new faces

    I'm feeling good about being in my second year of teaching. I like to joke that I am an expert in how NOT to run a classroom, but I am proud of taking last year's struggles and using them to make positive changes.
    I had the exciting opportunity recently to catch up with someone I haven't seen in years. We talked a lot about my job. She asked what I think helps the children the most, and was surprised by my answer: PROCEDURES.
    My students are too young to set up their own structures for success, so I need to organize them. When I started the school year, anyone who walked in would comment on how my whiteboard was bristling with posters titled "morning routine," "how to sit on the floor," and the like.
    I am still amazed at how much thought and time it took to figure out the minutiae of classroom life, such as: What do students do if a pencil breaks? How should students move from their desks to the floor for a read-aloud? How do I want homework written down? and countless other questions.
   All that time and thought has paid off, however. I feel that students are calmer, happier and more focused on learning as a result. Yes, there are still procedures and routines that are not automatic and need trouble-shooting. Yes, there are still problems. But compared to last year, my class runs like a dream.
   Here are some of my new students, in no particular order:
   Pirate is small, with a mop of black hair and fetching gray-green eyes. He can be sweet and well-mannered, or slightly cocky. Focus is a minute-to-minute struggle with him.
   Cherish is the cousin of Willow, my student from last year. I can count on a hug from her at the end of every school day.
    Pup is a twin, living in a foster home. He can be sweet and respectful, but also clingy and whiny.
    Deutsch spent most of his life in Germany. He went to an alternative school where students got to pick whatever they wanted to learn, so I think it's a shock for him to land in a school where you have no curriculum choice. Reading and writing are an enormous struggle for him.
     Quarterback is bright, but a handful. He is not afraid to speak out, which can create conflicts with other students. He and Missy in particular don't get along. Quarterback will only do work if he feels like it -- and he spends most of his time drawing.
     I also work daily with my partner teacher Puakenikeni's class, which is full of interesting personalities as well. Just haven't assigned them aliases yet ...