Week 4 .... feels like Week 100

This is one of those weeks that never seems to end.  I might have referred to the past few weeks as agonizing, but this one beats out.  It has been overly stressful and it’s only Wednesday.

 Monday I dealt with a kid who was banging his head on a door because he was frustrated.  Yesterday, a girl who could care less about her TAKS test, thus failed.  Today, a girl shooting food through her straw.  The girl sitting across from her got the food- strawberry juice and whip cream to the hair. 

 On a happy note – I haven’t received an apple, but I did get some jewelry.  One of my sweet little girls made me a bracelet with a big strawberry charm on it.  Super cute! She’s a sweetheart! The same little girl gave me the biggest laugh Monday morning – a silent laugh that is.  For some reason, neither Mrs. Cade nor I know why, our kids believe they are falling apart.  (I know mom – I did the same) We send at least five students to the nurse everyday.  What do you tell them? “Sorry kid, suck it up…I know you just don’t want to be here for math class!” …. Not exactly appropriate.  Well, my little bracelet-making sweetheart came up to me first thing Monday morning and told me – “Mrs. Rhodes, I might have some trouble with my ears today.  They weren’t working this weekend and I might lose my voice because my throat hurts.” ….. For your peace of mind – her ears are still working.  Well, as far as I am aware of anyways!

On another happy note – I finally bought (well, mom bought) a dress for Kemp’s wedding.  That makes one less thing for me to worry about.  I’d been watching this dress since the beginning of last fall and it finally went on sale!!!! I may be overdressed, but I’ll be a Grecian glamour goddess. Haha.  Well, the dress is a Grecian glamour goddess in my eyes at least. 

Today I taught two lessons – math and science.  Both went fairly well.  For math I reviewed homework problems many of them were having trouble with before I gave them their math exam.  For the review I used an overhead so everyone could watch me work out each individual problem…..Ya…..I had a shadow puppet show going on up front.  Needless to say, that little girl didn’t do as well as she would have if she had been paying attention. 

 Friday Mrs. Cade will be absent.  For the first time, ever, I will be the teacher in a classroom.  Of course there will be a substitute, but I will be teaching everything.  This will be a test – a test for my patience, a test of my teaching ability, and a listening and following direction test for my students.  I’m praying they don’t give me a hard time! 

A week in review

Last week went by so quickly.  I love having Mondays off.  The government should include Monday in the weekend.  People would be less stressed and much happier! 

Lets see...I taught several lessons.  All of them went fairly well.  Once you're done you always think of something you could have done better- its inevitable. 

I created a door display for the class.  'Mrs. Cade's Class Is Sweet on TAKS" All the students got a heart.  The heart had their picture on it and they had to write their TAKS goal on the heart. I know I know...I'm so clever.   :)

Thursday, I, as well as the other teachers, got to break up a fight between two fourth-grade boys.  Why on earth they were fighting? - we have no clue! Their punishment was school suspension for 2 days...not nearly hard enough...these boys seem to be in trouble all the time! Mrs. Cade surprised me by bringing in two Diet Cokes from the coke machine in the afternoon - Absolutely made my day! I needed it after the recess commotion. 

The best part of my  Thursday..... Jacob told me he loved me.  Sorry for getting mushy on ya pop - but it was the best part of my day. Dont worry- I'll always be your little girl no matter what.  Promise! Couldn't ask for a better set of parents.  

Friday - best part of the week- the PTO catered lunch for all the teachers.  They do this once every 6 weeks.  It was soups - chili, chicken noodle, taco sup, beef stew - all scrumptious.  I tried basically all of them...I had to!  They also brought sweet tea with the good sonic ice and a plethora of desserts to choose from.  We were like a bunch of hippos after...so full! It was a much needed treat! Later that afternoon we had an ice cream party for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students for doing so well on their practice TAKS test.  

I spent the weekend relaxing.  Slept till lunch everyday and took naps in the afternoon. Very very very very lazy.  Loving every minute of it.  But if it helps - I did grade papers in between sleeping periods :)   

I only have two weeks left before my Full Responsibility starts...Yikes! Im starting to get very nervous! I also have to begin studying for my ESL test...especially since I didnt pass it the first time...by one question! :( 

Raiders, Magnolias, & Holes

Today began just as a Monday would....except it was Tuesday.  It was one of those days where as much as you try do what your suppose to do.... that's just not going to happen.  

The first lesson of the day was on Hooks & Grabbers in writing.  We are trying to teach our students to create a hook at the beginning of their stories to draw the reader in.  To do so, we got to show 2 min clips (the law only lets us show 2 min)  of Raiders of The Lost Ark, Steel Magnolias, and Holes.  My favorite of course was Raiders of the Lost Ark, but all the kiddos liked Holes (it's Disney!)......You should have seen their expression when we played Steel Magnolias.  It's safe to assume they would never read the book.....they all thought the beginning pretty much sucked.  hahaha 

Our lesson this morning was interrupted by the inauguration.  The entire school watched it for a good hour.  Obama was the first president I have ever witnessed being sworn in.  The whole time I just kept thinking....please dont get shot in front of all these people! Aretha Franklin performed, as well as an amazing concerto.  Sassy Franklin wore a hat with a HUGE bow on it...the kids found it quite amusing.  

Lunch flew by, as well as recess.  The afternoon was interrupted by an assembly in the cafeteria. Fundraiser time! It's for cookie dough, and I, of course, have already been asked to buy some.  These kids dont waste time when it comes to prizes.  I told one little girl I would buy some for her....but that's it! I don't need any cookie dough anyways! 

I finally got my trips to the gym going again...it only took 5 months???  Luckily, I have Ms. Amber Storm there with me now. It's  much more motivating! 

Tomorrow I will be teaching 3 lessons - reading, writing, and science.  All of which are very time consuming and hectic! I will also get all next weeks lesson assignmnets.  That means I will be sending the next 5 nights typing them up.  Byebye lazy relaxing evenings! 

 

Spencer's 10th Birthday

The birthday boy! He turned 10 on Friday. His mom brought the BEST cupcakes for the class! 

    Kiddos being silly: Jessica, Catherine, Caleb, Zariyah, & D'Stinee 

  Sweet sweet girls. Shannon and Amanda. They sit at my table!

 Cupcakes were a hit! : Nick, William, Zachary, Curtis, & Nathan

Nathan acting goofy. For some reason, it was the thing to do.

Goofy picture - Go!     D'Stinee, Jennifer, Ashley, and Allison

My girls ~    Rachel, Catherine, Zariyah, and Kenlee 

The magnificent Caleb! 

They enjoyed smearing icing all over their faces for the pictures!

Jessica, Taylor, Lilia, & Ross 

TAKS DAY

TAKS RELEASE DAY.  Poor kiddos were stuck in chairs ALL day long working on a practice writing TAKS test.  For the most part they did good though.  Mrs. Cade and I worked on grading some of the writing. It’s really a difficult thing to do. You become biased. Tomorrow all three 4^th grade teachers and 3 student teachers are meeting to grade them.  Then we will get a score from that.

 I spent the majority of the day in our pod (a small room that connects to all four rooms, basically in the center).  One of our students needs modifications, particularly reading aloud. So, he and I sat in there. He read aloud and did his test, and I worked on lesson plans.  Really today was a blessing in disguise.  I needed time to work on lessons.  Got stuff done finally!

 Mrs. Cade and I made a deal with the kids. A rather large deal.  If ALL the students pass the test :

 1.      Mrs. Cade and I will let the kids spray our hair with fun colors

2.      Kelsi, Mrs. Cade’s daughter, will visit. They all love her.

3.      Kelsi’s boyfriend, a gymnast, will do a flip for every 4 scored on the writing part of the test. (4 is the highest you can get – ranges 0-4)

4.      Mrs. Cade will do a cartwheel for every 4 scored

5.      I will put my legs behind my head for every 4 scored

 Well, for this test not everyone passed.  Mrs. Cade and I don’t have to deal with the hair spray YET. If they all pass the real one – we will! … But this is already a 4 and I have a feeling there will be a couple more. I need to start stretching so I don’t break my legs off. Definitely should not have agreed to that condition, but they wanted it. Any incentive we can give them to do well is worth it. Of course, there were the few today that really didn’t care at all (the few that SHOULD care) and basically finished in a matter of minutes.

 We did have a few good papers though.  Some of our students, if they would practice their skills, could become great writers. The prompt was: Write a composition about your favorite adventure.  The boys loved it…girls not so much.  One boy, I hate to say it – but my favorite – wrote about his day in the woods and this hidden trail he found. He described part of his adventure (where he came to some water) like this: The water sparkled like diamonds.  There was a large stick in the water. I walked on it like I would on a rope at a carnival. ………..Pretty great. 

 At recess, we had a mini-drama situation.  The little clique of girls – mean ones- started on the uni-brow kick.  They started making fun of anyone they could.  The tall girl in my class became the butt of their jokes today.  Poor thing.  She doesn’t break easily.  Never gets upset or cries.  Today…they broke her. She was so upset.  The girls kept making fun of her. We didn’t notice until we saw her against the building crying.  The funny thing is – She is probably the prettiest girl in the 4^th grade and she DOESN’T even have a uni-brow.  Mrs. Cade and I told her she was way to pretty to be getting upset and those girls were just jealous.  Watching her sit there though made me teary eyed. I really hated seeing her like that- letting those girls get to her- her self esteem basically plummeting. Poor baby.

 The day went by quickly…real quick.   Tomorrow is Friday. I can’t wait to be home. Time to REST!!! 

Science Lesson - Yes Mom, I know my hair looks great!

I'll teach monkeys to swim!

            Today I taught two lessons, both of which I wrote.  The first went off without a glitch. The students got to work in groups, brainstorm ideas for writing prompts, combine all their ideas on a large piece of poster, and present them to the class.  Some of their ideas were off the wall.  One prompt they had to brainstorm was: If you were an animal trainer, what would you teach your animal to do?  Answers were all over the place – Monkeys to swim and dance, Horses to do flips, Cats to do the worm, etc.  I think they really enjoyed it.  I know I did. Mrs. Cade said I did great, looked like a pro! J

             This afternoon I taught a social studies lesson.  My supervisor was there to grade me. While I was nervous, I knew the lesson would be fairly easy to conduct.  As I sat on the couch at the back of the classroom, the students gathered on the floor to listen to me read the chapter aloud.  After, I handed out a crossword puzzle for them to complete.  My supervisor gave me a good review. Her only critique was my voice.  Now either I was just nervous or she just isn’t used to my Minnie Mouse voice, because normally I feel like I am too loud. Mrs. Cade has never mentioned my voice being too soft. 

             My stress level has diminished a bit.  I might not have a life every evening for the next few months, but I’ll be okay….Hmm.  I just need to be ahead….I simply must know exactly what I am doing the following week so I can prepare.  If everything flows that way I will be fine.      

             Tomorrow I will be teaching, rather conducting, a science investigation.  Hopefully the kiddos can calm themselves…..they hear the word experiment and chatting immediately proceeds.  

Did you do something different to your hair?

          BLITZ started back up today. It's a TAKS intervention program the school uses for all grade levels.  We have it every morning in either language arts or math.  I'm not the biggest fan of it....I'd rather use that time to write in journals.  In the past I’ve never witnessed teachers use them much, but Mrs. Cade does.  It's just hard to find time to fit them in.  Something I plan on doing though! I enjoy hearing the kiddos stories.  Last week they wrote on someone who has influenced their life.  One of the little girls wrote about her dad.  She didn't meet him until she was eight - Her mom never told her about him.  Broke my heart to hear that! She was funny though.....she mentioned getting off the plane and seeing a man stand there with a "white girl" and wasn’t sure she had the right person.  Poor thing...I can't imagine going through an experience like that. How nervous and frightened she must have been! 

             Mondays are always crazy.  Mrs. Cade stayed at school till 9 last week cleaning up the back counter so I would have a space of my own :) She’s so sweet.  I love to watch her with the kids, especially when she’s disciplining them.  She uses a serious face to correct their behavior and moments later the sweetest smile breaks across her face.  The “I love you, but you’re getting on my last nerve grin.”  She’s good at it!

             My day went sour at 9:20 a.m. Mrs. I Don’t Know What I’m Doing (my supervisor) was on campus to watch Lauren teach.  She lost my schedule…. It was in a mess of papers.  Aren’t teachers expected to be a highly organized species? She is the definition of scatterbrained.  I found out at lunch she decided to do a little switch-a-roo on our lesson plan requirements.  Instead of writing ten LONG lessons in the next four weeks, I now have to write twenty-five.  TWENTY-FIVE! I about had a heart-attack.  Anger built up….stress set in….tears were on the verge of falling.   I was even more aggravated that she failed to notify me of the change…she only told the other two fourth grade student teachers.  I asked mom if it would be alright if I strangled her….. Unfortunately, I don’t imagine it is. 

           Trying to concentrate on school throughout the day was impossible.  I was constantly wondering where Jacob was.  Is he flying? Has he landed? Wonder what he’s doing? Wonder if he misses me as much as I miss him? …… It’s going to be a long eight weeks…..BUT I managed to pull myself out of my sparkly pink bubble world.  I taught a science lesson this afternoon – Natural weather events.  The kiddos worked together at their tables to illustrate a natural weather event and then presented it to the class.  It went over well and Mrs. Cade said I did a great job J ….. Always nice to hear.  In a few weeks I know she will have a difficult time critiquing me.   She hates to hurt people’s feelings just like me. 

 I came home and sat in bed working on lesson plans till 8. …Still not done.  So this is the life of a teacher? Hmm…..great.  Who said being an adult was fun? I would like to strangle them too. 

 Spencer, a sweetheart who tends to stutter and forget homework often but is very intelligent, asked me this afternoon, “Ms. Rhodes….Did you do something different to your hair (waving his hand in a motion around his head)? I had worn my bangs down today….mainly because I didn’t feel like washing my hair last night and I knew it would still be pretty today.  “It looks different….it looks nice,” he said.  I smiled and told him I just wore it differently today. That was all.  Mrs. Cade broke out into a snicker when he said it looked nice…..it was completely random, but adorable!  See mom……men do notice when you change your hair! Haha

Lunch Box Blues

Isn’t Wednesday, being midweek, suppose to be one of the days you’re most alert and have energy? …I was in lala land today. I took a salad for lunch, so when I got to school I put it in the fridge in the teachers room (in the cafeteria basically).

Come lunch time I couldn’t find my lunch. I searched through the pod closet where we all keep our belongings. I trampled through the classroom overturning my book bag….Nadda…Darnit...I was really looking forward to that salad too!

… I thought :
1. I forgot my lunch, but remembered bringing it.
2. Could I have left it in my car?
3. That I misplaced it….doubtful. It’s in the same place everyday.
4. Someone accidentally took it.

I took the babies to the cafeteria while Mrs. Cade was heating up her lunch in the room. Very quickly I might add. She was worried I wouldn’t have time to find my lunch and eat. All the while, I was still completely unaware of where the heck my lunch was. As I was standing there watching the class file through the lunch line it finally hit me….DUH MORGAN, you put it in the fridge! I don’t know what was going on…I am so off this week. It’s going to take me some time to get back on track and used to my new schedule.

At lunch I sat by the same group of girls I had yesterday. I just listen to them giggle and ask each other silly questions. The topic today: Middle School. Where each would end up? (It is so hard looking at these little girls imagining them in middle school. It blows my mind….I’m sure I looked the same though! Scrawny!) One of the girls, Rachel, began telling the other three girls she was going to be attending a private middle school. She didn’t want to go, but her mother was making her. Amanda, very petite, country, full of freckles, and known for her giant wide-mouthed smile, said “That’s expensive! It’s like sixty dollars a month!”…..I laughed on the inside…LISA WISHES!

I’m going to have to start getting strict with the students. Not something I am looking forward to, but I am having trouble getting them to see me as their teacher and not a friend. They don’t listen to me at all when we are in the hallway. As soon as Mrs. Cade enters they are quiet as can be….Me, not so much! It's difficult going from a methods student whose job is to act as a helper/friend for the students, to the role of a teacher who not only teaches, but enforces rules. Completely different.

We had our second student teacher meeting after school with our supervisor at Houston Elementary. The woman, while very sweet and probably means well, about drove me nuts. Confused the heck out of all of us! It’s done with though and I have, to an extent, a clear picture of how the semester will play out. 12 total weeks. Weeks 6-7 and 10-11 I will take on full responsibility. Between weeks 10 and 11 falls spring break. Until then I will teach one to two subjects per week. Mrs. Cade and I planned out next week….I will focus on science and social studies. This weekend will keep me busy planning those!

Kids Say the Darnest Things!

Monday, January 5, 2009

 

Back at Bowen. Back at Bowen. As nervous as I might have been, I couldn’t wait to see all my kiddos.  Instead of asking the students what they enjoyed about the Christmas break, Mrs. Cade asked them why they were happy to be back at school. Clever! My sweet little Allison, the one who gave me the card before I left, said “That we get to see Ms. Rhodes again.” J

 

During our conference period, which … in all reality isn’t much of free period, we received a new female student.  As much as we are enjoying her, the sudden arrival put a complete twist on the day and our prepared plans.

 

Mrs. Cade read aloud a story during reading block.  Each week the students are given a story.  At the end of the week the students are tested on vocabulary and story comprehension.  While the story was a complete bore (a blind woman and her guard dog), I did get a bit of laughter out of it.  Before she began to read, Mrs. Cade directed the students to the photos.  She asked the students to glance at the photographs and try to determine the frame of time it might have taken place in.  Shannon, a sweetheart nearly as tall as me, pointed to a picture.  She said that the story must have taken place a while back because she had no idea what the object was…….it was a TYPEWRITER.  Could I feel any older?

 

In the afternoon Mrs. Cade was suddenly ambushed with a load of paperwork due at the end of the day (of course….like she doesn’t have teaching to do).  I noticed her frantic scurry and offered to teach the science lesson.  The kiddos got to devise a plan to figure out the temperature outside.  I really enjoyed the lesson. Science is always a fun subject to teach because the students get to interact with one another.  Their faces usually light up when it’s a science day! Most of them placed a thermometer outside and then went to check it later…..so smart!

 

After school all the student teachers had to rush over to Houston Elementary School.  We had a meeting with our supervisor.  The meeting did nothing but confuse the heck out of me! BUT it ended before it was suppose to…..that I did like! The good thing- everyone else seems to be in the dark too! By the time I got home I was EXHAUSTED!!! I was a zombie…...

 

 

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

 

My morning began with a phone call from mom.  6:45 a.m. and I still wasn’t awake.  GRRR. Apparently I was just too tired last night to set my alarm clock.  I hate waking up late.  Your in rush mode and you carry that mindset for the rest of the day…..I need a good hour to myself to wake up, make a pot of coffee, prepare my lunch, watch a little television, and get ready.  DEFINITELY didn’t get that this morning!

 

The morning went by fairly quickly.  We all did the macarana together (It’s productive for students to perform movements where they cross one limb over their body…stimulates the brain.).  The boys of course joined me at the front of the classroom and were silly as can be.  They make my heart smile.  …Caleb, embodied by big blue eyes and freckles that cover his face, came up to me before a lesson and gave me a chuckle.  He said, “Ms. Rhodes can I go to the bathroom?”  We were about to start a lesson so I asked if it was an emergency. He said, “Yes, (while tugging on his britches…big smile on face) I just ….I gotta fix my pants!” …. Hahahaha I loved it.

 

Before the day was over we had a quick social studies lesson.  Mrs. Cade asked the class to join her at the back of the room by the couch.  (She often sits on the couch and reads to them.) Next week the class will begin to discuss the Battle of the Alamo and Mrs. Cade was providing the students with some background information.  The topic: Stephen F. Austin.  Mrs. Cade explained after reading that our state capitol was named after him.  Ross, a very intelligent young man who always appears to be full of energy, told Mrs. Cade he knew why we called the capitol Austin.  “We call it Austin not only because of Stephen F. Austin, but because it’s in Austin.”   I about DIED!!!! Hahaha   No…Ross, it’s called Austin purely because of this dead fella…..Not because the area was called Austin, Texas. Oh, kids!

 

I stayed after school for a while to prepare my schedule for next week. Yuck….I’ m definitely not going to like having to sit down for hours to prepare a calendar that is always, and most likely, subject to change.  This could be a LONNNNG semester…..the planning part at least. 

2009 Begins ..... The Year of Growth

Wow, 2008 has flown by so quickly. I feel like it was just Christmas of 2007. Dad's right, time goes by faster and faster each passing day. I guess it teaches you not to take much for granted. Spending three weeks at home over the break was not only relaxing (much needed relaxation), but enjoyable. Christmas was a blessing as always! Most important of all, Miss Molly has a brand new collar to sport. A baby blue necklace....it compliments her eyes. She rolled it around in the dirt for a good two weeks to work it in.

I can at least say that 2009 has begun with a BANG! I celebrated New Years at Hollys. Spent time at the bay. Chit-chatted with my girlies. Shopped with mom. Have a new boyfriend :) ..... I'm enjoying the year so far.

Tomorrow I will begin my student teaching term. 60 days...that's it. After 60 days I am on my own. No more school...No more tests....No more studying (I hope!). I can't wait to listen to my kiddo's Christmas stories....there's never a dull moment in teaching!