That infamous wall that we hear others talk about...the one they hit when they are doing something that is difficult...I hit it earlier this week (with teaching) and feel like I'm sliding down it!!!!!
The last four days in a nutshell...
Three of my best (and favorite) students got caught by a substitute, cheating on a science test I had given them. CAUGHT! BIG TIME...one was passing a note with answers to the others. Of those three students (all of whom disappointed me seriously), two have apologized...the other doesn't seem to understand what she's done. FRUSTRATING!
In my regular math class, we covered integers in January...they are not easy, but I expected my students to have learned and be able to recall the rules for adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing them by now. Today while teaching I answered the same questions about adding and subtracting integers that I've been answering since January!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!
Someone please remind me why I do this!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Saturday, March 1, 2008
This is why I teach...
I have a student who recently transferred from another district. I think he is a precious child! He's funny and smart and charismatic. He also really wants good grades, so he does his homework and studies and all that other good stuff. This young man has just been through a huge transition. He's moved (not very far, but it may as well have been across the country) in the middle of his seventh grade year.
Remember that what I love the most about teaching this age is that I can develop relationships with them while at the same time teaching them to think for themselves. So I asked Zack if he missed his old school. He said "Yes ma'am. It was easier there. Or at least I had better grades."
Over the last couple of weeks I've started giving homework or classwork quizzes, where I give a homework or classwork assignment, they do it, we go over it, then I give them 5 problems to work and count it as a quiz grade. It gives them the opportunity to practice working problems with a little more pressure, and also allows me to have more grades to help bring up their averages. But, the problem is that each problem is worth twenty points each...if they miss one the make a C.
So....(I know...this has been incredibly long) yesterday Zack missed the last one of the problems, which gave him a C. He was very disappointed because he's not used to making Cs. So at lunch when he walked by me he said "Now you know why I don't like it here. I can't even make a good grade on a second grade test." So now I know it's my job to protect this precious boy and help him realize all the potential in him.
His parents are concerned about him...they don't feel that he's transitioning well. I can understand that concern, but I'm not seeing a withdrawn, upset child at school. I just hope that he will continue to do all the good things he's doing and I can help him find success here.
Remember that what I love the most about teaching this age is that I can develop relationships with them while at the same time teaching them to think for themselves. So I asked Zack if he missed his old school. He said "Yes ma'am. It was easier there. Or at least I had better grades."
Over the last couple of weeks I've started giving homework or classwork quizzes, where I give a homework or classwork assignment, they do it, we go over it, then I give them 5 problems to work and count it as a quiz grade. It gives them the opportunity to practice working problems with a little more pressure, and also allows me to have more grades to help bring up their averages. But, the problem is that each problem is worth twenty points each...if they miss one the make a C.
So....(I know...this has been incredibly long) yesterday Zack missed the last one of the problems, which gave him a C. He was very disappointed because he's not used to making Cs. So at lunch when he walked by me he said "Now you know why I don't like it here. I can't even make a good grade on a second grade test." So now I know it's my job to protect this precious boy and help him realize all the potential in him.
His parents are concerned about him...they don't feel that he's transitioning well. I can understand that concern, but I'm not seeing a withdrawn, upset child at school. I just hope that he will continue to do all the good things he's doing and I can help him find success here.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Chaos in the Middle!!! :)
What a day!!! It's raining here which we need desperately! Don't know where you are located but the Southeastern portion of the U.S. has been in the midst of a terrible drought for about a year...maybe a little more.
In Social Studies my teammate is teaching about Imperialism. So to that end, we are watching an edited version of "The Last Samuri." This is a great movie and I'm kind of glad to have the opportunity to get some grading done while the kids are watching.
We are also at the end of a schoolwide fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. My homebase has never won the contest so I begged them to bring in money this time...not quite sure how much we've collected, but my Student Council reps are downstairs counting it right now. I really hope we "place."
The step team is going to a competition today. This is a MAJOR accomplishment for these girls! Most of the girls (not all) on the step team are from homes with a low SES. It's fantastic that Mrs. B has sponsored this program for the last few years. She has even turned it into a mentoring program and all the girls have a mentor! How awesome is that??? You ROCK Mrs. B!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Robin
In Social Studies my teammate is teaching about Imperialism. So to that end, we are watching an edited version of "The Last Samuri." This is a great movie and I'm kind of glad to have the opportunity to get some grading done while the kids are watching.
We are also at the end of a schoolwide fundraiser for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. My homebase has never won the contest so I begged them to bring in money this time...not quite sure how much we've collected, but my Student Council reps are downstairs counting it right now. I really hope we "place."
The step team is going to a competition today. This is a MAJOR accomplishment for these girls! Most of the girls (not all) on the step team are from homes with a low SES. It's fantastic that Mrs. B has sponsored this program for the last few years. She has even turned it into a mentoring program and all the girls have a mentor! How awesome is that??? You ROCK Mrs. B!
Hope you all have a great weekend!
Robin
Monday, February 18, 2008
President's Day
We're out today because of President's Day. I'm supposed to be doing math for a class I'm taking, but I'm not. I'm doing laundry, and chillin' out. It seems like it's forever since I've just been able to relax.
The other thing I'm doing is making shrimp and grits for my students to eat for lunch tomorrow. Several of them brought me money so I could purchase the stuff I need to make it and begged me to make it for them. I told them I'd serve them lunch in my classroom tomorrow, so I will be cooking that tonight and taking it to school tomorrow. I hope they enjoy it as much as my family does.
The other thing I'm doing is making shrimp and grits for my students to eat for lunch tomorrow. Several of them brought me money so I could purchase the stuff I need to make it and begged me to make it for them. I told them I'd serve them lunch in my classroom tomorrow, so I will be cooking that tonight and taking it to school tomorrow. I hope they enjoy it as much as my family does.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
BINGO!
My teammate and I took our students to the county library way back in the Fall. The day we went was the same day that some people came to the center of our city to protest the Jena Six...it was very interesting for us to be having a bag lunch in the center courtyard of the city when there was a demonstration being held.
Anyway, today, the teen librarian came out to our school and played book BINGO with our students! It was so much fun! I love doing things like that! The kids were so excited that they had a VERY difficult time being quiet enough to hear the librarian call the BINGO numbers. I love doing stuff like this. The kids always enjoy it so much! This is part of why I became a teacher...to try to inspire kids to be the best they can.
Anyway, today, the teen librarian came out to our school and played book BINGO with our students! It was so much fun! I love doing things like that! The kids were so excited that they had a VERY difficult time being quiet enough to hear the librarian call the BINGO numbers. I love doing stuff like this. The kids always enjoy it so much! This is part of why I became a teacher...to try to inspire kids to be the best they can.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Fishy Fishy
So Greg gave me the aquarium I gave him back in the day. He helped me set it up in my classroom last year sometime after Christmas. So I am not very good at keeping it up so it's gotten COVERED with algae. I took everything out last week with the exception of about half the rocks, the water, and the fish. We went to Fintastic tonight and got a couple of live plants and I'm going to get a few more fish tomorrow and we're going back to the school to work on the tank. I want to get all the algae out and make it pretty again, so we're going to work on it. I hope Greg will teach me how to take care of the tank...his version of teaching and my version of teaching are totally different.
Hope everyone out there is doing great and has a great weekend.
Robin
Hope everyone out there is doing great and has a great weekend.
Robin
Thursday, February 7, 2008
This one's for you....PAMELA!
I found out today that a dear friend of mine has been reading my blog! YAY ME! I really didn't think that anyone except for the Patties were reading it...thanks girls, for leaving comments!
Any of you who read this blog, especially those in education, know that there is so much that goes on that doesn't make it to the blog. There are things that are hilarious that I don't post, things that make me angry that I don't post, things that make me look long and hard at what I'm doing here that don't get posted, and the list goes on. No matter how frustrating the days are, or how hilarious the days are (thanks to Bret for giving me a really good belly laugh yesterday!), or how blah the days are, I am blessed to be able to work with such wonderful people each day!
I was just griping to Pam about maybe 1.2 bazillion things that have been going on in my life. Thanks, Pam, for letting me gripe! It always makes me feel better when I have someone who will nod their head and say "I understand how you feel" even when I'm just griping.
On top of having friends at work, I get the priviledge of working with 58 very different, dynamic, complex, excited children everyday! How many people do you know who look forward to work everyday? Today, I'm just thanking God that I have a job, and it's one that I love!!!
Please also remember to pray for the Lawrensons. There are some great pics posted on Nate's blog today, of Gwyneth without anything on her face. Check it out by clicking here.
Any of you who read this blog, especially those in education, know that there is so much that goes on that doesn't make it to the blog. There are things that are hilarious that I don't post, things that make me angry that I don't post, things that make me look long and hard at what I'm doing here that don't get posted, and the list goes on. No matter how frustrating the days are, or how hilarious the days are (thanks to Bret for giving me a really good belly laugh yesterday!), or how blah the days are, I am blessed to be able to work with such wonderful people each day!
I was just griping to Pam about maybe 1.2 bazillion things that have been going on in my life. Thanks, Pam, for letting me gripe! It always makes me feel better when I have someone who will nod their head and say "I understand how you feel" even when I'm just griping.
On top of having friends at work, I get the priviledge of working with 58 very different, dynamic, complex, excited children everyday! How many people do you know who look forward to work everyday? Today, I'm just thanking God that I have a job, and it's one that I love!!!
Please also remember to pray for the Lawrensons. There are some great pics posted on Nate's blog today, of Gwyneth without anything on her face. Check it out by clicking here.
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