23 Days In...

We have been in school for 23 days and things have kind of settled into a pattern. Arrival, play with blocks, journals, calendar, read aloud, and so on. There have been a lot of funny things so far though, as well as a couple of sad things.

Here's the list:

1. While we were watching The Letter Factory, E. said, "Miss Shindelar, I LOVE this movie!!" He's normally kind of non-commital about everything, so the outburst of movie-love was pretty adorable.
2. We've been talking about authors a TON (because last year they could never remember the difference between author and illustrator). While we were watching the same movie, one of my kids (the most innocent, out in left field kid of them all) said, "Miss Shindelar, who wrote this one???"
3. While we were reading "Mary Had a Little Lamb" I asked the kids if anyone knew what "fleece" was. A. raised her hand and said, "Well, those are the things on dogs that jump and bite you...." and I had to tell her that actually, those are FLEAS and then I explained what fleece was :)
4. The kid who draws his "wee wee" on his pictures also has drawn "boobies" on a picture of him and his mom. If only I could be a fly on the wall sometimes...
5. I have been getting notes from this one family that serious imply that my assistant and I spend all of our days trying to mess with their kid. The first one asked me why the kid was "given BBQ when he asked for tacos and he doesn't even like BBQ." The note went on to say "I think my kid should be able to have what he would like for lunch" and to ask me how I was "going to make sure this didn't happen again." The assistant ASKS them what they want and then the cafeteria lady asks them again, so I think he probably just didn't know which one was which or something. Then the SAME parents asked me why they were still sending in money and he was on free lunch. She told me the date he began getting free lunch and asked, "If I am sending in money, who is getting his free lunches??" I like the implication that someone is taking his free lunch when, in reality, the money is just building up on his account while he eats his free lunches. ::sigh:: In that note, there was also the implication that the kid is giving his lunch money to my assistant and what is she doing with it, etc. Oh, Parents...

I'm sure there are more things, BUT I need to finish lesson plans and shower before bed and another week!

The Return...

Hello everyone (or...maybe there is just one of you actually out there who cares that I updated once in the last 8 months...hi!).

This past week was the first week of my SECOND year of teaching and I really want to do better this year with posting. That way I can remember stuff...because when I say, "Oh, I'll remember THAT" it really means that I will try really hard and not be able to recall what it was.

Just a couple of highlights from the first week:

1. I have 7 kids whose names begin with the letter "J" which means I have to break out my "alphabatizing by the second letter" skills every single day.
2. I have three kids who names end with "-ia" which means that when I call one of them, at least two are going to come because they weren't really listening
   
3. One of my boys draws his "wee wee" on every self portrait he draws. I asked him what it was and he told me all matter of factly. So, I just said, "Okay" and moved on!
4. I am noticing that most of my kids actually seem to care if they break things that belong to me, which is a welcome change. I had to explain to more than one teary-eyed kid that accidentally dropping the chalk and breaking it was NOT a big deal. I only want them to let me know it happened; there will be no punishment if it's an accident and you tell me about it!
5. I have to be mentored. Again. Well, kind of for the first time. My mentor last year "kind of dropped the ball" (her words) so I was assigned another mentor for this year. I Really like the woman who is my mentor this year, but seriously...why do I have to go to workshops about "Effective parent communication" and stuff like that? Obviously I have figured something out in the past year and having to go to these things just annoys me because it is not my fault. I was the poor, confused mentee who just went to other people for information. And now I have to go to meetings as punishment. Ugh.
6. My Friday schedule rocks. In the morning, I literally have my kids for 30 minute intervals, then they leave to go to other places! I got SO MUCH DONE while they were gone all morning!

I guess that's about all for now...tune in next week for more info about being a second year teacher!

Three New Newbery Books!

So far this week, I have read three more Newbery books! I, Juan de Pareja was pretty good--I enjoyed it because of the Spanish artist storyline. It's about a black boy who is the slave of the painter Diego Velázquez, and it's a pretty cool point of view from which to tell the story of the artist's life. Hitty, Her First Hundred Years was actually really good at first, but I felt like each new owner she had, the story got a little less engaging. My favorite was the first girl, and then by the end I kind of felt like the author was just ready to be done with the whole thing. It's Like This, Cat was another story about growing up in New York City--I am coming to wonder if the Newbery committee was a whole bunch of people who grew up in NYC during this period, because I have read more than one about growing up in the city (From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwieler comes to mind). Anyway, it was actually very engaging to me, and since I am not a teenage boy growing up in the city, that has to say something for the book!

I am not really sure what to say about these books sometimes--I read them, and sometimes I wonder if this was REALLY the best book out that year (like The Tale of Desperaux and A Gathering of Days) and sometimes I really think that a book deserved the honor (like Maniac McGee and Walk Two Moons). I would like to be a fly on the wall sometimes when they are deliberating over which books to choose for the medal and honor books, because sometimes they seem to look for one thing, while another year they are looking for something else. For example, a book like Maniac McGee is something that I think a kid could relate to: trying to figure out where you belong, and having to deal with other people's perceptions of you. A book like A Gathering of Days seems like something that kids would have a tough time relating to, and it wasn't especially exciting or engaging to me either. That year, it seems like they were looking for informative historical fiction, as opposed to relatability or engagement.

Anyway, it's interesting to read so many of these books and think about how things have changed over the years, and how some things are the same. Race relations were an issue as far back as Caddie Woodlawn (Indians and white Americans), all the way up through Maniac McGee (white Americans and black Americans.) It seems like we always like to read about how people who are different relate to each other; I guess a book would be pretty boring if everyone got along all of the time!

It's the morning...

Good Morning!

I am actually at school right now, but it's waaay before the kids get here, so I thought I'd post something really quick. Ummm...my kids are still adorable. I have two go home yesterday at the end of the day with fevers (over 100 degrees), so that's always something fun to look forward to: more kids getting sick!

I am so tired, so I apologize for the sliiiight sarcasm. I need a day off. We have not had a day off, where teachers didn't have to go to school either, yet this year, and it's been TOO LONG. The only day I had off was when I was sick, and that wasn't exactly fun anyway. I am tired and kind of cranky and I just need some time off. I don't even think I realize how much I NEEEEED a day off.

I went to the Book Fair at my mom's school last night, and spent $100! I got a LOT of books though, because it is a discount for people who work there (yay for the mom). I also spent $100 at the scrapbook store last weekend, so I guess it goes: 100 for me, 100 for them...100 more for them...and a little more for them...

Well, it's time to go track down the guy who is selling shirts for my school today, so I'll sign off now. I know I didn't really update you on anything (except sickness and exhaustion), but at least there's a little something to read!!

Update...long awaited

Hello!! I am back!

Short update shots:

• I told one of my kids he could die if he kept putting things in his mouth (and he had it coming, he does it ALL THE TIME, including beads and, well, anything)--update on that: he STILL puts things in his mouth, so it's not like he was scarred for even a week, let alone for life
• I told my kids they were not celebrities and the other kids were not paparazzi--one of my kids said "What's a celebrity??" and then I had to explain that I just meant that they weren't famous people who needed to stop and wave at everyone they passed
  
• We went to the zoo, and one of my kids was jumping up and down saying, "I want to see the lepers! I can't wait to see the lepers!"
• Again, when we went to the zoo and got off of the exit in Norfolk, another kid said, "We're in Mexico!!" and then started telling me random "facts" about Mexico (like, "There are a lot of people in Mexico")

I am verrrry tired, but it's really getting better every day.

Lame post, but at least there's something!

Week 1...I am alive!

*A kind of blurry shot of my kids on our colored squares, waiting for time to go home :)*

Wooooo! I have survived week 1. I ALREADY love my kids, but I also am already dreading the end of the weekend! Getting used to real working, where you go every day, and it's all you (as opposed to student teaching or long-term subbing, where you're really not the only one responsible for the kids' learning...) is hard...I am SO TIRED!

Here are a few highlights of the week:

1. one of my kids called me "class" all the first day...I think he heard "Miss Shindelar's class" and only remembered the "class"
2. one kid told me all about his poop on the first day (he was late for recess because of this poop) and apparently it was "green and SO gross"
3. on TWO occasions they have asked me to read a story again, immediately after we have finished it
4. the principal came in (when I was having them "wiggle all over") and told me I was doing a good job
5. the same kid had an issue with the bathroom again and kept yelling that it was "stuck" and wouldn't come out!
6. my kids came back from PE on Friday and attacked me with hugs...it was like someone yelled "GROUP HUG!"
7. we had a fire drill and my kids were super stars

Last night, we went to Rascal Flatts, which was also a BIG highlight of the week...the great ending to a great week :)

AND, tonight Chelsea, Morgan, and myself saw The Nanny Diaries, which was good...not at good as the book, which is one of my favorites, but enjoyable :)

I will post some more pictures later on...for now...I am off to finish cutting out some laminated paper which will become a positive behavior system, and then to beddddd!

Thanks for all the prayers and support :)

No locked cabinets for the weary

YES, this is a good thing! My filing cabinet has been locked, with no hope for a key...and I have pulled and banged and pushed this thing a LOT. Today, my dad came up and pulled on it once, and it opened--then, he pried out the locking mechanism with a pair of pliers. GO DAD!! Since we are going to get everything new in January, the assistant principal basically said to do whatever we had to do to get it. YAAAAY! I am so impressed, and excited to be able to get into the filing cabinet!

I had my last day of teacher orientation today. It was a lonnnnnnng 3 days--8-4, listening to people speak and looking at power points. A lot of it was very informative, but some of it wasn't exactly engaging. Anyway, I am so tired as a result of the past 3 days. I went up to school every day after the orientation; last night, I was there till about 8:30 and tonight till about 7:30. I am TIRED and school hasn't even begun yet!

What I want most in the world is a massage. I wish soooo much that I could afford the $85 for a 90 minute massage, but, alas, I cannot. I have to go till Sept 15 without a paycheck, because of how the pay system works. BUT, then I will have some money...but it sure seems that like money is getting promised awfully quickly!! Anyways, I am in need of some relaxation. Maybe if we had a hammock....

*To explain, my parents actually put in a bid and closed on our house and stuff before I knew anything about it (this was in 11th grade). My conditions, once I was let in on the deal, were that we get a tree for the front yard and a hammock for the back. They said SUUUUURE, we can do that. We got a tree, which my dad regularly threatens to cut down...but, it's still standing, so it counts as following through with the bargain. However.............NO HAMMOCK! I think it's clear who is getting the shaft in this arrangement!