If You Give A Teacher A Work Day...

If you give a teacher a day to work in her classroom, she will probably be so startled by the amazingly shiny, waxed floors, she won't notice the that all the computers have been piled in the sink.  

As she gazes across the shiny floor, she'll become so excited that she'll probably start unpacking the first box she gets her hands on, pulling out all the fun subitizing math centers with cute erasers from Dollar Tree.

That will remind her of all the bags of stuff she brought with her today from Target Dollar Spot that she's been amassing all summer long and hiding from her husband under the guest room bed.  She will start to go through all the bags, pulling out the alphabet cards, and felt fraction sets, and colorful clothespins, and some ceramic apple thing that she's not sure what to do with.

Then she'll realize she can't put any of those things away yet since every single piece of furniture is piled precariously in the corner, so she'll start to move tables.  And desks. And chairs. And shelves. 

When she moves the shelves, she'll remember all the categorized book labels she printed and laminated for her classroom library and start searching for them in the giant stack of boxes, none of which she actually labeled in the frenzy to get out of this place last June.  

As she's shoving boxes around everywhere, she'll get distracted by the bright, neatly folded, clean curtains she took home and washed over the summer.  

Since she can't find the curtain rods in any of the 37 boxes she has unpacked into the middle of the floor, she'll start putting up a bulletin board.  

While looking for the *good* stapler on her desk, she'll decide to try to put her desk in order and organize all her Sharpies, and Mr. Sketch markers, and Flair pens into color coordinated containers. She'll have to try every single color. Twice.

Her team mate will come in and ask her to go to lunch.  An actual meal out at a restaurant with colleagues that will last more than 7 minutes.

After lunch, she'll open the closet and discover the pocket charts, the birthday box, the easel charts, the curtain rods, and the word wall banner.  She'll realize she needs a step ladder because the last time she stood on a chair there was an accident report involved, so she will head out to find the keeper of the tall step ladder, the head custodian.

As she's searching all four million square feet of the building, always two steps behind the elusive custodian and the tall step ladder, she'll spot her teacher BFF's adorable classroom already set up and beautifully organized.  She'll become instantly convinced that her classroom will not be even remotely ready by the end of the week and she'll start to run at a full sprint, in a panic, back to her hot mess of a classroom.

It is now time to go home, every box is half unpacked, the room is destroyed, nothing is actually finished, and she'll need at least two more classroom work days to undo the damage.

Welcome Back to School!

35

The Dark Side of Inspirational Quotes

We have all seen them as we scroll through our FB, Instagram, and Twitter feeds. Those concise, inspirational zingers that get to the heart of a matter in 20 words or less.
Some of them are cute, some are political, some are snarky. They are judgy, cliche, uplifting, or clever. They have the power to make us feel joy, have a moment of introspection, feel vindicated, or hang our head in shame.

But the teaching related quotes - oh the feels, the excitement, the shame, the guilt.

"Teaching is a work of heart!"

“It takes a big heart to help shape little minds.”

“Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.”

“The best teachers teach from the heart, not from the book.”

"A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops." 

"A teacher takes a hand, opens a mind, and touches a heart."

"Some teachers taught the curriculum today. Other teachers taught students today. And there's a big difference."

 I know they are meant to be uplifting and inspiring, but they also can have a dark side - they can be stress and guilt inducing. It is so easy to fall into the trap of not feeling adequate when all you see is how teaching is the most heartwarming, altruistic, amazing experience on the planet and all you can think of is the massive workload, the endless data meetings, and the raw nerve endings from that kid that drove you completely insane today.

Yes, all of these quotes are true and of course, we take our professional purpose quite seriously.  By nature, those who enter this profession care deeply about young people, their well being, and their future. We can't help ourselves, I mean we aren't just pushing papers around here, we're working with little humans and it is a colossal responsibility.  

And so we become especially susceptible to allowing some of these quotes get to us.  We see the perfection, the goal, the expectation, and when we don't feel we measure up, we allow our spirits to be bruised and our confidence to fade.

But you know what?  Some days, I don't feel like I shaped a mind or affected eternity.  Some days I gave busywork while I worked on endless data sheets. Some days I lost my patience and fussed at a kid.  Some days I showed a video because I didn't have the strength to plan another freaking lesson last night. Some days I rolled my eyes at meetings, and complained with my colleagues, and sent a kid to another class because my nerves were shot. Some days I went home and cried.

Social media is certainly a remarkable platform and I love the connection, collaboration, the opportunity to see across the planet in an instant.  But we need to remember that what comes across our feeds is generally carefully curated.  We need to be cautious about how we integrate the messages that bombard us as we scroll.

I probably bristle more than most at some of these posts because I tend to be a little more snarky and cynical than the average human (if you need convincing, just check out my Facebook and Instagram :)  But even I get caught on the dark side of the inspirational quote.  Heck, I've even written and shared some myself!

This post is just a reminder to us all that while yes, teaching is all about heart, and love, and rainbows, and unicorns, it is also about exhaustion, and aggravation, and snarkiness, and complaining.  All of that is okay - we need balance to survive.  Just don't get stuck in either place for too long!

So for every sweet, uplifting, selfless quote telling you how to be the Teacher of the Universe that you see scroll by on your feed like these...

...here are a few things to keep you balanced.  You can live vicariously through my teacher fails, snarkiness, and hot mess moments.  Some of these days are not my proudest moments, but they are the real moments.

Don't buy into the Hallmark version of teaching.  Teaching is just too complicated, messy, and imperfect.

1

Top Ten Days That Strike Fear into the Hearts of Teachers

You know the days I'm talking about.  They are special days that we look forward to, but we also carry just a little bit of dread in the recesses of our souls.  Typically these days are associated with holidays or special celebrations, but there are a few others that get our teacher hearts fluttering just as much.

Here they are in no particular order. You can decide for yourselves the order of these days on a scale from "Indoor Recess" to "The 9th Ring of Teacher Hell"

13

5 Things Parents Should Not Send to School With Their Child

Each day as teachers, we must:

• roll through reading, phonics, writing, grammar, math, science, computer skills, and social studies;
• make sure kids have a nutritious lunch, healthy snack, physical activity, a safe environment, and extra curricular opportunities; 
• provide instruction in good manners, getting along with others, disaster preparedness, personal safety, and citizenship;
• and act as parent, nurse, social worker, psychologist, banker, referee, mediator, and mentor. 

All this in about 7 hours a day.

So, competing with all sorts of distractions can mean not getting through all the stuff we really have to get through.

Because, well, pacing guide.

Now, some distractions are unavoidable - a thunderstorm, fire drill, lost tooth, cockroach in someone's desk...  They can even create a nice little break once in a while.

But some distractions are NOT unavoidable.  They have been created by well meaning, yet slightly uninformed parents who (possibly unknowingly) allow kids to come to school wearing or bringing things that create unnecessary distractions.

So, to ensure that we are able to take advantage of every precious second of the day, and to reduce time-sucking distractions, here are...

6

VA Teacher Bloggers Meet

Last Friday a group of 30 fabulous Virginia teacher bloggers {including myself!} descended upon the Jefferson Lakeside Country Club for an afternoon of networking, laughs, food, drinks, and some incredible swag and prizes! It was an incredible time, and well worth all of the planning and logistics that went into it. I want to share some of the experience with you!

0

How to Give A Standardized Test

Just in case you haven't had the sheer pleasure of administering a standardized test in today's high stakes environment, I thought I would give you a peek inside the exhilarating experience.

At least the parts of the experience I am allowed to divulge per my Test Security Agreement.
(Still have the band aid on the wound where I drew the blood to sign said agreement.)

Let's begin at the beginning:

8

Never Too Old For Paint And Glitter

When I was moved from first grade to fourth grade this year, someone said, "Well, no more fun stuff for you!"  All those fun games and crafts that we do in first grade replaced by study guides and test taking skills and note taking.  Ugg.

So, I decided early on that I could not survive that kind of boredom and I did not want to have that kind of classroom.  I packed up all the paints and brushes and glitter and moved them to fourth grade!

And you know what I discovered?  It is SO MUCH EASIER to use paint and glitter with fourth graders!  They can follow directions and not make a gigantic mess!  Then they clean everything up all by themselves at the end.  It's amazingly easy!

So today we explored the parts of a flower and pollination with glitter:)

I used the Parts of A Flower Fold and Learn from Lita Lita.

After we labeled the flower parts and put them all together, we added pollen (glitter) to the anthers. We noticed how the glitter got on our hands and we transferred it to our desks and faces and chairs and everywhere.  We were pollinators!

We pollinated all the flowers and learned the parts of the flower in the process. 

We had a great time and they even worked through indoor recess to finish it!  The power of glitter. :)

Tomorrow - fractions and paper plates and stickers!

2

Take A Number and Get in the Crazy Line

Sunday morning.  10:05 am.
Mom and three handsome, smiling boys sitting nicely in the church pew, filled with the love of God and basking in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
"The Lord be with you."
"And also with you."

Rewind 10 minutes.

Sunday morning.  9:55 am.  
Mom and three disagreeable boys driving to church.
(Dad is conveniently home sick:)

Stop touching your brother!
No you may not take your iPod to church.
Joe!  That is not a church word!
Did you even brush your hair?
I said no name calling! God does not appreciate you calling your brother a butt face on the way to church!
Leave him alone!
Oh. My. God!  Stop that crap!  We are about to enter the House of the LORD!!

It's like driving around a circus full of monkeys.

But we leave the crazy in the car and when we get to that church door - we take a deep breath, put on a smile, and enter ready for what we came here for in the first place.  And at the end of the service, we are renewed and ready for the next battle.

Which will probably happen in the car on the way home.

I know you've been there.  It may not have been church - it may have been a trip to Grandma's or to the supermarket or cub scouts or whatever.  Inside the car, all the crazy in the universe descends upon your family and you start to wonder if the jail time would be worth duct taping them to the hood.

Then, you arrive, shout out the last threat of violence or loss of the xBox, leave the crazy in  the car and everyone pulls it together.
Ready to go.

As I reflected on all of this today, I realized two things.

1.  I do this everyday on the way to work.
I let go of my crazy.  (At least I try.)
My son's last minute 7a.m. panic "I have to print my homework right now and the printer won't work!"
Did I actually put food in Joe's lunchbox.
I hope that insane administrator leaves me alone today.
I swear if I have to fill out one more data sheet, I'm going to...

I need to leave it in the car, take a deep breath, put a smile on my face, and enter that classroom ready.
My crazy will still be sitting there in the car waiting for me when I leave school.

2.  My students can't always do this.

Emotion rides in with my students every day - fear, worry, anger, hunger, aggravation, anxiety, excitement, silliness, confusion...
Only they don't leave it in the car.  They bring it in with them.
In all it's glory and splendor.

I feel pressured by the pace of the day, the pace of the curriculum, the drive to meet assessment scores, the urgency to move on.
Pressured to ignore all that emotion spilling out all over the place and get ready for that danged test!

I need to stop.

Stop. Take a deep breath.

Take the time to acknowledge the feelings, to help them work through it, to be ready.

Breathe.

And all you legislators and administrators and educational  "experts" need to take a number and get in the crazy line.
Your cut scores and NCLB and rigor will have to wait until I sweep these emotions up off the floor and help some kids deal with some stuff.
My kids can't learn until they're ready.

And I am going to help them get ready.

5

First Year Flashback

I am linking up with my friend Laurah from The ESOL Odyssey to take a look back at my very first year of teaching 20 years ago, and possibly pass along a few words of wisdom.

What age group and subject were you teaching?
I was teaching third grade at an inner city school right in the middle of the public housing projects. The kids were street wise, living in poverty, and immersed in a very violent and scary world. Driving to work, I would watch numerous drug deals in the neighborhood as the children walked to school. Shootings were so frequent, many children slept on the floor for safety, and I would have to put duct tape over the holes in the Plexiglas windows on some mornings. If we heard gunfire during the day, we would step away from the windows and keep on teaching. There were drugs, knives, used condoms, and all sorts of other fun things found on the playground. Parents sometimes would have physical fights in the school or on the sidewalk outside of school. The swat team was in my school on more than one occasion. When I started, I was the only white person in the entire building including students and staff. I was in absolute culture shock. But the community came to trust me and accept me (every single parent came to parent conferences that year!) and those teachers were wonderful to me – the young, fresh out of college, blonde haired white girl who had no business there. They took me under their wings and taught me to be the tough old bird I am today.

I am forever grateful for the five years of invaluable experience I received in that place and I carry those children in my prayers to this day.

What was your first classroom like?
My first classroom was not very big since the school was built in the 60’s – your basic cinderblock rectangle. The real story was under the classroom. The school was built on an old landfill so there was an issue with methane gas being released. There were vents outside the building but we also had methane detectors all over the building. We also had high levels of carbon dioxide. The school system’s grand solution to this problem? Open the windows.


Were you given supplies or materials?
I remember having most of what we needed. We had a computer lab which was a pretty big deal back then.  In the classroom, I had an overhead projector, a dot matrix printer and an Apple IIc that had a big 'ol floppy disc drive.  There were some textbooks and I made lots of games.  I think I was in complete survival mode and managed with what we had. The children brought nothing and every student in the school received free lunch.


What was the hardest part of your first year of teaching?
The children. Their lives were absolutely dreadful. They knew about things they shouldn’t know about. They lived in fear and hunger and want. I remember buying dozens of mittens and hats when it got cold and even a few pairs of shoes for some kids. It was heartbreaking.

What was the best part of your first year of teaching?
Survival. For some reason, probably ignorant youth, I had no fear. I was determined to make it work in that place and that is what I did.

What do you know now that you wish you knew that first year?
I am glad I did not know then what I know now. At this stage in the game, I have come to know the ugly truth behind the power and politics of education. Even though I have the ever-present optimism of a teacher, I also have a twinge of cynicism that comes with age and experience.
My teaching may not have been top of the line, but my younger self had only optimism and fearlessness. Hope and possibility. Not such a bad way to start out in this profession.

I just realized that I really have no magical words of wisdom to share with a new teacher. There is no right answer. Be grateful for the journey and lift up the children who are along for the ride.

If you would like to link up and share your first year memories, please click here!!

3

7 Ways Teens and Toddlers Are Exactly Alike

My thoughts today do not come from the teacher in me, they are mommy thoughts.   Although, I'm sure many teachers will be able to relate.

My youngest son is almost 5, so I was growing a bit nostalgic about the toddler years.  Those cute baby faces with big, rosy, squeezable cheeks,  the emerging independence, earth shattering excitement about a butterfly or a worm, and the sweet kisses freely given.  Ahhh, the good 'ol days...

Yes, I also remember the terribleness of those toddler years, the tantrums and "No!" and the exasperating dawdling.  But it was only a part of growing up.  That part is over now.

Then, my oldest boy turned 13.  

I know those of you who have teens, have raised teens, have taught teens, or even just seen teens in a mall are shaking your heads right now saying, "Bless your heart."  

The moment my sweet, intelligent, thoughtful, helpful, respectful, responsible 12 year old boy turned 13, all his brains drained right out of his ears.  Gone.  They were replaced by hormones, clinical level distractability, questionable sanity, and something that smells funny.   

Wait!  What!?  Where is my boy?  

Oh, look.  He's in there.  He's just been possessed by a toddler. 

Now, if your kids have not yet reached the teen years, I am sorry to have to tell you this, but toddlers and teenagers are exactly alike.  

Yes, that's right.  

You're going to go through the "Terrible Twos" all over again.  You have about a decade to get ready.

And if you're a middle school teacher, well... Bless Your Heart.

So since becoming a mother of a teenage boy, I have discovered several ways that teens and toddlers are alike:

1. Temper tantrums:  “But I want to wear the blue shirt!”  A toddler might lay in the floor and kick, while the teenager slams a door, but essentially it’s the same thing.  Copious amounts of pouting, screaming and crying all around.
2. Sleep:  They both sleep about 14 hours a day and get really cranky when they don’t get enough sleep.  At least teenagers don’t wake up at the butt crack of dawn.
3. Talking:  Most of what they say makes absolutely no sense 80% of the time.  The other 20% of the time, they’re whining.
4. Demanding:  They both demand we meet their needs immediately, and if we don’t – well - see #1 above.
5. Listening to Reason:  "Don't do that - you will get hurt!"  falls on deaf ears for toddlers and teens.  And teens even have the nerve to say, "Nuh uh.  I know what I'm doing."  
6. Decision Making:  No need for explanation here.  Actually, I would bet that toddler decision making trumps teenage decision making.
7. The Mess:  Seriously.  The Mess.  And neither is very good at cleaning up.

I have two more boys who will serve their 'possessed by a toddler' teen years soon.  But I'm ready this time.
No, I don't have to get out baby gates and the time out chair.  This time around I'll need wifi passwords and phone privileges.

13

Embracing My Social Media Dorkiness

My latest journey into new ( to me ) social media has revealed two things:

1.  I am still a bit flummoxed by Twitter.
2.  I LOVE Instagram

Even though my 13 year old, steeped in social media, too cool for mom, son will not accept my request to follow him and will not follow me.
Me:  Why can't I follow you?
Son:  You just can't.
Me:  Are you posting stuff you don't want me to see?
Son:  Yes.  I mean, no.  Nothing inappropriate.  It's just...  Really, Mom.  It's just not ok for your mom to follow you.
Me:  Okay, I get that.  Why won't you follow me?
Son:  I don't know.  I guess I could.  I just...
Me:  You just don't want to see my teacher crap while you're looking at all the cool stuff your friends post.
Son:  Yes.  No.  I mean...   You know, kids don't really say 'cool' anymore, Mom.
Me:  What do they say?
Son:  I don't know.  Are we done?

But, I digress into the mysterious and inexplicable world of a teenager.  Back to Instagram.

I love Instagram.  It's like Facebook without the drama.  Pictures everywhere to feed my short, summer attention span.  Little peeks into other people's lives which either make me feel either incredibly inferior or greatly relieved when I look back into my own life.  Another time sucking internet hole.  I love instagram!

So I thought I would do a photo-a-day challenge to sort of jump into Instagram and get my feet wet.
But my 'cool' media specialist son says it's dumb and annoying I am a complete dork for doing it.

Well, I don't care!  I will revel in my dorkiness!  And I will take pictures of odd, random stuff for a month!  I will post it and hashtag it!  And I will join in solidarity with all the other moms of teens in the time honored tradition of embarrassing our children by doing 'mom stuff!"

#dorkymomoftheyearaward  #sillystuffteachersdoinsummer  #Iloveinstagram

I join Kacie from Managing and Motivating Math Minds in her Teachers of Summer Instagram Challenge
You can find Kacie here:  @mmmmkacietravis

Check out my summer teachery photo stuff and join in!

http://instagram.com/teaching_in_progress

And leave your instagram link in the comments so I can follow you!

8

Farewell, First Grade...

Fourth Grade.

I am not a 4th grade teacher.  I am a first grade teacher.

I have been a first grade teacher for 16 years.  It is in my blood and my brain and my bones.  I can recite first grade standards off the top of my head even after a full moon-holiday-Friday-before a break-pajama day-some kid didn't have his meds-day. While I clean up spilled milk, tie a shoe, and write a clinic pass. I've got the developmental intricacies of the six year old child down pat. Dear sweet mother of short vowel sounds, if I were a tattooed person, I'd probably have First grade tattooed on my first grade teachin' behind.

I am a first grade teacher, dang it!

Except that now I am not.  Now I am a first grade teacher who has been asked  told to teach fourth grade.

Fourth freaking grade, people!

I know many of you teach 4th grade, love 4th grade, and can't get enough of the fabulousness that is 4th grade.  I have the utmost respect and admiration for each of you (especially the ones who taught my boys:)
But I am not a fourth grade teacher.   (Remember all that first grade-got it all down-tattooed butt stuff? First grade teacher right here, folks.)

Now, I know what you're thinking.
Stop whining, you big, first grade baby.  At least you've got a job and you're certified for fourth grade so just suck it up, buttercup.

And you are right.

But, you see, I have only progressed to the second Stage of Grief.  Anger.  

(I quickly moved through stage one (denial) when I had to pack up sixteen years worth of first grade crap and drag it all home in cardboard liquor store boxes.)

Stage two is much more fun than stage one.  I have pretty much wallowed in stage two and it's working for me right now.

The third Stage of Grief is bargaining.  Well, I can just skip right over that useless mess because there's no one with whom to bargain.  The principal has spoken and that is that, apparently. 

I suppose I could bargain with God, but I kinda used up my three wishes on that full moon-holiday-Friday-before a break-pajama day-some kid didn't have his meds-day.  And it's pretty darn clear that my Guardian Angel has also been reassigned.  She's probably watching over some poor middle school teacher.

So anger it is for now.

Although, I did get  glimpse of Stage Four today.  Depression.

When I was moving some of my stuff into the fourth grade classroom, I happened across a math book.  A fourth grade math book.  It had decimals it, people.  DECIMALS!  And multiplication.  And long division.  Good lord, I can barely type that without breaking into hives.

Clearly depression is on the horizon for me if I can ever break free of stage two.

Now, I have heard all the lovely, supportive, uplifting, motivating bunch of crap (there's stage two rearing it's ugly head, again) encouragement that has been sent my way lately.

• You might grow to love it:)
• Your principal sees something in you that can't see.
• Everything happens for a reason - it will all work out.
• If you're a great teacher, it doesn't matter what grade you teach - you'll be great!

I sooo appreciate all the words of support and encouragement.  I really do. 

I'll come back and read them again when I reach Stage Five - Acceptance.  If I ever get there.  

That'll be the day that I am sprawled out in the tattoo parlor getting Maurice to figure out how to turn First Grade into a dragonfly fluttering across my backside.

59

I Kind of Am In It For the Money...

This is a bit of a rant, so be forewarned...

I am growing weary of seeing cutesy teachery sayings all over the internet that try to convince me my low pay for long hours is worth it.
You know, because of the kids.

We expect teachers to reach unattainable goals with inadequate resources.
The miracle is this: they often do.

I am a Teacher. Instead of Making Money, I Decided to Make A Difference

Teaching: We are not in it for the income, we are in it for the Outcome.

Well, I gotta tell ya - I kinda am in it for the income.

I don't mean rock star money.

I mean a well educated professional with a ridiculous level of responsibility money.
I mean expected to keep children safe and possibly give up my own safety to do so money.

I'm not asking for much.  I have as much education as an attorney and at least as much responsibility.
I'm not even asking for that much money.

I'm just asking to make a living wage so I don't have to rob Peter to pay Paul every month.
Just normal living expenses, nothing extravagant.  You know, just food, shelter, basic clothing, possibly a little ice cream now and again.

And don't make me feel guilty when you do give me a raise and make it look like I'm stealing candy from a baby!
Don't tell me I shouldn't ask for more, because, really, it's for the children.

Why do folks find it so reprehensible to pay teachers an adequate wage?

Is it because there are so many of us?  If so many people are able to do it, it must not be that special?

Is it because everyone has been to school and it looks easy so it must be easy?

Is it because we put up with it and continue to work crazy long hours and do loads of extra work without demanding compensation?

Is it because simply screaming to the rooftops that we value children in our society doesn't really make it true?


Now, don't get me wrong - I do love my kids!  I take them home in my heart and in my head every single night.  They make me laugh and cringe and wonder and weep.  Helping kids learn is tons of fun and I will continue to teach because it is my career, my calling, my niche.
I love my job.
And my second job, which supplements the first job.

So, I will not accept that working 60+ hours while being paid for 40 is the expectation and an obligation. 

I won't be pinning the cute little sign that tells the world I don't value my job enough not to expect to be properly compensated for it.

I will not revel in the fact that I can work miracles with inadequate resources.

I will not use making a difference in children's lives as an excuse to accept low wages.

Because it is about the children.  Do we not value them enough to also value those who guide them, teach them, keep them safe?

Screaming to the rooftops that we value children in our society doesn't really make it true.
Sometimes you have to prove it.

33

Why We Didn't Take Our Math Test Today

There are some days that just defy all good sense, some days that go awry, and some days are like creepy crawly bugs - unpredictable and wiggly and a little funny looking.  

Missing part word problems are kinda hard.  We really have to think hard to figure those things out.  When we get it right and understand that math, our teacher gets pretty excited and sometimes she scoots around in that old, wooden rocking chair.  Sometimes a rung falls out of the bottom and she fixes it.  A lot.

And sometimes, (okay not sometimes - really just this once), the whole chair splits in half, collapses to the floor, and there is the teacher sitting in a pile of chair parts.

Some days you really discover where your brain is.  In a split second, when the adrenaline flows and your heart races and you discover that you are sprawled out in the floor in a pile of spindles and splintered wood, the first thing that comes to mind and flies out of your mouth is incredibly revealing.

 "I have a connection!!  I feel like Goldilocks!"

Thank goodness one of those naughty words didn't fly out.  I'm kind of fond of some of those words:)

No - the first place my teacher brain went was making a connection.  Those comprehension skills are so deeply embedded in my brain that they superceded naughty words!

I am Goldilocks!

 And they got it.  And we laughed.  And we didn't take our math test.

 But we sure know how to make a connection.  :)

Of course, after a wiggly, funny looking bug day happens, you can't just up and take a math test.
We'll save that for a plain ol' nobody laughs hysterically at the teacher for 20 minutes day.

8

Let's Talk About Blogs Linky

This little blog started out as a way for me to escape some of the craziness of my life and reach electronically out into the world.  Not that I don't love the crazy in my life - I do!  

But, teaching in a Title I school with all its special challenges is demanding enough - now throw in 3 boys, a husband, an itty bitty house, and a cat.  Mix in a dose of ADHD, Asperger's, a whole bunch of middle school homework, a couple of toddler tantrums, and a broken toilet.  Now that is nothin' but fabulous!

Life comes at ya fast, baby - duck or catch!

(I also feel I must mention that the last boy is 3 years old and I am 46 years old - yes, do the math.

46 - 3 = I am nuts!)

So blogging is a way for me to connect with other educators out there in cyberland - to keep me thinking, learning, collaborating, and hopefully prevent my brain from imploding:) 

But, since I am still fairly new at this and I have much to learn, when I saw Melissa's post on her blog First Grade Smiles about blogging etiquette and followers' expectations, I decided to jump in. 

 So here goes...

 

I am using The Army Wife Teacher's idea and listing my answers below:)

Why do you choose to follow a certain blog?

I usually am drawn to blogs that have ideas I can put to use in my own classroom.  I like pictures!  I want to see the pic so I can stick it quickly in my brain (or better yet, Pin it!)  I like a little wit and humor, too, but I really am looking for new insight and ideas.

I usually follow blogs that follow me - I figure if they found something on my blog that made them want to follow me, maybe we have something in common and I can find insight on their blog.

 When you leave comments, do you expect a response?

I do not really EXPECT a response, although it is nice.  Sometimes I will check back for a response, and sometimes I will subscribe to the comments so I can either see a response or see what others have to say.

What is your favorite thing about 

reading and following other blogs?

I love new ideas, pictures, humor, freebies, linkys, blog hops, and some giveaways (the super huge ones kind of freak me out:)

What turns you off when reading 

other blogs or comments you receive?

Blogs

• fonts that are difficult to read
• posts that are too wordy with no visual breaks - too hard to read
• too much product promotion
• comment verification (I turned mine to no verification and no anonymous comments - I get ZERO spam!)

Comments

• I really am interested to hear anything anyone has to say when they comment on one of my posts!  I'm flattered that anyone took the time to comment.  
• That said, I don't like it when folks only comment in order to ask me to follow them.
• But, I do love for other bloggers to leave a link to their blog when they comment!

Do you follow any blogs by e-mail?

Only a few and only when I cannot follow through the blogger feed.  I really rely on Facebook  to alert me to new posts.

My question:

Do you use Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, TpT, etc.?

 I use Facebook and Pinterest quite a lot and I love to follow others.  I like to see the links for those pages right at the top of a blog so I can quickly link up.  

Thanks, Melissa for a great linky idea!

And while you're here, I might as well offer you a freebie:) 

Hope you can use it!

~Nikki

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Girl Scout Cookie Rules

Girl Scout cookies have arrived!  One of my former students dropped off 5 boxes of cookies today!

Once Girl Scout cookies enter our home, Girl Scout cookie rules are in place.  This is a zero tolerance policy.

1.  Each person has his or her own box of cookies.
2.  You do not have to share.
3.  When they're gone, they're gone - no going into anyone else's box!
4. Trades are allowed only when agreed upon by all parties.

It might seem harsh, but it must be done to keep order.

I live with a husband and three boys and we don't need a reenactment of Lord of the Flies in my kitchen because somebody ate the last Thin Mint!

Now, I'm off to eat a Samoa:)

~Nikki

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The Cape

The day after Halloween.  One of a teachers's most dreaded days of the year.

Of course, I entered the classroom that day with trepidation.  What teacher in her right mind wouldn't?
But I was ready - I have done this many times, I knew what was coming and braced myself for the difficult day ahead.

But those sweet little, sugared up 6 year olds would not fall into the trap of Halloweens past. They entered the room calmly.  They hung up their things.  They sat down with books and read quietly.

I checked the calendar.  Yes, the day after Halloween, sure enough.

I eyed them all with suspicion, but I carried on and we all went to the carpet for morning meeting.

That's when I noticed it.  The cape.
Darren sat there calmly on the carpet, crisscross applesauce, eyes on the teacher, smile on his face.
Wearing a long, black cape.

Now, my first instinct was to send him to his seat to put that thing in his backpack right now this is not Halloween we don't wear costumes to school thank you very much.

But in that split second of decision making about what words would fall out of my mouth, I didn't say that.  I didn't say anything.

It would disrupt our morning meeting and Darren would be embarrassed and I would not be modeling respectful interaction and he isn't being disruptive and does it really matter anyway?

I swear I don't know how two minutes worth of thoughts can fly through a mind in .25 seconds, but teachers do it hundreds of times every single day.  We have to make a gazillion decisions at almost every moment of the day about what to say, who to call on, when to push it, when to let it go, say yes, say no, praise, remind, cajole, smile, give the 'look', move on, slow down.  Good grief, we should be the ones wearing capes.  We are super heroes!

But, in this particular split second on this particular day, I ignored that cape and our meeting continued on just like every other day.
 After a bit, I forgot about the cape.

I remembered again when we left the carpet to get out math journals and I saw Darren rise from the carpet, gently swish his cape around his side, and glide back to his seat.

What was that?  Oh my goodness, it was hysterical, that's what it was.  It was beautiful.  It was amazing.

Darren never rises or swishes or glides.  He is usually tripping over untied shoelaces, bumping into others, and stepping all over his coat and backpack which are invariably on the floor.

As I stood there in amazement, I lost my split second decision making opportunity.  I was so mesmerized by the moment, I didn't have the chance to say, "Go put that thing in your backpack right now this is not Halloween we don't wear costumes to school thank you very much."  I didn't say anything.

So, I ignored that cape and continued on with math journals just like every other day.
After a bit, I forgot about the cape.

I remembered again when we lined up to go to art and I saw Darren rise from his chair, gently swish his cape around his side, and glide into line.  I swear he looked an inch and a half taller.

I used my split second this time.  And I made a very resolute split second decision not to say a single thing to Darren about that cape.  Apparently, that cape had super powers.

Now, the other amazing - I can't believe I didn't even realize how amazing - thing that happened on the day after Halloween, was that not one sugared up six year old in that class said anything about Darren's cape.  No one yelled, "Darren, why are you wearing a cape?  Don't you know you're not supposed to wear a cape to school?"  Not one of them screamed, "Mrs. Sabiston, Darren's wearing a cape!"  They didn't say anything.

So I didn't say anything.  No one said anything about that cape.

When we walked in the hall, other teachers noticed the cape.  You couldn't miss it with all the swishing and gliding.  I got a few looks from my colleagues.  The 'why didn't she tell him to put that thing in his backpack right now this is not Halloween we don't wear costumes to school thank you very much' looks.  But I gave that 'we're going with it, trust me' smile and we all moved on.  No one said anything about the cape.

But, all day, Darren swished and glided and grew.  His chest was out, his head held high.  Super powers, I tell you.

At the end of the day, just before we got on the bus, I whispered in Darren's ear that I loved his cape and it was wonderful, but he should probably leave it at home tomorrow.  He nodded and got on the bus.

I haven't seen the cape since, but I still think Darren is a bit taller.

I hope Darren had an amazing day after Halloween.  I know I did.

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