I did get the Warlords game (history) up and running. I organized the 20-something day schedule and planned the “attack” (pun intended). I’m excited about it, and as much as the kids whine about it I think they are excited too. I had to group the little Monkeys into six groups and I only got one real complaint. Go me.
Like I said, it’s been raining and I’ve been thinking up inspirational movies that I want the class to see. Since the class can’t sit through a movie for more than 30 minutes without going crazy and getting moody, and since most of the films are a far cry from meeting the state educational standards, I’ve been trying to find a way to facilitate their viewing. Solution: Rainy day lunchtime movie. This week it’s Forever Strong, a movie about rugby and a troubled kid who finds himself not only in a battle for his father’s respect, but also in a juvenile detention center. As all the inspirational young adult films go, he finds the meaning of teamwork, family, respect, etc, all through the trials of playing rugby. The kids actually kind of like it. I was told emphatically to not turn it off. Of course that could have been because it was time for SSR.
Week two of math, and I must say, as I’ve said before, consistency is key. It’s getting better. They are learning to wait for help, work cooperatively, and grade their own work. Of course when I say learning, I do mean that in the truest sense. My evaluation method of class progress: the ratio of cuss words to class period. Of course they still need the better part of an hour to complete 20 math problems and there are always a good four or five that are not finished in time.
I received the loudest bell imaginable from my first mentor teacher way back during my credential program… oh yeah a year ago. In the past, in this class, I tried to ring it to grab attention and couldn’t hear it! I tried again on Monday, and well, I got silence for almost one whole second. I barely began to speak again when the classroom erupted into social speak and commentary on their pained eardrums. I suppose that is a little progress.
I was told Monday that I’m always in a “bad mood.” This bothered me for a while, but I also came to the realization that I need to stay focused to keep them in line. I have to keep VERY consistent in order to keep them moving forward. And I have seen progress, albeit baby steps, but progress none the less. I don’t like working from dittos and being strict, but it’s interesting, the kids actually prefer dittos and handouts. I guess they are easier. As a friend put it, they involve less “creative thinking.” I’m working on them and slowly building skills and they have been responding well, eventually. I’ve been told they are testing me, and man this is one long test, and I thought the RICA was bad.
It’s time for quarterly report cards and parent conferences. I asked for a report card template. What was I thinking? I have no previous grades, or report cards, scores, or work for that matter. And here I am looking at an excel spreadsheet of 40 or so lines of vague skills, reminiscent of the first grade assessments I did last spring. “Understands fractions, Speaks with appropriate volume, good vocabulary.” This is Junior High right? So now I get to spend my spring break scouring the internet and creating my own report cards for their work over a month. Joy
It’s also the week before spring break. One of our other new teachers decided to act like a real school and have a themed week. You know crazy hair, PJ day and the like. Of course my kids are pissed because I didn’t let them do a pet day, and the 5th grade class decided last minute to add a pet day to the schedule for their class. Jr. High… pet day, really? On the list of pets they would have brought: cat, dog, rabbit, and wild boars. Not kidding. And I’m just curious as to how that dynamic would pan out: A class full of 14 Monkeys, a few dogs, cats, a bunny and two wild boars. Oh the madness. Today was crazy hair day, and I managed a Mohawk! Oh I’m so proud.
The Classroom: Act 1:
(The sound of a crinkly wrapper can be heard)
Teacher: “Put the candy away.”
Student sneaks her hand from her pocket to her mouth.
Teacher: “Put the candy away.”
Student: Blank stare.
Teacher: “Put the candy away”
Student: “Oh alright.” (eye roll)
Student throws candy to another student.
Teacher: “Put the candy away!”
Do they think I’m an idiot?? No really put the candy away… was I this stupid in Jr. high??
Post card: Steamboat Springs Co.
1. Home of Olympic skiers and other sports
2. Isn’t in Alaska, even though it’s got a funny name like other cities in Alaska.
3. Is in Colorado
4. Colorado is a state (“What state is Colorado in?”)
5. Looks like Montana
I also won a bet with a very argumentative student about the senders of our postcards. My prize: A piece of candy, though I think I may never see the fruits of that wager.
I also witnessed the comment from one student: “Why do we keep getting postcards anyway? Who likes us so much?”
I’ve discovered that my “good day” is Thursday. Today after a decent morning, the class fell back into old routines with a lack of respect and issues, resulting in yet another one of my famous talks. I’m really getting tired of being blamed for things that happened before I arrived. Yes we cannot go to on a field trip until I feel that I could do it safely, and unfortunately going to Scandia is not my idea of a class field trip. The senior teacher here seems to disagree with my educational requirement, but here I have a class of below grade level students, and I would not be doing them any favors by taking them out of school.
According to my class:
“School is like prison.”
Somebody call my credential classmates… I never thought I’d be hearing that.
I was tempted to offer to quit since I’m obviously so bad at teaching. Instead Grandpa and I went out for burgers and I am working on finishing his bottle of wine. My life is this school and these kids. My free time is spent with a red pen, my dreams are about curriculum, and my breaks involve gathering supplies. It’d be great to have the feeling it was all worth it.
(When feeling stressed, Grandpa recommends visiting with the horses. They care)
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