We've been at Big Bear Lake this week. We set up the tents outside our classrooms, and we've been reading inside the tents. We set up the tables with camping stoves, maps, lanterns, and other gear. Tomorrow we're going on a hike to Maxwell Park. We'll see the three habitats: the meadow, the woods and the creek. In the end we'll eat lunch at the campground and listen to sappy love songs sung by Mr. Madison. All this is connected to our reading curriculum: Henry & Mudge and the Starry Night.
I'm a bit jittery about tomorrow because I am short on parent volunteers. I just have one, and that's Mo, Kahlil's stepdad. I guess if I have to I'll buddy up with Mrs. Griffith who has 6 parent volunteers.
Today Patsy brought in water bottles holders for the entire class. We will take them on the hike. They each picked one hand crocheted bottle which will live in the classroom until the end of all our field trips. I showed slides of hikes with former classes while they tried on the water bottles with Patsy's help.
They calmed down more today, still I am concerned about the noise level in my class. I've got a lively bunch. At least they read well - I have six who can read at 3rd grade level.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
Them Bones
We began the skeletons this week. I hung Alaina's yellowed paper plate skeleton up, and introduced the project.
"Once many years ago, before you were born, there was a very popular teacher at El Verano School. She was Mrs. Fromke, and known for teaching about birds and bones. My daughters, Alaina and Kaily, were lucky enough to have her, and I got my design for building a skeleton out of paper plates from her. Now we are going to study bones just like the students here long ago.
So I began my patter, to the collective gasps of awe and disbelief. They were amazed that there were students who sat in this same room before they were born. They never even considered that Alaina had even sat in room 33, then room 9 with Mr. Grund but that's another story - one that occurred twenty years ago.
"Did you know that this room is still filled with skeletons? There are 25 skeletons sitting in here right now"
"No! Ms Cambio, skeletons aren't real!" laughed the kids. Then I had to break it to them. Not only were skeletons real, and alive in our time, but they were the skeletons, or each of them has had a living skeleton inside of them.
"Wow" they all exclaimed when they saw my crate filled with traced paper plates, in stacks by bone type. "You must have stayed up late doing all those plates."
"It took two nights of tracing, so you'd better really listen to the instructions or you'll have a skeleton with a bone missing. It happens all the time, the poor student who makes a skeleton that has to hop around on one leg, or make do without a pelvis, all because someone didn't follow directions."
Then I showed them the bag of spare bones, with students of the past's names on them. I saved them just in case someone needed a new humerous or femur.
We passed out the plates and let the cutting begin. We cut out the skulls, the ribcages, the pelvises, the femurs. They labeled each bone with their name and the name of the bone: Alan's pelvis, and Bella's ribcage. I insisted upon the use of possessive s in their labels so they could practice the grammar skill along with the bone identification. I passed out a big plastic bag to each person so they could begin their own bag of bones. We had to stop at this point and clean up.
We'll begin again next week. After the children left, I sorted through the bones, and found an extra pelvis on the loose, and a missing femur. Someone had labeled the skull "femur" and someone else forgot to label at all.
Anyhow, we will in the end, fabricate a set of 24 skeleton models with the bones all labeled to take home on Halloween. It will take time and patience. It will take fine kettle of patience. I'll wonder why I signed on for this again, then in the end, the magic of a classful of dancing skeletons will win me over. It's a boneyard out there!
"Once many years ago, before you were born, there was a very popular teacher at El Verano School. She was Mrs. Fromke, and known for teaching about birds and bones. My daughters, Alaina and Kaily, were lucky enough to have her, and I got my design for building a skeleton out of paper plates from her. Now we are going to study bones just like the students here long ago.
So I began my patter, to the collective gasps of awe and disbelief. They were amazed that there were students who sat in this same room before they were born. They never even considered that Alaina had even sat in room 33, then room 9 with Mr. Grund but that's another story - one that occurred twenty years ago.
"Did you know that this room is still filled with skeletons? There are 25 skeletons sitting in here right now"
"No! Ms Cambio, skeletons aren't real!" laughed the kids. Then I had to break it to them. Not only were skeletons real, and alive in our time, but they were the skeletons, or each of them has had a living skeleton inside of them.
"Wow" they all exclaimed when they saw my crate filled with traced paper plates, in stacks by bone type. "You must have stayed up late doing all those plates."
"It took two nights of tracing, so you'd better really listen to the instructions or you'll have a skeleton with a bone missing. It happens all the time, the poor student who makes a skeleton that has to hop around on one leg, or make do without a pelvis, all because someone didn't follow directions."
Then I showed them the bag of spare bones, with students of the past's names on them. I saved them just in case someone needed a new humerous or femur.
We passed out the plates and let the cutting begin. We cut out the skulls, the ribcages, the pelvises, the femurs. They labeled each bone with their name and the name of the bone: Alan's pelvis, and Bella's ribcage. I insisted upon the use of possessive s in their labels so they could practice the grammar skill along with the bone identification. I passed out a big plastic bag to each person so they could begin their own bag of bones. We had to stop at this point and clean up.
We'll begin again next week. After the children left, I sorted through the bones, and found an extra pelvis on the loose, and a missing femur. Someone had labeled the skull "femur" and someone else forgot to label at all.
Anyhow, we will in the end, fabricate a set of 24 skeleton models with the bones all labeled to take home on Halloween. It will take time and patience. It will take fine kettle of patience. I'll wonder why I signed on for this again, then in the end, the magic of a classful of dancing skeletons will win me over. It's a boneyard out there!
Friday, September 25, 2009
Another September Birthday Blues
Well, it was Em's birthday today which makes five this month. We made her the traditional birthday book in which everyone encloses an illustrated letter. I thought we had gotten off easy without cake this time because it was the end of the day, and none had shown up. We sang the usual song and rolled the birthday dice which selected the poem to be read. Then at least a half dozen students got on the bandwagon to roll the dice. They all claimed to have lost teeth which entitled them to a roll of the teeth dice.
In the end, the cake showed up. "Oh, rats," I muttered under my breath. "More cake, more sugared up kids."
The school board passed a resolution to disallow sweets at school, but what is one to do about the cakes that arrive willy nilly as each birthday occurs. Then, I bit my tongue because after all, it was a child's birthday which is really the most important day in their sweet but short lives.
A good teacher must always have a positive attitude even when the frosting is dripping off the top of the cupcakes, and the kid-lets are bouncing in the seats on a mellow chocolate high.
I corrected their math tests, fact tests, spelling tests and edited their fall paragraphs after school. I also planned out my next week and set the schedule correct for Monday.
I thought about my kiddoos as I played catch up in the work department, I need to reach past the surface, dive deeper into the consciousness of the world through the eyes of a child.
In the end, the cake showed up. "Oh, rats," I muttered under my breath. "More cake, more sugared up kids."
The school board passed a resolution to disallow sweets at school, but what is one to do about the cakes that arrive willy nilly as each birthday occurs. Then, I bit my tongue because after all, it was a child's birthday which is really the most important day in their sweet but short lives.
A good teacher must always have a positive attitude even when the frosting is dripping off the top of the cupcakes, and the kid-lets are bouncing in the seats on a mellow chocolate high.
I corrected their math tests, fact tests, spelling tests and edited their fall paragraphs after school. I also planned out my next week and set the schedule correct for Monday.
I thought about my kiddoos as I played catch up in the work department, I need to reach past the surface, dive deeper into the consciousness of the world through the eyes of a child.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Peace Path
We solve our problems in room 33 by using the peace path. We got to it today because many students wanted it, but we had to have it early during math time so not to conflict with the activity time at the end of the day. Juggling the schedule is a daily mind boggling event. Here's how the peace path works: anyone who has a problem can take it to the class council. We pick names from a tin box to take turns with conflicts. If you have no conflict, you say pass.
We begin with a recital of the rules including hand signs: no put downs, no gossip, right to pass, active listening. Everyone does this in chorus. Emily was the mediator, and I assisted since Joshua was out. Anytime we named someone who had a problem, they'd step up to the path. The wronged child stands on red, the defendant stands on blue. "I feel bad when you're mean" said the newbie to the peace path. "That won't do," said I, "You haven't told us what mean is! You need exact words."
"I don't get it." "Well, what was so mean, tell me what he did." Then the story comes out. O has been a bit of a show off to his friend. "That's a put down! When you say, 'I can do it better than you,' you'll hurt someone's feelings." I steer them through their agreement.
"You've agreed to be kinder to your friend, can you keep that as a promise?" so asks the mediator as we step through the conflict.
"Does that solve the problem?"
"Shake hands, and exit in peace."
When Bella and Sofia step up to the peace path, there's a murmur - "but their best friends!"
"And they want to stay best friends," I remind them. "The peace path is a good place to work out anything with your best friend. It's not a bad thing, it's a good thing!"
"Oh, now I get it!" exclaimed O, "It's for talking about things."
And so we go, step by step, facing the small concerns one item at a time.
We begin with a recital of the rules including hand signs: no put downs, no gossip, right to pass, active listening. Everyone does this in chorus. Emily was the mediator, and I assisted since Joshua was out. Anytime we named someone who had a problem, they'd step up to the path. The wronged child stands on red, the defendant stands on blue. "I feel bad when you're mean" said the newbie to the peace path. "That won't do," said I, "You haven't told us what mean is! You need exact words."
"I don't get it." "Well, what was so mean, tell me what he did." Then the story comes out. O has been a bit of a show off to his friend. "That's a put down! When you say, 'I can do it better than you,' you'll hurt someone's feelings." I steer them through their agreement.
"You've agreed to be kinder to your friend, can you keep that as a promise?" so asks the mediator as we step through the conflict.
"Does that solve the problem?"
"Shake hands, and exit in peace."
When Bella and Sofia step up to the peace path, there's a murmur - "but their best friends!"
"And they want to stay best friends," I remind them. "The peace path is a good place to work out anything with your best friend. It's not a bad thing, it's a good thing!"
"Oh, now I get it!" exclaimed O, "It's for talking about things."
And so we go, step by step, facing the small concerns one item at a time.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Thousands Club
A veteran teacher understands the need for good 'sponge' activities. The sponge is any somewhat important activity that a child can do on their own after they have finished with their assigned seatwork. These days we call these the May Dos, and the Must Dos. On the must do list, are all the most essential tasks - stories or letters to write, the daily language, spelling and math worksheets. On the may do list, there's a few easy, valuable but not immediate tasks that a child who finishes early can do so that they don't have to come up with their own ideas. My May Do list is simple: read a book, practice with flash cards, or work on your Thousand Club Book.
The thousand club book is a simple book with 10 pages of 100 grid graph paper on which one can write the counting numbers to 1,000. Here's where it gets a little twisted, if I made my students write to 1,000 it would be like pulling teeth. They'd hide their books, lose them and break pencils just to avoid this horrific chore. I've been this route.
But to put it on the May Do list, a prize activity choice and voila! It's got a new image, Now it's the most popular pastime happening in room 33. If I turn my back on my munchkins, there they go - sneaking out their counting books to clandestinely work on them.
I already have seven students who have finished their books, one more will finish tomorrow. I gently scold them for working too much on the numbers when they need to finish their language arts, but not without an inner chuckle. I'm quietly proud of their contrary industry.
The thousand club book is a simple book with 10 pages of 100 grid graph paper on which one can write the counting numbers to 1,000. Here's where it gets a little twisted, if I made my students write to 1,000 it would be like pulling teeth. They'd hide their books, lose them and break pencils just to avoid this horrific chore. I've been this route.
But to put it on the May Do list, a prize activity choice and voila! It's got a new image, Now it's the most popular pastime happening in room 33. If I turn my back on my munchkins, there they go - sneaking out their counting books to clandestinely work on them.
I already have seven students who have finished their books, one more will finish tomorrow. I gently scold them for working too much on the numbers when they need to finish their language arts, but not without an inner chuckle. I'm quietly proud of their contrary industry.
What's in the Box?
Everyone in second grade got a chance to view the BOX - a big enough TP box of corregated cardboard decked out with labels: Handle with Care/ Caution, Fragile/ Breakable, and This side up. We all guessed and Mrs. G even pretended to lift it as if it were very heavy. It was empty, but the little guys didn't know that because they were told not to touch it.
On Monday, we all trooped out to the garden area in front of our rooms for the grand box opening. While we were inside taking care of morning business, our aide V slipped out and fetched Jose, a former second grader to be the imaginary pig. "Do I have to do this again? I did it last year!" Jose exclaimed. "Well, we could ask someone else," we said. "No! I'll do it." So we had a deal.
Jose crouched in wearing a pig mask, and we made haste to gather up the kids in a giant circle so they could all see. Then after a brief introduction, Jose popped out! Our second graders were amused, all laughing at the sight of a child dressed up like a pig hopping out of the crate. It was a sight to behold the teachable moment.
Even more touching was the vision of our former second graders, now in third, clustered at the window looking on at our impromptu assembly. All of them were lined up with their faces alight watching the new second graders. I looked back at them, and took in the image of education at its best.
It's not about test scores, skill drilling, or data. It's those small enthusiastic beings who just got to share a well crafted prank - the kind of street theatre that will always help them remember what it means to be curious, and to make a prediction
After we finished chuckling over the box, we all returned to class to read about Julius, the pig from Alaska who arrived in a box to become Angela's pet.
No one got stuck on the word "imitate" even though it's a mouthful. We read with a picture in our minds of what the story was about.
On Monday, we all trooped out to the garden area in front of our rooms for the grand box opening. While we were inside taking care of morning business, our aide V slipped out and fetched Jose, a former second grader to be the imaginary pig. "Do I have to do this again? I did it last year!" Jose exclaimed. "Well, we could ask someone else," we said. "No! I'll do it." So we had a deal.
Jose crouched in wearing a pig mask, and we made haste to gather up the kids in a giant circle so they could all see. Then after a brief introduction, Jose popped out! Our second graders were amused, all laughing at the sight of a child dressed up like a pig hopping out of the crate. It was a sight to behold the teachable moment.
Even more touching was the vision of our former second graders, now in third, clustered at the window looking on at our impromptu assembly. All of them were lined up with their faces alight watching the new second graders. I looked back at them, and took in the image of education at its best.
It's not about test scores, skill drilling, or data. It's those small enthusiastic beings who just got to share a well crafted prank - the kind of street theatre that will always help them remember what it means to be curious, and to make a prediction
After we finished chuckling over the box, we all returned to class to read about Julius, the pig from Alaska who arrived in a box to become Angela's pet.
No one got stuck on the word "imitate" even though it's a mouthful. We read with a picture in our minds of what the story was about.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
The Box from Alaska
I've been very erratic about this blog business. Just wanted to clarify that last entry, we never did get that new teacher and I am still teaching my 24 kids. Janeth moved over, her classroom was all set up, then another teacher quit which set off a chain reaction resulting in Janeth returning to her own class at S. So it was all for naught.
I had my Back to School Night and it was attended well. Now I am getting the class all settled in. I have some ideas for my whiz kids-I'm going to get them to practice writing their sight words (spelling) because they have mastered reading them. If I give them a special pen, & worksheet in a plastic sleeve then it just might seem exciting enough for them. I will also get them going writing numbers by twos. I set up some museums of Homophones, synonyms and homonyms. It's a good display.
Friday, I had a visit from a cluster of third graders - former students. They wanted to know if this year's class had seen the BOX. I had forgotten all about the BOX but they hadn't. Last year, we brought in a big empty cardboard box and attached a few intriguing labels - From Grand daddy in Alaska. We had all the kids guess what was in the box, and write about it but no touching or peeking. Then we hid a couple of kid's in the box with pig noses and had them jump out to surprise the class. I think you have to read Julius to understand why we needed to dress them up like pigs. Julius was a pig that arrived in a big crate from Alaska. Well, these kids hadn't forgotten the box and wanted us to do it again! So I went out and found a big enough box in the staff room and it's all decked out ready for the surprise opening tomorrow.
We just need to sneak a child into it and have him or her pop out with the pig mask. And this little pig will say "Whee Whee Whee all the way home!
I had my Back to School Night and it was attended well. Now I am getting the class all settled in. I have some ideas for my whiz kids-I'm going to get them to practice writing their sight words (spelling) because they have mastered reading them. If I give them a special pen, & worksheet in a plastic sleeve then it just might seem exciting enough for them. I will also get them going writing numbers by twos. I set up some museums of Homophones, synonyms and homonyms. It's a good display.
Friday, I had a visit from a cluster of third graders - former students. They wanted to know if this year's class had seen the BOX. I had forgotten all about the BOX but they hadn't. Last year, we brought in a big empty cardboard box and attached a few intriguing labels - From Grand daddy in Alaska. We had all the kids guess what was in the box, and write about it but no touching or peeking. Then we hid a couple of kid's in the box with pig noses and had them jump out to surprise the class. I think you have to read Julius to understand why we needed to dress them up like pigs. Julius was a pig that arrived in a big crate from Alaska. Well, these kids hadn't forgotten the box and wanted us to do it again! So I went out and found a big enough box in the staff room and it's all decked out ready for the surprise opening tomorrow.
We just need to sneak a child into it and have him or her pop out with the pig mask. And this little pig will say "Whee Whee Whee all the way home!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
To Turn on a Dime
Just when we get it all set up, we get thrown a curve. Yesterday, after school we had an unexpected staff meeting called. We all met in the library. That's when I found out that the meeting was about a big change in second grade. Our neighboring elementary school was underenrolled, and stood to loose a teacher. We're overenrolled -we have too many students. The suggested solution: move a teacher to El Verano to reduce our class size and save the position. This means for us moving six students out of each of our classrooms so that each of us could have a class of eighteen.
Sounds good, and it will mean an easier year but it does represent a lot of work for us, never mind the stress for the poor teacher who would join us. Of course the six we each move need to be carefully selected and it should be kept confidential.
After I got over the surprise, and mouthed off about my feelings, I got to work. Luckily, I had the key information on my class: I have spent my last two weeks gathering information on my students' reading ability and math ability.
I created a quick graph to see where my group stood in reading fluency and math. Then, I figured out which students could potentially move, and chose based on keeping a balance in all the classes. Sadly, I had to give up my better students because I have a strong class.
I am giving up three girls, and three boys. Four are fantastic students, one medium and one below grade level. We met after school today and sorted out the new class list, I am still broken hearted because I already know and love these students. The good news: We now know who the new teacher will be: she's a friend, a talented teacher with a positive attitude. I'll enjoy working with her. She'll arrive next week. We'll keep our gang until she has time to set up her classroom.
I stayed at work way too late sorting out the homework for next week, trying to scrounge up enough flashcards, and organizing my sight word program. I just about know everyone's level and I have passed out the sight word sets to my class. There was a buzz of excitement as the kiddos shared their cards. There's something about the rings that make them very enticing.
Classroom highlights: Omar wrote his numbers to 1,000 already! Also very cool, most of my students are truly readers and know their sight words pretty well.
Sounds good, and it will mean an easier year but it does represent a lot of work for us, never mind the stress for the poor teacher who would join us. Of course the six we each move need to be carefully selected and it should be kept confidential.
After I got over the surprise, and mouthed off about my feelings, I got to work. Luckily, I had the key information on my class: I have spent my last two weeks gathering information on my students' reading ability and math ability.
I created a quick graph to see where my group stood in reading fluency and math. Then, I figured out which students could potentially move, and chose based on keeping a balance in all the classes. Sadly, I had to give up my better students because I have a strong class.
I am giving up three girls, and three boys. Four are fantastic students, one medium and one below grade level. We met after school today and sorted out the new class list, I am still broken hearted because I already know and love these students. The good news: We now know who the new teacher will be: she's a friend, a talented teacher with a positive attitude. I'll enjoy working with her. She'll arrive next week. We'll keep our gang until she has time to set up her classroom.
I stayed at work way too late sorting out the homework for next week, trying to scrounge up enough flashcards, and organizing my sight word program. I just about know everyone's level and I have passed out the sight word sets to my class. There was a buzz of excitement as the kiddos shared their cards. There's something about the rings that make them very enticing.
Classroom highlights: Omar wrote his numbers to 1,000 already! Also very cool, most of my students are truly readers and know their sight words pretty well.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
First Week: Honeymoon
Even though my intention was to keep a regular journal, I let this important first week slip by without recording the events. The first week goes by in a blur. It's as if I grabbed the tail of Dragon, held on tight, while Dragon went racing down hill, gathering speed as we go. Dragon is my image because our first story in the reader is about dragon: a well intentioned but ignorant beast who tends to get into tight jams.
On the first day, I had everything set at school in rare sparkling order. I went to the gym at 5:30 am then arrived at school in proper spirit by 7:30 in hopes of a half hour before the arrival of my students. School begins at 8:20. I was surprised to be greeted by 4 enthusiastic boys eager to begin their first day in second grade. Early birds! I wisely complimented them on their commitment, but had to let go of those first peaceful minutes. They wanted to see the animals so we held the tarantula, cuddled Bubbles, the chinchilla, and checked on the frogs. I showed them where I keep the blocks, puppets and science toys.
The students continued to arrive with glowing faces, ready to begin the business of being a second grader.
I had fun getting out my new toy - the microphone which was delivered because I have a hearing disabled student. I introduced them to the amplification system with a simple explanation - "Guess what! I got a special present this year for the classroom! It's a microphone! I'm going to love using this as soon as I figure in out!" No need to explain about the hearing disabled child at this point in time.
Our first day was short because it was a Wednesday which is our meeting day. The students left at 1:00. This meant I taught at a rapid fire pace, but careful not to lose anyone. I had to go over all the rules and procedures which are complicated. I also passed out a thick parcel of notes and forms for each child. They colored nametags, played a people bingo game to get to know each other, and read a short book. I taught them how to write their numbers to 100. They went home with homework. That was about it.
On Thursday, I could slow the pace a little so I taught a full math lesson. I had to skip the powerpoint because the settings on my computer were screwed up from the upgrade. I gave them a complicated write, color, cut and paste project so I could buy myself enough time to assess all on their first twenty five first grade sight words. I got through all of them. Only four students had trouble with them. I gave part of the placement test in math. I had time to teach how to write the next hundred numbers from 101 to 200.
Friday, we had our Back To School assembly. We had our math in the morning since the assembly would happen during math time. I gave them another part to the 8 page math test. I had time to assess the next twenty five words, now I have 6 students who need remediation. I gave each a set of words to study.
In order to get the time to assess, I have to come up with coloring or simple writing tasks to keep them busy. It was a bigger challenge this time because many students zipped through their work and wanted to pop up out of their seats to show me. I want to encourage their good work, but need to train them to stay seated so it created a need for patience.
My impression of this group is that they are eager to please. I know who my challenge students are, but they are reachable because they want to do well. Both these boys sat next to me at the assembly without my request. This made it easy for me to monitor them. I have one challenge girl from Prestwood who doesn't seem to know much and can't seem to stay with her work. I think I got lucky.
The tough news of the week turned out to be the budget again. They are going to ask us to shorten our school year and take a pay cut. This is a painful pill to swallow from the teachers, as we work so many hours for free and back fill the supply budget with our own money.
The good news: parents of my students have been very good about sending in donated supplies and they are sending their students ready to learn.
On the first day, I had everything set at school in rare sparkling order. I went to the gym at 5:30 am then arrived at school in proper spirit by 7:30 in hopes of a half hour before the arrival of my students. School begins at 8:20. I was surprised to be greeted by 4 enthusiastic boys eager to begin their first day in second grade. Early birds! I wisely complimented them on their commitment, but had to let go of those first peaceful minutes. They wanted to see the animals so we held the tarantula, cuddled Bubbles, the chinchilla, and checked on the frogs. I showed them where I keep the blocks, puppets and science toys.
The students continued to arrive with glowing faces, ready to begin the business of being a second grader.
I had fun getting out my new toy - the microphone which was delivered because I have a hearing disabled student. I introduced them to the amplification system with a simple explanation - "Guess what! I got a special present this year for the classroom! It's a microphone! I'm going to love using this as soon as I figure in out!" No need to explain about the hearing disabled child at this point in time.
Our first day was short because it was a Wednesday which is our meeting day. The students left at 1:00. This meant I taught at a rapid fire pace, but careful not to lose anyone. I had to go over all the rules and procedures which are complicated. I also passed out a thick parcel of notes and forms for each child. They colored nametags, played a people bingo game to get to know each other, and read a short book. I taught them how to write their numbers to 100. They went home with homework. That was about it.
On Thursday, I could slow the pace a little so I taught a full math lesson. I had to skip the powerpoint because the settings on my computer were screwed up from the upgrade. I gave them a complicated write, color, cut and paste project so I could buy myself enough time to assess all on their first twenty five first grade sight words. I got through all of them. Only four students had trouble with them. I gave part of the placement test in math. I had time to teach how to write the next hundred numbers from 101 to 200.
Friday, we had our Back To School assembly. We had our math in the morning since the assembly would happen during math time. I gave them another part to the 8 page math test. I had time to assess the next twenty five words, now I have 6 students who need remediation. I gave each a set of words to study.
In order to get the time to assess, I have to come up with coloring or simple writing tasks to keep them busy. It was a bigger challenge this time because many students zipped through their work and wanted to pop up out of their seats to show me. I want to encourage their good work, but need to train them to stay seated so it created a need for patience.
My impression of this group is that they are eager to please. I know who my challenge students are, but they are reachable because they want to do well. Both these boys sat next to me at the assembly without my request. This made it easy for me to monitor them. I have one challenge girl from Prestwood who doesn't seem to know much and can't seem to stay with her work. I think I got lucky.
The tough news of the week turned out to be the budget again. They are going to ask us to shorten our school year and take a pay cut. This is a painful pill to swallow from the teachers, as we work so many hours for free and back fill the supply budget with our own money.
The good news: parents of my students have been very good about sending in donated supplies and they are sending their students ready to learn.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Counting Down
It's Sunday, the last day of summer vacation. I went in a little every day, and now my classroom is ready to roll (almost)
The supplies came in last Friday. I hauled and unpacked and organized in a whirlwind of dust. I am wondering why I have so many highlighters and so few crayons. Items still missing include my planbook and my gradebook.
I updated my webpage on the school website, and added Back to School information. I have vowed to go to the next level of technology use and actually use the website to communicate.
That brings to mind the beauty of teaching. Each year is new: all new kids, new supplies, a fresh start!
Actually, the most important ingredient is still missing: the kids. I am still waiting for my class list.
The supplies came in last Friday. I hauled and unpacked and organized in a whirlwind of dust. I am wondering why I have so many highlighters and so few crayons. Items still missing include my planbook and my gradebook.
Envision Math sent a whole new set of teacher manuals to replace the error filled first edition. I needed to box my last years' set to be mailed to the publisher but panicked because it was loaded with teacher's notes on post-its to make it easier to use. However, on review of my notes they were mostly identifying the errors or failed lessons so I guess I can safely let go of the old to begin anew.
H.M. - our language arts curriculum- changed the cover of the student text. It looks the same inside but I am short by 4 workbooks. Can I use last year's leftover books?
I updated my webpage on the school website, and added Back to School information. I have vowed to go to the next level of technology use and actually use the website to communicate.
I need to learn how to attach documents and create links.
That brings to mind the beauty of teaching. Each year is new: all new kids, new supplies, a fresh start!
Thursday, August 13, 2009
AWOL from the Alphabet
I'm beginning to feel a little crazy because I have been working so much. My mind is spinning with ideas and inquiries. Perhaps I've punched out my fair share of word cards. I've got the boards & charts done, I even put up some interactive museums. One is my usual: a museum about rules, game rules, class rules, the law of gravity, safety rules and so on.
My other museum display is new. It's about my missing letter A. The letter A disappeared this summer while I was on vacation, and it is no where to be found. You look up at the alphabet above the front board, and there's a big gaping space where the a should be. I put up a note on the teacher's room board just as if it was a lost kitten. Someone wrote back "Must be a victim of vowel play" This was followed by a sprinkling of odd A s delivered in my mailbox. Then it came to me. I won't replace the letter yet, I'll use it to have fun with my new students. We can all imagine and write about what happened to the missing letter. I set up a display area with ideas - the A could have gone to the Arctic, or on a tour of America. Could the A be hiding out in an Apartment? Maybe the A is on an adventure. He could be seeing some amazing action in Antarctica or the Amazon.
I'm working on replacing it with a color copy but first we've got to get a story going around about the this awol from the alphabet.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Just thinking about that Child Not Left Behind
Today I did not go to school, I spent the day taking care of family. However, my mind returns to the classroom even when my body isn't there. I'm thinking about that potentially lost child. I work so hard to track all those in my charge. I'm right down face to face making sure that child learns to read, taking recesses if needed to learn those math facts. I trick them into volunteering their playtime to meet the challenge of a good education. I am relentless.
But here's my question - Who's making sure that precious child grows up to be gainfully employed once they've completed college with honors and fully successful?
If I'm working so hard at my end, why do we have so many talented young people, college educated, hanging off cliffs in Yosemite or Joshua Tree instead of launching careers?
Is anyone making sure that my educated children will have a planet to call home? I'll do my part, but I want some follow through. Accountability shouldn't stop with public schools.
Monday, August 10, 2009
I am hanging onto the tail end of summer. I set out some six packs of peas & beans hoping to get one more crop this fall. I only have a few days to be unstructured so I am reveling in it.
Back at school, I have arranged my twenty-four desks for my hypothetical students. They are all behaving perfectly now because they haven't shown up! I have them all in sets of four, desks cleaned, in a semi-circle facing into the front board. The main boards are put up, and the classroom library sorted. I am printing out the word cards.
We're in for a rough year - thin budget. Good thing I've squirreled away some pencils from last year. I've been shopping the dollar bins. I found pocket charts for $1 so I bought enough for me and my teacher team too.
I hope to have time to write about my year in the classroom. I suspect people ought to know what's coming up in their future, and that's what I have on my watch - I hold the future. It's our hope for civilization so don't underestimate it.
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