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 ...
Sunday, August 29, 2010
lessons for the teacher
A month into the school year, and I've already identified who in my room will need special care and attention.
Last year, my class included Berry, who struggled to deal with his anger. This year, Lion is showing similar problems.
I took the class out for their very first P.E. session on Friday, which was the cause of much excitement. While we were getting set up, Lion kicked Ant. So hard that Ant was doubled over. When I questioned Lion, he claimed that Ant had said something like "Let's play rough" and that was why he kicked him.
Lion got agitated and began scooping up small rocks from the ground. He threw a few at the class.
One of those classic monents when you realize you have to do something quickly, but what? We're in the middle of the field, with no easy access to a phone. To get to a phone to call the counselors, I'd have to leave the class on the field. But I did not want to leave Lion there too, especially when he had a handful of rocks.
My friend's classroom is closest to the field, so I decided to see if I could use her phone. While I was reluctant to take Lion into a room full of kids, I knew it'd be worse to leave him alone. It took some coaxing in a very soft voice, but I got him to move away from the class and follow me to my colleague's room.
We weren't far from the door when I looked up and saw the principal walking in our direction. Hallelujah. Admin carries walkie-talkies. I asked if she could call the counselors, but she ended up talking to him herself.
I'm wondering what lesson I need to learn. These children who are struggling with a volcanic anger are being placed in my path. How do I help them? And what am I supposed to learn from working with them?
Last year, my class included Berry, who struggled to deal with his anger. This year, Lion is showing similar problems.
I took the class out for their very first P.E. session on Friday, which was the cause of much excitement. While we were getting set up, Lion kicked Ant. So hard that Ant was doubled over. When I questioned Lion, he claimed that Ant had said something like "Let's play rough" and that was why he kicked him.
Lion got agitated and began scooping up small rocks from the ground. He threw a few at the class.
One of those classic monents when you realize you have to do something quickly, but what? We're in the middle of the field, with no easy access to a phone. To get to a phone to call the counselors, I'd have to leave the class on the field. But I did not want to leave Lion there too, especially when he had a handful of rocks.
My friend's classroom is closest to the field, so I decided to see if I could use her phone. While I was reluctant to take Lion into a room full of kids, I knew it'd be worse to leave him alone. It took some coaxing in a very soft voice, but I got him to move away from the class and follow me to my colleague's room.
We weren't far from the door when I looked up and saw the principal walking in our direction. Hallelujah. Admin carries walkie-talkies. I asked if she could call the counselors, but she ended up talking to him herself.
I'm wondering what lesson I need to learn. These children who are struggling with a volcanic anger are being placed in my path. How do I help them? And what am I supposed to learn from working with them?
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
update
I've been itching to write about this year's bunch, but until someone adds an eighth day to the week, a detailed post will have to wait. For now, some quick news:
- New-teacher rule #33332: Even upper-elementary students have a fascination with Band-aids. I made the mistake of bringing a box of colorful ones to school (ran out of the standard-issue type), and was annoyed to find two boys (uninjured) sporting band-aids they had filched out of the box. Rookie mistake was to hand one student the box because he needed one. In the future, I will dispense.
- It makes me sad when one of my students (a problematic one, to be true) gets bounced back to me one morning. Let me add that he was bounced back to me without the courtesy of a phone call -- just showed up at my door. I had to call his sixth-grade teacher to find out what she wanted me to do with him. I ended up talking to him, providing him some materials for his simple homework assignment, then sending him on his way about an hour later. Sigh. I know she was frustrated with him (I was last year!) but it makes me sad that he went through that on the 10th day of school. Guess it's a good reminder for me to be patient with my own students ...
Friday, July 23, 2010
charting a course through uncertain waters
Ah, it's been a while. What a difference a good solid block of do-nothing time makes! I didn't do anything this summer. Or, rather, I did all the stuff that I didn't get to do during the school year: slept in, exercised, caught up with friends, tested out my awesome new camera. At the same time, however, I reflected deeply on last year's multitude of challenges and how I wanted this year to be better. Looking back I realize how unprepared I was to run a classroom. I don't blame anyone for this. I needed to struggle through the experience. Let's just say I am now an expert on how NOT to run a class.
Reflection is mighty dandy, and something I excel at, but when it came down to it I needed a plan. I needed to be clear in my mind about how to set up my classroom for student success (and less teacher stress). I started writing down all my classroom procedures. I thought about all the things my students struggled with last year (standing in a line, entering the room quietly) and how I was going to deal with that. For this process, I used Harry Wong's book as a guide.
I started out the process with some trepidation. Last year was exhausting and frustrating on every level. Last year lots of people saw me struggling and tried to help me. Looking back I am so thankful to Orchid. She had so much to do, yet she found the time in her schedule to show up in my room to help.
But I had a rather existentialist realization: I am alone in my class -- I am the only person who can make my classroom work. Other people can help, but it's really all up to me what my classroom looks like. A little scary, but empowering, too.
Fast forward to this Tuesday. The principal called and asked if I could come to her office to chat. She asked if I would be interested in leaving the classroom for my DREAM JOB. Two years ago I had the fortune to do my dream job and loved every day of it. I said yes, and today even went as far as to move my personal stuff out of my room.
Turns out that I was a little premature in doing so. The principal said today that I might have to start the year in the classroom. Very frustrating, to say the least. I'm thinking that she didn't do all her homework and offered me the job when in reality there is a process to be gone through. UUURGH. : /
So now I don't quite know what to plan for. Should I go ahead and buy those supplies I'll need to run my class smoothly? It's hard for me to even describe right now how disappointed I am -- to have my dream job presented as an option, then have it snatched away. Going to put off the supply-buying for a few days, but this weekend I'll have to get my brain back to classroom mode.
Reflection is mighty dandy, and something I excel at, but when it came down to it I needed a plan. I needed to be clear in my mind about how to set up my classroom for student success (and less teacher stress). I started writing down all my classroom procedures. I thought about all the things my students struggled with last year (standing in a line, entering the room quietly) and how I was going to deal with that. For this process, I used Harry Wong's book as a guide.
I started out the process with some trepidation. Last year was exhausting and frustrating on every level. Last year lots of people saw me struggling and tried to help me. Looking back I am so thankful to Orchid. She had so much to do, yet she found the time in her schedule to show up in my room to help.
But I had a rather existentialist realization: I am alone in my class -- I am the only person who can make my classroom work. Other people can help, but it's really all up to me what my classroom looks like. A little scary, but empowering, too.
Fast forward to this Tuesday. The principal called and asked if I could come to her office to chat. She asked if I would be interested in leaving the classroom for my DREAM JOB. Two years ago I had the fortune to do my dream job and loved every day of it. I said yes, and today even went as far as to move my personal stuff out of my room.
Turns out that I was a little premature in doing so. The principal said today that I might have to start the year in the classroom. Very frustrating, to say the least. I'm thinking that she didn't do all her homework and offered me the job when in reality there is a process to be gone through. UUURGH. : /
So now I don't quite know what to plan for. Should I go ahead and buy those supplies I'll need to run my class smoothly? It's hard for me to even describe right now how disappointed I am -- to have my dream job presented as an option, then have it snatched away. Going to put off the supply-buying for a few days, but this weekend I'll have to get my brain back to classroom mode.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
a handful of seeds
Ah, optimism, you flirt. You know I'm a sucker. Why else would you be beckoning, with a mere 9 days of instruction left? It's been an uphill climb since August. Lots of mistakes along the way. Lots of doubts. Lots of learning things the hard way.
My mentor told me, as we careened into quarter 4, to not give up. I thought: don't worry, I'm not that kind of girl. It's tough to think about how far my classroom is from what I wanted it to be. It's a fact that we won't get there. It's a fact that our dysfunctions have impacted how much learning has taken place.
My mentor left me some materials from a program meant to build positive relationships among students. I'm debuting it tomorrow, with a simple activity. As I looked over the activity directions and typed up a quick reflection for students to fill out after, I felt the tickle of hope. If we can just spend that hour honoring the agreements and enjoying being together, it will be a start. A tiny one ... but I believe in the power of planting seeds and dreaming of forests.
My mentor told me, as we careened into quarter 4, to not give up. I thought: don't worry, I'm not that kind of girl. It's tough to think about how far my classroom is from what I wanted it to be. It's a fact that we won't get there. It's a fact that our dysfunctions have impacted how much learning has taken place.
My mentor left me some materials from a program meant to build positive relationships among students. I'm debuting it tomorrow, with a simple activity. As I looked over the activity directions and typed up a quick reflection for students to fill out after, I felt the tickle of hope. If we can just spend that hour honoring the agreements and enjoying being together, it will be a start. A tiny one ... but I believe in the power of planting seeds and dreaming of forests.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
recipe: edible aquifers
Ingredients:
60 students
1 classroom
1 large tub of ice cream
60 plastic cups
60 plastic spoons
60 straws
20 zip bags of crushed oreos
20 zip bags of crushed chocolate chip cookies and graham crackers
12 cans of 7-Up
12 cans of orange soda
Mix all ingredients well. Warning: excitement may bubble over; monitor carefully. Be prepared for some noise. Have a broom and plenty of wet paper towels on hand to clean up crumbs and spilled soda.
Makes 60 smiles.
60 students
1 classroom
1 large tub of ice cream
60 plastic cups
60 plastic spoons
60 straws
20 zip bags of crushed oreos
20 zip bags of crushed chocolate chip cookies and graham crackers
12 cans of 7-Up
12 cans of orange soda
Mix all ingredients well. Warning: excitement may bubble over; monitor carefully. Be prepared for some noise. Have a broom and plenty of wet paper towels on hand to clean up crumbs and spilled soda.
Makes 60 smiles.
not that anyone's counting
17 days of instruction left.
It's been an interesting few days. Most of fifth grade jumped on a bus Monday to go camping. Because many of my kids didn't go, I am housing the camp stay-backs. 17 of my own kids + 13 students from two other classrooms = a trepidation-causing roster of 30.
I don't condone people keeping their kids home on a school day, but it appears that a few of my kids are staying home for the duration of camp. This makes the numbers a little easier to handle.
I figured that the camp stay-backs should have a little fun, too. So on Monday we made kites and flew them (then read a short article about why kites work). Today for art we made Matisse-inspired name panels. Tomorrow, I've invited the other teacher who didn't go to camp to bring over her 30 kids for a science lesson. We'll squish into my room and make parfaits that let students see how aquifers work. (Gotta love any science lesson that involves ice cream and crushed cookies).
I wish I had some grand reflections as my first year in the classroom speeds to a close, but all I can think of right now is how tired I am and how much I'm looking forward to summer.
It's been an interesting few days. Most of fifth grade jumped on a bus Monday to go camping. Because many of my kids didn't go, I am housing the camp stay-backs. 17 of my own kids + 13 students from two other classrooms = a trepidation-causing roster of 30.
I don't condone people keeping their kids home on a school day, but it appears that a few of my kids are staying home for the duration of camp. This makes the numbers a little easier to handle.
I figured that the camp stay-backs should have a little fun, too. So on Monday we made kites and flew them (then read a short article about why kites work). Today for art we made Matisse-inspired name panels. Tomorrow, I've invited the other teacher who didn't go to camp to bring over her 30 kids for a science lesson. We'll squish into my room and make parfaits that let students see how aquifers work. (Gotta love any science lesson that involves ice cream and crushed cookies).
I wish I had some grand reflections as my first year in the classroom speeds to a close, but all I can think of right now is how tired I am and how much I'm looking forward to summer.
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