Kwanzaa.

Looking ahead to the rest of the week: We will...
*Have skills groups, daily edit, journal, riddle of the day, and special each day.
*Do a Grinch writing project (I read the story and the students write a response letter to the Grinch.  They have to pretend they are one of the Whos in Whoville while they are writing the letter.  Some of them tell the Grinch how awful he is, some tell him they hope he will keep his change of heart, and some of them tell him they hope he learns the true meaning of Christmas.  It's always interesting to see what they write; I can't wait to read them this year!)
*Read some holiday stories.
*Learn about Las Posadas and Three Kings Day.  We will also read The Legend of the Poinsettia by Tomie de Paola.
*Take a math test and a science test.
*Have two assemblies--in one day--on Wednesday. (Why?)
*Have our holiday party on Thursday.
It doesn't sound like much, but it is.  Those of you who work with little ones know what I mean!  Just getting them focused to get the teaching done can be tricky at times.

One day down.  Three to go before break.

Bring them on!  

Day 72 (and the weekend): Nap, Anyone?

Okay, so Friday, December 17 (Day 72) was a little better than the previous day.  I wasn't nodding off or near falling asleep in class.  I was still tired, though.  And although I intended to get to bed early, that didn't happen.  In fact, it didn't happen all weekend.

What is it about the holidays that drives us all a little wacky and pushes us to our limits?  Let me explain.  Friday I taught all day.  Then I ran a few errands.  Then I called my mom with her Christmas gift.  (We surprised her with a Christmas trip out to visit us; she lives several long hours away, in another state.).  Then I took my daughter to practice for the Christmas program we had at church last night. Then it was showers and off to bed for all of us because we had an early morning on Saturday.

Saturday morning were off to the farmer's market to get my shopping done for this week.  Then I dropped my daughter to another practice for the Christmas program, got some shopping done while she was there, picked her up, went home, and got ready for a holiday dinner.  After the dinner I baked some cookies for after the Christmas program.  Then I went to bed.  (My earliest time was 10 this whole weekend.)

Sunday we were up and out to church; I had to be there by 9:30 to drop off the cookies I baked the night before.  Then we had service until noon.  After that I brought my son home so we could get lunch and take naps (YES!) before we had to be back at 4:00.  The program began at 5:00 and lasted an hour.  Then we had fellowship for about another hour.  Then we got home and got ready for the week.

Nap, anyone?

Day 71: Yawn

Right after I tell you all to take a day once in a while, I must admit that I should have followed my own advice today.  Today was one of those days where I was just TIRED.  I don't know if it was the weather (It's very cold where I am; we have been hovering between 7 and 19 degrees real feel.) or holiday madness (shopping, church program practices, baking, etc.) or hormones (enough said), but I was wiped out by 2:30 this afternoon.  I actually had to fight myself to stay awake to finish writing workshop!  (Hint: This is a good time to do a quick stretch as a class.  It woke them AND me up!)

I'll be glad for the weekend, so I can sleep in just a little! (Or go to bed a little earlier!)

Day 70: What Are We Thinking?!?

Yesterday (Wednesday--which was actually Day 70) I received a call from my friend J.  J called to tell me that she could have been killed on her commute into work that morning.

Here's the situation.  J lives in an area that has been pounded by snow over the past few weeks.  She set off yesterday morning to go to her job as a second-grade teacher in a nearby district.  Her normally 20- to 25-minute commute turned into a one-and-a-half hour drive.  See, on her way to school, a snowstorm began.  Not just flurries or little swirls of snow, but full white-out conditions from time to time.  J explained to me that she drove slower, took her time, and still suffered from the usual bane of the snowstorm: icy roads.  Even while using all of the precautions of traveling in the snow, she still slipped, slid, and swerved on her way to work. 

While reading this, you may be asking why she didn't just turn around or go home.  Well, the storm didn't begin until J was more than halfway to work. Second, she was due at school to teach; there was no delay or snow day called for the district she teaches in.  So she did what any good teacher does:  she went to work!  Yes, she was late (along with several other colleagues), but she was there.

As she was talking to me, she asked me what makes educators risk life and limb to get into the classroom? You know what I mean.  It doesn't matter if it's snowing snowflakes the size of quarters, pouring rain, or blowing hurricane-force gusts.  We go to work!

I was reminded of a time where I should have probably gone back home and called off but I didn't.  I was on my way to work when I was rear-ended while stopped at a red light.  It was a little bump on my bumper.  I wasn't hurt.  I exchanged insurance information, checked my bumper for damage (none that I could see), and went on to work.  I got there late.

When I arrived, I told my principal what happened.  She promptly sent me home for the day to have myself checked over because I was four months pregnant at the time.  She told me not to worry; someone would cover my class.  So I went home and told my husband what happened.  He called off and went with me to the obstetrician and everything else.  It wasn't until I was lying on the exam table that I realized I hadn't thought of myself or my unborn child.  I was too concerned with getting to work!

On a separate occasion, I woke up to a snowy day.  The ticker on the bottom of the television screen said my district (which was about a 30-minute commute from my home) was on a one-hour delay.  I decided to leave my house a the normal time to be assured that I had time to drop my children off at daycare and take my time getting to work.  I went through my normal routine and dropped off my children.  At the daycare provider's home, the news broke in to say that the district I actually lived in changed their delay to a snow day.  The district I worked in had not.  So off to work I went.

I traveled down the highway, took my exit into the city, and arrived at my school to find no one around.  Dark building.  No cars.  No movement whatsoever.  So I waited a few minutes, thinking someone would be on their way soon.  Not so.  Ten minutes later I decided to go back home.  When I arrived at my daycare provider's home, I found out that my district changed the delay to a snow day somewhere between the time I left my provider's home the first time and the time I arrived at my school.  WHAT?  Again, I was simply going in to work.

What makes us think that we HAVE to get to our schools no matter what the conditions are?  Why don't we sometimes take that day to keep our own selves safe?  Why do we sometimes risk harm to get to our job?  Some of us might say (if we dare to admit) that we are afraid our class will fall apart without us.  Or that we are embarrassed about the plans that are on our desk--if they are there at all.  Or that no one can teach our students like we can.  Or that secretly we are all a little OCD and just don't deal with change very well!  Whatever your reason, especially in dangerous weather, please take precautions...AND a vacation day if you need to do so! 

Day 69: Symmetry, Snowflakes, and Other Geometry Stuff

We are finishing up our lessons in our geometry unit.  We did a project today that focused on symmetry.  I came up with the idea for a symmetry snowman.  The kids are partnered up to design their snowmen.  Each child draws one half of the snowman.  Then they switch papers and their partner has to copy the design and make it symmetrical.  I have a pic of the blank sheet I gave them; I will post one of the student pages after I have them up.



Snowman project

Two other projects I have done in the past are coffee-filter snowflakes and pipe cleaner snowflakes.  The coffee filter snowflakes are made the way we made snowflakes when we were little: fold the filter into a triangular shape and cut designs along the folds.  The second project is a pipe cleaner snowflake.  I give each student three pipe cleaners. (I like the iridescent ones, but you can use white or silver.)  We twist the pipe cleaners together and spread them out so that the arms are spread out evenly.  Then we thread beads along the arms to make a design/pattern. (I use blue, clear, and iridescent beads.)  Finally, we bend one of the ends over to make a loop and attach a ribbon.



This is the model I show my students.

 For both of the snowflake projects, I like to read the story Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin.  The students really like learning about the snowflakes and are eager to try and make their own designs.

Other books I like to use for my geometry unit are Shape Up by David A. Adler and The Greedy Triangle by Marilyn Burns.  Snowflakes in Photographs by W. A. Bentley is also a good one to look through.  (FYI: You can also use this one when talking about snow during your weather unit in science.)

I hope you can use some of these ideas.  And as always, if you have a neat idea, please share with the rest of us! Leave them in the comment box and I'll post them for you.

Until then, just think ahead to the holidays.  They (and Winter Break) are almost here!

Day 68: Transitions

We are all at the time of year when the students aren't quite as with us as we would like them to be.  Holiday breaks, school programs, cold weather and snow (if you are in a climate that has these), and who knows what else are all over the minds of our kiddos.

I have found that I am losing my students during transition times lately because something we have talked about or something they read or something someone said to them at recess or lunch has them wanting to talk and share at the wrong time.  So I have had to pull some old tricks out of my teacher hat.  Here are some tricks I have been using over the past week or so:
1. Math fact drills. I use this while we are lining up for special, lunch, or recess.  They have to answer a math fact to get in line and they cannot talk while in line or they have to sit back down and answer another fact.
2. Part of speech review.  I have flashcards with parts of speech on them.  We have been reviewing nouns.  I hold up a card with a picture of an object (or say the name of the object aloud to them) and they have to tell me if the object is a person, place, or thing.  I also have verb, adjective, and conjunction cards to add into the deck as we learn those.
3. Stretches.  I have them follow me through a set of stretches to wake them up and get them focused.  I have also used a quick game of Simon Says.
4. Riddle of the day.  While I was cleaning off my shelves during the two-hour delay, I found a book that has daily riddles in it.  Before we begin science each day, I ask them a riddle and they have a few minutes to think about and give an answer.  (This is especially helpful because my students have lunch and special right before science.)  The riddles aren't hard, but they make you think.  One of the ones we had last week was "What are some ways to melt an ice cube?"  (The answers ranged from stick it in the oven to send it to the Sun. You have to appreciate the imagination of little ones!) 
5. Clapping.  I clap a pattern out to make a little song and they repeat it back to me.
6. Music. I play classical and jazz during different parts of the day, but lately I have been playing all kinds of Christmas music (with parental permission, of course).  Today I played one by The Muppets and the students begged me to play during our transition to lunch and during our preparation for special.  (We have about 10 minutes between lunch and special each day, so we read during that time.)
7. One I'm going to try this week (after a brainstorm I had over the weekend) is something I call "stampede."  (My classroom has a safari theme, so this fits right in.)  I'm going to turn my head as if I'm listening for something and ask them if they hear it, too.  Then I'm going to yell, "Stampede!" and let the students drum their feet on the floor for a short time.  (There are no classes under mine, so I don't disturb anyone below me.)  I'll let you know how it goes.

How about you?  Do you have any creative transition ideas? Send them in a comment and I'll post them!

Day 67: Architects and Engineers

Friday, December 10 was day 67.  I decided to use the math period of that day to do some building with my students.  (The kids LOVED this activity!) 

We are in our geometry unit, and we were studying 2D and 3D shapes.  It's sometimes hard for little ones to distinguish between the two.  A few years ago I started having my students build their shapes.  While there are all sorts of K'Nex-type materials or magnetic building sets, I can't always afford a class set of materials for the projects.

I decided to use toothpicks and marshmallows to create the shapes.  After the first year, I realized that marshmallows are a little too soft and they fall apart after a few pokes with the toothpick.  So then I started using gumdrops.  This year, with food allergies in the room, I went with a snack that was safe for both of my kiddos: Welch's Fruit Snacks.  The kids loved it and had a good time being architects for the period.  Check out some of the designs below:




My models made with marshmallows a few years back.  The marhsmallows tend to get sticky and fall apart with the kids manipulating them.  The result is a hard-to-clean mess!



One of my student's models.  He was so proud!

I have the kids start with the 2D shape.  Then I ask them what the 3D equivalent would be.  (For example, a square would turn into a cube.)  I let them build squares, triangles, and rectangles.  We then turn those into cubes, square pyramids, three-sided pyramids, and rectangular prisms.  We also build prisms.  (By the way, I only help with the first shape to show them how to attach the snacks to the toothpicks.  After that, they have to work it out.  They are allowed to converse with a neighbor.) 

If you can use this idea, please go right ahead.  Send me a comment and let me know how it turned out!

Day 66: Two-hour Delay

My school district does not do half days.  Okay, scratch that.  We have ONE half day during the entire school year.  On the LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!  Between days 1 and 180, our professional development meetings are held a few days when the children are not in school.  The good old "Teacher Inservice Day."  There are a few of those sprinkled throughout the year.  However, two to three times a year, we have a two-hour delay placed on the schedules for even more professional development.  Today was on of those days.

My day started at 8:35 with a meeting on data analysis of our DIBELS scores.  It was informative, and I am going to adjust some of my phonics activities based on the findings.  We do phonics as part of our reading program, but I think I can add some extra activities in there to help my lowest readers catch up faster than they are now.

After my meeting I had some time in my room.  I used that time to clean off my shelves.  I am amazed when I start going through things and come across seemingly random items.  Things I put aside to "get to" or "file later" or "try out."  Let's just say I am more organized, my shelves are neat, and my recycling bin has gotten quite a workout.  Some of the things I put in there were from the first month of school! 

The students came in at 10:45 and we got right to work.  The only real change was the fact that we took away first recess today because it is usually from 11:00 to 11:15.  Our lunch period begins at 11:50, so it didn't make sense to have them come in and go right out to play, only to come back in and go to lunch soon after.  Instead, we reviewed for a comprehension quiz tomorrow after we went over the day's expectations, talked about some new things in centers, and some changes to our morning work choices. 

Once we hit lunch, the day was smooth sailing.  The only issue I had was with chatter.  Between the weather (We are supposed to get our first snowfall this weekend.) and the delay, my kiddos were wound up and very vocal.

Hopefully they will be closer to their normal selves tomorrow so we can get some things accomplished.  Although, I have a secret surprise for them during math.  Stay tuned...

Day 65: It's a Blur

**Sorry for the late posts!  My computer decided to freeze up me last night, so I had to finish today!**

You ever have one of those days where dismissal rolls around and you wonder what in the world you did all day?  You know what I mean: You're brain is tired, your body is tired, and you can't seem to recall everything that happened.

Today was one of those days.

The day began with a visit from the Desk Fairy.  Then we went over our plan for the day.  After that we raced through language arts until we were called for an assembly at 10:15.  (The fourth- and fifth-grade choirs, band, and orchestra were doing their dress rehearsal for the Winter Concert.)  Then we flowed right into first recess (15 minutes), independent reading time (You may call it SSR, DEAR time, or Stop, Drop, and Read time.), and lunch.  After lunch we had our read aloud before we went to special. 

While the children were in special (my one break for today), I checked on a student who is going on an educational trip tomorrow.  (He told me he was going and his mom wanted his work for tomorrow, but I had no documentation he was going anywhere.  Found the documentation and had to gather his work.)  After that I set up my activity bins for math.  (We are in our geometry unit and were doing an activity with pattern blocks.)  Then I typed up new plans for the sub that was coming to cover my class while I attended an IEP meeting.  (The activity I originally planned involved cutting and pasting.  Not something I want to give a sub who's never been in my room before.  Those of you who teach young children know what I'm talking about!) Oh, and somewhere in between there I snuck off to use the bathroom and tried to get the computer to print out the plans for the sub.  (Our system has been acting crazy since we had an outage last week.  No connection for most of the day.  'Twas NOT FUN!)

After I picked up the students from special we reviewed our Daily Edits, read about the next night of Hanukkah in Social Studies, did a project, and began our math review before the sub came in to cover my class for my meeting.  I went to the meeting, which lasted just over an hour, then came back to my room in the midst of indoor recess.  (Temperatures outside with the "Real Feel" factored in were in the mid-teens.  Brrr!)  Indoor recess ended about 10 minutes after I came in the door.  Then it was time to copy homework and reminders, clean out mailboxes, get packed up, and wait for dismissal. 

When my last students left, I sat at my desk and wondered where in the world the day went.  It truly was a whirlwind of a day!

Day 64: Me? Teacher Advisor?

I can say that today has been one of the most surreal days in my life.  One of those "I-can't-believe-this-is-really-happening-to-ME" days.  One of those days where you need to keep pinching yourself to make sure you aren't dreaming. 

What has me so worked up? 

Read on.

A few months ago, I applied to be on the Scholastic Teacher Advisor board.  For those of you who may not be aware of what this is, it is a board of 22 teachers who have been selected to work in conjunction with Scholastic to give feedback on materials, book selections used in classrooms, and suggestions for topics/genres to be added to Scholastic's offerings. 
I am pretty psyched because I was called by the woman in charge of the program.  She shared that while the board has 22 members, they only selected five new teachers this year to join.  AND I WAS ONE OF THOSE TEACHERS!

So in February, I will be travelling to New York to attend a conference and meet the other board members.  We'll have some workshops to attend and...I'm not sure what else at this point. (The packet of info hasn't come yet.)  I can honestly say that I am really looking forward to the whole process!   Except for maybe the Visit.  I was told today that my classroom will be visited and observed by two Scholastic staff members at some point prior to my workshop in New York.  (I may be a bit of a ball of nerves the day before.  You know that feeling you get when you have your formal observation done?)

I was also told that Scholastic will cover my travel, lodging, and meals.  The company has us staying in SoHo at the SoHo Grand Hotel.  I've been to different parts of the Big Apple, but never there.  I would like to check out a few places while I'm in the area, but I have no idea of where to begin. 

Do you know of any eclectic/authentic/interesting eateries I should try out?  Or shops?  Or bookstores?  Or museums? Or anything that doesn't involve drinking or clubs?  (Sorry, those just aren't my thing.)  Don't be afraid to share a comment!

Day 63: Where Are They Now?

Do you ever look back on your teaching career and wonder what's happened to students you've taught in the past?  You know, the student who was so shy and quiet you wondered if s/he ever talked?  Or the student who struggled despite all of your best efforts?  Or the student who drove you to contemplate leaving your professional training behind?  Or the student who made you smile each day with cheerful greetings?

My best friend (I'll call her J.) called me this afternoon to share that she saw a former student at Panera Bread.  Not as a customer, but as an employee.  The (former) student approached J and asked her name; J replied.  The student responded that she saw J come in and knew she knew her.  She proceeded to tell J that she was working right now and preparing to go into the military.  She also gave updates on several of the students who had been in the school J used to work in eight years ago.

After the shock of seeing her former student, J began thinking about the other students she taught over the years and wondered what has happened to them.  Are they successful?  Did they continue struggling through school or did they have a breakthrough?  Basically where are they and what are they up to now?  She said she was going to Google her students or look them up on Facebook.  (This got me thinking of my first class; they are high school juniors already!)

J also began to think of her students in terms of impact.  Meaning, what type of impact did she have on her students?  Was she the teacher who was able to get them turned in the right direction or light a fire of interest in a particular topic?  Was she able to inspire a student to improve their work habits and/or attitude?  Was she a positive role model?

Teaching is a profession where you do not often see the final results of what you have put into to a student.  Good or bad, you as the educator has had an impact on the life of a child.  We like to believe that we have given our students the best of what we have to offer our students--academically, emotionally, and personally.  Even so, sometimes there are those questions of self doubt.  You know the ones:  Did I do enough for so and so?  Was I too hard on so and so?  Did I make a lasting difference?  My friend and I would like to believe that we have made a difference in at least one life in our careers, even if we don't always see the end result.    

There was a speaker at a professional development I attended when I first started teaching.  The speaker ended with the following:  "No matter what the situation at home or ability that walks into your classroom, parents are sending you the very best they have."  As hard as it may be some days, our job is to take the best and make it exceptional.  One student at a time.

Day 62: Time to Celebrate!

I am bursting at the seams with excitement.  I simply cannot BELIEVE it!  If I weren't sitting down right now, I'd be doing a little happy dance all over my living room floor.  And who knows?  I just might cut a little rug after I finish this post!

What, you ask, am I SO DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY about?

Well...

Come closer...

Closer...

Lean in...

Good.  Listen...

MY PROJECT THAT WAS POSTED ON DONORS CHOOSE HAS BEEN FULLY FUNDED! HOORAY! 

I cannot tell you how excited I was to open the e-mail tonight and find out that my class set of Whisperphones is no longer a wish, but a dream come true!  One of the donors has children who formerly attended the school where I currently teach.  (I didn't have her children, though.)  She called it an early Christmas present.  That, I think, is the understatement of the year!

If you've never tried Donors Choose, I urge you to give it go. You may be pleasantly surprised!

Have a great weekend everybody!

Day 61: I Wish I Could Be a Fly on His Wall...

A few posts back, I told you all about a book I was reading by Rafe Esquith.  I have about a quarter of the book to go before I finish it, and I tell you, I will be reading more by this teacher/author.  You can find out more about him and his teaching at http://www.hobartshakespeareans.org/.

Simply put, I like the way this guy operates. Granted, I may not have all of the resources and time needed to do all of the things with my second graders that he does with his fifth graders (and some of them are not appropriate for children that young), but there are some really good ideas.

Mr. Esquith (or Rafe, as his students call him.  I don't know him so I'll call him Mr. Esquith.) does what all teachers are expected to do: he teaches skills with practical application to life.  Not just the "required-by-the-curriculum-and-used-by-such-and-such-method-because-administration-says-you-have-to" sort of teaching, but the teaching that adds in the "this-is-how-to-apply-what-you've-learned-to-other-areas-of-your-life-in-order-to-SURVIVE" kind of teaching. 

Even with my second graders, I always relate how what they are learning will be useful to them in the future.  Not in the sense of knowing it for a quiz or test, but for the practical application to things.  From math skills to science, from social studies to writing in a complete sentence (that actually has a subject and predicate and makes sense!), my students know why and how these skills will help them in their everyday lives.  I challenge my students to challenge their parents through homework assignments from time to time, especially if we've had a particularly interesting (and sometimes animated!) discussion on a topic.  I see it as a growing experience for everyone.

One thing I can say I am a bit envious of is Mr. Esquith's permission(?) to teach for teaching's sake.  Not that he doesn't have requirements through his district like we all do, but for the way he is permitted to meet and exceed those requirements.  Let me explain:

In my current district, there is this idea to "teach the basics" and "Stick with the quarterly guidelines!  You MUST cover this and that in THIS time period!  Stay away from things that detract from learning."  (In some buildings, this includes informative academic assemblies!)  "Focus on math and language arts, and, if you find the time, cover science and social studies.  But-! If you don't get to science and social studies, that's okay; the kids will get it later." WHAT?????  My students cover every subject, every day.  There's no excuse not to cover them.  Yes, it may be a little harried some days, but we do it.  Yet I know I work with others in my district who don't get to those subjects on a regular basis, if at all.  And this is education?

In my former district/school, we really tried to have the children experience as much as possible through their learning.  We had the flexibility to move around units to mirror skills.  (Ex.: We had a unit in our science series that covered dinosaurs.  We also had a unit in our language arts series that covered dinosaurs.  We moved the science unit (by a whole quarter) so we could teach it during the dinosaur unit in language arts.  For math, we had measurement around that time, so we took dinosaur lengths from our science text and other supporting texts and measured them in the main hallway.  We wrote reports.  We made fossils.  We made models.  We learned and had FUN while doing it!)  My second graders (yes, even there!) learned so much about dinosaurs.  But they also learned processes, how to gather and organize data, teamwork, planning and organization, and a host of other skills.  My colleagues and I did this type of thing for every skill/unit we taught.  This kind of teaching was ENCOURAGED. 

Sad to say that with my current district, this type of thing is not permitted.  Stay on the timeline, no matter when the holiday falls or the skill makes sense.  Don't show a video and have a discussion about what you've seen. (I get around that one by tying a United Streaming segment with other projects...) Don't move around the curriculum components so they follow a logical order and/or can be best received by the students.  (This especially for Everyday Math!)  Add in this (new/improved/better-than-ever) model/strategy/program to use (even though we're going to change it in the next few years).   It's like the children are being set up to fail.

Even with these roadblocks, there are ways to be creative with your students and help them along.  I use a lot of examples, projects, video clips, stories...basically anything I can get my hands on to help my students grasp the information I am sharing with them.  I know you all do, too.

Mr. Esquith said he often has teachers from other areas come and observe his classroom.  I think it would be an interesting experience to watch him and his class "in action," so to speak.  I say we should petition our Powers That Be for field trips (teachers only) to visit Room 56 (his classroom). We might learn something to take back and help the Powers That Be actually help the children in our districts, instead of hindering them.

Ah well.  For the time being, we can only work within the confines of our district expectations (most of the time! wink wink).  So to you, I say, "Go on with your bad self and teach those children!"  Be creative! Have fun! Be brilliant!

Day 60: Hanukkah/Chanukah

Happy Hanukkah to those of you who celebrate the holiday!  If you were not aware, Hanukkah began at sundown tonight. 

As part of my goal to introduce my students to as many cultures as possible, December is a big month for me in the realm of studying holidays from other cultures.  We learn about Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Las Posadas. 

During the eight days in which Hanukkah is celebrated, I try to mirror the holiday by reading part of a story that focuses on each day.  I like to read the story Pearl's Eight Days of Chanukah by Jane Breskin Zalben.  The book focuses on a family that gets together over the holiday.  Through the reading of the story, the history, traditions, and symbols of Hanukkah are explained.  There are craft projects, recipes, and songs listed throughout the book as the characters in the story celebrate each night.  There is also a glossary of terms in the back of the book.

My classes have always loved the story and the activities.  (I don't get a chance to do all of the activities, but we do some of the simpler ones.  I also send home all of the recipes from the book.  My students always get excited over the one for jelly doughnuts!)

To further explain Hanukkah, my grade level does a "Hanukkah rotation."  It was started by a former colleague who is Jewish and thought it would be a good way to expose the children to another culture.  It's a busy sort of time slot, but it's a lot of fun.

We condense our six second grades into five classes (one class gets split among the others) and do a sort of walking tour from class to class.  Each second grade teacher is responsible for a "stop" on this tour.  One teacher will read a story about Hanukkah, another will have a craft, another will have a tasting of latkes and apple juice while viewing a short video on Hanukkah, another will have the dreidel game, and another is a room where the students can be part of a discussion about the holiday, complete with a menorah and other materials.  Each station is about 15 minutes long.  When the children get back to their homerooms, they are given a plastic dreidel to keep.  The children really enjoy the rotation and are able to "experience" a holiday they may not have had access to.

Our rotation is this Friday afternoon.  I don't cook the latkes; I buy them frozen from the store and heat them through the night before.  Then they just get reheated in the microwave in the afternoon and they're ready to go.  The juice is served in Dixie cups to cut down on spills and wasted juice.  Most children like to eat the latkes with their fingers, so napkins are usually a good way to go.

How do you share the holiday of Hanukkah with your class?  Feel free to add your ideas in the comment section and I'll post them to share with the rest of us!

Day 59: We're Baaack!

Welcome back!

Today was our first day back after having five days off (including the weekend).  I don't know about you and your students, but my students and I were completely in a fog this morning.  Just getting my own two children moving and out the door this morning was a bit of a struggle.  I think everyone just wanted to stay nice and warm in bed.

When I got to school I really didn't have much to do except change the jobs for the week, put up the new banner for our new reading theme, and write in my LEQs (Lesson Essential Questions) on my lesson boards.  It was nice to just sit there and get myself mentally prepared for another school day after my time off.  (This of course, after I realized it was School Spirit Day.  I was supposed to be dressed in blue and white.  I wore purple and black.  Oops. Although it seems quite a few of the staff and students forgot as well so I didn't feel like such a loser.)

The bell rang at 8:45 and the students came in.  Dreary eyed.  Shuffling.  Looking a bit like deer in headlights.  You know the look I mean.  Then to top off the fact that they were back in school and seemingly functioning at a basic level, I gave them MORNING WORK!  (Enter screams here.)  I gave them two daily edits (yesterday's and today's) and a set of math boxes.  (Side note:  Our district uses the Everyday Math curriculum.  Each lesson has six problems arranged in boxes on a page.  The students do one of these pages just about every morning.  And if you're wondering about my feelings on Everyday Math, let me just say "Don't get me started!")  Once everyone was in and the announcements were made (around 9:05), the students were perking up a bit.  It was just a bit slow going at first!

We made it through the school day without anyone falling asleep or calling me "Mom.  I mean, Mrs._______!"  We finished (nearly) all of what I had planned.  (This week's story discussion was intense.  We actually have to finish tomorrow because we ran out of time!)  Ah well.  Tomorrow's another day.

Day 58: Almost There!

The day is almost here!  My husband is already home enjoying the first few moments of his holiday vacation.  Me, not so much.  My little darlings are outside enjoying the last few minutes of recess before they are dismissed in about 35-40 minutes.

Now before I get flack from some of you, my plans for next week are already done, my room is clean and ready to go for next week, and I'm just trying to kill some time.

There should be something written for every school district in the nation that the day before a major holiday should be a half day or just plain off.  This day, while it counts as one of our 180, was a waste.  This morning, we had a grade-level reward movie (part of our monthly behavior plan), although some of mine didn't make it because of owed work.  After that was first recess.  Then a read aloud from our principal.  Then lunch.  Then special.  Then a quick review of today's daily edit followed by an assembly.  That followed by a Thanksgiving graphing activity before recess (where they are now.)  After recess we will get packed up and have a read aloud or silent reading until dismissal.  Sure it makes for easy planning, but I think that time could have been used for more productive things.  Ah well.  It's almost over.

I hope all of you have a wonderful break and really take some time to enjoy yourselves!  And if you score some great Black Friday/holiday weekend deals, don't be afraid to tell the rest of us where the savings are!

Day 57: Children

It's something to observe children on the eve of any sort of time off from school.  While they enjoy being with you during the day and may draw you pictures, or give you hugs, or tell you that you are the best teacher ever, they enjoy being away from you (and the school) just as much.  Maybe more!

My students thought they had me today during our review of the date.  We have Thursday through the following Monday off for the Thanksgiving holiday.  A student looks at me, smiles, and says, "Mrs. ______, this says 'No school!'" 

Smiling, I told her I saw it.  Having been through this many times, I know what's coming.  Wait for it...

She then proceeds to tell me that she likes when we have days off.  (I don't know why little kids think this will shock you, but anyway...) 

I told her I did, too.

(She looks confused, like "Really?") 

"You do?"  (Asked by the student and two others who have joined the conversation by this point.)

"Sure," I said.  "I get to sleep in and I can walk around in my PJs and slippers all day if I want to!"  (Of course, trying to imagine your teacher in PJs and slippers is hilariously funny to them and they are giggling like mad.)

(Enter smile and head shake.) "Okay guys, time to get back to your seats."

Children...are...funny.

Day 56: One Day Down, Two Days to Go!

There are three days until Thanksgiving Break.  I know some of you out there have already gotten a head start on your break and I can only wait for my time to come.  Ah well.  I hope you are enjoying a much needed break!  For the rest of us, hang on a bit longer!  We're almost there!

Day 55: It's Over!

Another American Education Week down.  I don't have to see it again until next November. 

I had quite a few visitors in my room this year, mostly in the afternoons during science and math. I did have a few during one of the mornings when we were doing writing workshop on our Pilgrim writing projects.  Sorry to say that most of the parents looked like they were a bit bored observing the writing process with the children.  I couldn't tell for sure, though.  I just know most of them didn't stay around for very long.

As a said before, I don't plan anything extra special during that week.  I believe the idea is to come in and see what your child does on a regular basis.  I'm not knocking teachers who do special programs or projects, because I know that sometimes that's the only way to get some parents in.  And sometimes the week falls at the end of a unit, where the teachers may already have planned something to celebrate the end of the unit.  (If you are not familiar with LFS, end-of-the-unit/theme celebrations are sort of expected.)  For example, the fourth-grade team in my building studies regions of the United States as part of their geography skills.  When they reach the end of a region, they have a Region Days celebration that highlights the food (of course!), music, customs, etc. of a particular region.  It's a huge deal for them.

For me, I'd rather parents see how we go through our day (It answers some of those questions that may have still been on their minds since conferences or eliminates others that may have cropped up since then.).  Some parents are even surprised at how much we actually cram into a day's work and wonder at how I and other teachers manage to do it.  Sometimes it gives others a new appreciation for your work.

Ah well.  On to those few days before break!

Day 54: Scholastic

I just want to say that I love the Scholastic Book Fair.  Every year, my school's PTA puts one on during American Education Week, and another during our annual May Fair in the spring. 

I like going through and seeing all of the shelves full of new books; the possibilities waiting to be explored and put into use.  My husband will tell you, if we are anywhere near a place that sells books (Borders, Barnes and Noble, library book sales, flea markets, etc.), the best thing is just to leave me there and come back later.  And bring something to haul off my finds.

My wallet caved to some books today after I "perused" for a bit while my students were in special.  I bought several for my children (one each to read now, and several more for Christmas--shh, don't tell!).  I also bought one for myself, titled Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56 by Rafe Esquith.  Looks interesting; I can't wait to read it!

Aside from the book fairs, I rely on Scholastic book orders (as you remember from Day 16).  I use the points accumulated from the student book orders to order books for my class library.  I also like the fact that Scholastic gives teacher coupons and will send free books if your order totals a certain amount each month.  I am guilty of buying a few items to help my class reach that dollar threshold just so I can get the points and the free books.  (Don't seem so shocked; I know some of you do it, too!  Wink, wink!)  Really, it's one of the few ways I can get books without going broke.  Teachers spend enough of their own money as it is.

I am always looking for good deals on books for my class and for myself.  I would love to hear of any sites or stores that have good deals in your area.  Leave a note in the comment box with your favorite link or store and I'll list them in a Reader Resource post.  In the meantime, happy reading!

Day 53: Insects!

Today was a fun day.  We began our day with our insect speaker who shared with us the interesting world of aquatic insects.  He is the parent of one of the students in another class and is a biologist by profession.  He talked to the children about the life cycles of the insects, the difference between complete and incomplete metamorphosis, camouflage, and where to find them in the water. 

He also brought samples(!) of the different types of insects in various stages of their life cycles.  The students observed dragonflies, damselflies, mayflies, and various other types of water beetles and crustaceans (like crayfish).  The students loved it and were full of questions.  They especially were impressed (and sort of grossed out) by a giant water beetle.

These are stages in the life cycle of an aquatic insect.  I think it's a type of beetle.

This is the water beetle the kids were fascinated yet somewhat repulsed by, mainly because of it's size.  It's about 2.5 to 3 inches long and is about 1.5 inches across at its widest point.  Sort of looks like a cockroach close up.  I'm not afraid of insects, but this is not something I'd want to find in my shoe!

After our speaker left, we continued with science and observed our own mealworm colony in the classroom.  We watched one adult beetle crawl around while another molted out of its pupa-skin covering.  I swear my students all want to become little entomologists now!  

That is, as long as they don't have to study the giant water beetle...

Day 52: American Education Week

Here it is again.  American Education Week. This is the week set aside to celebrate the American education system and those who work in it.  A week where programs may be put on, book fairs may be held, and parents may observe your room and watch what their children do all day while they are under your guidance and direction. 

**Sigh.**

I don't like American Education Week. 

There. 

I've said it.

I know some schools set aside a day or two for parents to come in during a few hours.  My previous school was like that.  Parents could come in on one of two days for a little while.  My current school permits parents to visit four days of the five this week, from 9:15-3:15.  So if a parent wants to come in and stay all day, they can.

Did I mention that I don't like this week?

Today began the first day of visitation.  I had two visitors, during computer lab.  That's it for the whole day.  And that's okay with me.

It's not that I have anything to hide.  Far from it.  I'm very open with my parents. I constantly send updates, e-mail pictures of special things we do in class, and keep our class webpage updated on a weekly basis. 

And it's not so much that I mind having a person or two in my room once in a while.  What I don't like is when I have a crowd of people in my room.  It feels like I'm on display while I do my job.  I know parents are interested in what we do during the day, but I am trying to work.

The other thing that bothers me is when parents come in and disrupt your room. I overheard a colleague telling about a parent who was cracking jokes while s/he was trying to teach!  This while another parent was hovering over his/her child while s/he was working, asking questions.  Nevermind that these behaviors were probably disruptive to the rest of the children in the room who were trying to focus and learn. 

The idea of coming in to observe is just that.  The kids are still trying to focus and complete their work.  I've never had to correct a parent during American Education Week, but I don't think I'd have a problem doing so--tactfully, of course.  Bottom line is, this is school and students are trying to learn.

What bothers me above everything, however, is when parents come in and their children are suddenly unable to do things on their own or so wrapped up in trying to get their parent's attention that they aren't paying attention to their work.  Some children actually behave worse when their parents are in the room.

I've already warned my students about such behavior.  I flat out tell them that while we may have visitors, we still have work to do and I expect them to get it done as if there is no one else in the room.  I also tell them that it doesn't matter to me who is visiting: their mom, dad, granny, grandpa, aunt, uncle. etc.  There are expectations and they need to be followed or I will correct the behavior.  No excuses, no apologies made.  For the most part, my students pretty much stay on task.

There are three days left in the week.  I'm hoping most of my visitors come tomorrow for our speaker presentation.  Since we are studying live insects in science (on a rotation with weather), we have a local biologist coming in to talk with the children about types of insects and share interesting facts.  It should be very informative.

Past that, during the rest of the week we will be finishing our Pilgrim stories, writing workshop, math lessons on attributes and buying items, a lesson on seasons, a guidance lesson on being a good friend, and an observation of our mealworm colony (Our first beetle appeared today.).  That's it.  I don't believe in "putting on a show" for parents.  I teach what I teach.  Period.

So we'll see how this week goes.  Should be interesting.

Stay tuned...

Day 51: More Cool Ideas

We've been working on some projects in class.  Last week we read the story Owl Moon and compared it with a story called Owls.  As part of a fact-finding assessment, I had the children find 10 facts about owls in the selection and create a poster.  They turned out pretty neat.

An owl fact poster.

We have also been working on our Weather unit in science.  As part of our study on clouds, we created cloud flap books.  Each book highlights four types of clouds: stratus, cumulus, cirrus, and cumulonimbus.  The students were given a packet of cloud information to read through.  After reading through, they wrote down two facts they learned about clouds under each flap.




This is the cover of the book. We used cotton balls to create the clouds.  The children thought this was great fun.

 

This is the inside of the book.  Two facts are listed for each type of cloud.

 Another project we started this week to go along with Thanksgiving is reading the Pilgrim children set.  (A colleague has been using this project for quite a number of years and passed it on to me when I joined the team four years ago.)  I use the set as a "work smarter, not harder" project.  The books are read during Language Arts, but can be combined into Social Studies for a thematic unit.  I spend two days one one book, two days on the other, and about two to three days on a writing workshop project.

I have the Samuel Eaton book and the Sarah Morton book.  (I plan to get the Tapenum book to use in the future.)  What I currently have the children listen for is: how the children dressed, what chores they had to do, and what they did in their free time.  (We do this in a four-square.)  We then use the four-square to create a writing piece where the children write what their lives would be like if they were a Pilgrim child.  The boys write about the boy's life and the girls write about the girl's life. 

The children really enjoy learning about what life was like several hundred years ago.  They have a lot of questions and we have some lively discussions about the two books, especially when I remind the children that there were no electronics (and therefore, no TV or video games) back then!

I hope you can use some of these ideas for your classrooms.  If you try any out, leave a note and let me know how they turned out.  I can't wait to see them!

Day 50: The Day After

I always find it interesting to witness the change in students the day after report cards are given.  You know what I mean.  They're more focused and serious about getting their assignments done, or they are working hard at not talking or not being social.  The mood is almost somber...but in a good, let's-get-down-to-business sort of way. 

My students have an idea of what types of things I am going to talk about with their parents; we conference before the parent conferences.  I ask them what types of things they think they did well in, and where they think they have room for improvement.  Most kids are pretty aware of these two areas and are often spot on with their views. 

I conference with them because my current school does not have children in conferences with the parents.  In my previous school, it was a requirement for me.  I met with the parents and the children at the same time because it eliminates any confusion that may have arisen about any homework issues, expectations, etc.  We all met together and ended on the same note, so there were no excuses later.  If there was ever a concern regarding a learning disability or area of counseling need, I always excused the child for that part of the discussion, or arranged to meet the parents at another time.

What about you? Take the poll under the "Popular Posts" section and let me know your thoughts on "conference etiquette."

Conferences

Yesterday was report card conferences.  I was here from 8:00 until 4:15.  (Some of my conferences went over, despite the fact that I use a timer to try and stay on track.  Really, 10 minutes to give the report card--which parents are seeing for the first time--and go over all of your concerns, parents concerns, and any additional questions?!?!)  I stayed on track as best I could. 

Suggestion to all of you who may not already do this:  Bring a drink!  Preferably a warm one to keep your throat from getting scratchy (or at least lesson the effect!).  Here's my tea in one of those cups I posted about a few weeks back when I was battling my cold.


Vanilla Caramel tea.  My favorite!

Once I had the beverage situation taken care of, I set up my table with the report cards, my schedule, a timer, a pen and note card for jotting down things, and my newsletter.  (Couldn't get this one to attach to anything, so I took a pic of it.)  The newsletter just tells parents what we will be working on throughout the quarter so they can have a heads up.  As a parent myself, I like these because if I know my child has problems with fractions, and fractions are going to be covered, I can at least preview some material with him. Under Language Arts, I include subcategories for grammar, comprehension, phonics, and writing skills.

Second quarter newsletter

While parents are waiting, I have a space outside in the hallway where they can sit in adult-sized chairs.  The plastic green basket is holding note cards and markers so parents can write a little note to their child while they wait.  On the table are more of my donation cards with requests for foaming hand soap, paper towels, and tissue with lotion.  The dark green wire basket has candy in it, while the light green basket on the floor had children's books in it.  (Sometimes parents bring along their children, so the books keep the kiddos occupied while the parents are in meeting with me.) 

A comfy space to wait

Overall, the day went well.  I was just tired from talking all day long.  And by bedtime, my throat was feeling a little scratchy.  It felt much better this morning.

If you haven't had your conferences yet, you might want to try a few of these ideas.  Or if you've already had your conferences, you might want to try a few for next time around.  AND, if you have any neat additions I can post for others to see, please send them in via the comment link below. 

Looking forward to your ideas! 

Day 49: Preparation for Conferences

Tomorrow my day begins with my first conference at 8:15 a.m.  Conferences are done in 10-minute increments, with five minutes between each conference.  For example, my 8:15 will go until 8:25, then I will have five minutes until the next one.  Hypothetically. I usually just go straight through.  I will finish sometime around 3:30, with an hour lunch break in the middle of the day. (And some strategically placed restroom breaks!  It's hard to give a report if your bladder's full, you know?)

To prepare for conferences, I have the report card ready (of course), but I take some extra measures as well.

I always have a newsletter available for the parents to have for reference.  The newsletter lists the skills we will be covering by subject for the upcoming quarter.  That way, if parents see something they know their child may have trouble with (like fractions), they can preview the skill with their child before we get to that lesson or unit.

I also have the following outside my door in the hallway: (I forgot to take a picture in the rush to leave today; I will post it tomorrow.)
**A student-sized desk or table to use for display.
**Two adult-sized chairs for waiting parents.
**A basket of note cards and markers so parents can leave a little note for their child while they wait.  I then put those notes on the desks of the children before they come in the next school day.
**A basket of treats.  Usually this is chocolates; tomorrow will be butterscotch or Jolly Ranchers.  (My room is nut free, remember?)  Tip: Put in a bit at a time and replenish throughout the day.  I learned that one the hard way my first conference.  Seems that while I was talking with Mom and Dad, little ones were filling their pockets!
**A basket under the desk or table filled with books for children to read while they wait.  Clearly labeled with my name, of course!
**A spread of "donation" reminders.  (Remember my giraffe cards from Parent Night?)
**An art portfolio of student artwork from the art teacher.  (At the beginning of the year, some of the projects get ruined because the students aren't careful with them.  I put them in a little folder and hand them off to the parents during conferences so they make it home in one piece.

Well, off to prepare my clothes and myself for tomorrow.  See you on the other side.

Day 48: Light at the End of the Tunnel

I'm almost there!  Just a few more entries on a sheet and I will be finished with report cards!  This weekend saw me getting some work done, but with my husband away for a church conference from Friday morning to Sunday evening, I didn't finish quite as much as I wanted. 

Grades are in, comments are finished, math checklists are done.  All I need to do is fill in the actual letter grades and attendance sections. 

Life is looking good.

Day 47: LOVE this site!

If you're not already familiar with it, check out http://www.readinga-z.com/.  I use it quite a bit for worksheets, booklets, lesson plan ideas, etc.  The site also has several sister sites that focus on vocabulary, writing, science, and other subjects/skills. 

What about you?  Any sites you just can't teach without?  Enter them into the comments section below and I'll post them as a "Best of..." for fellow educators.

Happy commenting!

Day 46: Report Card Comment Form

Here is the report card comment sheet I said I'd post earlier this week.  I hope you can read it! This was the largest I could get the image without it taking over the whole page.  Anyhow, it's a table I've modified to show all of the academic areas for this past quarter. (I add in Science and Social Studies for the second and fourth quarters.)  That way, my parents can have some idea of their child's progress.  (If you're wondering about this, see Day 44: Preparing for Report Cards.)

This is a scan of the actual document, but you get the idea.  I've had several colleagues use it as well.  It's like a little snapshot of progress.  Since it was made in a table format, the boxes are expandable to include all of the information I need to put in.  There is also a space to put in the averages; I just put the cursor in the space before the percentage sign and enter them there.

So, if you want to use the idea for clarity during conferences, preparation for Special Education or Gifted Education meetings, or if your district has outdated report cards and you're searching for a better way to show your student's progress, then go right ahead.

Be sure to drop me a comment to tell me if you like the idea, if you gave it a try, and whether or not it worked for you.

Enjoy your weekend!

Day 45: Already?

Where does time go?  We are already through one quarter of the school year.  I can see the growth in my students, as academic learners and as people who are learning how to navigate their world.  I know they can't see it yet, but by the end of the year they will be surprised at how much they've changed, how much they've grown, and how much they've learned over the course of the year.  Conversely, I feel like I always grow throughout the year in my daily interactions with them.

Second quarter starts tomorrow.  I'm curious to see how much more my students can grow this year.

Day 44: Preparing for Report Cards

It's that time of year again.  One of the things I don't like about teaching is preparing report cards.  Our district does not have digital report cards, so we have to use these 4-ply carbon papers.  They are color-coded by quarter.  I've used them before and they're not so bad.

BUT...

I have some major gripes about our report cards.  Read on.

1. The report cards are outdated.  The powers that be have not updated them to meet the current curriculum expectations or standards in something like 15 years!  We've been told for at least the past four years that they will be changed, but we never get a definitive time period. We only use half of the report card because the rest of it doesn't apply.  I fill in the part about attendance, conduct, and overall grades.  I also fill in the part dealing with language arts skills.  That's it.
2. Speaking of overall grades, the guidelines for our O (Outstanding), S (Satisfactory), and N (Not Satisfactory) designations don't make sense.  An O is 90 or above, and an N is below 70.  Which leaves 71-89 as an S.  What kind of a crazy range is THAT?!?  There are also different subcategories with proficiency ranges: - (below grade level), L (grade level), and + (above grade level).  Those ranges are for the main subjects.  There is a second set of ranges for the SUBSETS of each main subject.  The subset ranges from 1-4, with 1 meaning the student needs major support to complete the tasks, and 4 meaning extremely proficient.  CRYSTAL CLEAR, RIGHT?  Sure, if you're looking through a cracked window in the fog at midnight.  Moving on...
3. Adding to the confusion is that fact that in Kindergarten, there is a different report card than Grades 1 and 2.  First grade only gives grades for the last three quarters of the year.  Second grade gives grades for all four quarters.  But when the students reach grades 3-5, there is a whole new report card, complete with the usual A-F range. 
4.  We cannot use the math section on the report card because it no longer matches the program we now use (which, by the way, has been changed or updated at least twice during the run of the current report card format).  On the math section, we have to write "See attached," which directs the parents to an Everyday Math checklist regarding the skills taught that quarter.  Students are marked Adequate (80% or above demonstration of the skill) or Not Adequate (below 80% demonstration of the skill).  Also on the checklist is a space for comments regarding math capabilities. This one CAN be done on the computer.  Pretty nice, actually.
5. Speaking of comments, the comment section for the report card is squeezed into the space equal to one-third the size of a regular 8-1/2 by 11 sheet of paper.  That's right.  That small space to cover academic and behavioral concerns for four quarters.

So, what do I do?

I actually have a third sheet that I created to use in order to add in my comments for the parents.  I have a template for it; I'll add it to a post by the end of the week so you can use it if you want.  In short, it's a sheet of paper with the child's name, all of the subjects covered that quarter (science and social studies grades are given twice a year), a behavior section, a homework section, and a general comment section.  I also have three columns where I list the child's strengths, needs, and possible solutions for improvement for each subject.  Sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but it's the only way I could get everything onto one sheet and still have the parents understand their child's progress. Because, you know, the report card is SO user-friendly.

Report card conferences are next Thursday, November 11.  This means from 8:15 (my first conference) until about 3:30 (my last conference), I am meeting parent after parent to discuss my concerns.  Oh, and did I mention that we are only supposed to allot 10 minutes for each conference?  (Mine go over sometimes.  I try to spread them out, especially if I have serious concerns for a student--then I'll allot 20 minutes.  But it happens. And sometimes if the parent has a sibling's conference right before yours, they don't always arrive on time.  That said, how are you supposed to cover everything all in 10 minutes?  Hint:  Use the comment sheet I created!) 

Oh  yeah, here's the kicker for this year.  The parents aren't given the report cards UNTIL THEY MEET YOU IN THE CONFERENCE!  This was a scheduling issue from a who knows where; the report cards are usually given out a day or two beforehand.  But no, I get the pleasure of handing the report card to the parents as they walk in to conference with me. Joy. Somebody bang my head against the wall now.  Not that I have any real academic issues to address, but I don't like the idea of having to give the report card and cover everything else in those 10 minutes.

SO...over the next few days I will be completing my report cards bit by bit.  There is no way I can get all of the report cards and their accompanying pieces gathered and put together in one day.  I do a section at a time and it gets done.

I just hate doing them; it's such a process.  Somebody has GOT to think of a better way to do these things.  Or at least give us a report card that makes some sense!

Ah well.  I'm off to look through the fog.

Day 43: Sniffles, Sniffles for Everyone

It's spreading like wildfire.  I came in today to find that three children in my room were out sick.  One had just returned from being out for the previous three school days with an ear infection and bronchitis.  As I surveyed my room, there are two more I suspect are in the early stages of whatever is going around.

While I thought briefly for a moment that I possibly infected these poor children, the attendance report showed that this must be a building-wide thing.  There were a LOT of children out today!  Could be from the crazy weather we've been having (We've had a range of temps, from 71 degrees to 30 degrees at night in the past week.  I'm sure that didn't help matters.), trick-or-treating in the cold, or the bug that's been running up and down the halls of the building, infecting all in its path.  Who knows?

I just know I'll be getting my flu shot this year to help ward off any unwanted germs.  I'm already fanatical about washing my hands and wiping my desk (the custodians wipe the student's desks).  I don't want any more illness this year.  I know, I know.  When you work with small children, it's an occupational hazard. 

There is no school tomorrow because it's Election Day, but I'm hoping all of my class will be well and back so we can continue on track with what we need to do.  It's always harder to give make-up work than have the children present and learning.  I like my students to be there.  They get more out of their education that way.

We'll see what Wednesday brings.

Day 42: Parties and Parades

I made it in to school today.  Still froggy-sounding and a little wheezy yet, but feeling more energetic and breathing clearly through my nose.  Five hours of sleep during the day and an extra nine at night sure helped a lot.

The morning was easy because we showed our reward movie for good behavior.  (Any student who stays within the parameters of our behavior plan gets a reward at the end of the month.  Sometimes its extra recess or a special project; sometimes it is a movie.)  Those who don't earn it have to sit out in another classroom.  

Since I wasn't hosting this time, I had a bit of time to set my appointment times for report card conferences, organize my room, plan, get copies made, and catch up on e-mails and correspondence from the day before. 

After the movie, the day followed the usual routine until 1:45, when parents started showing up to set up  for the party and help children get ready for the costume parade.  At 2:15, the children paraded out of the building by grade level.  They traveled down the main hall, out and around the bus loop, and back into the building to line the hallways and watch the other grades pass.  It's a neat thing, because we start with kindergarten and end with fifth grade.  Having the children line the hallways allowed the younger kids to see the older kids as they walk through and vice versa.  The kids are excited to see their siblings and friends, and you get a chance to see a lot of interesting costumes.  From fairies to the cast of the Wizard of Oz (our first-grade team), from cartoon characters and superheroes, from cowboys to Star Wars stormtroopers, we saw it all.  One of my favorites, however, was a student who dressed as the character Phineas from the Disney series Phineas and Ferb, complete with the giant triangular head and orange pipe-cleaner hair on top. 

When the parade was over, it was time for the party.  The children had a great time making little tissue ghosts, guessing the number of candy corn in a jar (to be raffled off), bowling with baby pumpkins, searching for treasure in a jewel toss game, eating, posing for pictures, and dancing.  I didn't have much to do regarding crafts or games, but I was exhausted by dismissal time.  In all, however, it was a fun day.

On to the weekend...to sleep!

Day 41: Warm Blankets, Tea, and the Remote

This day saw me at home, warm vanilla caramel tea (with milk) on my nightstand, the Cooking Channel spouting delicious-sounding recipes from the television, and me, well, snoring.  Loudly, thanks to my stuffy nose.

I literally had to drag myself out of bed that morning to get my kids off to school.  My husband leaves for work by 6:30 a.m. so it's up to me to get my two out the door on time.  On this day, my oldest got off to school without a hitch.  And then to my amazement and delight, so did my son.  Usually he rides in with me, but since I was home sick, I drove him to the bus stop--which is up the hill and around the corner from my house--and waited until the bus came.  Then I came back home and went right to bed.  That was about 8:30.

I slept for more than three hours straight, waking about two minutes before my husband sent me a text at 11:49 to see how I was feeling.  I told him I slept.  Soundly.  Wrapped up in all of the blankets on our king-sized bed.  I might have even drooled.

If you know me, you know I don't take naps often.  I am one of the first people up each day, and usually the last to bed (the bane of most mothers, I think.) I whirr nonstop all day, just to crash and repeat the following day.  So if I sleep that hard, for that long of a time period, something is up.  Just so happens this something was the cold I was fighting.

After a lunch of I don't know what (really, I don't remember what I ate that day), I went back to bed and dozed off and on for the next two-and-a-half hours.  I made myself get up at 2:00 so I could get a shower before my daughter got in from school.  I did feel better, though.  Not 100%, but much better than I had.

I decided to go in on Friday, which was Halloween parades and parties.  There is no way in good conscience I could ever leave a sub--on purpose!--with that kind of a day.  It's just cruel.

On my way back folks!  On my way!

Day 40: I've Caved

Well, I went in today, aches and all.  Not a good thing.

I should have known better.  I should have listened to one of my best friends and taken today off (she sent me a text as soon as I posted last night!).   Let's just say I'm glad to be back home.

I'm sitting here with the full realization that I will not be going in tomorrow.  In fact, I put in my request for a sub just after lunch today.  How is it that no matter how well planned you are, it always seems to take longer to plan for a sub to come in and cover your class?  I just don't get it.

Oh well.  I'm off to wrap up in a blanket and take a nap.  Sweet dreams to me.   

Day 39: First Cold of the School Year

Ugh.  Today I woke up with what feels like a rock in my throat and one stuffy nostril that whistled when I breathed.  I'm sure my husband thought I was sexy then.

I had a pretty good idea this was coming.

One of my colleagues fought the battle of the germs and lost about a week and a half ago.  He is still recovering from the effects.  My colleague next door to me started her day much the same as I started mine today.  She had a sub when I walked in this morning.

And me?  I believe in the power of positive thinking in regards to my health.  That is, I am rarely sick.  Even now, while my symptoms throughout the day have progressed to sneezes here and there, coughs, the feeling that I have an elephant sitting on my chest, and a voice that resembles a bullfrog, I keep thinking it could be worse.  I could be back to my first year teaching in this district when I caught every severe cold that entered the building between November and March.  The worst part of that time period was when I thought I had a bad cold and cough for a month, only to find out I had walking pneumonia and was off for a week.  This, the week before Christmas break.  I know, I know; I can hear the groans from here.

Back to the present.  I bought some snazzy reusable hot beverage cups at Target so I can put my hot tea in them to sip throughout the morning.  (The ones I bought came in a two-pack and have cool designs on them.  Couldn't find the designs on the manufacturer's site, though. Sorry!) I have my ginger ale at hand and have taken a nice little nap after dinner tonight.  My prayer is that I don't get any worse than this so I can finish out my week with my students.  You know what I mean; sometimes it's harder to be out sick than it is to stick it out and be in the building.  If I call off, then you KNOW I'm sick. 

That said, I'm going to find a comfy spot in my bed, watch a little TV, and drift back into sleep. 

See you tomorrow.