I went to Back to School night last night. The parents all came and we told them the activities that their students get to do in the 5th grade, the discipline plan, and the rewards system. That was all well and good, the part that I was really struck by was the concerns the parents had.
Earlier that day a student had told me her stomach hurt. I assumed it was just a 5th grader trying to get out something. When her mother and she came to Back to School night she had just come from the ER to get her stomach checked out. Wow. That was much more serious than I had thought it was. This morning when the student came into school she said she had spent the night in the ER and couldn't have any gluten. I really got that wrong.
Another parent came up to my teacher and was concerned about the melt down her son had had earlier in the day (see yesterday's post). I discovered he had Asperger Syndrome and that answered a whole slew of questions I didn't even know I had. It explained why he was so upset about a punishment he had never seen issued, why he was upset when he had to run and couldn't use his inhaler before he ran(I had told him I use my inhaler before I run). I never would have known!
I realized that I have been worrying about the curriculum and such, but there is another entire side to teaching that I haven't even thought about!
When I asked my teacher about this she said it comes with experience. Unfortunately, I don't have any. Fortunately, I have so many people around me (and will have people around me) who do have experience. Having a team is so important! Especially with teaching!
Today was much smoother than yesterday and we introduced a new thing to the kids. Tiki Time. If they have finished all of their work for the whole week then they get to go play games for the last half hour of school, in the Tiki Room. If they have not finished then they have to stay in the classroom until they are done. This room has been fondly dubbed the Torture Chamber. The kids who were in the Torture Chamber only had to stay there until their work was done, then they could enter the Tiki Room. Those kids got their work done so fast!
Friday, September 4, 2015
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Day 13: Unlucky
Perhaps it is because today was the 13th day of school, or maybe because it is Thursday. Whatever the reason, it was crazy today.
Temper Tantrums.
Noncompliance.
Not understanding.
I had at least two of each of these today. All different children.
One little girl came up with her paper and had the wrong answer.
"Where is your mistake?" Mrs. Burton asks.
"I don't know."
"Well, where is your work?"
"In my head."
At this moment you can practically see the eye roll.
"Go write your work down and do the problem again, come back when you are done and we will check it then."
The student goes back to their desk to complete the assignment.
She comes back with an empty paper and the same answer.
"Where is your work?"
"In my head."
She is told once again to go back to her desk and write her work out.
So she does. Once done, she come back with an empty paper and the same answer.
She is told to go and write down her work.
She comes back a fourth time with nothing written on her paper. Now this girl knows how to do the problem, but there is a simple math function that is messing her up and she won't be able to find it until she writes it down. But that would be much to much effort.
The students are all outside running two laps around the green at the end of recess. One student is not running.
"Run please!" I call to him, making certain that he can hear me from across the field. He looks up, then has a complete transformation. He screwed his face up, stomped his feet ferociously against the ground and screamed viciously before continuing to walk as if nothing had happened. I don't know that I have ever seen that kind of a reaction before. This same child became so emotionally volatile during instruction time we were forced to have him go to the principal's office for the rest of the day.
We have been working on measurement for a week and a half. Metric and Customary systems and how to change between the different units. (Unfortunately we do have to teach both, but such is life) Today we gave a short assessment to see who we needed to help before the test tomorrow. 5 students completely understood the information. That left 21 students who didn't get it. 21. Mrs. Burton and I split a few of the students and set to work trying to fill some of the holes. When we came back together, half an hour later, we exchanged a disheartened look. Neither of us had been able to help the students understand how to convert between units. She raised her hand to mine in a high five. "At least we can fail together." she said.
Today I have learned that not every day is a good one. Some days are craptastic. Some days are boring. And some days, you just have to know that you will never have to live it again.
Temper Tantrums.
Noncompliance.
Not understanding.
I had at least two of each of these today. All different children.
One little girl came up with her paper and had the wrong answer.
"Where is your mistake?" Mrs. Burton asks.
"I don't know."
"Well, where is your work?"
"In my head."
At this moment you can practically see the eye roll.
"Go write your work down and do the problem again, come back when you are done and we will check it then."
The student goes back to their desk to complete the assignment.
She comes back with an empty paper and the same answer.
"Where is your work?"
"In my head."
She is told once again to go back to her desk and write her work out.
So she does. Once done, she come back with an empty paper and the same answer.
She is told to go and write down her work.
She comes back a fourth time with nothing written on her paper. Now this girl knows how to do the problem, but there is a simple math function that is messing her up and she won't be able to find it until she writes it down. But that would be much to much effort.
The students are all outside running two laps around the green at the end of recess. One student is not running.
"Run please!" I call to him, making certain that he can hear me from across the field. He looks up, then has a complete transformation. He screwed his face up, stomped his feet ferociously against the ground and screamed viciously before continuing to walk as if nothing had happened. I don't know that I have ever seen that kind of a reaction before. This same child became so emotionally volatile during instruction time we were forced to have him go to the principal's office for the rest of the day.
We have been working on measurement for a week and a half. Metric and Customary systems and how to change between the different units. (Unfortunately we do have to teach both, but such is life) Today we gave a short assessment to see who we needed to help before the test tomorrow. 5 students completely understood the information. That left 21 students who didn't get it. 21. Mrs. Burton and I split a few of the students and set to work trying to fill some of the holes. When we came back together, half an hour later, we exchanged a disheartened look. Neither of us had been able to help the students understand how to convert between units. She raised her hand to mine in a high five. "At least we can fail together." she said.
Today I have learned that not every day is a good one. Some days are craptastic. Some days are boring. And some days, you just have to know that you will never have to live it again.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Day 12: Feelin the Length of the Year
Warning: This post will be choppy because of all of the things I want to say and the need to get them out!
The rest of the student teachers came today and had a meeting with the principal. I didn't go because I already knew everything she was going to tell them. But I went up to ask her if I needed to attend, just in case. She told me no, but then she said something interesting. We were talking about 5th graders and getting them to pay attention.
"Be glad you aren't here in the spring semester when the hormones are going crazy." How would I deal with that? I mean, these kids will be starting to go through an emotionally tumultuous time that will last until their late twenties! How do I even get them started down that road! Sometimes I worry about teaching because I don't know the curriculum, but teaching is so much more than that. I have to teach them math, science, how to mature well, and sometimes basic social skills. It is much more like being a mother than a 3rd interested party.
Cheating... how do I want to deal with it in my class? I have been in classes where it was only addressed in a one on one basis and in classes where the teacher talks to the whole class about it. It would probably depend on the grade level as well as how many career cheaters I have. Besides. "Cheetah's never prosper!"
Mental math is SO important! I am realizing just how important it is as I am struggling to put problems together in my mind when students are already bringing their completed papers up to me! But Mental Math is MOST effective when the student still knows why and how it works. Not just that it works. (Here is a few online sites to practice math facts. Play Kids Games Flex Math)
I went to a faculty meeting today, and it was nothing like I thought it would be. I thought it would be teachers discussing their students, patting themselves on the back for getting through another month, or maybe even a mini UEA type convention. Nope. It was more of the same. How can we help these students? How can we reach those?
They split up the teachers into different committees and each was in charge of something different. They each had to make goals and determine how those goals would be reached by the end of the year, and how those goals would help the students in the school. Not just the students in one teachers class. The students in the entire school.
Our group was the data group, in charge of collecting and reporting the data we get from each grade to the rest of the school. One thing we focused on was ESL students. My teacher noticed that ESL students in 5th grade were stuck on a 2nd-3rd grade reading level. So we discussed why that might be, how we could solver it and how we can use the data to earlier discover the children who might need help.
We also discussed the date from math groups throughout the school. Most grades (except 5th who has a pre-test in addition) has a checkpoint then an end of unit test. At the checkpoint to do a re-teach for those students who need it. I like the idea of the pre-test, this way the students who already know the material, or just need a slight refresher, don't have to go through the entire first section with everyone else.
Also, I love being called "Teacher." It is a wonderful term that I feel is honorary.
The rest of the student teachers came today and had a meeting with the principal. I didn't go because I already knew everything she was going to tell them. But I went up to ask her if I needed to attend, just in case. She told me no, but then she said something interesting. We were talking about 5th graders and getting them to pay attention.
"Be glad you aren't here in the spring semester when the hormones are going crazy." How would I deal with that? I mean, these kids will be starting to go through an emotionally tumultuous time that will last until their late twenties! How do I even get them started down that road! Sometimes I worry about teaching because I don't know the curriculum, but teaching is so much more than that. I have to teach them math, science, how to mature well, and sometimes basic social skills. It is much more like being a mother than a 3rd interested party.
Cheating... how do I want to deal with it in my class? I have been in classes where it was only addressed in a one on one basis and in classes where the teacher talks to the whole class about it. It would probably depend on the grade level as well as how many career cheaters I have. Besides. "Cheetah's never prosper!"
Mental math is SO important! I am realizing just how important it is as I am struggling to put problems together in my mind when students are already bringing their completed papers up to me! But Mental Math is MOST effective when the student still knows why and how it works. Not just that it works. (Here is a few online sites to practice math facts. Play Kids Games Flex Math)
I went to a faculty meeting today, and it was nothing like I thought it would be. I thought it would be teachers discussing their students, patting themselves on the back for getting through another month, or maybe even a mini UEA type convention. Nope. It was more of the same. How can we help these students? How can we reach those?
They split up the teachers into different committees and each was in charge of something different. They each had to make goals and determine how those goals would be reached by the end of the year, and how those goals would help the students in the school. Not just the students in one teachers class. The students in the entire school.
Our group was the data group, in charge of collecting and reporting the data we get from each grade to the rest of the school. One thing we focused on was ESL students. My teacher noticed that ESL students in 5th grade were stuck on a 2nd-3rd grade reading level. So we discussed why that might be, how we could solver it and how we can use the data to earlier discover the children who might need help.
We also discussed the date from math groups throughout the school. Most grades (except 5th who has a pre-test in addition) has a checkpoint then an end of unit test. At the checkpoint to do a re-teach for those students who need it. I like the idea of the pre-test, this way the students who already know the material, or just need a slight refresher, don't have to go through the entire first section with everyone else.
Also, I love being called "Teacher." It is a wonderful term that I feel is honorary.
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Day 11: Things to Consider
What does being On Task mean? My teacher has a video she found that explicitly explains how to be On Task. But when should I introduce this to my students? The first day and then reteach it as needed.
What are the differences between 5th and 2nd grade? The last classroom I was in was 2nd grade. I do have to remember that the teacher I was with was intimidating and had a completely different teaching style than I would ever want. She was not very organized and did things that she had been doing for the last 20 years. Sometimes those things work, but with other things... it is time for a change. As I have been in this 5th grade classroom I have realized... there is not a whole lot of difference. When I ask for deeper thinking I still get blank looks. When I expect something it normally gets done. When I ask for attention, no one looks at me. The attention getters like "One, two three, eyes on me!" "One two! Eyes on you!" I think that would work so well with this class, as long as I taught them explicitly how it worked. "When I say 'one, two, three, eyes on me.' You freeze and find me in the room while you are saying 'one, two! Eyes on you!' "Then make them practice it over and over and over. Maybe that is what this class needs. They need to know we are serious about doing things right the first time. Mrs. Burton is very strict, sometimes I am amazed at how strict she is, but maybe she is not strict enough? At least right now. Maybe sticking them to the little procedural things today would make it easier tomorrow. But then again, she has been doing this a long time. I'll think on that some more.
At every school I have ever taught at or attended, if the work is not done, the student stays in for recess until it is done. I strongly disagree with that. These are children. They aren't made to sit still for 5 hours with one 30 minute break and one 5-10 minute break. No wonder these poor fifth graders can't focus in the afternoon! Today we gave them a 20 minute recess and made them run two laps around the grass. Those kids can run, and they needed to get their heart rates up. I know that unstructured play time in necessary, however I also think that these 5th graders might not actually get moving without me telling them to do some sort of activity.
So, it is now established that children need to move. But if they can't stay in from recess, then when else do they get their work done? There is not enough time in the day, there is not always someone at home who is going to help them do their homework, and many times those students who don't get their work done are having trouble at home and can't get their homework done there anyway. So when?
When do I reteach? If there is not enough time in the day for regular things, how do I put MORE things into it!
What are the differences between 5th and 2nd grade? The last classroom I was in was 2nd grade. I do have to remember that the teacher I was with was intimidating and had a completely different teaching style than I would ever want. She was not very organized and did things that she had been doing for the last 20 years. Sometimes those things work, but with other things... it is time for a change. As I have been in this 5th grade classroom I have realized... there is not a whole lot of difference. When I ask for deeper thinking I still get blank looks. When I expect something it normally gets done. When I ask for attention, no one looks at me. The attention getters like "One, two three, eyes on me!" "One two! Eyes on you!" I think that would work so well with this class, as long as I taught them explicitly how it worked. "When I say 'one, two, three, eyes on me.' You freeze and find me in the room while you are saying 'one, two! Eyes on you!' "Then make them practice it over and over and over. Maybe that is what this class needs. They need to know we are serious about doing things right the first time. Mrs. Burton is very strict, sometimes I am amazed at how strict she is, but maybe she is not strict enough? At least right now. Maybe sticking them to the little procedural things today would make it easier tomorrow. But then again, she has been doing this a long time. I'll think on that some more.
At every school I have ever taught at or attended, if the work is not done, the student stays in for recess until it is done. I strongly disagree with that. These are children. They aren't made to sit still for 5 hours with one 30 minute break and one 5-10 minute break. No wonder these poor fifth graders can't focus in the afternoon! Today we gave them a 20 minute recess and made them run two laps around the grass. Those kids can run, and they needed to get their heart rates up. I know that unstructured play time in necessary, however I also think that these 5th graders might not actually get moving without me telling them to do some sort of activity.
So, it is now established that children need to move. But if they can't stay in from recess, then when else do they get their work done? There is not enough time in the day, there is not always someone at home who is going to help them do their homework, and many times those students who don't get their work done are having trouble at home and can't get their homework done there anyway. So when?
When do I reteach? If there is not enough time in the day for regular things, how do I put MORE things into it!
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Day 9: Things to Think About
As I was at school today I was thinking of some things that I want in my classroom that I have never thought about.
- When do I want to make copies?
- What do I want to do for birthdays? Summer birthdays?
- How do I want to hand back work that needs to be corrected?
- How do I want to communicated with parents?
- How will I create and keep relationships with other teachers.
- When and how will I reteach things that I didn't teach well, or the students didn't grasp well the first time?
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Day 8: The Next Three Years
Well, today I experience what I have been told will be my life for the first three years I teach. I went through school sick. I was fine this morning, got to school, and then BAM! It hit like a wall. My nose went runny, my throat hurt, my head hurt, my body was tired. But I still smiled and did everything I needed to do. That is going to be so great!
We also had our first inside recess today, and I realized I never thought of what we would do during inside recess. So my teacher said she has procedures for inside recess, and they followed them very well. But what am I going to do for inside recess? She has board games, VHS and puzzles. They are not allowed to do electronics (though VHS is too old school to be electronic) and can't be super loud while they are inside. Inside recess does happen often, so it is good to know what I want to do.
In the morning all of the students have morning work, and they have to check in with Mrs. Burton. This takes a long time, and if they don't do their morning work in line, then they don't get it done. But today she explained to me why she does it in the first place. She loves to get to talk with each student every morning. Some students can slip under your radar just because they are so quiet. Doing it this way she makes sure that she speaks with everyone. I don't know if that system would work for me, but I do want to find a way to speak with every student every day.
We also had our first inside recess today, and I realized I never thought of what we would do during inside recess. So my teacher said she has procedures for inside recess, and they followed them very well. But what am I going to do for inside recess? She has board games, VHS and puzzles. They are not allowed to do electronics (though VHS is too old school to be electronic) and can't be super loud while they are inside. Inside recess does happen often, so it is good to know what I want to do.
In the morning all of the students have morning work, and they have to check in with Mrs. Burton. This takes a long time, and if they don't do their morning work in line, then they don't get it done. But today she explained to me why she does it in the first place. She loves to get to talk with each student every morning. Some students can slip under your radar just because they are so quiet. Doing it this way she makes sure that she speaks with everyone. I don't know if that system would work for me, but I do want to find a way to speak with every student every day.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Day Seven: Little Piece of Heaven?
It is amazing the spectrum of emotion that a 10 year old can show in the space of 5 hours. The students start off the day one way, and five minutes later they are something totally different. It is amazing.
My teacher runs a very tight schedule. At the end of the day the students have 4 minutes to clean up their desks, do a job, get their backpacks ready and then be ready on the carpet for a read aloud. So far today was the first day they made it, but I can see the improvement.
There is also a nearly no-talking policy. During most of the day they are not allowed to speak at all. I am not sure how I feel about it, but it does make the transitions easier. And faster. I wonder how I will do the transitions in my classroom. But I guess if I have as much to do in a day as she does... I would probably do the same thing.
At the end of the day there was a boy who had been having trouble getting things done all day and he didn't want to wait to see what he was missing at the end of the day. He was starting to have a tantrum and it was looking to be a big one. But my teacher didn't drop her smile, she told him to take a deep breath. He wouldn't do it, and was doing this crazy angry thing. "You keep breathing and I'll help these two then we can talk" she told him. She helped the last two students, and while she did that he started taking deep breaths. When she came back to him he was able to have a pretty decent conversation. They resolved the problem, made a plan for tomorrow, and he was on his way with a high five. It was impressive.
My teacher runs a very tight schedule. At the end of the day the students have 4 minutes to clean up their desks, do a job, get their backpacks ready and then be ready on the carpet for a read aloud. So far today was the first day they made it, but I can see the improvement.
There is also a nearly no-talking policy. During most of the day they are not allowed to speak at all. I am not sure how I feel about it, but it does make the transitions easier. And faster. I wonder how I will do the transitions in my classroom. But I guess if I have as much to do in a day as she does... I would probably do the same thing.
At the end of the day there was a boy who had been having trouble getting things done all day and he didn't want to wait to see what he was missing at the end of the day. He was starting to have a tantrum and it was looking to be a big one. But my teacher didn't drop her smile, she told him to take a deep breath. He wouldn't do it, and was doing this crazy angry thing. "You keep breathing and I'll help these two then we can talk" she told him. She helped the last two students, and while she did that he started taking deep breaths. When she came back to him he was able to have a pretty decent conversation. They resolved the problem, made a plan for tomorrow, and he was on his way with a high five. It was impressive.
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