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!