It doesn't seem to matter how much time I spend at school on the weekends. I never get it all done. I always feel 25 steps behind. I can't believe how quickly the school year is going by. I guess the upside of the insanity is that it is flying by. I can't even keep track of the craziness. I have a cold and overall I feel okay but my voice is done. Which doesn't really work well in a class of very talkative seven and eight year olds. We do have a voice amplification system. I would be in real trouble with out it. They can even hear it when I whisper. The stress that is put on a teachers voice is incredible. I can't imagine not having an amplification system. It really reduces the strain of talking throughout the day. You can also talk like Darth Vader into it and add excitement to a lesson.
We do a lot of dancing in my class. If you know me and how much rhythm I possess, you are probably scratching your head in confusion. We watch some dances from Just Dance on youtube and the students dance along. We also use a website called GoNoodle. GoNoodle has one where the students sit in their seats and pretend to ride a roller coaster. It is pretty funny to watch the whole class throwing their hands up in the air and yelling as they "go down" the coaster. It is pretty fun. Seven and eight year old's have a lot of wiggles to work out of their system. If we didn't dance I would have a mutiny.
I was slotted for Jury Duty tomorrow. Luckily I called and the trial was canceled. Hopefully that will keep me off their call list for awhile. I never know who is going to trial but it is always a concern it will be a parent of a student. I could opt out under those circumstances. I just don't want to know all of the small town drama.
I made Gluten Free Zucchini bread this weekend. It is WONDERFUL! The delicious factor made my day. Sometimes I miss bread. Most of the time I don't, I miss things like pasta and pizza. I never ate much bread. I drank my tea today to get through the long day. I have to label Valentine's before Thursday. The Awesome news is that it is a LONG WEEKEND! Thank You George and Lincoln for having Birthdays in February... You help teachers survive till Spring Break. We have a late one here it is in April. January through March seem like the longest months of the year. It was soooo warm here today that I had to open my classroom windows and turn on the Air Conditioner. Ridiculous!
One more thing... when I left work today... the sun was still SHINING! I love that the days are getting longer.
February 9, 2015
February 7, 2015
Basket Day
Went and picked up my produce basket today. Now I have to make some zucchini bread because it is the only decent way to eat a zucchini. The butter, sugar, and flour disguise the zucchini flavor. That is important. I wasn't really in a baking mood today but I'd better find it. I also got some asparagus(ugh), butternut squash(yikes), cauliflower (ick), and purple potatoes(yum). That was the vegetable side of things. I sometimes wonder why I get this because I am horrible about eating most of my vegetables. Usually in my basket I receive just one or two items I don't care for. Asparagus freezes well so Mom will enjoy that. On the fruit side apples, pears, oranges, kiwi, tomatoes, and lemons. So it was the delicious side of the basket.
I don't know the outcome but SpEd parents were having a meeting today to discuss options they have as parents. Their students are not receiving services. I am glad the parents banded together from their end. I feel the teachers have done as much as we could from our end. The only step further we could take would be to go to a school board meeting. It could put our jobs in a precarious position to do so. We've gone through all of the appropriate channels regarding this situation. I hope there is a change. I had to send an e-mail to admin today. I feel like there are so many times you can have the same conversation without result. It is a frustration.
In other education related headaches. A team of three teachers at our school including myself volunteered to be part of a team for Gifted and Talented students to do an after school program funded by a grant. We asked for information, thought we had received what we needed, then asked more questions. We received vague responses. So we e-mailed very specific questions regarding the grant and funds for this program. The answers again were vague and so we declined to participate. It is sad that those students won't have this opportunity. We were very uncomfortable with how the money was being handled and didn't want our names on anything that might be shady. So I am sure we will get the blame for not doing the program. I called our PTO president and said this is why we aren't doing it. If parents ask. I am sure parents will ask and the principal will say the teachers didn't want to do it they have too much going on etc. If you can't answer basic money related questions on a grant that you submitted the paperwork for and received the grant. Something isn't right.
So the saga at school continues. I owe my janitors some delicious treats because I let my students use glitter. I apologized but really that isn't enough. I don't know what I was thinking letting them use glitter. If I ever do again they will certainly not have as much glitter choice. Like I said I owe the janitors some treats. Even that might not be enough of an apology. Well, I had better sign off and go grate some zucchini.
I don't know the outcome but SpEd parents were having a meeting today to discuss options they have as parents. Their students are not receiving services. I am glad the parents banded together from their end. I feel the teachers have done as much as we could from our end. The only step further we could take would be to go to a school board meeting. It could put our jobs in a precarious position to do so. We've gone through all of the appropriate channels regarding this situation. I hope there is a change. I had to send an e-mail to admin today. I feel like there are so many times you can have the same conversation without result. It is a frustration.
In other education related headaches. A team of three teachers at our school including myself volunteered to be part of a team for Gifted and Talented students to do an after school program funded by a grant. We asked for information, thought we had received what we needed, then asked more questions. We received vague responses. So we e-mailed very specific questions regarding the grant and funds for this program. The answers again were vague and so we declined to participate. It is sad that those students won't have this opportunity. We were very uncomfortable with how the money was being handled and didn't want our names on anything that might be shady. So I am sure we will get the blame for not doing the program. I called our PTO president and said this is why we aren't doing it. If parents ask. I am sure parents will ask and the principal will say the teachers didn't want to do it they have too much going on etc. If you can't answer basic money related questions on a grant that you submitted the paperwork for and received the grant. Something isn't right.
So the saga at school continues. I owe my janitors some delicious treats because I let my students use glitter. I apologized but really that isn't enough. I don't know what I was thinking letting them use glitter. If I ever do again they will certainly not have as much glitter choice. Like I said I owe the janitors some treats. Even that might not be enough of an apology. Well, I had better sign off and go grate some zucchini.
February 4, 2015
The backpack incident and other entertainment
It has been an EmergenC week. I needed that extra vitamin c. I feel like I am getting a cold. I hope it doesn't turn into a full blown cold. I drank a little too much EmergenC and Tea yesterday and was a little wired when I needed to be sleeping. So I plan to hit the hay a little earlier tonight.
I attended a meeting after school today attended by about 10-15 teachers. We were bringing our issues with the SpED department to administrations attention. AGAIN. If they don't change something up QUICKLY they could be in a lawsuit. I can't believe how long they have allowed them to make excuses and not do their jobs. If teachers were this incompetent they would be on us like superglue. It is unbelievable.
I had a difficult student moved into my class because the parents felt like the other teacher was too "critical" of the student. It is interesting the reaction I've been getting from the parents because I have been pretty "critical" of the student as well. The student is a real poop but when I talk with the student my commands are immediately followed. If not there is an immediate consequence. The student is very respectful to me when I "lay down the law". However, it wears me out to have to keep my thumb on the kid all day.
There was a backpack incident today. I don't know what the student had in their brown bag for lunch. I just know what ever it was leaked out of the bag into the backpack and onto the floor. It smelled so bad we all were pinching our noses. I buzzed the office and asked for a trash bag ASAP. The janitor brought one in with a puzzled look on his face. I bagged the backpack and the student went home looking like a hobo carrying the back on his back. I had to spray some freshener around but it was one of those stenches that just lingered. This is one of those students it is a miracle anything makes it to school in the first place because of clumsiness, so they should never be given a brown bag. Heck a ziplock bag, plastic bag, just something somewhat leak proof. Just writing about it brings the smell back.
I read my students a poem every day. I read them one yesterday they begged me never to read again. I can't recall the title right now but when I do I will share. One of my students came up to me and said if we are being naughty you should punish us by reading that over and over again. They felt that strongly about it.
One of my students noticed a cd on my desk and asked if we could listen to it. I said, "Sure it it Johann Sebastian Bach." Then we had a short conversation about who he was. Johann has a piece that is in a lot of Halloween type movies I think maybe in the Munsters. Anyhow their eyes lit up when they heard that creepy organ playing. So the rest of the day we had to listen to Bach whenever we had an opportunity. You just never know what kids will delight in.
I have NOT I repeat NOT watched the movie FROZEN. I know I am in a minority group. However, I have successfully gotten sick of the music without having watched the movie. I know way more about the music than I should on a movie I have never seen. I have a couple of students who are professional work avoiders. If they put as much effort into doing it as they do avoiding it they could accomplish great things. So today to the tune of "Let it Go" we sang to them GET IT DONE! They mostly got it done.
January flew by and February promises to be a busy month. I am glad we have a long weekend in there because I will need it. We are on our third quarter of school. Amazing! I had a brief meeting with our principal yesterday with some things she wanted me to take back to our team. It was supposed to be with our team but they didn't show up. So I went over things with them. It wasn't very good because it needed to come from her. What can you do.
I feel like after 5 years of teaching I have a TON to learn still. However a 2nd year teacher came in today and said I want to come and watch you teach for a day I feel like I could learn so much from you. That made me feel really good. She is a great teacher as well. I think we get tired, sick, and discouraged. Then we don't feel like we are doing anything right. This year has been such a crazy year that it seems like I haven't been able to focus on student learning as much as I would like. Meetings out the wazooo keep interrupting what I should be doing. I left school on time today. Not because I didn't have a gazillion things to do. I left on time today because after getting their early and having a busy day I had nothing left to give. I will pay for it with a heavy work load this weekend. So it goes.... G'nite
I attended a meeting after school today attended by about 10-15 teachers. We were bringing our issues with the SpED department to administrations attention. AGAIN. If they don't change something up QUICKLY they could be in a lawsuit. I can't believe how long they have allowed them to make excuses and not do their jobs. If teachers were this incompetent they would be on us like superglue. It is unbelievable.
I had a difficult student moved into my class because the parents felt like the other teacher was too "critical" of the student. It is interesting the reaction I've been getting from the parents because I have been pretty "critical" of the student as well. The student is a real poop but when I talk with the student my commands are immediately followed. If not there is an immediate consequence. The student is very respectful to me when I "lay down the law". However, it wears me out to have to keep my thumb on the kid all day.
There was a backpack incident today. I don't know what the student had in their brown bag for lunch. I just know what ever it was leaked out of the bag into the backpack and onto the floor. It smelled so bad we all were pinching our noses. I buzzed the office and asked for a trash bag ASAP. The janitor brought one in with a puzzled look on his face. I bagged the backpack and the student went home looking like a hobo carrying the back on his back. I had to spray some freshener around but it was one of those stenches that just lingered. This is one of those students it is a miracle anything makes it to school in the first place because of clumsiness, so they should never be given a brown bag. Heck a ziplock bag, plastic bag, just something somewhat leak proof. Just writing about it brings the smell back.
I read my students a poem every day. I read them one yesterday they begged me never to read again. I can't recall the title right now but when I do I will share. One of my students came up to me and said if we are being naughty you should punish us by reading that over and over again. They felt that strongly about it.
One of my students noticed a cd on my desk and asked if we could listen to it. I said, "Sure it it Johann Sebastian Bach." Then we had a short conversation about who he was. Johann has a piece that is in a lot of Halloween type movies I think maybe in the Munsters. Anyhow their eyes lit up when they heard that creepy organ playing. So the rest of the day we had to listen to Bach whenever we had an opportunity. You just never know what kids will delight in.
I have NOT I repeat NOT watched the movie FROZEN. I know I am in a minority group. However, I have successfully gotten sick of the music without having watched the movie. I know way more about the music than I should on a movie I have never seen. I have a couple of students who are professional work avoiders. If they put as much effort into doing it as they do avoiding it they could accomplish great things. So today to the tune of "Let it Go" we sang to them GET IT DONE! They mostly got it done.
January flew by and February promises to be a busy month. I am glad we have a long weekend in there because I will need it. We are on our third quarter of school. Amazing! I had a brief meeting with our principal yesterday with some things she wanted me to take back to our team. It was supposed to be with our team but they didn't show up. So I went over things with them. It wasn't very good because it needed to come from her. What can you do.
I feel like after 5 years of teaching I have a TON to learn still. However a 2nd year teacher came in today and said I want to come and watch you teach for a day I feel like I could learn so much from you. That made me feel really good. She is a great teacher as well. I think we get tired, sick, and discouraged. Then we don't feel like we are doing anything right. This year has been such a crazy year that it seems like I haven't been able to focus on student learning as much as I would like. Meetings out the wazooo keep interrupting what I should be doing. I left school on time today. Not because I didn't have a gazillion things to do. I left on time today because after getting their early and having a busy day I had nothing left to give. I will pay for it with a heavy work load this weekend. So it goes.... G'nite
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