Kindergarten Chaos

Putting on the brakes...

2011-11-16T15:46:00.000-05:00

I've been watching so many kids - mostly boys - really struggle with being in kindergarten this year. They are overwhelmed, tired, and uncomfortable with the environment. They lash out in terrible ways. I've been talking to classroom teachers, psychologists, special ed. teachers, and behavior specialists about it. The common theme that runs through these conversations is, "I think they just need more time to play."

Tons of research has been done on the importance of play. Nothing new here. I just feel like we as a county and as a school have been speeding away from the concept. Test performance is taking over.

I also work for a county who is driven by data. The only way to get hard data is to test. The only way to test successfully is to prep. The only way to prep is to refocus free play on learning centers and tests with measurable outcomes.

I work for a school who looks at testing through a realistic lens: our kids struggle with tests. We must learn how to teach them to be life long learners AND good test takers. It's just reality. State tests start in 3rd grade so we cycle all the way back to kindergarten to begin the prep.

Kinders need to know how to read 25 high frequency words and a level 3 (DRA) text by the end of kindergarten. They need to know how to add and subtract numbers up to 10, count to 100, and identify fractions (0, 1/4, 1/2, 1). This is big deal stuff for kids who haven't ever been to school.

I was talking to one of our Head Start teachers and she mentioned that the gap between HS and K seems to widen every year. Head Start is still focused on early childhood and school readiness, but then WHAMMO, welcome to kindergarten.

I'm beginning to babble...

I'm leaving in a few days to have my second baby. I'll be home until the 2012-2013 school year and then I plan to come back with a fresh new idea on how to structure my day.

I want to take all of our required elements (Reading Workshop, Math Workshop, Writing Workshop, etc) and break them up into small chunks through the day. I want to make free play the bigger chunks in between. FREE play meaning children will be allowed to interact with each other and their environment free of specific instructions. During free play we will focus on dialog, friendships, working together, and problem solving. I also want to get back to my 1/2 hour of Quiet Story Time where I would read chapter books to my kids while they relaxed on the carpet. If a tired cherub fell asleep, so be it. It's a long day!

I will take data - because you can get great data by observation. I will use this data to hopefully convince others that it's okay... my kids are still learning, they're still meeting the academic benchmarks, but we are all happier. It will be less structured than I am used to (and honestly than I am comfortable with), but if we continue to speed away from the idea that 5 years olds are still just little kids who need to play, to explore, to be curious, then we are going to create a generation of angry maladjusted adults.

Oh, and let's hope I'm allowed to try this.

If you think you've had a bad day...

2011-11-11T15:28:00.000-05:00

... think about a colleague of mine that slipped and fell in a pile of vomit. She fell so hard she thought she broke a bone and is bruised. There might be pain meds involved.

Gah, can you imagine?

HAPPY FRIDAY!

And here we go again...

2011-11-08T14:42:00.000-05:00

It's parent conference time! We've been here before, but this year, since I don't have a classroom, I have been given a different perspective. I've been working in our office for both parent conference days.

Unfortunately, my different perspective hasn't improved my thoughts on these days. It's worsened.

You see, as a kindergarten teacher, I understand that we are the front-line for many families. We are often the first experience many families have with the school system. We are often the ones that try explain the importance of showing up for meetings and being on time. We are often the ones that have to convince parents we are here to help, but we need them to show up. SHOW UP.

Turns out, we don't make as big of an impact on our parents as I assumed. Parents of first, second, third - all the way up to fifth, are just as bad as the K parents! Here is a typical conversation I was involved with:

Me: "Hello, can I help you?"

Parent: blank stare.

Me: "Are you here for a parent conference?"

Parent: "Yes."

Me: "Do you know what time?"

Parent: "I don't know."

Me: "What's your child's teacher's name?"

Parent: "I don't know."

Me: "Okay, what grade is your child in?"

Parent: "I don't know."

Me (giant inner sigh): "Okay. What is your child's name?"

Parent gives name, I have to ask for clarification a few times, I finally write it down. I give name to someone with special computer access to look up child to find the teacher's name (remember, I'm just helping, I'm not "official.") Then I look for the teacher's schedule (we had about half) to see if the child's name is listed. Then, when I can't find name, I call the teacher and we hope that stars are aligned that the parent actually showed up on time and the teacher and translator are waiting.

More likely, they never responded to the teacher's multiple requests and just showed up. Then we scramble to find a translator for the last-minute conference.

Luckily, due to our amazing staff, 9 times out of 10, the parents gets connected with the teacher with a translator.

Also, I will admit, luckily, these parents are showing up. BUT LORD ALMIGHTY, why does it have to be so hard?!

I am looking forward to getting back into my own room and dealing with 20 parents, instead of hundreds.

Tests are such great measurements of knowledge...

2011-10-27T14:46:00.002-04:00

Raise your hand if you got even a hint of my sarcasm.

So one of the tasks on our big-deal fall assessment asks the kids to choose the word that rhymes with the initial picture. Turns out, if they simply choose the last choice every time, they make benchmark.

Sort of like answering "C" every time.

Something to chew on

2011-10-26T15:23:00.005-04:00

I was chatting with our school psychiatrist the other afternoon. We were having one of those, "what is going on with these kids?" moments. In multiple classrooms, we have multiple kids, whose needs seem to be above and beyond what we are capable of meeting. We have runners, we have screamers, we have biters. Thinking quickly, I can count 4 classrooms that have more than one child in each room that routinely needs to be restrained.

The school psychiatrist said it's not just us. Other schools she works in are experiencing the same thing.

"Shut up" I said. No one has it like us.

"Oh but yes, they do." she says.

My mind immediately starts thinking back to 5 years plus or minus 40 weeks ago. What world event was going on that caused people to shag, and then bring a child into a world where the environment was so stressful that might have caused this?

She immediately said, "it's the lack of play, don't you think?"

Hmmmmm. Yep, I can see that.

I've only been teaching kindergarten for 5 years. In those 5 years alone I have seen the elimination of nap time, a decrease in play within the classroom, a decrease in free play outside, and in turn an increase in structured time like Reading Workshop, Writing Workshop, and Math Workshop. I am testing more this year than last. Last year I tested more than the previous. We talk about common assessment (TESTS), results (TESTS), and remediation for kids based on those assessments (PREP FOR FUTURE TESTS).

I like the structure of all the workshops because I am a structured person. That doesn't mean it's the best for 5 year olds. I do think our day lacks play, and while I do try to make centers in the workshops fun and hands-on, it's certainly not play.

Is this our fault? Are we creating these little runners, biters, and screamers?

But what does a classroom teacher do? Defy the rules and close the door?

Something to chew on, no?

Doing the math

2011-10-26T12:49:00.002-04:00

We have parent conferences coming up. Many, actually most, of our students have Spanish speaking parents. In my classroom alone, over the past 5 years, I have had only 3 - 5 students whose parents speak English each year.

This is the message we received from our office staff: The school district is only providing us with two Spanish speaking translators for both parent conference days, and two more that will only be here for a half day. FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL. We have around 900 students.

We have 9 kindergarten classes alone. Each conference is 20 minutes which is never enough. Each class has 20 - 22 kids.

We have three fabulous instructional assistants in kindergarten who speak Spanish. They have been asked to help the entire kindergarten. The math alone on that doesn't work, but it's a step in the right direction.

Everyone else has to request slots and we're already receiving emails from staff saying, "there are no more slots, can anyone help?" This is not the fault of our school, there simply is not enough support to go around. Two full day and two half day translators will not come close to meeting our needs. The math simply doesn't work.

When discussing parent-teacher communication, parent involvement, home-school connection, etc., keep in mind that if translation resources aren't made available, none of those things are possible.

Looking for the humor...

2011-10-24T09:14:00.006-04:00

Depending on the day, my mood, the weather, you name it, I will give you a different answer if things are on the upswing with our needier kinder kids.

Friday was a good day, and even though I had to accompany a colleague carrying a screaming child to the office, I would admit, the screaming is less frequent (still daily, but less frequent). Another special friend spent his lunch crawling around the carpet roaring like a T-Rex causing his classroom teacher to miss her own lunch, again. Other special things happened that I don't have the energy to share with you. On Friday, I laughed a lot with my colleagues and looked for humor in everything. I mean, how can you not laugh about a child who spends his entire day being a puppy or a T-Rex? He's having a good time, why can't we?

Today, at 9:15 a.m., I am currently barricaded in a classroom because another special friend has been trying to run out. The classroom teacher has already broken out in a sweat trying to get this child to stay in the classroom safely, and teach her other students. She said, "I'm too old for this." I told her her pay scale is too low for this. I'm not seeing the humor today.

The New Colossus and Horse Lips

2011-10-07T12:52:00.003-04:00

I've been a bit of a smart ass lately sharing my thought that our school seems like the Ellis Island of public schools. I've been saying, "you know, give us your sick, your weary..."

So I decided to actually look that passage up, because I really only know a few words.

Turns out my smart ass isn't that smart.

The passage is actually a poem, and it's not at Ellis Island, it's mounted inside the Statue of Liberty. Liberty Island is near Ellis Island, but it's not the same thing.

So I am adjusting my comments.

Our school should have it's own plaque with The New Colossus posted at the door. (That even sounds smarter.)

The New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus, 1883

Am I being a bit dramatic? YES, of course I am. But this week has been so hard. This week has just wrecked me, and some of my colleagues. Our school, and I am speaking specifically of kindergarten, has enrolled some very special friends. If you teach, you know that's not a positive label. I'm not talking about actual special-needs friends. I am talking about the children that require astronomical amounts of time, effort, patience, physical strength, etc...

We have so many special friends right now, that I truly feel like we have a sign on the door that says, "GOT CRAZY? GOT DEFIANT? GOT DISRESPECTFUL? COME ON IN!"

My yoga instructor just taught us "horse lips," deep breath in, floppy horse lipped exhale.

I just horse lipped.

I know our doors are wide open to every child. Please don't post a comment reprimanding me for being exclusive. I'm just feeling overwhelmed. Overwhelmed and flabbergasted.

Yesterday I was sitting in the hallway with a child who was screaming "NO! NO! NO!" and kicking anything that came near. He wasn't allowed in the classroom until his body was ready. Clearly his body was not ready. Two other teachers joined me. This child is what we call a frequent flier and this is a daily occurrence, so everyone pitches in when they can (that's just the kind of staff we have). Another colleague walked by and pretended to take a picture, "CLICK! Your tax dollars at work."

Horse lips.

I miss it.

2011-10-06T08:31:00.002-04:00

I'm a full month into being a resource teacher and have now developed a strong opinion of the position. It's not for me. I really miss my classroom. I miss having my own community, I miss having a strong relationship with 20 kids, versus having a weak relationship with 80+. I miss the rhythm and routine of a classroom. I miss having the control to change plans on a moment's notice based on the needs of the kids, or my needs.

I'm still enjoying being in my colleague's classrooms - it's giving me fabulous ideas for next year. But, BUT, I just miss having my own room and my own kids. I miss having Choice Time and Recess. I miss being in control of my lesson plans and routines. Right now I am co-teaching Writing Workshop three times a day. Writing is definitely not my favorite thing to teach in kindergarten, and now I do it three times a day!

Breath.

I am still grateful and know I am lucky to be in the position I'm in. It's just been a good experience to show me what wouldn't work for me in the future.

Off to Writing Workshop!

Appalled.

2011-09-28T10:01:00.003-04:00

One of the basic purposes of public school is to create and foster good citizenship (oh, and that pesky trait called respect). In kindergarten we teach who the president is, what our flag looks like, and we learn the Pledge of Allegiance.

I'm appalled that we were given the message from the head honcho today that if you choose to show the president's address to students, you have to provide an alternate activity for students who wish not to view it.

Not okay.

Not okay!

I don't care what your political views are, when the president addresses the nation, YOU WATCH.

Sometimes it is their fault.

2011-09-26T12:30:00.002-04:00

Working with an economically disadvantaged population, mostly comprised of other language speakers, comes with many things a teacher needs to accept with the job. For example,

Regular parent-teacher communication is not a given. In fact, if it happens very rarely. Many of our parents don't speak English and therefore are unable to communicate, and aren't aware of the resources available to them.
Many of our parents are illiterate. They didn't receive an education in their home country or the one they did receive was poor at best. It doesn't matter how many languages you translate your field trip letter in, if they can't read, they can't read.
Living conditions in our community can be very very poor. If your rent is very low, you can bet that the living standards are too. Backpacks often come to school with cockroaches along for the ride. Many of our kids are riddled with bed bug bites. Lice happens, but if many children share small spaces, it's hard to get rid of it.
Many of our kids only eat here at school and they eat for free or at a reduced price. There is no reason to begin any instruction unless you have made sure everyone has had their breakfast.
There are many instances throughout the day that our children are simply not available for learning because of a variety of reasons (the police came to the building in the middle of the night, the baby sibling sleeps next to the 5 year old and cried all night long, mom or dad just went to jail for immigration status, etc, etc, etc...)

I don't think any of this is our parents' or students' faults. It's their reality and it's our reality. We work with it.

What has been bothering me are a few things that I believe are the parents responsibility, no matter their economic conditions, their living situation, their work schedules, or whatever other barrier they might face. Oh, and when these things are ignored, it makes teaching very very difficult. In short, these two things have been driving me BANANAS.

When a child hears his or her name, THEY MUST ACKNOWLEDGE IT. Trust me, I have a child of my own who at times ignores his name. But you know what? I let him know that it's unacceptable. I teach him that when an adult says his name, he turns and looks at that adult. (This should apply to his peers too, but right now, I'm focused on the teacher-respect thing). And yes, he is TWO. So what's the 5 year old's excuse? I can't tell you how many times a day, in all of our classrooms, teachers are having to say a child's name 4 to 5 times before the child acknowledges it. And then a lesson must be given to that student, or the whole group, on this "skill" that didn't come to school with the children.
Bad behavior is bad behavior. I can work with a child who exhibits poor behavior because of something else (emotional, physical, mental stress from home or school). I can put together individual behavior plans. I can spread so much positive love on the student that they don't know what hit them. I can start the referral process for kids who have greater needs than I can meet alone, but what I can't do, is day-after-day-after-day deal with a child who is disruptive because "that's how he is at home." If I spend hours working to help your child learn appropriate behavior and spend hours meeting with specialists to get advice and strategies -- and you don't see my problem, you don't see your problem, and you just keep picking him up and dropping him off like all is fine? Well, keep your kid at home. (Yes, I said it).

I understand and accept the barriers our parents face. But the barriers can not be an excuse.

My child already knows everything.

2011-09-15T10:49:00.003-04:00

I am really enjoying being in my colleagues' classrooms. I've always wanted to see how everyone else works their magic, and how everyone is different and wonderful in their own way. Each teacher has a different approach, but there are always similar themes that run through the rooms, which makes coming in and out fairly easy.

One thing I have been encountering is that more that one of my colleagues is dealing with parents who think that their child is "too smart" for kindergarten, or "already knows everything." I have had a few of these in the past, so my eyes automatically roll when I hear about it.

I wish I could be very blunt with each of these parents, or have enough expendable income to do my own public service announcement. It would go something like this:

Dear parent of the smartest child in the world,

Just because your child can read every word in the dictionary, count to infinity and beyond, speak two or more languages fluently, and identify every color that ever existed like charmeuse and aquamarine, does not mean they are ready for first grade. I know these children. I love these children. But these children have a hard time telling me what day tomorrow is, or telling me about a book they just read, or sharing their toys with their classmates. These kids have lots of facts and information in their smart little heads but they have no idea how to use it. Please allow their kindergarten teacher to help them learn how to use their smart brains.

Love,

And I shall wear many hats...

2011-09-08T14:27:00.003-04:00

You might be wondering where I am. I am still here, at my school, as a kindergarten teacher. But that's all that's the same. I've got another bun in the oven and I will be leaving on maternity leave at Thanksgiving break. Last spring when I got pregnant, I immediately began pondering if I wanted to take the normal leave or take more.

Thinking back to my experience after my first child was born, and looking realistically at our household finances, I decided I would take more.

As I told my fabulous boss, "I would rather not be here and want to be here, then be here and not want to be here." Make sense?

Now, as a side note, I am a terrible stay-at-home mom, so this isn't about me wanting to stay home with my baby. I had no problems putting my first in day care. The problem was trying to be engaged and happy for my class while utterly exhausted. Trying and trying to find a location to pump and finally resigning myself to pumping in my car (3 times a day). Wincing as I squat down to help a kiddo because I still had pain from giving birth (moms, you know what I mean here...)

I decided to take the remainder of the school year off and return full time next fall.

So once I made my decision, I was faced with this issue: does it make sense to have a kindergarten classroom for one quarter and then find a long-term substitute for the last three quarters?

No, it didn't make sense. After all, the first quarter in kindergarten is all about setting tone, establishing routines, learning rules, and community building. Teaching, in the traditional sense, does occur, but the nitty gritty begins 2nd quarter. Why would I establish a relationship with 20 five year olds and then abandon them?

So here I am. I am a kindergarten resource teacher. Our numbers have absolutely exploded this year so there is plenty to help with. With 9 kindergarten classes, someone always needs help. This first week has been a challenge as I tried to make sure each kinder went home the right way. Some of you might be a bit bug-eyed right now thinking, "that's a challenge?! Shouldn't that be EXPECTED?!" Well yes. It should be. But we have 200 kinders, most of whose parents don't speak English and seem not to understand the need to pass along important information. Trust me, boggles my mind each year. "You're looking for your daughter? Well she's on the bus because that's what you wrote on your form at Open House. You changed your mind? Oh, well, I didn't get that message..." Or the child that jumps bus lines for fun. You get the point.

After this week, I will be helping with small groups in our K classrooms, helping with testing, and just being available to help the classroom teachers where they need it.

It's weird. My colleagues are deep into the first week with their classrooms getting to know their kids and establishing routines, while I find myself crazy busy one minute and then aimlessly wandering the next. Sometimes it is good weird, and sometimes not.

But I know once I establish a schedule it will be better... and when I sit back and think about it, or when I am waddling down the hall, I think this will work out just fine.

The Little Things

2011-06-21T10:25:00.002-04:00

Last year I was a mess on the last day of school. This year, not so much. My class is a good bunch of kids with two or three tough cookies that challenged me, but nothing that was out of my ordinary. I did have some challenging parents, parents who seemed to advocate not for their child, but for their own laziness, and that was certainly challenging, but again, nothing too far out of my ordinary.

As I told a colleague last week, this group of kids and I have grown apart and it's time to move on, so when other colleagues have been sad and wistful about the last day, I've been indifferent. I'm not cheering the kids out the door, but I'm not sad to see them go.

It wasn't until our last recess on the playground today that I felt much of anything. Looking over at the swings, I saw six of my girls pumping away, feet to the sky, giant smiles on their faces. Not many of my kids could swing at the beginning of the year. Now they can. That made me happy.

Poem for Tuesday

2011-06-20T15:04:00.001-04:00

We did it friends,
Another year.
Here’s to summer,
And some mighty nice cheer.

Poem for Monday

2011-06-17T15:17:00.001-04:00

My two year old can do it,
And so can you.
How many days left?
JUST COUNT TO TWO!

Poem for Friday

2011-06-16T14:26:00.001-04:00

We’re all getting antsy,
The kids want to shout,
Just three more days,
UNTIL SCHOOL LETS OUT!

Poem for Thursday

2011-06-15T14:57:00.002-04:00

Noses are red,
Waves in the pool,
Just four more days,
'TIL THE END OF SCHOOL!

Blech

2011-06-15T14:54:00.002-04:00

A summer seminar was advertised at school, with this as the first topic addressed:

"Raise standardized test scores for all students."

Ooh, ooh, sign me up.

Eyeroll.

Perspective

2011-06-09T07:51:00.002-04:00

I don't know about the end of the year at other schools, but at our school, with constant growing numbers and lack of space, the big questions are always looming. Are we moving rooms? Is anyone changing grade levels? Who is leaving? The administration, and I have learned it's the same no matter who is in the role, is left responsible for these questions. Frustration grows, rumors swirl, doors close. No one has definitive answers. It becomes tense. Everyone thinks they have an answer or solution, so why the heck can't we just decide and move on?

Well, turns out, on top of all the end-of-the-year junk that our administration has to deal with, other issues pop up that require immediate attention.

Like, let's just say as an example, a parent is complaining because they've spotted a bus driver making out with their sweetheart on the actual bus - on numerous occasions.

Snarf.

Have fun with that one boss!

It's good to have some perspective, especially when the stress level is rising.

Sparkly Things Store

2011-05-31T16:05:00.004-04:00

It's nearing the end of the school year which means two things in kindergarten math: time and money.

I decided to tackle money first. We spent awhile learning how to identify each coin and what they were worth. Most kids usually pick this up fairly easily. Then we began talking about making change. How can we make 8 cents? 6 cents? How about 10 cents? How about ANOTHER way to make 10 cents? I focused on this during morning calendar math for weeks (i.e. we beat the horse...)

Then, the very best part of the money unit was upon us. The classroom store. For two days I let the kids lose with crafty scraps and craft glue and asked them to make beautiful things that other people would want to buy. Look how busy they were!

So proud...

So focused...

So creative...

After two days of creating, the kids named the store and settled on prices. We gave them choices (10 cents, 8 cents, 5 cents, 3 cents, 1 cent). I let 5 kids shop at once and I ran the register. I was checking to see who could make the right change and who needed help. Halfway through the shopping spree, I announced a SALE! WE SLASHED EVERYTHING! Ha, now they had to make different change. Bwahahaha.

All in all I was able to focus on about 4 kiddos who still need help and feel confident that the others understand the concept. And they have beautiful sparkly treasures to boot!

Any other ideas of fun ways to teach money?

Money/Store Books

2011-05-25T08:33:00.002-04:00

Here is a list of books that were recommended to me by our fabulous librarian. They all focus on goods and services, having money, or simply buying stuff. Exactly what I needed to get the kids' brains around our store!

Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday by Judith Viorst
Something Good by Robert Munsch
Money, Money, Honey Bunny! by Marilyn Sadler
Bunny Money by Rosemary Wells
Goat and Donkey in Strawberry Sunglasses by Simon Puttock and Russell Julian.

Thanks Library Lady!

Need Book Advice!

2011-05-24T15:49:00.003-04:00

Can anyone recommend a good read aloud for kinders about buying goods at a store? It doesn't need to be obvious (I'd like to stay away from, "Rosa goes to a store to buy apples." Boring.)

I'm having a hard time brainstorming.

My kids have been making beautiful treasures with crafty scraps and later this week we will price them (everything 10 cents and under!) and then buy and sell in our classroom store. I'd love a great book recommendation to support our activity.

Deep Breaths

2011-05-19T13:00:00.003-04:00

A few deep calming breaths after my previous post, nothing improves a day quite like a really good read aloud.

Thank you Cynthia Rylant for writing such a wonderful story.

The Perfect Storm

2011-05-19T12:16:00.002-04:00

A recipe for the perfect storm:

1 newly pregnant teacher suffering from exhaustion and headaches.
1 year of working within the standard calendar
3 less breaks than previous years
22 more days of school left
18 children who seem to have lost ability to function

Put all ingredients into a classroom and stir.

I know many of my colleagues are suffering from similar complaints*. I am fully aware that some of it is me, but I am fully aware that lots of it is them. Just looking at colleagues faces confirms that. My daily pattern has been that I start off positive, I quickly become frustrated, then I speak slowly and softly, and then whammo, I yell. And I yell because I worked really hard to speak slowly and softly (I'm already mad at this point), but when a kid simply chooses to ignore me, I can't control it.

*The complaints are:

incessant talking when a teacher is talking.
incessant noise and playing during routine transitions.
consistently being given specific one and two steps direction and NOT FOLLOWING THEM.

Not good. Not good at all. I've been saying things like, "there is NO WAY I can do this for the rest of my professional life." That's a big deal. This is my 4th year. Next year is that magical year that all the statistics say I have a good chance of leaving the classroom. Will I be another statistic? Or can I finish this school year, recharge over the summer and remember why I do what I do, because that list is a lot longer than my list of complaints.

Tooth Brushing Club

2011-05-16T11:01:00.004-04:00

Without going into specifics for reasons of privacy and also covering my butt, my fantastic co-worker and I came up with the idea of having a Tooth Brushing Club here in our classroom. Why you ask? Here is the non-specific butt covering reason:

I have a friend who missed a crazy amount (lots, I mean LOTS) of school due to very poor oral hygiene that likely led to weakened immune system that likely led to illness. Unfortunately I do not feel confident that his oral hygiene is a priority at home, so I made it a priority at school. With 17 of his friends.

Our fabulous administrator went out and bought 18 toothbrushes for my classroom. No one asked her but she did it. And she didn't get the cheapo ones. She got the fancy Oral-B ones with Toy Story, Cars and Disney Princess characters. That's some cash.

This morning I scrapped our normal routine and had the kids watch a 5 minute Brain Pop, Jr. flick on teeth brushing, then introduced The Tooth Brushing Club. I said it's not mandatory and you only had to sign up if you wanted to. Everyone wanted to sign up except my little friend with the dirty mouth. (I keep thinking of Orbit commercials, hence the "dirty mouth.") Unfortunately I forced him into it, but sometimes we need tough love right? It truly was a , "come on! Everyone else is doing it!" Great lesson to teach, right?

The poor little kiddo clearly doesn't like brushing his teeth because it hurts. And it hurts because he doesn't brush his teeth. Ugh. That's the tough part of this story. One that has been keeping me up at nights since November.

The untough part is that everyone else is so enthusiastic about brushing their teeth, we actually are running into management issues. But you know what? There are worse things. We made a list of when we can brush, and how many can do it at once. I have no doubt that the wrinkles will iron out...

In the meantime, brush away kiddos. Brush away.

Long Overdue

2011-05-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

For the first time all year, I have made the Smart Board a student-run center during math. I'm not sure why it's taken so long, but I'm glad I finally got to it.

Or maybe it's good I waited this long? I was happily surprised that this group needed very few reminders on how to use it independently. They were definitely ready.
(P.S. If you're curious, the kids are playing a coin/money game. It's been great because we are in the early stages of learning about money.)

Ants Freestyle

2011-05-12T14:09:00.000-04:00

I'm trying something new this year with ants. Normally I would set up the ant farm and then lead lessons on the parts, the life cycle, the tunnels, etc.

I'm not really feeling that this year.

So, instead, I set up the ant farm and gave the class instructions on when they could come observe. It took a few days of reminders, but they have it down now. Throughout the day, kids are at the farm staring at the ants and making comments like, "oh I can see 6 legs!" or, "they are the same color as a penny!" or, "look, that one died!"

We also learned our Ant Parts song, and I will likely do a lesson on the life cycle, but nothing too serious. I'm more interested in them watching the ants, that's the fun stuff.
(Don't worry. That giant ant to the left is plastic. The kids also play with models of the lifecycle while they observe.)

How much does good behavior cost?

2011-05-09T12:35:00.002-04:00

Turns out, it costs about half a million dollars. That's how much our school district is budgeting to address the "discipline problem" in our schools.

Hey, parents? You owe us $500,000. And no, we don't take checks.

Thank Yous Don't Cost Money

2011-05-06T08:27:00.005-04:00

Everything in my mind and body is telling me that it's time to get positive and refocus on what I love about my job, but it being Teacher Appreciation Week, I'm having a tough time not feeling just a little bit bitter.

Our administration has fallen over themselves showing us love this week with treats, gifts, lunch and breakfast. And frankly, they have to because there is a huge, obvious, awkward void in the actual classroom.

Our school send out calls to parents reminding them that it's teacher appreciation week. MORE THAN ONCE. They encourage families to have their students write their teachers notes about why they appreciate them.

Newsletters and fliers with similar information.

The administration is practically begging our families to show a shred of appreciation for the teachers.

I got a box of chocolates.

The chocolate giver is a super sweet kiddo and even if he just gave me the card that said "thank you" from his mom, I would have been happy.

One kid.

As teachers we don't ask for much from parents. Please just keep your kid fed and somewhat clean, return permission slips when we ask, and show up once a year for a conference.

But when you're actively being encouraged to show a little love, and you simply ignore it?

I'm not going to say it doesn't sting a little bit.

Especially, (and warning, here comes the bitter) when I have friends in wealthier schools who clean up in Starbucks gift cards this week.

All I want is a simple thank you. Thank yous don't cost money.

***Update*** Apparently the most recent call-out to parents sparked something. I received a few very thoughtful gifts this morning, and more importantly a note from a student saying thank you. A small portion of my class, but more than just the one I previously complained about. Now, who wants a box of Ferrero Rochers? How about a frozen Sara Lee Cheesecake? A dozen mini cupcakes with bright pink frosting? I'm happy to share.

OH, I almost forgot to mention my favorite... a small plastic trophy for my desk that says WINNER. Ha! I'm the Michael Scott of kindergarten.

DEFCON 1

2011-05-05T14:51:00.003-04:00

Things are getting pretty bad in here.

Here are some of the things students are not doing:

listening
following directions
acting like human 6 year olds

Because it's better to be positive, I suppose I can list the things they ARE doing:

arguing with each other
arguing WITH ME
pushing
shoving
stealing
lying

I always accept some responsibility for my classroom's behavior, and I'm happy to do it this time as well. However, if an informal observation of every single teacher's face in this school was done, it will be clear that it's not just me.

When I picked up my class from P.E. today they were standing in a very quiet line. "Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?" I asked.

Turns out, a bad thing. The ENTIRE CLASS had to sit out of P.E. class for not following directions and talking incessantly while the teacher was talking. Normally we have one or two kids sitting out because when you have 2 classes of kinders in a room it can get a bit hairy. But on Thursdays, it's just my kids and the P.E. teacher. The giant gym, 18 kids, and a teacher. No class is ever that lucky. And my class blew it.

As I type this (i.e. vent my extreme level of frustration so I don't do or say anything that could get me fired) my class is sitting in the dark with their heads down.

Someone is sniffling and I don't care.

Like I said, it's getting pretty bad in here.

This is my Shangri-La

2011-05-04T07:40:00.001-04:00

Do you see these two? Do you really see them? Do you see them working together? Do you see them checking each other's work? Do you see them working on one project? TWO KIDS, ONE PROJECT?

If you teach young children, you know this is what we strive for but rarely get.

This is my Shangri-La.

You can take your perfect kid and....

2011-04-28T18:17:00.004-04:00

I AM SO TIRED OF PARENTS ALWAYS ASSUMING THAT THEIR CHILD WOULDN'T DARE EXHIBIT NORMAL DEVELOPMENTAL BEHAVIOR, AND THEN MAKING ME EXPLAIN WHAT "REALLY" HAPPENED AND WHAT OTHER CHILD IS TO BLAME.

Phew. I feel better.

Almost.

I mean come on friends! Is it all that shocking to you that your son just MIGHT have pushed someone on the playground?! Do you honestly believe that your child is so angelic (boring) that he never ever breaks a rule? Get a grip.

Newsflash: your child isn't perfect, even if he "always act nice at home." (Insert biggest and longest eye roll ever recorded).

Summer can't come soon enough.

Love Affair Over

2011-04-28T10:58:00.003-04:00

**update** I checked the blog again and there might be a fix, but I need the help of our administrator. stay tuned.

Google Docs has become useless to me because for some reason, I can't access them during most of the day. I receive "trying to reach google.com..." message instead. I can't edit them while I get this message. Went to Google's blog to ask for help weeks ago and haven't received any information.

So now I log on during weird times in hopes that I can work off my Google Docs. I'm rarely successful.

All other things network related work fine, no problems. It's just Google Docs. Anyone else experience this message? Any fixes?

Useless. Useless and sad.

Now I have to think of another way to organize my files on my computer. Oh and that netbook I bought so I could access my Google Docs without unhooking my laptop from their various cords? Right now, it's a really expensive email checker.

Grumble.

God, Eve and Chinese People

2011-04-27T12:13:00.001-04:00

6 year old: "I am learning how to fight."

Me: "Really? Tell me about it." (Thinking I'm not going to like this...)

6 year old: "Well my dad is teaching me. He is sending me to karate."

Me: "Oh! Karate! You can learn a lot of good things there."

6 year old: "Yeah, I learned all about God. There was this girl and she ate an apple and she died."

Me: "Huh. You learned this at karate? (Moving on...) Was her name Eve?"

6 year old: "Yes! Eve. The Chinese people told me and they know a lot about God."

Sunday Reflection Revisited

2011-04-26T15:34:00.002-04:00

Dear Mr. Nocera,

Thank you for putting my thoughts in a meaningful, researched, and well balanced opinion piece. You are my hero.

xoxoxoxo,
Me.

Sunday Reflection

2011-04-10T14:00:00.003-04:00

My husband and I were given a lovely gift this morning... the gift of silence. The grandparents had kept the wee one overnight and for the first time in ages, we settled into the Sunday Times and sipped our coffee (hot the whole time!) for over a lazy, wonderful hour.

I devoured the paper like a kid in a candy store and finally settled into the Sunday magazine. There was an amazing article written by Jonathan Mahler about a principal and his school in the Bronx. The deeper I got into it, the more and more I saw our school, our students, our teachers, and our community represented in each line of the article.

The most poignant passage was this:

"It’s hard to disagree with the reform movement’s insistence that poverty, like ignorant or apathetic parents, should not be accepted as an excuse for failing schools. But watching Saquan, it’s just as hard to ignore the reality that poverty is an immutable obstacle in the path of improving public education, one that can’t simply be swept aside by the rhetoric of raised expectations. Is it really a surprise that a child whose family had been forced to move into a homeless shelter where he was sharing a bedroom with his mother and three brothers was having trouble getting himself to school and was acting out in class? Is it realistic to think that demanding more of him and his teachers is all that is required?"

This sentiment is something I frequently think about and talk about. The research shows, as the article points out, "that children’s experiences inside the classroom are responsible for as little as 20 percent of their overall educational development." Given this information, why are teachers being held accountable for 100% of a child's academic success? What about the parents, the family, the neighborhood, the community, the state -- the entire whole of society?

Children's educational performance cannot improve without serious reforms focused on living in poverty, language barriers, access to real health care, early childhood education, and a focus on the family, primarily on the caregivers. Until then, "reformers" are simply missing the boat on the real problems and placing blame on the people who are actually trying to do what is best for the kids.

***There are also a lot of good points made by the author about why charter schools aren't a realistic comparison of public schools, but that issue could take up an entire other post.***

Government Shut-Down

2011-04-06T08:20:00.002-04:00

As if teachers haven't had a hard enough time lately with being told we're lazy, we don't care about kids, we're greedy and we brainwash our children... now, if the House can't get its act together and the government shuts down, our field trip to the National Zoo is kaput.

Now, the ex-Hill staffer side of me isn't too worried because MOCs tend to have more hot air than actual action, so if a shut-down does happen, I don't see it lasting more than a few days. This is tax season after all. But, the teacher side of me doesn't like the wait-and-see prospect of this situation.

So, hey, Members of Congress? Doubtful you are listening to anyone but your left-wing or right-wing base at the moment, but there are 160 under-privileged kids who are so excited to take their first trip to the Zoo. Please don't screw it up.

Take-Home Book Program

2011-04-04T09:16:00.004-04:00

Ever since I raised the issue of what school to send my own child to, the conversation has broadened and has given me more and more to think about.

First, I discovered that because I don't live within the boundaries of our school district, it will cost us $10,000 per year to send my child to our school. I did not expect that figure to be so high.

Second, I've been learning more and more that what I consider normal, routine, and expected in a kindergarten classroom, isn't necessarily so. For instance, we have a very strong take-home book program. Simply put, all of our students are given real books in guided reading groups that they take home. At home they practice the reading strategies they learned with an adult. I've seen other kinders from other schools bringing home one photocopied "book" per week. It resembles a coloring packet more than a book. What does your school have?

Taste of their own medicine

2011-03-25T13:47:00.002-04:00

I have two friends who cheat at every game they play. We've tried all the typical routes to help them understand why it's not okay to cheat. Nothing was working until I made them play each other. THEY HATED IT. Constant tattling, constant clashing, constant strife.

Me: "How do you feel?"

Them: "AWFUL!"

Me: "Exactly."

Organization Bliss

2011-03-23T08:17:00.004-04:00

I am very excited about this.

You have read over and over again about how my fabulous co-teachers and I use Google Docs during Writing Workshop. Well, here's the next phase.

We were able to go through our anecdotal notes on every student and make groups based on their needs. This isn't revolutionary, but what's great about it is that we as teachers now have a crystal clear picture of what each child needs in writing. If you teach writing to kinders, you know this can be difficult. Turns out we have about three kids in each group that need to focus on one aspect of writing.

The brilliance? My co-teacher suggested we make a chart and then use post-its so we can move the kids around where needed. No need to flip through notes or scroll through tabs, we just glance on the wall. Management nirvana!

So now after the focus lesson, each teacher looks at the chart and decides what group to work with.

Is this rocket science or mind-blowing? No. But it is awesome.

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

2011-03-23T07:56:00.002-04:00

January 3rd - April 15th without a break. Are the people in charge of making our calendar laughing an evil laugh right now?

I grew up in New York State. We had a week long winter break in February, a spring break in April, and as far as I can remember, we didn't go to school until July.

What gives?

17 more school days until spring break... I think I might put a countdown ticker on my iGoogle.

Death and Dying

2011-02-25T07:38:00.003-05:00

Why do 5 and 6 year olds seem so obsessed with death and dying? When teaching famous Americans, the first bit of information that my class -- every single year -- immediately fixates on how that American died. And it's not because that's what I teach, that's the very first thing they ask. "Did they die? How did they die?"

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Abraham Lincoln are BIG DEALS because THEY GOT SHOT AND KILLED.

George Washington and Rosa Parks? Eh... they're okay, they just died.

Friends, why is Martin Luther King, Jr. important to us?

"HE GOT SHOT."

Exhale.

Here is our comparison of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Luckily, the standards were learned, I think:

George Washington was the first president and called The Father of Our Country.
Abraham Lincoln was a president and called Honest Abe.

Any guesses what the first fact written on the chart was?
First - they died. Second - Lincoln got shot (and then a student later added WHERE he got shot).

Morning Share

2011-02-11T11:16:00.000-05:00

"My baby cousin farts like a grown up."

All About Winter

2011-02-10T07:38:00.003-05:00

My kids wrote an All About Winter book and we made an All About Winter Photo Story for our school's writing celebration today. I am so darn proud of them, I needed to share.

First, we made a list of all the things we knew about winter. Then, we went outside and took pictures to match our words.

Then, we put our pictures on paper and added our words. Here is the beautiful cover.

Finally, we made our own movie, complete with sound effects. Amazing job little ones, you guys are awesome.

Pandora

2011-02-08T14:23:00.002-05:00

If you like to use Pandora, the Children's Folk Songs is a great station. Located under Genre Stations. My kids are now being exposed to all the songs I grew up with!

You are my sunshine... my only sunshine...

Message to Education "Reformers"

2011-02-08T10:17:00.006-05:00

In a recent meeting, our school district's principals indicated that there has been an increase in managing difficult behaviors. Among many other strategies, the district has 16 Behavior Intervention Specialists, hosted a Behavior Solutions Conference in which 1000 teachers attended, and is running parent workshops in individual schools.

So, in all the conversation about bad teachers, low test scores and ineffective teaching, will the issue of inadequate parenting also be addressed? Because I know I spend a heck of a lot of time managing difficult behaviors. A lot of time. Some of these behaviors are not the result of parenting, but many many are.

Teacher Parents

2011-02-06T07:04:00.002-05:00

Even though I've only taught in one school, I've come to accept that where I teach is an amazing place. Collaboration, innovation, creativity, reflection and passion seem to come naturally to the staff. The administration knows this and supports us in every way possible. The school district seems to know what we are about and seems to trust us to do what we're doing. We strive to do the best by our children, each and every day. (If you are a regular reader, you know I have bad days, but I wouldn't do what I do if I didn't deeply care about my students.)

My son is two years old and I'm already thinking about his future kindergarten experience. I don't live near the school where I work, and I don't even live in the school district. Our neighbors attend our neighborhood public school so I am always pumping the kids for information. "What did you read today?" "What did you learn today?" "Oh you studied worms? Did you get to touch them?" I let them empty their backpacks and show me when they're bringing home. Unfortunately the answers and examples are never what I hope for. I've checked the school out online, studied the demographics and what is highlighted as achievement, and also had the opportunity to attend an evening event there. It was a specific group of students and their parents but it gave me a sense of the school.

I don't feel like going into all that I feel our neighborhood school lacks in comparison to my own, and there are certainly aspects of it that are great, but my nagging question is... what to do with my kid when it's time for kindergarten? For him to go to my own school, we would have to pay some sort of tuition since we don't pay taxes into that school system. I have no idea how much it is and keep putting off inquiring. I also don't think it's the best thing to have your child in your school let alone your own grade, but there are benefits as well.

I was talking with a colleague this weekend and she's experiencing similar feelings about her own neighborhood school. She said that I, and maybe we, are going to have hard time when our boys go to kindergarten.

Am I? All I want for my child is the same I strive to give my students.

I'm not passing judgement on the teachers in the classroom of our neighborhood school, after all, how could I? I haven't been in their room to see what they're doing.

My thoughts swirl around the environment. Do I want my child to go to school where everyone looks like him and talks like him? Where the library, despite how wealthy the neighborhood is, was shockingly sparse? Where the high school has the highest drop out rate in the state?

Do other teacher parents struggle with this?

Crafty Boys Rock

2011-02-04T13:00:00.004-05:00

We are in the middle of our big project for I HEART Writing Day and I can't wait to share it with you, but for now, I wanted to share how three little boys excitedly asked to make snowflakes for the cover of our project. No gender bias here!

Should I have said something?

2011-02-03T18:40:00.002-05:00

Every other afternoon I spend the last 20 minutes of my day at our Kiss & Ride. As a kindergarten teacher, I need to make sure that each of my kiddos, and my neighbor-teacher's kiddos get in the correct car.

There are many problems with our Kiss & Ride operation, the biggest being that there are too many parents picking up their kids. The line is long, parents are grumpy, the staff is grumpy and the language barrier often presents problems.

Today, as a car was waiting for a student, I saw a mom in the backseat holding her infant baby in her lap. No seat belt. The student hopped in the back and as I pointed it out to a colleague, the car drove off.

The roads are covered in snow and ice, accidents happen all the time, and this family made the decision that holding an infant on a lap in the backseat was a good choice.

Maybe I should give them credit, at least the mother wasn't in the front seat like colleagues have seen before, but come on, not only is that dumb and unsafe, it's illegal.

I suppose I should check in with my administration and ask if we should report that. If not report, do I say something? "Excuse me sir? I hope you know that it's against the law for a child to be in the car without a car seat?"

Car seats cost money, trust me, I get that. But this isn't one of those optional expenses is it? I know our Parent Center helps out with things like that, and I can only assume there are other organizations that do as well... right?

I know our students go without seat belts on a regular basis, I have unfortunately seen it and my pleas go unheard, but an infant? I can't get past that.

Eerie...

2011-02-02T13:43:00.002-05:00

My class was in the middle of noisy production. They were making their monthly calendar and I had Raffi radio playing on Pandora. It was noisy, but they were working and that's all I care about. Then a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea came on by Sara Hickman.

SILENCE.

I looked around, was I missing something?

SILENCE.

"Ummm... do you guys like this song?"

Nodding heads. Twilight Zone weird.

Try it, let me know if you have the same response.

Google Docs: Not Just for Sharing

2011-02-01T12:13:00.003-05:00

EduCon came and went and I am still trying to organize my thoughts on everything, but what I do want to do is share what came out of our conversation, “Google Docs: Not Just for Sharing.” My fabulous co-presenter and I originally thought we would lead a discussion about our use of Google Docs focused on three areas: collaboration, management and assessment. We were hoping to share what we do, but more importantly, learn what others are doing. CHA-CHING! That’s exactly what happened and more. (And equally amazing was that we scheduled for the last session of the day and people still came! They came!) Below is an electronic version of my whiteboard notes, hopefully explained in a helpful way. Our original three areas were expanded to six.

Assessment. Teachers are using Google Docs as a tool to…

track IEP goal progress
collect measurable data (specific checklists)
create unofficial report cards to share with students
create student reflection/learning journals where the teacher can see and leave comments
create e-portfolios where students put work in folders and share with teacher
color code data.
pre-test prior knowledge "self-grading test" in google docs. Here are some great sites to help:

http://planetoftheweb.com/components/promos.php?id=534
http://haroldappseducation.blogspot.com/2010/11/self-grading-test.html

Management. Teachers are using Google Docs as a tool to…

survey students. Some teachers are embedding on Blackboard or a Wiki
do their morning message and graph responses
survey teachers
group students
create private channels between teacher and student

Learning. Teachers are using Google Docs as a tool to…

design writing prompts such as sentence starters or drop down menus
collect data from survey in excel, then mail merge to create script
design and administer attitude surveys

Collaboration. Teachers are using Google Docs as a tool to…

journal between teachers
plan instruction
reflect
share access to folders, and guess what?! They can be color coded! I’m in heaven.

We also have our hopes and dreams for Google Docs (Google Friends, are you out there?) Teachers would like…

more drawing tools
a chat feature on iPad
a public, sharable iGoogle

Other Great Ideas That Deserve Mentioning:

Teachers are setting up classroom with google site homepage with gadgets relevant to curriculum. They give students edit privileges (this is geared toward our older students.)
Some schools are using Google Apps for K-12 http://www.google.com/a/help/intl/en/edu/k12.html
Teachers also use Drop Box (another tool for sharing files)

What was clear as our conversation unfolded is that teachers of all stripes are using Google Docs. I want to sincerely thank everyone that attended our conversation and also hope that we can continue to add to this amazing list of ideas!

Thanks Mr. President

2011-01-25T22:26:00.002-05:00

It feels pretty great when your profession is singled out by the president in the State of the Union, and then you get an email from a friend that says, "you're my favorite nation builder!"

Not to mention that the we-must-educate-our-children-better speech that we've heard so many times before began with the parents, not the teachers.

I would have certainly made some edits, deletions and insertions to POTUS's speech on education, but still, it made me feel good, and I'll take that!

Now back to the weather report... I'm feeling a snow day on the horizon!!!

Writer's Club

2011-01-25T12:04:00.003-05:00

OMG, I am so excited. During a recent planning session, my fabulous co-teachers and I were lamenting how Writing Workshop seemed boring. Conferencing was painful and the kids who weren't with a teacher were disengaged. We were in a rut, the kids were in a rut and we needed to spice it up.

Introducing Writer's Club!!

I've blogged about how conferencing in our room works before. Briefly, each kiddo has a tab on a Google Doc file and the three of us (I still can't believe I am so lucky to have three teachers in one room during WW) conference with kids. We can see each other's comments, chat with each other, and follow up with each student's latest teaching point, no matter who the conferencing teacher was.

So now, we are using this to hold our little writers accountable. We each meet with two to three kiddos during independent writing. Based on that writer's needs, we give them something to work on. Sometimes a mini-lesson is involved, sometimes they just need to be told. We cycle through our two or three kids, being sure to meet back with each. If the student is independently working on what they were asked, they get to write their name on the club. Each week, Writer's Club gets to do something special. Sometimes lunch with a teacher, sometimes a special writing pencil, sometimes we'll go to a special writing place.

The kids ATE IT UP. I found my conferences to be much more streamlined and simple. I tend to focus on too many things and find conferences frustrating. But now I found myself saying, "Smart writers do _________. I'd like you to try this all by yourself. Do you think you can try?" The kids went back to their work with one specific goal and were then rewarded if they did it. We ended with "Now, for next time I want you to work on _______." Now there is a record for the next teacher. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

There are aspects of this that we will need to work on. One of the newest members of the Writer's Club completed his task successfully and then completely ignored the "next time" bit. We will need to help the writers understand that each skill is a building block. We also need to be prepared that the task might be too difficult independently. Most of our writers don't progress smoothly, it's a herky jerky ride. Two steps forward, one step back. We have to make sure they will feel successful so they have the confidence to try something hard on their own. Luckily, Google Docs have given us a format that allows us to see everything the writer can do, and everything they are working on.

Great Writing Workshop, thanks friends! Go team.

Google Docs Love Fest

2011-01-24T07:38:00.004-05:00

Guess what? My fabo colleague did come over but we didn't talk shop. We played with my kid. So now, Educon is days away and I'm still not prepared... but she is, because she's awesome like that.

Time for me to organize my thoughts.

I've been thinking about how we've been using Google Docs for our writing conference notes and as the classroom teacher, this is why I love them:

I can't get to 18 kiddos during the week to conference, but because I am very lucky to have 2 other teachers in the room, we as a team, can. Our shared document allows me to review every conference with every kid. It's like we are one uber-super-teacher.
I've picked up language from my co-teachers and vice versa. We now speak in the same "writing language." This consistency is so important.
Our kids think we share the same brain, so it's amazing to see them view us as one entity, and every now and again, it's fun to mess with them.
This is a non-writing point, but if I see a possible behavior issue, I can use the chat function to ask a coteacher to look in on the offender.
In an environment when planning time is precious and hard to come by, using Google Docs allows us to plan and collaborate during conferencing, and also on our own time. We're already one or two steps ahead when we sit down for our face to face planning time.

I also use Google Docs for my own reading conferences, remediation logs, weekly lesson planning, and basically any other item that a kindergarten teacher might need. This is why I love them:

I hate paper. I HATE PAPER. Really hate it. Hate isn't a strong enough word for how I feel about paper.
All of my important information is in one location, and accessible from any computer with Internet access. My most-visited docs are on my iGoogle page for super easy access.
When other colleagues ask me about using Google Docs, or what my plans look like, I simply add them with view permissions. A colleague will often pop in and say, "hey, I see you're working on ______ next week. What are you using/doing?" And boom, we share.

The practical benefits of using Google Docs, or something similar, are so great, I can't imagine NOT using them. I'll never go back!

Upon further review...

2011-01-18T13:26:00.004-05:00

...blogging about what my day looks like is boring. If it's boring to type, it's got to be boring to read. It didn't really promote reflection as I would hoped. Trash that one.

On another note, my fabulous co-teacher and I are headed to EduCon in two weekends to chat about using Google Docs in the classroom. We realized that we have not prepared one bit, so now is as good of a time as any right? We're at home due to the layer of ice over everything. She's coming over to visit this afternoon to play with my toddler. In between multiple reads of Moo, Baa, La, La, La, maybe we'll talk shop.

Poor Rosa Parks

2011-01-13T11:39:00.004-05:00

Working with a economically disadvantaged population brings many struggles to my day, struggles that I happily take on because it's what I chose to do when I became a teacher. My kids don't have access to most things that I provide for my own child. They don't have a parent at home when they're home, they don't have nourishing meals, they don't have someone to read them a story, they don't have doctors that are concerned with their well-being, they don't have clean clothes, and the list goes on and on.

What they do have, and what knocks me on my ass, is a unbelievably sad perspective on the world.

I began my lesson on Martin Luther King, Jr. today by introducing Rosa Parks. Kindergarten students need to know that MLK, Jr. helped change laws that were unfair. So we read Rosa by Nikki Giovanni (edited as I went for their level), watched a short clip of the story on United Streaming and then talked about what happened. I wanted to set up that Rosa was treated unfairly, she wasn't doing anything wrong, but she was arrested anyway.

We were having a good conversation. The students seemed to understand that she just wanted to sit down and that the bus driver was being very mean to her for no reason. We discussed black skin, white skin, light skin, dark skin and all the shades in between. It was one of the best discussions we've ever had. (If you haven't ever been in a kindergarten classroom, you might not know that discussions about anything are hard. They're still learning to converse, not just answer questions. They're still learning to listen to the question, and respond on the same topic.)

Towards the end of the discussion, I prompted the class with, "So why was Rosa Parks arrested?"

I was answered with, "because she was poor."

Ugh. On my ass.

I tried not to tear-up and instead asked the child, who is poor, if she thought people got arrested for being poor. She knew where I was going with my question (she's quite bright), but it was clear she thought that her previous statement was correct. We talked more and moved beyond this, but I'm still thinking about it. Over and over and over...

Um, society? You have a whole lot of work to do if our five year old children in poverty think the police are there to arrest them, simply for not having money.

I look at a police officer and feel safe. This five year old looks at a police officer as a daily threat. And it's my test scores that are the problem........

Morning Meeting

2011-01-10T13:42:00.004-05:00

Our school is a Responsive Classroom school, and while I love the entire philosophy, I haven't been able to implement the entire thing. I have, however, worked my morning meeting around much of its philosophy.

After my class has answered the morning question and checked in, I call them to morning circle. We begin the meeting with a song, chant or dance welcoming us to school. Then we go around the circle, practicing making eye contact, saying good morning to the friend sitting next to us. Then I open it up for share. Some mornings, like right after winter break, everyone wanted to share, but most mornings it's about 3 or 4 kiddos and 90% of the time I tell them that their share is a great idea for Writing Workshop.

After share the students move from a circle to their carpet spots and I fire up the SmartBoard. Much of my morning meeting and calendar math is done on the SmartBoard for three reasons: 1) I do not have the wall space to support all the calendar math requirements; 2) the SmartBoard allows me to be creative with the content and create some really fun interactive activities; and 3) the SmartBoard allows me to add other content in that I want my class to focus on.

Depending on the time of the year and the needs of my class, my morning message might have all the words to be read together, or some high frequency words missing, the day of the week missing, or just the first letter of the word. The text stays pretty much the same for a month, and then I might change around some words to support new HFW or simply to change it because reading the same message day in and out can be boring. The kids are in charge of filling in the missing pieces and then we do a shared reading of the message when it's complete.

After the message comes calendar math! I have a slide for the weather report where I also pull up weather.com so the kids can see what a forecast looks like, I have a slide for our Daily Depositor (a concept that I think is developmentally inappropriate, but I can talk about that later), and then depending on our curriculum, slides that support those current concepts. I love using calendar math to introduce a new concept or practice an old one.

After we finish with the SmartBoard, we move onto our 100's Chart, our traditional calendar (date, day, yesterday/tomorrow/today), and then we read the day's schedule.

It's all wrapped up with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Next up... Reading Workshop.

Everything has a purpose, right?

2011-01-07T10:58:00.003-05:00

Have you ever sat back and thought about each minute of your day and wondered, "why do I do this this way?" I think as each year passes, more and more of my thought process becomes less of a process and more of a second-nature reaction... and frankly, this is dangerous. We must always be purposeful with every minute we have with these tiny minds. So, for now, I hope to pick apart my day, a bit at a time to reflect and ensure that what I am doing has a purpose.

First up, arrival!

When my class arrives, I greet each with a good morning and their name. Sometimes I change it up with a "hey there _____" or a hi __________," but each child gets a personal greeting when they enter. I don't shake hands, or high five, or even fist bump. I'm not so much a toucher, but kids need to feel comfortable, welcomed and special, so each one gets eye contact and a hello of some form. My I.A. is a good hugger... I leave that to her.

Until recently my kids went to their assigned seats at one of four tables. The assigned seats allowed my to quickly see who was absent, but those seats are also used at snack time and during writing workshop. I try to put a strong kiddo, a weaker kiddo, and some middle kiddos together. Strong, middle and weak can apply to academics, social skills, or leadership skills. It all depends on the kid and the table. Last week I ripped the names off because a) my kids can choose who they want to sit with in the morning, b) they can choose who to sit with during snack, and c) we working on helping them choose a smart spot for themselves during writing. If a child makes a poor choice, we simply suggest a better seat. This has proven to be a great change with two minor side effects. Snack time gets LOUD and trying to figure out who is absent is no longer a quick glance at the tables. But, hey, who cares, right?

Depending on the day, the children are directed to get their book boxes when they arrive, or they have a tub of math manipulatives on the table, or they have a worksheet waiting for them.

"A WORKSHEET?!" you gasp?! Yes. A worksheet. I don't even try to sugarcoat it with the label of "individual practice" or "handwriting reinforcement." It's a plain old worksheet. Any kid, no matter what school system, needs to learn how to sit down, put their name on a paper, and follow simple directions (usually oral). Those kiddos who think they can blow through the work by scribbling or not attending to the question get to do it all over again with a teacher. They learn this early. The topic of the worksheet is timely, this morning they added up dots on dice, one morning they colored a snowy scene, one morning they practiced writing their name. They all have purpose.

But the worksheet isn't everyday, more often than not, it's the book boxes and those allow kids to share the books they have or read their guided reading books. Our book boxes also contain a dry erase board and marker so many write their letters, words, or names.

I invite one table at a time to go to the cubbies and unpack. Each child is responsible to unpack their own bag, put their coat away, put the contents of the bag in the right spots -- snack goes in snack basket, guided reading books go in book box, library books go in blue basket, blue folders or Tuesday folders go in their respective homes. My only purpose is to oversee the unpacking and collect notes from home and lunch money.

After unpacking, the children go to the easel and read that morning's question with my I.A. and answer it. My I.A. ensures that each child is thinking of their own answer and not simply copying what has already been written. The question always focuses on something we're working on. What rhymes with... or, What is two dots plus three dots... or, What part of the body do you use to smell? Then those kids go to the Smart Board to move their name from the "home" side to the "school" side. This month each name also has its birthday. Soon, the name will disappear and the kids need to locate their birthday to check-in. We've done first names, full names, last names only, initials, and now birthdays. Up next - phone numbers. Then, back to their tables to await my call to clean-up and come to morning circle.

Next post... morning meeting.

Blogger-friend Love

2011-01-07T10:57:00.003-05:00

The thoughts and comments is received on my last post were really helpful. Thanks friends.

BFF

2011-01-03T11:06:00.004-05:00

Goodness... long time, no post huh? Blogging has always been my outlet to compose my thoughts, share funny kinder stories, gripe when needed, and whatever else comes to mind that I think others might be interested in. I would find comfort or solace, or a giggle anytime I posted. Blogging was my bff.

But I haven't really been into my bff lately and I'm trying to figure out why.

Some of it is that much of what has consumed me focuses on my role as our team leader and all the trials and tribulations that go along with that. I could write mountains -- good, bad, and ugly -- about this "job" but I know it's neither helpful nor appropriate. I don't think my bff is interested.

I also have one specific child in my room who I am truly struggling with. This is beyond my typical tough kid... and I've had some doozies. When this one walks down the hall in the morning, I sigh internally because I just don't want to see them. Nice, right? Stories about this child aren't funny, or sad, or in need of advice. They're just complaints. Again, my bff wouldn't really find my comments helpful or appropriate.

I'm also part of a fabulous team of 3 in my room and this has 95% positive return. The 5% that lingers though is that while I am trying many new things and approaches, I am feeling more and more disorganized and unfocused. My bff finds me boring and annoying when I am disorganized and unfocused.

Maybe my bff served its purpose my first three years and now I need a new friend. Maybe my bff and I are growing apart, who knows. I need to figure it out though, because right now my bff sits on my mental to-do list yet never gets crossed off. I hate that.

Has any other edublogger out there experienced this? Is there a time to hang it up? Or refocus?

Wah Flippin' Wah

2010-11-30T10:39:00.002-05:00

I'm not interested in a "who works harder" debate, but if I have to read one more article or hear one more story about how unfair it is that federal workers might be subject to a pay freeze for two years, I might scream.

Welcome to reality my federal friends. I'm on 4 years and counting...

Love

2010-11-16T14:52:00.002-05:00

It's been a rough few days for yours truly. I was thinking about blogging about it, but blogging is supposed to be my therapy and after writing the post, I didn't feel better so I scrapped it. It's hard being a teacher when you're struggling right? It's hard being there for all your lovies if you're not there for yourself. Well enough of this pity party because I work with amazing people.

My two fabulous co-teachers could tell I'm down and they both approached me and asked how I was and what could they do to help? Love. Then during the afternoon, when I had my kids strengthening their auditory skills at identifying rhyming words (Dr. Seuss movie) another fabulous colleague came in and gave me an incredible neck and back massage. She said I looked like I needed one. Double love. I am so lucky to work with such caring and fabulous people.

Frontline

2010-11-09T11:55:00.003-05:00

My teammates have been grumbling about getting our testing done and data inputted by the school district's deadline. I agree with the grumbling, it's a whole lot of work that takes away from our teaching, and much of the work doesn't really inform our instruction. I can happily deal with data crunching if it's helping me plan my lessons, but busy work for the sake of busy work certainly deserves grumbling.

I happen to be very lucky to have two co-teachers in my classroom this year. I teach in an inclusion school so our special education teacher co-teaches with me and our reading specialist is also co-teaching with me this year. Out of the many benefits of this arrangement, the one that is most helpful when talking about testing is that my classroom has three teachers to complete testing when others on my team have to do it all on their own.

This realization got me thinking about kindergarten teachers and how we're the front line in the army of teachers in our school. We often know very little to nothing about kindergarten students when they arrive at our school. Unless they're transferring to us from a special education program at another school, all we have their name, birth date and address.

Our school has designated classrooms (this year three) where our special education kindergartners are mixed in with general education. This is done so our special education teacher can actually service these students. These three classrooms have some level of expectation on the first day because we know some of our students already, usually 3 or 4 students out of 20.

Then there's the rest. All of a sudden, a kindergarten teacher who has neither a special education co-teacher or a literacy co-teacher can easily be faced with students who clearly need more support than your average five year old. A child who appears to have no experience in a group setting and has social/emotional problems can be quite a challenge, two or three of these kids in a classroom can make for a very tough year. Instructional Assistants are incredibly important in our classrooms, but as I discovered last year, they should not, and cannot, be focused on one or two students all day everyday. It's not their job, nor their area of expertise.

Largely, by the time these kiddos get to first grade, they've either a) adjusted to school and its expectations or b) been "flagged" or even identified as a child with special needs. First grade teachers have a head's up about what's coming their way.

So yeah. Kindergarten is the front line. Maybe they should start issuing Kevlar with our science kits.

Overheard

2010-11-04T14:57:00.002-04:00

Child singing, "Hey, soul sister, what's the mystery...radio, stereo." (A classroom favorite).

Other child sings, "I like to ride it all night long."

Please, just show up.

2010-11-01T13:41:00.002-04:00

It's half-way through the first of our two parent conference days and I'm already irritated. Not surprisingly, I have found myself here before. Although when I reread my post from 2008, I seem to blame my self-diagnosed OCD on my pissy-ness, today I putting it squarely on the shoulders of my parents who pulled NO SHOWS for our conference.

Out of nine conferences so far, four have pulled no shows. It's not that I received a message to say they couldn't come. It's not that I arbitrarily picked a time and expected them to make it. NO. I worked my behind off to communicate with them personally about when they are available, confirm a time that worked for THEM, and then also sent home a paper reminder in their home language (I have Spanish and English speaking parents.) Their conference times come and go while I sit at my desk not wanting to delve into a project because they might, they might, show up. WHO DOES THIS?! This isn't just my Spanish speaking parents either, the current culprit is a mom that I know because I had her older child two years ago. YOU KNOW ME! Why would you blow me off?!

Breathe.

A colleague gently reminded me, amidst my ranting, that the real shock is that THIS IS YOUR CHILD. Can you show up? Please? Not for me, although I would like that too, but for them. Show up for them.

Why I am allowed in the building some days, I do not know.

2010-10-28T13:04:00.003-04:00

Today is Book Character Day and while I have issues with it in general (if it's NOT Halloween, DON'T schedule it at Halloween, etc etc) I have been giggling by butt off all morning.

Why you ask?

A colleague dressed up as Ramona Quimby.

What's so funny about Ramona Quimby you ask?

Well, this Ramona Quimby is pregnant.

Ramona Quimby, Age 16. HA!
Ramona the Bravely Rebellious. HA! HA!
Ramona, the girl who took the wrong path. HA! HA! HA!
Hey Ramona, did Henry do that to you?!

You get the picture.

I can't stop. CAN'T STOP.

Somehow I think Beverly Cleary wouldn't find me so funny, but I think I am.

Some nursery rhymes need to be retired...

2010-10-27T14:22:00.003-04:00

Does Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater bug anyone? It really bugs me and I can't bring myself to teach it to my kids.
I mean, COME ON, Mrs. Pumpkin Eater. You're telling me that you can't escape a pumpkin and go find a better life? I highly doubt that life inside a nasty pumpkin is "very well." Screw Peter and his barbaric ways, I'm sure some dwarfs would take you in, or you could call your gal pal Cinderella and go live in her castle. Just don't call the old lady, her shoe is full.

Trauma

2010-10-25T19:26:00.003-04:00

We had a presentation on the effects of trauma on a child's brain today and wow... portions of it hit home and hit my classroom.

Early in the presentation, a recording of a 911 call was played. It was a small child, watching his mommy and daddy fight, and this child was terrified. I couldn't tell who was beating up who but I don't think it mattered. What mattered is that the sound of pure fright in that child's voice made my stomach turn, and then sink. I immediately thought of my own child and that my own personal nightmare would be his voice sounding like that. She also spent extensive time talking about how infants' neurons grow rapidly with love and attention, and do just the opposite when those things are absent. Again, it brought me right to my son and how the sound of any stress from him, from day one, caused me to want to soothe him immediately. I've never been a "let him cry it out" kind of mom and I'm happy to report I have a kiddo who can soothe himself when needed but also goes to sleep at a regular bedtime with rarely a tear.

So that was the home.... and then I began chewing on thoughts of my classroom.

I began to think of the struggles many of my kids have experienced at a very young age and my heart began to ache a bit. It's not often that I look at a five year old in my classroom and try to see them in their 10 month old selves, but when I stepped back to try to do that, I became very sad. A baby who might not get picked up when she cries, not because she's not loved, but because the caregiver is watching five other babies while parent(s) are working long shifts. A baby who isn't spoken to simply because mom or dad might be so exhausted that being physically home is all that can be managed. And worse, a baby or a young child who routinely sees a mom beat up, or hears a neighbor screaming, or sees a fight outside their window. I've always been aware of the realities of the children I teach, but today I tried to put myself in their baby shoes, and it blew me away.

As these babies grow up, they lack coping mechanisms that resilient children have -- those pesky neurons again, and they have high stress levels. These children come into my classroom and seek out the negative, because that's what they know. They prefer an angry voice or an angry face because that's what they're used to. It's my job to show them that there's another world. There's a world with love, patience, and calm.

I do my best. Some days better than others, but in general, I approach my class with calm, patience and the understanding that consistency in routine and reaction in imperative. This isn't enough for everyone, but is certainly my base-line.

I also realized today that I am truly failing two of my students. Two students who I have been looking at as true behavior problems. Nothing specific like inability to pay attention, or trouble controlling their body, just annoying irritating behavior. Two students who are always in trouble, always being spoken to, always asked to change their card, basically always dumped on. Not from day one, but as the weeks went by and my usual bag of tricks failed at every turn, my patience withered and my calm even tone was replaced with bugged eyes, sarcasm, and short snippy tones.

The presenter referred to this as our "shark voice." She pleaded with us to approach every child, every day, with calm, with even tone, with a soft face. She said, "be aware of your shark voice." I looked down at the floor, slightly ashamed. I can admit it.

So tomorrow is a new day. Tomorrow I will brainstorm individual behavior plans for these two, a device I usually reserve for specific behavior problems. Who knows, maybe they just need some positive love many times throughout the day. Won't I be the jerk if that's the case?

Isn't this your job?

2010-10-22T13:54:00.003-04:00

Dear Weather.com,

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't the purpose of weather.com to give accurate weather forecasts? I checked you this morning and saw that it was going to be sunny in the low sixties for our field trip. Our field trip with eight kindergarten classes. I thought, "great! beautiful weather!"

Well weather.com, you failed. You failed big.

The ACCURATE weather report was fifty one degrees, cloudy and windy. I dare say the windchill was below 50 degrees. How do I know? BECAUSE I WAS FREEZING MY BUTT OFF.

We ate our lunches on the bus and left a full hour earlier than planned.

Luckily, my kids didn't notice because they all got to pick out their own pumpkin to take home. It cost me $17 bucks but it was worth it. That's all they're likely to remember anyway.

I hope you do a better job next time.

Sincerely,
Me.

P.S. I think you should pay me $17 bucks.

For the love of...

2010-10-20T13:09:00.003-04:00

Is someone playing a very cruel trick on me? It's as if some horrible blob is hovering above my class and sucking the ability to follow directions right out of my students.

I'm about to lose it.

I'm not talking about following three or four step directions, I'm not talking about walking in the hallway correctly, I'm talking about, "do you hear the words coming out of my mouth?"

Example #1:
Me: "Friend, please stop at look at me."
Friend stops and looks at me.
Me: "You are using way too much glue. There is glue everywhere. You don't need anymore. Please put it down."
Friend nods and then squeezes a huge blob of glue on his letter sort.

Example #2:
Me: "Okay friends, the first thing you are going to do is put your name on your paper. Can someone tell me what the first thing you're going to do is?"
Kid: "Cut."
Me: Deep breath... "No, not yet. What's FIRST."
Kid: "Write your name."
Me: "Yes! Now go do it."
Kid returns to his table and starts cutting.

I could go on and on, but my blood pressure is rising just typing this.

We have had class meetings, class discussions, I have listed directions in 1, 2 or 3 step fashion. I've had the kids repeat back what the directions are. I've had kids model, kids explain, and kids help their peers. Not following directions is the leading cause of green cards going to yellow and then to orange in my room. NOTHING IS WORKING.

And it's not just 3 or 4. We're talking like HALF MY CLASS.

Please, for the love of my sanity, share some advice. I would greatly appreciate it.

Pumpkins for all Learners

2010-10-14T20:04:00.002-04:00

Today was a great day for many reasons, one of them being an on-the-fly-pulled-from-my-behind lesson on the life cycle of the pumpkin. My plans said, "introduce the life cycle of the pumpkin." Um, thanks former self from last week. Great job with the details.

The only lesson we had done before today was to make a list of what we know about pumpkins and what we want to know.

So I grabbed a short non-fiction book with photographs and easy descriptions. The kids enjoyed the real pictures and the simple text of how a pumpkin grows.

Then we put the book down and retold it by drawing pictures on the easel.

Then we snuggled down into the carpet and acted out the life cycle of the pumpkin.

Then we switched on the Smart Board and sequenced the pictures in the appropriate order.

This all took about 20 minutes and it hit my spatial (drawing the pictures), kinesthetic (acting it out), linguistic (reading the book) and logical learners (organizing the sequence).

Through the lesson, we answered many of the questions we asked the previous day, such as "do pumpkins grow on trees?" and "do seeds need water to grow?" I know am patting myself on the back, I fully admit it, but I really thought it rocked.

I am congratulating myself with a burger and wine. Cheers!

What she said...

2010-10-14T20:03:00.000-04:00

Everything I wanted to say has already been said.

Independence

2010-10-11T13:46:00.003-04:00

I believe one of the most important things I can teach my students is independence. Whenever I am asked about my teaching philosophy, that word is always forefront. If you come into my room you might hear me tell a kiddo that I won't tie their shoes. They need to try it themselves or ask a friend. You might hear me tell a child that, "no, I won't open your snack. Ask a friend." I think it's incredibly important for these five year olds to understand that self-sufficiency is the bedrock of their success. If they can't do something, that's okay, but ask a friend. If a five year old is tying another five year old's shoes, they are both benefiting from that experience. The shoe-tying kid is strengthening their skills through practice and teaching through example. The shoe tie-ee is likely paying more attention because if their friend can do it, why can't they?

Sorting buttons...

I feel independence doesn't stop at basic life skills such as opening a Capri-Sun or tying a shoe. Most of my teaching consists of a focus lesson followed by independent learning centers. This structure carries over in literacy and math. I work really hard and setting routines and expectations so that a student knows what their job is, knows what to do at the job, and knows what to do when done. All without my assistance. This frees me up to work one-on-one with kids, to do our ever growing assessments, to work with a small group, or lately to chat with colleagues or reply to emails. It's the lately part that's making me feel just a tad guilty.

Um, hello TEACHER?! You're a teacher right? Shouldn't you be TEACHING? That's what the little teacher-nerd sitting on my shoulder is saying.

Color sort...

Of course I don't think I should go into these independent groups and shake it up with teacher-led instruction, but I do think I need to get a bit more involved. My fabulous co-teacher suggested I follow her lead and make check-lists for learning objectives I am looking for. Then while my wonderfully independent kiddos are working, I can circulate around the room making notes of who is demonstrating what. I love this idea and need to get cracking on these checklists. It will certainly make me feel more productive, it will force me to see if my centers are successfully supporting the learning objectives, and it will decrease the chance of my boss showing up in my room while my kids are at centers and I am emailing our IT guy about the latest gadget I want.

Number dominos...

The Evolution of Writing Workshop

2010-10-06T17:29:00.005-04:00

This is my fourth year trying to perfect the kindergarten Writing Workshop. I've been to see Lucy Calkins, I've been to see Katie Wood Ray, I've read many a professional texts and sat through many a professional development focused on kindergarten writers.

It's the hardest part of my day.

Until this past week, I've pretty much stuck to a similar format. We begin Writing Workshop (WW) with a mini or focus lesson. Basically, "this is what writers do... you are all writers... now go and do it." Then the wee ones are sent back to their tables for quiet writing times while I conference with individual kids on what they're doing. Then we wrap it all up with a share session that highlights someone's story that did what we were hoping to see.

Now I know I'm not all that flexible, but this format does change depending on the day, the needs of the kids, and well, my mood. Bad mood teacher = shortened WW. Some days we don't even make it back to our tables. We do shared writing (I hold the pen but get ideas from the kids) or interactive writing (they write the words), or we read stories by other authors who do a great job at writing about real things happening. Ezra Jack Keats is a fine example. His books about Peter, Willy and the gang are an awesome example of writing about everyday things that happen to you.

The whole point is to get our kids to understand that they are authors and they have stories to tell.

Pause....

Have you ever heard a kindergartner tell a story? What about a kindergartner with limited English, limited experiences, and limited ability to hold a pencil?

And that's why it's hard.

SO. This year, with the help of my fabulous co-teachers (gawd, I love that it's plural!), we are revamping what WW looks like. We're thinking about centers focused on drawing, concept of story, and beginning, middle and end. Independent writing will still happen everyday, but it will be a smaller part of the workshop. I'm envisioning something that looks similar to my Reading Workshop.

Already we've been working on drawing. Many of our kids don't know where to begin so we've broken things down into parts of a whole (one of the Patterns of Thinking) and shown them that they can draw anything, they just need to go one part at a time! You should have seen the elephant they did together today. Awesome. I will try to remember to take a picture and post.

This week and next we will be pulling small groups to work on beginning, middle and end as well as story vs. picture.

I've also chilled out with the "you must be silent during independent writing" shtick. Turns out if you're not all up in their grill about being quiet, they enjoy writing more. They might talk to their tablemates, but they're talking about their stories, and that's fine by me.

I'm very excited about this. I hope I have amazing results to report! Or at least results that don't mention me thinking how much I hate WW.

Health Hazard

2010-10-06T17:16:00.002-04:00

Due to a change in our recess schedule, we now have 30 minutes for lunch, instead of 60. I KNOW I KNOW, many many of you are saying, "SIXTY? Who the hell gets 60 minutes for lunch?" Well girlfriends, we did. Our kids ate lunch and then our fabulous I.A.'s took them outside.

Our new recess schedule has us going out later in the day, after lunch and after math. I like it. It works. The only adjustment is now we have to eat lunch in the same amount of time as the rest of the school. Tough life right? Well, GIRLFRIENDS, yes it is.

Lunch is at 12:50. I arrive at 12:47ish just to get a jump on the process. At 12:55 my kids have finished getting through the lunch line and I have said, 19 times, "please get a straw and napkin." Actually, by the ninth or tenth time, I'm just saying "straw. napkin."

I leave the cafeteria at 12:56 and begin the marathon long walk back to my room. Luckily I have long legs and can bust it back there by 12:59. I now have 21 minutes until my bum is due back in the cafeteria to pick up my kids. Oh, and I'm both a stickler for being on time, and feel incredibly guilty for being late because if I am, then my fabulous I.A. doesn't get to eat her lunch when she should. 12:50 is stinkin' late for 5 year olds, 1:00 p.m. is stinkin' late for me, but 1:20 p.m. is stinkin' smelly late for our I.A.s. But back to the clock...

By 1:00 p.m. I am ripping into my microwaveable meal and popping it in. Some are 1/2 power for 4 minutes, followed by full power for 2. Some are full power for 3, some are slow cookers -- seriously, 7 or 8 minutes. Plus I share my microwave with fellow lunchers, because it would be rude and mean if I didn't, so my same lunch-time colleague and I politely jockey for microwave time.

After all of this nonsense, it's close to 1:10 before I sit down to eat. I have about 8 minutes before I need to leave my room to get back to the cafeteria at 1:20.

I inhale my hot lunch and inevitably burn the roof of my mouth.

This vicious cycle repeats itself until the weekend when I can enjoy hot meals like a normal person. Then I bring my healed mouth to school on Monday and we start the dance again.

(Alright fine, YES, I could bring a sandwich, or cold pasta salad, but that takes planning and time in the morning and frankly, tossing a frozen meal into my bag is much quicker. And then what would I have to blog about?!)

Browser Blues

2010-10-04T12:27:00.003-04:00

Does anyone else experience annoying and frustrating browsers? Explorer and Firefox seem so sensitive. Blogger hasn't been working with Firefox (error messages galore) but works fine with Explorer. Explorer doesn't like many sites I use and tends to just shut down without cause or warning. Our county's web sites favor Explorer and forget even trying to use my home-Mac with them. Just blank screens that load and load and load...

What gives?

Line Cutters Unite

2010-10-04T12:18:00.002-04:00

You might be shocked by this, but I have been supporting line cutting. Not cutting the whole class however, just one special friend. This is the second year with this friend and she has very serious needs. But in the process of working with her very serious needs, she also has developed a stubborn streak and will start a power struggle over things I know, and she knows, she can do. Using the bathroom for example. She doesn't like to use it unless she wants to use it. Well sweet pea, in my room, you use it when we have bathroom breaks. So use it. Now.

She has taken to walking very slowly in line. Giant holes in the line drive me nuts and I have spent more than a year telling her in English and in Spanish to hurry up, let's go, walk faster, come on Friend... I thought she might not understand the basics of line walking. But then I told the kid behind her to walk around her. WHOA. She totally gets line walking and she got pissed. And she walked faster. Success! So now my kids know that if she is walking too slow, they should pass her.

Hopefully this is a quick fix. My only concern is that it will turn into a game. When it does, I will think of something else.

Why my blog should charge me by the hour...

2010-09-30T17:18:00.003-04:00

I think I have professional depression. It’s been stated that 50% of new teachers leave the profession after 5 years. This is my fourth.

Now, before my husband asks why the hell we spent all that money on my elementary education graduate degree, I can tell you that I’m not quitting. I. Am. Not. Quitting. I am just trying to find the reason or source of my overall blahness. I can’t continue to wake up each morning, exhausted, not wanting to go to work. I can’t continue to come to school and only be half engaged with my class. I can’t continue to mumble, “It was fine, I am tired” to my husband each time he asks how my day was.

I’ve been approaching many of my fabulous colleagues and asking, “are you wiped out too?” Turns out, many of them are. So one of my developing theories is that I am simply in a contagious rut that I will bounce out of within the next few days or weeks (please God, days). Why we are all in this rut, we do not know. One colleague and I tried to remember if we felt like this the past year and both of us seemed sure that this feeling is new.

There are some moments, on bad days the moments last all day, when I wonder if this profession is where I will be for the next 5, 10 or even 20 years. I wonder if I have the stamina. I wonder if I have the desire to help a group of 20+ kiddos go from here to way up there year after year. These moments are not daily, but lately they've been too frequent for comfort.

But each day gets better. If I was in AA I would tell you that it’s one day at a time. I had a fabulous planning session with my two amazing co-teachers. That alone lightened my step and invigorated me. I’m changing things up that I find boring. And if I find it boring, just imagine what my kids think. Our conversation was fun, exciting and sometimes giddy. Love planning like that.

I’m also adjusting my approach to those couple of students that are just irritating. I am digging deep and finding something to love, no matter how little, but there are two left that I’m still in the trenches with a shovel with. How deep do I have to dig?! But that’s just two. I have eighteen lovies that all have a special something about them.

New routines and new schedules have also been hard, so I’m looking at those and figuring out ways to make it all work. My fabulous administration has been working hard to help me change specials to make it better. That’s been awesome.

Frankly, with each word I type, I am thinking that it’s fine. I’m fine. This is all fine. I’m not out of the woods yet, but I certainly see the light.

The subtitle of this blog, because blogging is cheaper than therapy, never rang truer than it does today.

Pile it on...

2010-09-21T13:01:00.003-04:00

We had a in-service this morning to learn about the new content added to our math curriculum. I left feeling so down and frustrated. Let's rewind.

My first year of teaching I left as though if I sent the kids home in pretty much the same shape they arrived, it was a good day. I achieved that most days. Navigating the curriculum, navigating what my team did, and just figuring out what to do was incredibly hard.

Year two was better. My language arts blocks were more organized thanks to Literacy Collaborative and math inched along. It wasn't great, but better.

My third year felt solid. I feel great about language arts and I have the big picture in math and the help of required quarterly assessments which aren't fun to give, but they help me stay on task.

Now it's my fourth year. I'm ready to go and now I'm told that what I thought I had a handle on is drastically different. Kindergarten students need to count to 100 and know fractions like 1/2, 1/4, etc. These two new standards are just examples for many more.

Now please don't peg me as a oh-woah-is-me-I-have-teach-more whiner. And trust me, I don't underestimate my kids' ability. But, GAH, just when I feel like I know what I am doing, whammo, it changes. I'm struggling with how I am going to pace this through the year to introduce and teach additional material but also address the needs of my kids who need more time and just aren't ready for fractions, or counting to 100, or whatever... I'm afraid I may fail them this year. We're 11 days in and I'm stressed that a group of my kids can't copy a repeating AB pattern. It's hard to think about mid-year and end-of-year as success stories.

All of these additions to better prepare the upper grade kids on their standardized tests. I'm feeling a bit bitter and piled upon because we're the first grade in...

On a brighter note, the cafeteria manager gave me free leftover chicken tenders. Woot.

Tinkering Heaven

2010-09-20T14:36:00.001-04:00

I just discovered Blogger's new design options. SO FUN! But now I must get back to work...

That previous post was posted at 2:36 p.m., it is now 3:23 p.m. and I am putting an end to my tinkering... again. I couldn't decide if my background should reflect me, my room, or both. I couldn't decide where to put my picture, my lists, my search box. In the end, I settled on a background that just makes me happy. It will likely change.

Google Docs

2010-09-20T14:01:00.003-04:00

On a technological savvy scale of 1 to 10, I consider myself a 6.5 to a 7. I like to use technology to make teaching easier and more interesting, but I also get stuck in my ways and resist change.

As I have mentioned before, I am ridiculously lucky to have TWO, yes TWO fabulous co-teachers in my room during Reading and Writing Workshop. Now that the basic structure of Writing Workshop has been set up, we got down to business to figure out conferencing. There are three of us and 20 of them.

Our mission: We each want to routinely conference with different kids and take anecdotal notes, but we want to share one working document so that no matter who conferences with a student, her notes will be in one location.

Our solution: Google Docs. My two fabulous co-teachers and I all have access to one Excel file on Google Docs. The Excel file has 20 tabs. Each tab is a different student. One each student's page we have fields for the date, behaviors observed, teaching points, follow-up?, and teacher's initials.

We have a check-list in the classroom to record who we meet with and when. During independent writing and conferencing time, we choose a kiddo and sit down with them. They have their writing, we have our laptops.

I'm really excited about this. Not only do we have one working document -- I HEART efficiency, but we also get to see each other's comments. I will learn from my co-teachers what they see and how they turn it into teaching points. And hopefully I will return the favor.

Ah... there it is.

2010-09-15T13:11:00.002-04:00

I found the love, finally.

Some gems from Writing Workshop today:

One of my fabulous co-teachers told a rather hysterical story about watching her grandmother lose her undies while walking into church. True story. She was walking up the steps, the undies dropped down to her ankles, and she, like a true lady, stepped out of them gracefully and kept walking. My kids were in STITCHES. Possibly because my other fabulous co-teacher and I were laughing out loud. (Kindergarten laughter rarely begins with the punch line, it comes after one kid laughs and everyone copies.) While we were asking if anyone had questions about the story, one little one raised her hand and when she was called on she just sat there. I thought this might be a false alarm but then after 25 seconds or so, she asks, "Was your grandma skinny?" HA! Smarty pants.
During independent writing, a student was drawing a picture. It had a round head, a long neck and a round body. Picture that in your head... I stared and while giggling in my head asked him what he was working on. As he added legs he replied, "An ostrich." I know, my mind is always in the gutter.
I approached one of my rather sassy smart girls to conference with her about her story. When I asked her to tell me about it she looked obviously put out. Then she said, "can you come back later?" Oh dear, love you.

More to come this year... I have a great group.

Is it just me?

2010-09-12T19:33:00.002-04:00

I've spent the past week reading blog posts about the first week, the new group, and new ideas, and ugh, I just can't get there.

I think I can't get there because my new group is so new I have little to say. I don't get them yet. They're simply a group of antsy kids.

Are the couple of kiddos who have been rather... annoying, shall we say, simply annoying because I don't know them? Their inability to sit still for more than five seconds isn't just a side note to their personality, it's their whole personality at this point, it's all I've got. And those kids that seem perfect... well come on, I know they're not, but I have nothing else to work off of. I need a few more weeks to figure out these little beings before I can reflect on them.

It's clear my fellow bloggers are making me feel inadequate. How silly, but how typical. I'll keep reading about everyone else's great days, not great days and inspiring ideas. Hopefully I'll find my own in the near future.

Brain Dump

2010-09-08T20:03:00.004-04:00

The first couple of days of school feels like my entire first year. How I survived that, I do not know. I am so happy that this feeling, this go-go-go-breath-what?-who?-you what?-go-go-no!-um, NO-wow-go-go-go feeling only lasts a few days.

I use my bathrooms visits as a measure of how bananas my day was. Yesterday, the first day, I didn't sit on the pot until 5:00 p.m. I did leave school at 4:00 p.m., but now I am spending my afternoons with my go-go-go-go toddler son. So, yeah, 5:00 p.m. Don't try this at home. It's not good for you. Today? A visit to the teachers bathroom at 12:30 p.m. WOOT! A better day. Tomorrow I just might manage a quick stop during my class's snack time at 10:30 a.m.

I have 20 little friends in my room. Two from last year, 17 new ones, and 1 friend that is still MIA. I would love to have only 19, but my OCD-self kind of wants her to show up since her name is on everything. Come on girlie, make us a complete set!

Like most teacher bloggers, we are all going through the same stuff... for example, kiddos who just don't know how to sit. You'd think I was teaching a puppy obedience class. "Sit down please. No, don't get up. Please sit down. HEY. YOU. SIT DOWN. PLEASE." Maybe I'll just list a few of the things my colleagues have heard me say over and over and over:

Find the line please.
Raise your hand.
Eyes forward.
Hands in a ducktail!
Criss-cross please. Eh hem, CRISS CROSS!
Eyes up here please.
Raise your hand.
When I say your name, I'd like you to look at me the first time I say it.
Quiet hands please.
Is your name _______? Because that's who raised their hand quietly and that's who was called on, and that's who should be talking.
Raise your hand.
Pee in the pot please and thank you.
Oh I don't think so.
It's not time to go home yet, let's look at the schedule.
It's not time to go to sleep yet, let's look at the schedule.
It's not time for lunch yet, let's look at the schedule.
It's not time for recess yet, let's look at the schedule.
Raise your hand.

Whew. I'm exhausted just listing those.

Now, don't misread me... I think I have a great group. But even with a great group, that first week is TOUGH. I don't know these kids yet so I don't have a relationship with them yet, so caring deeply for them isn't there yet. It will be, that's not a question. I've been told I have the cutest class, and well, I think that is a correct assessment. They're damn cute. But right now they're cute but annoying. Soon they will be cute and awesome.

I am also lucky-ducky to work with three fabulous colleagues. One is our amazing special education teacher who spends an hour or so with me each day, another is our wonderful literacy coach who is co-teaching reading and writing workshop, and the third is my I.A. who has been with me since the beginning. WOOT. I have a good group of kids, a fabulous Instructional Assistant who I can't live without, plus two other amazing teachers in my room. A girl can't ask for anything more.

So let's leave it there... happy and positive (that's my mantra for this year too).

********

Oh, one other thing. I do have one special friend who has made all the adults who encounter her bug their eyes out and look at me with a "really? she did/said that?" look, but I'll give her a few weeks before she gets her own posts on here! It's too soon, and frankly as I mentioned above, because I don't know her very well she's just annoying. It's more fun to write about her when she's endearingly annoying.

Positive right?!

Do crickets get first day jitters?

2010-09-07T07:36:00.003-04:00

This is an email I sent to a member of our office staff this morning...

"Not sure if this is a work order or a custodial request, but there is a cricket chirp chirp chirping away inside my heating/cooling vent and it's DRIVING ME BANANAS. Who can help me? Thanks!!"

I might hurt someone.

Here we go...

2010-08-29T13:52:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow is the first official day back for teacher week. Kids come next Tuesday. Because this long break was killing me, I've already been in a few days to get my room in order and I'm happy to report that it's 80 percent there. All that's left are little organizational projects that I will happily tackle next week.

What weighs the most on my mind is getting myself back to first day of kindergarten mode. I must not think of the lovies I said goodbye to in June, but the lovies that I said hello to last August. Over a year ago. I keep reminding myself that to be successful, we must... go... slow. Really slow. Baby steps. This is how we go to the SmartBoard one at a time, this is how we come to the carpet, one at a time. This is how we line up, one at a time, and yes, this is how we walk in the hall. Super slow, super quiet... super s-l-o-w. Guess who hates going slow? This one. Yep, awesome.

This is a tough time of the year for me because I know these kids' potential, but I also know that it can't be rushed and if I want my room to run smoothly, we must start very slow, very methodically and very purposeful. Three things that I am terrible at.

So don't laugh when you walk by my room and it's taking 30 minutes for us to unpack our backpacks. It's all part of my master plan. In few weeks, we'll have it down to 15 minutes and in a few months, 10. But now, yeah, it will take a 1/2 hour of instruction time to unpack bags. That's the way it goes in kindergarten :)

Here we go!

More wah-der, the good kind

2010-06-18T13:04:00.002-04:00

It was just announced that our current A.P., who I adore, will be our new principal. The room burst into cheer before the announcement could even be completed. Ecstatic. Hooray. And yes, the tears flowed. I've been so emotional today, a colleague asked if I was pregnant again. Ha, NO I AM NOT, but geez, it would be nice to stop crying!

Wah-der

2010-06-18T11:33:00.003-04:00

If my 18 month old were here today, he would be following me around repeating, "wah-der, wah-der, wah-der..." Wah-der is for anything in liquid form (tears for example), and is repeated over and over and over when spotted.

I said goodbye to my kids a few minutes ago and wow, I was not expecting the tears. Not just tears, actual voice cracking crying. Talk about water works. I held it together for the first couple of hugs... I'm not a hugger, so these hugs were already pretty powerful already, but my kids took it to another level. They held those hugs so hard and long, they told me they would miss me so much, they cried, yet I still held it together. And then I got to my friend who I have taught for two years.

This friend is the sweetest boy I have ever met. This friend has very little at home. Very little time with a parent, very little money, very little nutrition, very little structure. He sleeps on the living room couch. Bed time is when the family decides to retire for the night. He has a tough life yet still understand what it means to be a good friend, what it means to be respectful, what it means to be responsible. School has always been hard for him. While struggling through a book, he would stop, look at me, and say, "this is just so hard for me..." Broke my heart. But, he persevered and worked so hard and at the end of his second year in kindergarten, he was ready for first grade.

He was fourth in line for a hug. He leaned into me and hugged me so hard, I barely got my words out. The words, "have a great summer, I will miss you very much" just aren't enough for this boy. I will miss him. I will worry about him. I will constantly wonder if he's okay.

After that, I was done. Tears everywhere. At dismissal, parents snapped pictures of me and their kids - tears streaming down my cheeks. What a mess!

Then, because our school is the most amazing school in the world, all the teachers hiked up the hill to the entrance and waved good bye to every student who left. Teachers were cheering and clapping and wishing luck to the kids. Some of them, well fine... I was one of them, also reminded them to put on their seatbelts. Come on, you can't just let that go! Cars drove past and kids got individual shout-outs and cheers, and then the busses passed.

You have to experience it to understand, but when a bus full of your students drives by and you're waving and cheering, and they're waving and cheering -- well, wow, it's powerful. I looked around and saw many teachers' eyes fill up.

Then they were gone. We all walked back into the building and headed back to pack. My room is almost packed up and looks nothing like the place I have spent the past 180+ days. Next year I will have a new group and we'll start again, but right now I think I will just be happy being proud of my students, and of course, missing them too. Damn it, here come the tears again.

Happy Dance

2010-06-15T13:41:00.004-04:00

Roses are red,

Picnics are fun,

Guess what world,

My paperwork is DONE!

Long time... no post

2010-06-15T08:36:00.002-04:00

I'm not sure why it's been so long since my last post. I guess my post-it to-do lists and my ever jumbled mental to-do list never allowed me room to settle down and reflect. Or, put simply, it's the end of the school year and it's been BSC.

We still don't know who our new principal will be for the next school year and the waiting is getting excruciating. I await in anticipation to be told that our fabulous A.P. was chosen (HIP HIP HOORAY) while at the same time await with dread to be told Mr./Mrs. Outsider was chosen (BOOOOOOOOOOOOO). Fair aren't I? I promise to be professional and supportive to our new boss, but since I don't know who that is, I've decided I can act like a 5 year old until the announcement.

My kids are doing great, rock-stars actually while we wind down the year. I've been out of the room a ridiculous number of days and I keep returning to fabulous notes from the substitutes. No joke, some tears will be shed when I say good-bye to this group. They're just a fantastic bunch of kids.

My mind is on the piles of paperwork I will finish today (another day out of the room) and on my impending vacation. Since we've lost our beloved modified calendar, I have 2 1/2 months in front of me... that's a whole lot of down time for someone who sucks at down time. So, of course, I am making a list. I am making a list of how to relax. Silly, no?

Yoga! I've been taking a weekly yoga class here at school and am now excited to take it twice a week at my fabo-gym. I think a yoga class in an actual studio is going to be incredible. By the way, if you haven't discovered yoga yet, what are you waiting for?!!
Actually visit my fabo-gym.
Clean the house as it gets dirty, not waiting for the Dirtcalypse to hit.
Do laundry as it gets dirty, not waiting for the entire family to be our of undies.
Make lovely meals for lunch and dinner.
Have lunch dates on my patio.
Teach my kiddo to blow bubbles in the water. (Right now, he drinks it).
Read 2 books a week.
Rearrange the kitchen cabinets.
Go into the city to have lunch dates with the hubby.
Plan play dates with other teacher friends.
Keep my gardens up and running... no more drive-by weeding and watering.
There must be more?? No way will this list last me until Labor Day.

Okay, enough with planning my relaxation, must tackle paperwork first. Onward!

Disgusted

2010-05-24T10:21:00.003-04:00

I find it ATROCIOUS that as I am struggling to teach my students about healthy eating (part of our curriculum mind you), the cafeteria provides them with a Kellogg's "box breakfast" that contains bright pink apple jacks and a Pop-Tart.

A POP-TART! The Apple Jacks are bad enough, but seriously?! A FROSTING COVERED PASTRY FILLED WITH SUGARY "JAM." Oh, there were sprinkles on it. I didn't let my kids eat them.

Hey Kellogg's? Would it kill you to put your healthier products in the boxes? Smart Start? Raisin Bran? COME ON. Oh, and hey county? Would it kill you not to buy crappy products for our children? Kellogg's wouldn't sell it if you didn't buy it.

Ugh, disgusted.

Testing Funnies

2010-05-20T08:48:00.002-04:00

Me: "What sound does r make?"
Kid: "rrrrrrrr"
Me: "What's a word that starts with r?"

long pause....

Kid: "ARRRRRR like a pirate."

Wish I could give points for humor!

Reflection

2010-05-19T14:40:00.000-04:00

The first of many reflections after testing...

Dear Next Year Self,

Please work harder to help your students understand that j and g have different beginning sounds, and the beginning sound of u is not /ya/.

Love,
Me.

Choo-Choo

2010-05-19T11:03:00.002-04:00

At home, my son is obsessed with choo-choos. He has some plastic trains in his bath - choo choo! He has a puzzle with a train - choo choo! He has a book with a train on it - choo choo! And, his toothpaste has Thomas the Tank Engine emblazoned on the front - choo choo! (Thanks Orajel). He finds a way to locate all of his choo choos in a matter of moments so all I hear in my head is his little adorable voice saying "choo choos, choo choos." Which, incidentally is close to the same sound for his shoes. That can make for miscommunication in the morning.

But, back to the point.

After a choo choo filled morning, I come to school and I still feel like a choo choo, I mean a train. Chugging up the May Testing Hill. I think we can, I think we can... some days are better than others, and yesterday we had a glorious triumphant day when a kiddo, who all of a sudden seem to lose the ability to identify his sight words, nailed the test after two weeks of daily intervention. I KNOW we can, I KNOW we can...

Tomorrow I will be able to complete one of our year-end assessments and add up all the scores. Hopefully that train will go into the station solidly successful. Then I'll hop on the next one.

Chugga chugga choo choo.

I will stand up in defiance!

2010-05-13T08:29:00.002-04:00

It's 52 degrees outside. Feel free to take a stab at what my A/C is doing...

I can hear someone cackling BWAHAHAHAHAHA in the distance. You sick twisted person.

You will not break me! YOU WILL NOT BREAK ME!

(But you might get me sick).

How quickly I digress.

2010-05-12T14:17:00.001-04:00

Remember this?

Well whatever. I cleaned up poop today, and it wasn't my 16 month old son's.

I need a shower.

They're trying to break me...

2010-05-12T13:04:00.002-04:00

Setting: 5 brutally hot days, no A/C. Sweating teachers, whining kids, brought in giant fan from home for slight relief.

Apologetic email from office staff about how our system is totally messed up. They're working on it.

Fast forward to this week.

Setting: unseasonably cold Monday and Tuesday. A/C is pumping. Shivering teachers, whining kids, decided it's better to be cold than hot.

Visit from maintenance staff who also said the system is a mess but now it's working. "Thank you sir! I do appreciate that our A/C is pumping out on this 59 degree day... hahaha... no really, thanks for fixing it."

Fast forward to today, you know, the day after yesterday's visit.

Setting: Hot day, no A/C.

(Insert my special bug-eyed-hands-up-and-shaking pose* here.)

*I reserve this pose when I'm talking about something that is MAKING ME CRAZY.

Rookie Mistake

2010-05-11T14:43:00.002-04:00

It was if I was in my student teaching today. What a disaster. Let's start at the beginning...

We've been studying coins, and frankly I am bored. The kids need to learn how to identify a penny, nickel, dime and quarter; they need to identify the value of each; and, they need to be able to make 10 cents using pennies and nickels. We've done a game, we've made a kick butt chart, we've learned a great poem, but we're only halfway through.

We worked on identification for awhile and have just started value. I'm having a hard time getting jazzed up about it so I googled for lesson ideas. Once teacher suggested that you give each coin "antennas" and attaching the smaller coins to each. So for instance, a quarter would have two dimes and a nickel. Since this was above where my kids are (and need to be) and modified the idea to this:

A large penny, nickel and dime glued to construction paper. Over the penny, the kids glue a pipe cleaner and one small penny. Over the nickel, the kids glue 5 pipe cleaners and 5 small pennies, and over the dime, 10 pipe cleaners and 10 small pennies.

A-w-f-u-l. HELLO TEACHER. Pipe cleaners don't stick to paper with glue unless you use a lot, I mean A LOT. Asking kids to cut out 16 little pennies equals torture to most, and guess what? One sheet of construction paper doesn't really fit the 3 coins and their antennas very well.

The hallway outside of my room looks like a bomb hit a pipe cleaner, glue and paper money store.

Reflection? I still like the idea. I like the kids making visuals of how much each coin is worth. I hated the execution. I have another year to brainstorm a better one... and a year to peel all this glue off my fingers.

Food for Thought and/or Reality Check

2010-05-06T13:21:00.004-04:00

A few of us were recently presented with the possibility that access to our blogs from school might be blocked. Turns out, most other schools in our county are. We are the lucky ones (intentional or unintentional, no one is sure). What this brief panic attack, then reality check provided me with was forced reflection on my reflections. Are you following me here?

I've always been honest about the purpose of this blog. It's my therapy. It's my forum to spill my guts about the good, the bad, and the ugly for others to read and say, "yeah, me too lady, me too."

Along the way, some really wonderful things have also happened. I've asked for and received fabulous ideas for lessons. I've shared class projects and received amazing feedback. I've shared feelings about problems or struggles and cyber-colleagues have responded with support and understanding. I've been able to go back and read previous posts and reflect on an issue. Has it improved? Has my perception of it changed? Should it change?

Upon reflection of my reflecting I have concluded that yes, my blog is a good thing. But, with anything in life, there is room for improvement. I'm not interested in changing the purpose of my blog... I need this outlet, I DESPERATELY NEED IT, but I plan to refine it. Will I still share the good, the bad, and the ugly? Heck yeah, but I will also strive to find more purpose in those posts. Some will hopefully be funny, some might be sad, but I want to eliminate those complaining-without-a-purpose posts. Like this one or this one.

I want to do more of posts like this one, this one, and this one. Posts with purpose. And don't think I won't share the bad... a sad woe-is-me post still has a purpose. If I am feeling blue and decide to post about it, I am clearly looking for someone else to empathize, sympathize, relate, or just say "it'll be okay."

And yes... (eye-roll) there will still be "toilet posts." This is kindergarten after all.

So... onward.

I'd like us to raise a glass (preferably filled with a favorite beverage) and toast to blogging! May our blogging freedom continue!