Fall is here. Really. With a vengeance. The rain today was intense, but the class was beautiful. It was so quiet and calm in the morning - so much work going on. We have changed up tracking just a bit. Instead of a daily tracking page, they've got four pages in their notebooks marked off for the week - one page for each area: language, math, science and practical life. Throughout the week, whenever they do a language work, they mark it on the language page. No need to mark time or day - just the work. Really makes it easy to see, "Oh, you haven't done any math yet this week. You should focus on that today . . . "
What do I do about the kids who constantly leave the room? The ones who 'have to go to the bathroom,' and 'need a drink real bad' pretty much all day long? I had one boy come into class an HOUR late this morning b/c he was in the bathroom. Really? You can't spend an hour in the bathroom, bud. You just can't. And then there's REB's drama, "You have NO IDEA the pain I went through yesterday!" Yep, and right now I don't care. Oh, that's harsh - tell me what happened so we can move on. Oh, you got smacked in the face with a swing? And you got a bloody nose? And it left a bruise? That's horrible. Now let's go one.
Sometimes I need to work on my compassion.
I think tracking a little differently is going to be a good thing.
I taught the 4th GL today, and the exclamation mark key experience. Both went pretty well. Tomorrow I'm going to finish out the 4th GL, and we're doing the 5th on Thursday. We're only a week behind schedule. I'm not super happy with how the Great Lessons were covered this year, but they're all going to be done, so there's that. I'm supposed to do Weather tomorrow (right? - yep), and I'm going to do the Suffix KE. I'm just plugging ahead.
Oh, and CB - what a firecracker. He's still working the anxiety attacks pretty hardcore - not to imply that he's putting on a show, or anything; they're definitely the real deal. Today with the storm, well, you can guess how he did. At recess he went outside even though the storm clouds were still present. What did he do though? Yoinked the ball from a little 1st grader from another class and ran across the field with her screaming and trailing behind him, only to THROW IT OVER THE FENCE on the other side. Seriously, buddy? WTF?
He got to hang out with me for the rest of recess. Maria Montessori would not have approved, I'm sure.
Showing posts with label Difficulties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Difficulties. Show all posts
Monday, October 4, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
One month in (almost)
What a day. What a week.
This morning there was a cloud burst. There were two, actually. The kids were excited and wanted to jump up and run to the windows - except for one little guy, who held his hands to his ears and was shaking with fear. Terrified. This boy is outgoing and gregarious, always a ball of energy, but this storm had him absolutely gobsmacked with fear. I hurried him into the hall where he couldn't hear the pounding of the hail, and that helped, but later as the storm clouds continued to march - black and ominous - across the valley, he just about lost it. We called his mom, and she came and got him. She explained that last summer they had a pretty scary event where they hydroplaned on the freeway in the midst of a horrible downpour, and I could see where his fear came from. Poor guy.
We put an actual circle on the floor this week in the hopes of regaining some control over line time. With chairs and the bench and rows our line time had become a circus of attempting to keep kids from hiding, wiggling, moving (as in, getting up and moving mid-lesson) and talking. On Monday they were so horrid to the music teacher that she left early, and by the end of the day I was 100% done. I was trying to teach a lesson, and there was chaos and confusion, and they wouldn't just shut the hell up and be still. Finally I threw a little tantrum. I threw my marker onto the floor and stormed off to sit in the peace corner. I grabbed the peace object and tried to calm down. There was immediate quiet - for a few seconds - followed by LOUD, YELLING, ACCUSATORY, "It was YOU!" "No, it was YOU!" "QUIET EVERYONE!" Counterproductive, everyone. Really.
Kati took line and tried to encourage some calm, but it didn't do much good. Meanwhile, one student came over by the peace corner and asked, "Miss Shelly, are you OK?" I was so upset that I couldn't even look at her, but her inquiry kind of broke my dam. I had to pull the curtain around me so no one would see that I was crying.
It took several minutes, but finally I felt like going back to line. When I got there I told them that we would be having a meeting the next day about respect but that I was too upset to even talk to them about it just then. Then I told them that they would be sitting quietly on line until their names were called for pickup. The next morning I asked Kati to lead the discussion. She did a stellar job. She brought over the peace object and the picture of Maria Montessori to, 'preside over our discussion.' It went very well, and our line time has been MUCH better since then.
We are also transitioning to being a 'whispering classroom.' With 24 students in the room, it is just too loud even for inside voices. The volume is killing me, so we're whispering. We've been at it two days, and they're doing OK. Teresa tells me it takes two months of training for students to really get it.
Oh, AND this week we had our Timp Lodge outing. Fun - as always (except for the junior high girls writhing in shaving cream - yuck), but also stressful - as always.
Upcoming:
Parent teacher conferences - tomorrow and Friday
Canyon walk field trip - Next Friday (Another field trip?! Didn't we just do this? Yes, yes we did.)
Fall break is only two and a half weeks away!
AMS conference is only four weeks away!
This morning there was a cloud burst. There were two, actually. The kids were excited and wanted to jump up and run to the windows - except for one little guy, who held his hands to his ears and was shaking with fear. Terrified. This boy is outgoing and gregarious, always a ball of energy, but this storm had him absolutely gobsmacked with fear. I hurried him into the hall where he couldn't hear the pounding of the hail, and that helped, but later as the storm clouds continued to march - black and ominous - across the valley, he just about lost it. We called his mom, and she came and got him. She explained that last summer they had a pretty scary event where they hydroplaned on the freeway in the midst of a horrible downpour, and I could see where his fear came from. Poor guy.
We put an actual circle on the floor this week in the hopes of regaining some control over line time. With chairs and the bench and rows our line time had become a circus of attempting to keep kids from hiding, wiggling, moving (as in, getting up and moving mid-lesson) and talking. On Monday they were so horrid to the music teacher that she left early, and by the end of the day I was 100% done. I was trying to teach a lesson, and there was chaos and confusion, and they wouldn't just shut the hell up and be still. Finally I threw a little tantrum. I threw my marker onto the floor and stormed off to sit in the peace corner. I grabbed the peace object and tried to calm down. There was immediate quiet - for a few seconds - followed by LOUD, YELLING, ACCUSATORY, "It was YOU!" "No, it was YOU!" "QUIET EVERYONE!" Counterproductive, everyone. Really.
Kati took line and tried to encourage some calm, but it didn't do much good. Meanwhile, one student came over by the peace corner and asked, "Miss Shelly, are you OK?" I was so upset that I couldn't even look at her, but her inquiry kind of broke my dam. I had to pull the curtain around me so no one would see that I was crying.
It took several minutes, but finally I felt like going back to line. When I got there I told them that we would be having a meeting the next day about respect but that I was too upset to even talk to them about it just then. Then I told them that they would be sitting quietly on line until their names were called for pickup. The next morning I asked Kati to lead the discussion. She did a stellar job. She brought over the peace object and the picture of Maria Montessori to, 'preside over our discussion.' It went very well, and our line time has been MUCH better since then.
We are also transitioning to being a 'whispering classroom.' With 24 students in the room, it is just too loud even for inside voices. The volume is killing me, so we're whispering. We've been at it two days, and they're doing OK. Teresa tells me it takes two months of training for students to really get it.
Oh, AND this week we had our Timp Lodge outing. Fun - as always (except for the junior high girls writhing in shaving cream - yuck), but also stressful - as always.
Upcoming:
Parent teacher conferences - tomorrow and Friday
Canyon walk field trip - Next Friday (Another field trip?! Didn't we just do this? Yes, yes we did.)
Fall break is only two and a half weeks away!
AMS conference is only four weeks away!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday (on Tuesday)
Yesterday was a pretty smooth day. Kati did the Second Great Lesson in the morning, and we followed that up with math and language group lessons. She did math with two groups of six, and I did language with two groups of six. Today we'll switch. It went swimmingly, and even my kids who are loathe to write wrote down the lesson without complaining. Then came writing time.
NL is a delightful kid. He's deaf and has a cochlear implant, but he's bright and sweet. He doesn't really get human emotion, though. He wouldn't do the writing yesterday. Immediately after the clip ended, he claimed to have forgotten what happened. I didn't believe him and thought he was just being difficult. Power struggle ensued. Nice, Shel. Did I look for ways to diffuse the problem? Nope - there's me, fanning the flames. Not my finest moment. I don't understand him sometimes, and I'm sure he doesn't understand me. He didn't get that I was frustrated, or he didn't care. He just stares blankly back at me the whole time. I kept him back after class and told him he had to at least start. I asked if watching the clip again would help - he said yes, so we watched it again. Still, he did not write. GAH!
So, how do I not engage him? How do I get him engaged with other kids? A person who has no emotional connection to anyone around him is a sociopath in the making. How do I connect this kid? I don't know what to do.
NL is a delightful kid. He's deaf and has a cochlear implant, but he's bright and sweet. He doesn't really get human emotion, though. He wouldn't do the writing yesterday. Immediately after the clip ended, he claimed to have forgotten what happened. I didn't believe him and thought he was just being difficult. Power struggle ensued. Nice, Shel. Did I look for ways to diffuse the problem? Nope - there's me, fanning the flames. Not my finest moment. I don't understand him sometimes, and I'm sure he doesn't understand me. He didn't get that I was frustrated, or he didn't care. He just stares blankly back at me the whole time. I kept him back after class and told him he had to at least start. I asked if watching the clip again would help - he said yes, so we watched it again. Still, he did not write. GAH!
So, how do I not engage him? How do I get him engaged with other kids? A person who has no emotional connection to anyone around him is a sociopath in the making. How do I connect this kid? I don't know what to do.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Tower Tuesday
I like Tower Tuesdays - a lot. Most of the time, most of the students have a pretty productive morning. Today was no exception. There were a couple of students who couldn't get going, but almost everyone completed at least four works in the morning. Many completing five or more.
CB was having a rough morning. His dad has been in India with the highschoolers for two and a half weeks now, and he's showing the stress of not having dad around. He claimed to not have eaten breakfast, and he was being extra hyper and aggressive this morning, so I took him - not in a "you're in trouble" kind of way, but just to have a break - to see his mom. She took him to the kitchen to see what there was to eat, and when she brought him back she said he had eaten TWO pancakes. Yeah, boy was hungry. Hungry boys = hyper boys. His behavior improved dramatically, but he still didn't get much done.
REB, on the other hand, had a stellar day. I have found something she LOVES TO DO! Actual WORK that she loves!! I have gotten the Reading Comprehension folders done and they're out on the shelves. (In the filing cabinet, actually, but whatever.) When I saw her get one out this morning, I didn't say anything - Tower Tuesday notwithstanding. Hey, I'm just glad she's working! She ended up completing FIFTEEN folders. What a day. She loves them, and they're such simple works!
So I need to not make too much of this thing, but I was pretty thrilled.
_____
Case Study
JS was absent again today.
CB was having a rough morning. His dad has been in India with the highschoolers for two and a half weeks now, and he's showing the stress of not having dad around. He claimed to not have eaten breakfast, and he was being extra hyper and aggressive this morning, so I took him - not in a "you're in trouble" kind of way, but just to have a break - to see his mom. She took him to the kitchen to see what there was to eat, and when she brought him back she said he had eaten TWO pancakes. Yeah, boy was hungry. Hungry boys = hyper boys. His behavior improved dramatically, but he still didn't get much done.
REB, on the other hand, had a stellar day. I have found something she LOVES TO DO! Actual WORK that she loves!! I have gotten the Reading Comprehension folders done and they're out on the shelves. (In the filing cabinet, actually, but whatever.) When I saw her get one out this morning, I didn't say anything - Tower Tuesday notwithstanding. Hey, I'm just glad she's working! She ended up completing FIFTEEN folders. What a day. She loves them, and they're such simple works!
So I need to not make too much of this thing, but I was pretty thrilled.
_____
Case Study
JS was absent again today.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Trying out new tricks
I finished reading Children Who Are Not Yet Peaceful over the weekend, and while it kind of freaks me out (optimal class size 28-35 students?!), there was much in it to inspire me. I have decided to give some of it a go. I don't know how much of it I can implement right away, and in a perfect world and all that . . .
But at least I'm trying.
Today I tried (key word: TRIED) to establish proximity before talking to anyone. I taught the pronoun KE without requiring a lot of writing. I gave a very open-ended morning task (which ended up being far too advanced for some of the students, but it was that way on purpose. I needed to learn what they know and don't know so I can focus.) I tried to harness the power of the community to help students who came to me with questions. I don't know how many times I called out, "Children! One of your classmates is struggling with __________! Who will help?" Every time several children jumped at the chance to help.
I also talked with the students about challenges and how we as a community will help anyone in our group overcome our challenges. Specifically we talked about CB. He seems to get picked on and singled out because he is an energetic boy who needs to move and make noise with is body and his mouth. It seems as though children (and myself, honestly) are forever calling him out and telling him to be quiet. There's one boy in particular who seems to be bothered by the very existence of CB - even though they appear to be great friends. I wonder how come that is? Anyway, BF sat next to CB on line and with an exasperated and annoyed tone whispered to CB to stop this and stop that and now he's raising his hand to complain that he can't hear the lesson because CB is drawing in his notebook and the sound of his pencil is distracting??? It seems so unreasonable and over the top. Same boy later complained that it was too loud during a DVD viewing when the group had been *very quiet* and again during the discussion afterward when there were the softest of side conversations. He has recently been seen by an audiologist who indicated to the parents that he may have an auditory processing disorder, but C'MON! Expecting perfect silence because one kid can't calm his brain enough to listen is unreasonable, but I don't know what to do. Also I get the feeling that the parents must have told the boy what the doctor said, because his final complaint this afternoon sounded like parroted medical-ese.
I need to talk to his mom.
ANYWAY. With CB I brought up the fact that this is his struggle. He has a powerful need to be noisy with his body and his mouth, and he needs to be in motion. The community then brainstormed ways we could help CB overcome his challenge. Is it possible he doesn't even *know* when he's making noise with his mouth? Might a simple touch on the shoulder and a kind mention bring it to his awareness so that he can control it? Might there be times when he so much needs to make noise that he could go outside or somewhere where the noise would be less distracting? It was a good community discussion, and I hope it is the first of many to come. I also hope to see some fruits from this effort.
Another child, RB (redhead) came in late, and I made the effort to smile and greet her - to Behold. She has her own way of being. She drifts through her days as though nothing is worth doing and repeatedly has revelations - real or feigned - about the most basic of expectations. Me: "Please remember to sign out when you leave the room so we know where you are," (a rule that has been in force all year). RB: "Oh yeah!" She completed one work and got halfway through another before disappearing into the hall because "her brain hurt." Kati told her she could take a few minutes to practice her calligraphy, but that same moment was when cleanup started. Every day I fight the urge to take her and shake her and holler in her face that she MUST WORK! That school is work and she cannot sit around doing nothing forever. One and a half works in a full school day IS NOT ENOUGH! Sigh. I know that would be counterproductive, so I don't, but yeesh. Maybe eventually the time will come when I won't even feel the urge anymore. I'm so not there.
_____
Case Study
JS struggled mightily with the morning task and repeatedly forgot to ask her classmates for help and kept coming to me. I called students to her aid on several occasions, but she still finished the day with only three works completed (I think). She did her green reading phonics without being prompted, though, and wrote the pronouns lesson without drama - both great achievements. During a lesson she wanted to lie down so she could write better but in so doing she was kicking people behind her. The solution, to me, was obvious - she could move to the edge of the circle and ask the rest of the students to shift over. To her there seemed to be no solution. She has a tendency to slip into a very narrow way of thinking and has a hard time seeing past the barriers she sets up for herself.
But at least I'm trying.
Today I tried (key word: TRIED) to establish proximity before talking to anyone. I taught the pronoun KE without requiring a lot of writing. I gave a very open-ended morning task (which ended up being far too advanced for some of the students, but it was that way on purpose. I needed to learn what they know and don't know so I can focus.) I tried to harness the power of the community to help students who came to me with questions. I don't know how many times I called out, "Children! One of your classmates is struggling with __________! Who will help?" Every time several children jumped at the chance to help.
I also talked with the students about challenges and how we as a community will help anyone in our group overcome our challenges. Specifically we talked about CB. He seems to get picked on and singled out because he is an energetic boy who needs to move and make noise with is body and his mouth. It seems as though children (and myself, honestly) are forever calling him out and telling him to be quiet. There's one boy in particular who seems to be bothered by the very existence of CB - even though they appear to be great friends. I wonder how come that is? Anyway, BF sat next to CB on line and with an exasperated and annoyed tone whispered to CB to stop this and stop that and now he's raising his hand to complain that he can't hear the lesson because CB is drawing in his notebook and the sound of his pencil is distracting??? It seems so unreasonable and over the top. Same boy later complained that it was too loud during a DVD viewing when the group had been *very quiet* and again during the discussion afterward when there were the softest of side conversations. He has recently been seen by an audiologist who indicated to the parents that he may have an auditory processing disorder, but C'MON! Expecting perfect silence because one kid can't calm his brain enough to listen is unreasonable, but I don't know what to do. Also I get the feeling that the parents must have told the boy what the doctor said, because his final complaint this afternoon sounded like parroted medical-ese.
I need to talk to his mom.
ANYWAY. With CB I brought up the fact that this is his struggle. He has a powerful need to be noisy with his body and his mouth, and he needs to be in motion. The community then brainstormed ways we could help CB overcome his challenge. Is it possible he doesn't even *know* when he's making noise with his mouth? Might a simple touch on the shoulder and a kind mention bring it to his awareness so that he can control it? Might there be times when he so much needs to make noise that he could go outside or somewhere where the noise would be less distracting? It was a good community discussion, and I hope it is the first of many to come. I also hope to see some fruits from this effort.
Another child, RB (redhead) came in late, and I made the effort to smile and greet her - to Behold. She has her own way of being. She drifts through her days as though nothing is worth doing and repeatedly has revelations - real or feigned - about the most basic of expectations. Me: "Please remember to sign out when you leave the room so we know where you are," (a rule that has been in force all year). RB:
_____
Case Study
JS struggled mightily with the morning task and repeatedly forgot to ask her classmates for help and kept coming to me. I called students to her aid on several occasions, but she still finished the day with only three works completed (I think). She did her green reading phonics without being prompted, though, and wrote the pronouns lesson without drama - both great achievements. During a lesson she wanted to lie down so she could write better but in so doing she was kicking people behind her. The solution, to me, was obvious - she could move to the edge of the circle and ask the rest of the students to shift over. To her there seemed to be no solution. She has a tendency to slip into a very narrow way of thinking and has a hard time seeing past the barriers she sets up for herself.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Faith in the Establishment
I love my boss. Couple of years ago it was hard to believe I'd ever feel that way about an employer, but I freaking LOVE my boss. Just when you think you've got her pegged, she goes and does something so blazingly awesome that you have to stand back and revel in her amazingness. Today was such a day.
The drama of yesterday had subsided - in my circle, anyway. We had talked - Teresa, Jenessa, Kati and I - at the beginning of the day, but then nothing more happened. After school I went to Diana to thank her for her reassuring response yesterday, because it really meant a lot to me. She was sweet and brushed off my thanks. I pressed again, saying, no, really, it was exactly the thing I needed to hear, but she chuckled and brushed it off again.
Then she said that Buzz had come to her today and said he wanted to have a meeting with all the elementary teachers to talk about the 2-grade classrooms. I guess he was hoping it could be put to a vote or something silly like that, and since he, Missy and SJ are all on the "Montessori is lame" team, and me and Jenessa are the only 6-12 teachers who aren't, he thought he could pressure Diana into a change. Her response to him just made me so happy. She said no, she wasn't going to call a meeting, but that she wanted to have a meeting with *just him.* I reallyreallyreally hope she can be perfectly blunt and tell him that he's got to stop skulking around the school trying to change the nature of what we are. Stop trying to stage a mutiny!
But I love Diana. I am so glad she's in charge of the school and that she's seeing this behavior for what it is. Someday soon, we'll be a true Montessori school again.
_____
In class things went nicely again. I felt a bit more pressed for time, and Tower Tuesday was not the raging success it's been in the past, though it went well. There were math groups in the morning *and* afternoon, and there was a language group in the afternoon. It made it just a bit more difficult to keep my finger on the pulse of what's going on in the classroom. I'm sure I'll adjust.
There is a student I don't like much, and I'm trying to change that. She's the oldest of four children, and mom is expecting again. She always has a look on her face that is not endearing - like she's afraid I'm going to haul off and smack her. And she's spacey. So I haven't built a strong relationship with her. I'm working on it. I'm consciously trying to smile and connect with her when she talks to me. I want to like her, and I want her to *feel* that I like her. It's one of those, "fake it until you make it" things, I guess.
_____
Case Study
I didn't keep JS on my radar as well as I would have liked today. There was so much more going on in the classroom, that I frequently lost track of her. To her detriment, I must add. She didn't get much of anything done this morning - spent a good chunk of the morning drawing. No surprise there. In the afternoon she enjoyed music class and had her first math group. She seemed to enjoy it.
At lunch there was an altercation with CB. I didn't see it, but the aftermath was unmistakable. Another teacher brought the two of them to me, and she was screaming and crying, and CB seemed a little flustered by it all. He was saying, "She said I got out of line, but she *pushed me* out of line!" She would respond by leaning into his space - into his face, really - and SCREAMING, "You DID get out of line!" This was followed by huge gulping sobs and loud hysterical wails. I put them at a table to work it out, but it quickly became obvious that method wasn't going to work today, as the above conversation was repeated two or three times. I intervened, and tried to calm her down so they could work it out. She responded by grunting loudly and again more loudly. I sent CB to get his lunch and told JS she needed to calm down, and we'd talk when she was ready. I went back to my table to give her some space, but that didn't work. Her loud grunts continued until she finally put her hands (or was it her feet?) on the table in front of her and shoved it away from her. It hit the wall.
I knew I had to take another angle on this. I don't remember exactly what I did or said, all I know is that I got a little silly, and the silliness helped. It pulled her out of her grumpy place, and she laughed a little. Then I asked her if she was ready to talk to CB. She said she was, so I told her I was going to go get him, but I first talked her through how the conversation *might* go.
"You could say, 'You got out of line!' but he'll just say, 'No I didn't! You pushed me!' It could go back and forth like that all day! /silly grin me, giggles her/ Do you think that conversation will help?"
"No."
"So maybe you'll say, 'It *looked to me* like you got out of line,' or 'I *thought* you got out of line,' and he'll say, 'I didn't know you thought I got out of line. I felt like I was pushed.' Maybe it will go something like that? /silly questioning face me, giggles her/ So you think you're ready?"
She said she was, so I went and got CB. Moments later they were both dashing back across the lunch room with smiles. They had worked it out, and all was well. I don't know exactly how it was resolved, but they did it *on their own.*
The drama of yesterday had subsided - in my circle, anyway. We had talked - Teresa, Jenessa, Kati and I - at the beginning of the day, but then nothing more happened. After school I went to Diana to thank her for her reassuring response yesterday, because it really meant a lot to me. She was sweet and brushed off my thanks. I pressed again, saying, no, really, it was exactly the thing I needed to hear, but she chuckled and brushed it off again.
Then she said that Buzz had come to her today and said he wanted to have a meeting with all the elementary teachers to talk about the 2-grade classrooms. I guess he was hoping it could be put to a vote or something silly like that, and since he, Missy and SJ are all on the "Montessori is lame" team, and me and Jenessa are the only 6-12 teachers who aren't, he thought he could pressure Diana into a change. Her response to him just made me so happy. She said no, she wasn't going to call a meeting, but that she wanted to have a meeting with *just him.* I reallyreallyreally hope she can be perfectly blunt and tell him that he's got to stop skulking around the school trying to change the nature of what we are. Stop trying to stage a mutiny!
But I love Diana. I am so glad she's in charge of the school and that she's seeing this behavior for what it is. Someday soon, we'll be a true Montessori school again.
_____
In class things went nicely again. I felt a bit more pressed for time, and Tower Tuesday was not the raging success it's been in the past, though it went well. There were math groups in the morning *and* afternoon, and there was a language group in the afternoon. It made it just a bit more difficult to keep my finger on the pulse of what's going on in the classroom. I'm sure I'll adjust.
There is a student I don't like much, and I'm trying to change that. She's the oldest of four children, and mom is expecting again. She always has a look on her face that is not endearing - like she's afraid I'm going to haul off and smack her. And she's spacey. So I haven't built a strong relationship with her. I'm working on it. I'm consciously trying to smile and connect with her when she talks to me. I want to like her, and I want her to *feel* that I like her. It's one of those, "fake it until you make it" things, I guess.
_____
Case Study
I didn't keep JS on my radar as well as I would have liked today. There was so much more going on in the classroom, that I frequently lost track of her. To her detriment, I must add. She didn't get much of anything done this morning - spent a good chunk of the morning drawing. No surprise there. In the afternoon she enjoyed music class and had her first math group. She seemed to enjoy it.
At lunch there was an altercation with CB. I didn't see it, but the aftermath was unmistakable. Another teacher brought the two of them to me, and she was screaming and crying, and CB seemed a little flustered by it all. He was saying, "She said I got out of line, but she *pushed me* out of line!" She would respond by leaning into his space - into his face, really - and SCREAMING, "You DID get out of line!" This was followed by huge gulping sobs and loud hysterical wails. I put them at a table to work it out, but it quickly became obvious that method wasn't going to work today, as the above conversation was repeated two or three times. I intervened, and tried to calm her down so they could work it out. She responded by grunting loudly and again more loudly. I sent CB to get his lunch and told JS she needed to calm down, and we'd talk when she was ready. I went back to my table to give her some space, but that didn't work. Her loud grunts continued until she finally put her hands (or was it her feet?) on the table in front of her and shoved it away from her. It hit the wall.
I knew I had to take another angle on this. I don't remember exactly what I did or said, all I know is that I got a little silly, and the silliness helped. It pulled her out of her grumpy place, and she laughed a little. Then I asked her if she was ready to talk to CB. She said she was, so I told her I was going to go get him, but I first talked her through how the conversation *might* go.
"You could say, 'You got out of line!' but he'll just say, 'No I didn't! You pushed me!' It could go back and forth like that all day!
"No."
"So maybe you'll say, 'It *looked to me* like you got out of line,' or 'I *thought* you got out of line,' and he'll say, 'I didn't know you thought I got out of line. I felt like I was pushed.' Maybe it will go something like that?
She said she was, so I went and got CB. Moments later they were both dashing back across the lunch room with smiles. They had worked it out, and all was well. I don't know exactly how it was resolved, but they did it *on their own.*
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
The Swing of Things
2010 has started off nicely at Walden. I went around on Monday to talk to the other lower elementary teachers about calendaring and how the students would be reading the date. I suggested that "Twenty-ten" is the proper way to read the date, but Teresa was not having it. She said, "I'm not going to teach them, "twenty-ten;" it's "two thousand ten." I responded with a weapon no Montessorian can withstand:
Nomenclature.
Oh yes I did. I totally went there. I told her that, OK, she could teach the 3-6 class to read the date "two thousand ten," but that she'd be teaching her children improper nomenclature for dates. Historically, dates in English are read as a pair of two-digit numbers. Ask any historian when William the Conqueror invaded England, and every last one of them will tell you, "Ten sixty-six." No one says, "One thousand sixty-six."
She blew me off, and I went off to class. About 20 minutes later she came into the room with her whole class in a line - we were on line at the time. She said her students wanted to show us what they had learned. Holding up a card that read, "2009," she asked the students to read.
"Two thousand nine," they all responded in chorus. She held up the next card.
"And what does this card say," she asked.
"Twenty-ten," the all replied.
Ah, my heart swelled with pride. I got Teresa to change her mind about something. Go me!
Tower Tuesday was a raging success. That's got to be one of the best ideas I've ever had. They get SO MUCH DONE, and everyone is feeling that awesome sense of, "Check out what I did!" I love it. Many of them have discovered that certain towers; the 'S' drawers, the 'D' drawers, the 'F' drawers; are really simple, and they're racing through four, five, six of them in a morning. It's so fantastic to see the light that shines in their eyes when they're really cooking.
I had an enlightening experience this afternoon. One of my students, JS, has had kind of a rough week. She has been lost in her own world - not motivated to get anything done, distracted, etc. Her mom came in this afternoon, and I mentioned this difficulty little miss has been having. This evening I get an email from her mom. Seems they talked about it, and her mom asked what has been going on. Little miss responds that she's had a BUTTON in her mouth for the last three days(!!), and she was so focused on it that she couldn't do her work.
Seriously? A button? A BUTTON?! Three days I've been trying to pull this kid out of her Christmas break visit to la-la land and I find I've been playing second fiddle to a button.
But I'm thinking there's a lesson to be learned here. What might I be overlooking? What other "buttons" might be keeping my students from being their best selves?
Brings a whole new meaning to "pushing my buttons."
Rambling now.
Nomenclature.
Oh yes I did. I totally went there. I told her that, OK, she could teach the 3-6 class to read the date "two thousand ten," but that she'd be teaching her children improper nomenclature for dates. Historically, dates in English are read as a pair of two-digit numbers. Ask any historian when William the Conqueror invaded England, and every last one of them will tell you, "Ten sixty-six." No one says, "One thousand sixty-six."
She blew me off, and I went off to class. About 20 minutes later she came into the room with her whole class in a line - we were on line at the time. She said her students wanted to show us what they had learned. Holding up a card that read, "2009," she asked the students to read.
"Two thousand nine," they all responded in chorus. She held up the next card.
"And what does this card say," she asked.
"Twenty-ten," the all replied.
Ah, my heart swelled with pride. I got Teresa to change her mind about something. Go me!
Tower Tuesday was a raging success. That's got to be one of the best ideas I've ever had. They get SO MUCH DONE, and everyone is feeling that awesome sense of, "Check out what I did!" I love it. Many of them have discovered that certain towers; the 'S' drawers, the 'D' drawers, the 'F' drawers; are really simple, and they're racing through four, five, six of them in a morning. It's so fantastic to see the light that shines in their eyes when they're really cooking.
I had an enlightening experience this afternoon. One of my students, JS, has had kind of a rough week. She has been lost in her own world - not motivated to get anything done, distracted, etc. Her mom came in this afternoon, and I mentioned this difficulty little miss has been having. This evening I get an email from her mom. Seems they talked about it, and her mom asked what has been going on. Little miss responds that she's had a BUTTON in her mouth for the last three days(!!), and she was so focused on it that she couldn't do her work.
Seriously? A button? A BUTTON?! Three days I've been trying to pull this kid out of her Christmas break visit to la-la land and I find I've been playing second fiddle to a button.
But I'm thinking there's a lesson to be learned here. What might I be overlooking? What other "buttons" might be keeping my students from being their best selves?
Brings a whole new meaning to "pushing my buttons."
Rambling now.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
When to Suspend?
I suspended a student today. Well, the boy's dad made the call, but I supported him 100% and would have pushed for it if he hadn't already called for it. CB is an adorable little 2nd-grader who doesn't have a malicious bone in his body but has no concept of how his actions might play out in the long (or even short) term when it comes their effect on other people. He's also starting to crush on older girls. So at lunch he took a swing at a girl he likes and hit her harder than she cared for. They took it to the peace table, and I didn't see the need to pursue it further.
But then there was choir practice. AAAAAAAAAAH! I will be so glad when this program is behind us. Our music teacher is great - for music class, but she isn't a choir director. She hardly directs the students at all, and they're up there with no guidance, so they're coming in whenever they think they should, bouncing around like a bunch of barely restrained monkeys and singing terribly off key. That's a different posting, though. AFTER choir practice, the music teacher asked for the students with solo parts (don't get me started on how embarrassing this is going to be) to hang back and practice for a few more minutes. I took my students to class, thinking that someone should probably stay with her in the gym. Should have gone with my gut on that one, because it wasn't two minutes later that students were running into the lower elementary wing shouting that "CB had pushed EK!"
I left the class with Kati and went into the gym to investigate. What I found was kind of appalling. Several students were RUNNING AROUND the stage and climbing under and on the risers bought specially for this program. Serious tag-like behavior. What the heck?! I called for CB to come up and talk to me, and of course everyone wants to holler out their version of what happened. CB was obviously ashamed of what had happened, and he initially tried to weasel out of it saying he "didn't know" what would happen and even kind of trying to pin some of the blame on the other kid. However, when I asked him quietly, "Did you pull him off the stage?" He answered very softly, "Yes."
I told the music teacher that he didn't get to practice with them today, and I took him out of the gym. In the main hall we turned to the south stairs rather than heading north to our classroom. He asked where we were going, and I said we were going to his dad's classroom since his mom was already gone. He knew he was in trouble big, and began to protest, but I kept him moving. We ended up in Diana's office where his dad was doing some work. CB wouldn't tell what he was there for, so I ended up explaining what had happened. It was his dad who spoke first, saying that he was going to call and have CB picked up and that he was suspended.
Given the severity of the injury suffered by the other child, I felt that the suspension ought to carry over into the next day, but because of the fact that both his parents work at the school, and that his mom has an infant in the office already, Diana was concerned that logistically a suspension just wouldn't work - not this time of year, anyway. I was concerned that he had already been told that he was suspended for a second day and didn't want him to get the idea that we had caved b/c he was so sad and pathetic in the office. However, I want him to know that there is kindness and mercy in the world, so tomorrow in the morning - early on, around 9ish, I am going to go to the office and get him. I will invite him back to class and let him know that we still love him and that we trust that he can control his body and keep his silly in check.
It's a compromise I feel good about.
This week is a mess, Maria. Last week of school before break. Everyone is already shut down and checked out. I can't wait for 2010.
But then there was choir practice. AAAAAAAAAAH! I will be so glad when this program is behind us. Our music teacher is great - for music class, but she isn't a choir director. She hardly directs the students at all, and they're up there with no guidance, so they're coming in whenever they think they should, bouncing around like a bunch of barely restrained monkeys and singing terribly off key. That's a different posting, though. AFTER choir practice, the music teacher asked for the students with solo parts (don't get me started on how embarrassing this is going to be) to hang back and practice for a few more minutes. I took my students to class, thinking that someone should probably stay with her in the gym. Should have gone with my gut on that one, because it wasn't two minutes later that students were running into the lower elementary wing shouting that "CB had pushed EK!"
I left the class with Kati and went into the gym to investigate. What I found was kind of appalling. Several students were RUNNING AROUND the stage and climbing under and on the risers bought specially for this program. Serious tag-like behavior. What the heck?! I called for CB to come up and talk to me, and of course everyone wants to holler out their version of what happened. CB was obviously ashamed of what had happened, and he initially tried to weasel out of it saying he "didn't know" what would happen and even kind of trying to pin some of the blame on the other kid. However, when I asked him quietly, "Did you pull him off the stage?" He answered very softly, "Yes."
I told the music teacher that he didn't get to practice with them today, and I took him out of the gym. In the main hall we turned to the south stairs rather than heading north to our classroom. He asked where we were going, and I said we were going to his dad's classroom since his mom was already gone. He knew he was in trouble big, and began to protest, but I kept him moving. We ended up in Diana's office where his dad was doing some work. CB wouldn't tell what he was there for, so I ended up explaining what had happened. It was his dad who spoke first, saying that he was going to call and have CB picked up and that he was suspended.
Given the severity of the injury suffered by the other child, I felt that the suspension ought to carry over into the next day, but because of the fact that both his parents work at the school, and that his mom has an infant in the office already, Diana was concerned that logistically a suspension just wouldn't work - not this time of year, anyway. I was concerned that he had already been told that he was suspended for a second day and didn't want him to get the idea that we had caved b/c he was so sad and pathetic in the office. However, I want him to know that there is kindness and mercy in the world, so tomorrow in the morning - early on, around 9ish, I am going to go to the office and get him. I will invite him back to class and let him know that we still love him and that we trust that he can control his body and keep his silly in check.
It's a compromise I feel good about.
This week is a mess, Maria. Last week of school before break. Everyone is already shut down and checked out. I can't wait for 2010.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Caught up in it all
It's December now, Maria, and I've been here but not here. I had a week-long vacation in early November, and it took a couple of days to get back into the swing of things after that. Then we had Thanksgiving break. It feels like November flew by in a huge crazy whirlwind.
Things keep happening at school, and I think, "I need to write about that in my journal," and then I never do. I promise to try to do better.
We have started doing math teams with all of the third and fourth graders in the lower elementary. Diana made the decision, and I support her fully even though I'm not 100% jazzed with the program she has us following. I don't hate it - though I wanted to - but I also don't love it. I can see the value in what she is doing, and I know I can combine the Everyday Math curriculum with the Montessori curriculum. For example, the lesson today calls for me to introduce line segments, lines and rays, so I intend to pull out the geometry stick box and teach the lesson as I have been taught in my training. I will do my best to make you proud and to make my classroom one you would recognize as worthy to bear your name.
I have tons more to say, but it's morning, and I have to get myself and the kiddos ready for the day. I'll check in again soon - I promise.
Things keep happening at school, and I think, "I need to write about that in my journal," and then I never do. I promise to try to do better.
We have started doing math teams with all of the third and fourth graders in the lower elementary. Diana made the decision, and I support her fully even though I'm not 100% jazzed with the program she has us following. I don't hate it - though I wanted to - but I also don't love it. I can see the value in what she is doing, and I know I can combine the Everyday Math curriculum with the Montessori curriculum. For example, the lesson today calls for me to introduce line segments, lines and rays, so I intend to pull out the geometry stick box and teach the lesson as I have been taught in my training. I will do my best to make you proud and to make my classroom one you would recognize as worthy to bear your name.
I have tons more to say, but it's morning, and I have to get myself and the kiddos ready for the day. I'll check in again soon - I promise.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Routines
Dear Maria,
I'm home sick today - first sick day of the year - and I'm thinking of the lessons I had planned for today and how missing ONE day throws my routine all to hell. Actually, I've been sick for a week now, starting last Monday, and my routine has been off for a while. How will I get back on track? Do I blow off one day (a week, really) and pick up tomorrow like nothing happened? Will it take some time for *me* to feel like I'm back on top of things? Will my students show the effects of having their routines messed up?
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the idea of getting my shit back together, and I'm not entirely sure why. I know I can do this, and I know my kids are resilient.
I need chocolate.
I'm home sick today - first sick day of the year - and I'm thinking of the lessons I had planned for today and how missing ONE day throws my routine all to hell. Actually, I've been sick for a week now, starting last Monday, and my routine has been off for a while. How will I get back on track? Do I blow off one day (a week, really) and pick up tomorrow like nothing happened? Will it take some time for *me* to feel like I'm back on top of things? Will my students show the effects of having their routines messed up?
I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed at the idea of getting my shit back together, and I'm not entirely sure why. I know I can do this, and I know my kids are resilient.
I need chocolate.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Sick
Ugh, so sick. The whole world has the flu - swine or otherwise, no one really knows - and it has caught up with me. I knew it was only a matter of time, really. Both my kids have it, and today I woke up with the achy body, chills and nausea that heralds the onset of the yuck. Of course, I can't not go. So I pull myself together and head off to work. Where I sit and am a nearly useless lump. Awesome.
I got the rest of my students from yesterday leveled on reading comprehension. I'm finding this leveling process so fascinating. I can't wait to really get into reading comprehension work. I'm planning on sending reading packets home with students and doing round robins with students on similar levels and doing LOTS AND LOTS of comprehension work. It so needs to happen.
I was going to do a key experience for the verb and language lessons and an introduction to earth studies - movement of the earth - in the afternoon . . . none of which happened. I just didn't have it in me to do ANYTHING that required more than a modicum of energy.
Tomorrow is a half day and the jog-a-thon starts at 11:00. It'll be a pretty pointless day.
I got the rest of my students from yesterday leveled on reading comprehension. I'm finding this leveling process so fascinating. I can't wait to really get into reading comprehension work. I'm planning on sending reading packets home with students and doing round robins with students on similar levels and doing LOTS AND LOTS of comprehension work. It so needs to happen.
I was going to do a key experience for the verb and language lessons and an introduction to earth studies - movement of the earth - in the afternoon . . . none of which happened. I just didn't have it in me to do ANYTHING that required more than a modicum of energy.
Tomorrow is a half day and the jog-a-thon starts at 11:00. It'll be a pretty pointless day.
Monday, October 12, 2009
All Quiet
There is some serious sickness at Walden right now. My class had five kids out today, and the lower elementary had a total of more than 20 kids out. Crazy. I actually had six out until one student showed up an hour and a half late. Really? 90 minutes late?! C'mon parents! Step up! That is SO annoying.
So it was a quiet day. I only had 14 students, and we implemented our "get your works done" policy today. We talked about it starting last week, that students now need to complete (AND TRACK) four works in the morning or else they can use recess time to finish up. Is it "punishment?" I don't think so. It is extra time for the kids who have a hard time working. And it totally worked. I have students who have NEVER tracked themselves, not for lack of capability, just for, I don't know, lack of motivation. Today, most everyone was on task, working all morning and ready to go at recess time - with their trackers completed. Sweet.
I started leveling kids in reading comprehension today. Very enlightening. I have one student who was reading at grade level and scored above benchmarks on both accuracy and fluency, but after taking seven minutes to read the story (that benchmarks suggested ought to take four), I asked her to retell the story in her own words, and she shrugged saying, "I don't really remember." NO comprehension. I had another student who was the exact opposite. Well below benchmarks on accuracy and fluency, but above benchmarks on comprehension. Go figure. I am looking forward to having all my students leveled so I can start to really work on their comprehension. It is going to be interesting to see how they do.
I didn't follow through with a lot of my plan today, though. I was going to teach a language lesson on the line that I totally blew off, because, well, I had six kids out at the time. What's the point? Then I did an intro to Pre-Columbian North American civilizations that was really done by the seat of my pants. I should have prepared more, but the kids were attentive, and when the lesson was over, I placed the books on the history shelf, and I noticed that several of them were chosen during DEAR time. So I guess it went all right.
OH! I failed to mention the introduction of the North American passports last week! The book has a space for each North American country, and the students get to "visit" each country by doing a single-page study of the country and turning it in to the teacher. For each country visited, the students get that space of their passport book "stamped" with a flag sticker for the country. The kids are LOVING it! One of my students who tends to be a goof - lots of talking, not so much with the work - has already done THREE country reports. It's pretty amazing.
So that's it, Maria. I wonder how many students will be out tomorrow?
So it was a quiet day. I only had 14 students, and we implemented our "get your works done" policy today. We talked about it starting last week, that students now need to complete (AND TRACK) four works in the morning or else they can use recess time to finish up. Is it "punishment?" I don't think so. It is extra time for the kids who have a hard time working. And it totally worked. I have students who have NEVER tracked themselves, not for lack of capability, just for, I don't know, lack of motivation. Today, most everyone was on task, working all morning and ready to go at recess time - with their trackers completed. Sweet.
I started leveling kids in reading comprehension today. Very enlightening. I have one student who was reading at grade level and scored above benchmarks on both accuracy and fluency, but after taking seven minutes to read the story (that benchmarks suggested ought to take four), I asked her to retell the story in her own words, and she shrugged saying, "I don't really remember." NO comprehension. I had another student who was the exact opposite. Well below benchmarks on accuracy and fluency, but above benchmarks on comprehension. Go figure. I am looking forward to having all my students leveled so I can start to really work on their comprehension. It is going to be interesting to see how they do.
I didn't follow through with a lot of my plan today, though. I was going to teach a language lesson on the line that I totally blew off, because, well, I had six kids out at the time. What's the point? Then I did an intro to Pre-Columbian North American civilizations that was really done by the seat of my pants. I should have prepared more, but the kids were attentive, and when the lesson was over, I placed the books on the history shelf, and I noticed that several of them were chosen during DEAR time. So I guess it went all right.
OH! I failed to mention the introduction of the North American passports last week! The book has a space for each North American country, and the students get to "visit" each country by doing a single-page study of the country and turning it in to the teacher. For each country visited, the students get that space of their passport book "stamped" with a flag sticker for the country. The kids are LOVING it! One of my students who tends to be a goof - lots of talking, not so much with the work - has already done THREE country reports. It's pretty amazing.
So that's it, Maria. I wonder how many students will be out tomorrow?
Friday, October 9, 2009
Another week past
Oh, Maria, it seems I have forgotten you! I don't want you to worry about me, but sometimes I get so caught up with other things that my journal time gets lost along the wayside. I'm sorry, and I'll try to check in more often.
It is Friday afternoon. Today was the last day of our first academy session. I am really pleased with how our academies went, and I'm looking forward to our next session. I wonder what classes will be offered and how the students will react to the new options.
Yesterday we went on a field trip to South Ridge Farms. I loved it. We went on a wagon ride into the orchards where we received a short lesson (10 minutes or so?) on agriculture - pollination, cross pollination, bees, organic/non, grafting . . . there were a lot of topics covered, and honestly, for the size of our group, and considering the fact that we had a lot of little kids, the farmer went on for a little longer than he should have. Even so. Afterward we walked through the orchard, and each child got to pick an apple off a tree and eat it, and then they could just throw the apple core back into the orchard! They got a kick out of that. I suspect that many of my children have never before had the opportunity to pick and eat an apple off the tree. We then visited the pumpkin patch and then rode the wagons back to the barn. To finish off, each child got a fresh apple cider donut. It was just about right on level for my students, and I totally intend to go back next year.
We had a peace lesson today on name calling. We've had a lot of aggressive behavior in the classroom (which I mentioned last week), and name calling has been a big part of it. I read a story and talked about my own childhood as the picked on kid. The students were attentive, and I am hopeful we will see a change.
Ah, Maria, there is so much more, but it's time to go. I'll try to check back in over the weekend so I can fill you in on my plans for the coming week.
It is Friday afternoon. Today was the last day of our first academy session. I am really pleased with how our academies went, and I'm looking forward to our next session. I wonder what classes will be offered and how the students will react to the new options.
Yesterday we went on a field trip to South Ridge Farms. I loved it. We went on a wagon ride into the orchards where we received a short lesson (10 minutes or so?) on agriculture - pollination, cross pollination, bees, organic/non, grafting . . . there were a lot of topics covered, and honestly, for the size of our group, and considering the fact that we had a lot of little kids, the farmer went on for a little longer than he should have. Even so. Afterward we walked through the orchard, and each child got to pick an apple off a tree and eat it, and then they could just throw the apple core back into the orchard! They got a kick out of that. I suspect that many of my children have never before had the opportunity to pick and eat an apple off the tree. We then visited the pumpkin patch and then rode the wagons back to the barn. To finish off, each child got a fresh apple cider donut. It was just about right on level for my students, and I totally intend to go back next year.
We had a peace lesson today on name calling. We've had a lot of aggressive behavior in the classroom (which I mentioned last week), and name calling has been a big part of it. I read a story and talked about my own childhood as the picked on kid. The students were attentive, and I am hopeful we will see a change.
Ah, Maria, there is so much more, but it's time to go. I'll try to check back in over the weekend so I can fill you in on my plans for the coming week.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
I hate state mandated testing
It is so pointless.
Especially the IOWA test. It is timed, and for my 3rd graders, it is the first bubble-sheet test they've ever taken. They don't know what to do with the darn thing. And kids who I *know* know how to work the problems asked are freaking out because THEY ONLY HAVE X-NUMBER OF MINUTES!
I have to read these stupid instructions - word for word - reminding the kids that they only have five minutes, that many of them probably won't finish, to work quickly yet carefully . . . and we expect them NOT to panic? Ugh.
It's been an all-week thing, and I hate it. Every year I hate it.
_____
So there's drama in the room, again. However, Maria, this year it's the boys. Yes, I have a wannabe alpha male. BP is a 4th grade boy - small yet stocky - who struts around the room asserting his dominance over all of the other boys in class. The little boys he picks up and swings around. The bigger boys - closer to his age and size - he is more aggressive with. He will grab things out of their hands - notebooks, journals, that sort of thing - he harasses verbally and physically . . . he is aggressive. I don't know how to describe it otherwise. He does it all, though, with a smile on his face. I'm reminded, though, that in primates the smile is a sign of aggression - the baring of the teeth and all that. He doesn't come across as malicious and mean, but he is behaving rather bully-like. I'm not sure how to deal with it. I'd like to help him turn his need to dominate outward into a need to nurture. Fact is that he *is* bigger/older/academically advanced. He could be using all of those things to the advantage of the other students instead of simply reinforcing the fact that he is all of those things.
I think I'm rambling.
I also had a hitting incident this week. Not with aggressive boy, but with not-normalized girl. RB is one of the more spirited girls in the school. When she started as a 1st grader two years ago she ran away from school on a regular basis. For the last two years she has pitched fits, screaming and hitting and disrespecting materials, but this year has been relatively calm. She still acts a lot like my three-year-old son in a lot of ways - grunting or scowling her displeasure whenever something does not go her way, snapping angrily at classmates for minor infractions and dissolving into tears over trivialities. Yesterday she hit a classmate (BP actually). I immediately escorted her from the room and took her upstairs. She came along without protesting, although she did try to point out that it wasn't HER fault the boys were squishing her on line . . . We sat down and talked with Miss Amy about the hitting. Amy was ready to call her mom and send her home then and there. I suggested that since it was her first incident of the year we ought to call it a warning and leave the suspending for the next time. We asked RB if she felt like she could apologize for hitting, and she thought she could. With me moderating, she apologized, and I suggested to BP that maybe he ought to consider whether or not he had something to apologize for as well. He then apologized saying, "I'm sorry we wouldn't let you in [the circle]."
I really feel like this little girl is growing up. She has had many an incident where her emotions were high, yet this was the first time they got away from her. She is getting much better and reigning in her reactions and keeping herself on track. I don't think it's me, I think I just got her at a good age. Just like so many of my other 3rd graders, she changed over the summer. I just got lucky.
The weather changed today. Cold and wet - lots of rain in the valleys, and snow on the mountain peaks. The thunder last night was impressive. It seems fall has arrived (winter, some would say). I wonder how the students will react to the changing seasons? It is sure to be a roller coaster!
Especially the IOWA test. It is timed, and for my 3rd graders, it is the first bubble-sheet test they've ever taken. They don't know what to do with the darn thing. And kids who I *know* know how to work the problems asked are freaking out because THEY ONLY HAVE X-NUMBER OF MINUTES!
I have to read these stupid instructions - word for word - reminding the kids that they only have five minutes, that many of them probably won't finish, to work quickly yet carefully . . . and we expect them NOT to panic? Ugh.
It's been an all-week thing, and I hate it. Every year I hate it.
_____
So there's drama in the room, again. However, Maria, this year it's the boys. Yes, I have a wannabe alpha male. BP is a 4th grade boy - small yet stocky - who struts around the room asserting his dominance over all of the other boys in class. The little boys he picks up and swings around. The bigger boys - closer to his age and size - he is more aggressive with. He will grab things out of their hands - notebooks, journals, that sort of thing - he harasses verbally and physically . . . he is aggressive. I don't know how to describe it otherwise. He does it all, though, with a smile on his face. I'm reminded, though, that in primates the smile is a sign of aggression - the baring of the teeth and all that. He doesn't come across as malicious and mean, but he is behaving rather bully-like. I'm not sure how to deal with it. I'd like to help him turn his need to dominate outward into a need to nurture. Fact is that he *is* bigger/older/academically advanced. He could be using all of those things to the advantage of the other students instead of simply reinforcing the fact that he is all of those things.
I think I'm rambling.
I also had a hitting incident this week. Not with aggressive boy, but with not-normalized girl. RB is one of the more spirited girls in the school. When she started as a 1st grader two years ago she ran away from school on a regular basis. For the last two years she has pitched fits, screaming and hitting and disrespecting materials, but this year has been relatively calm. She still acts a lot like my three-year-old son in a lot of ways - grunting or scowling her displeasure whenever something does not go her way, snapping angrily at classmates for minor infractions and dissolving into tears over trivialities. Yesterday she hit a classmate (BP actually). I immediately escorted her from the room and took her upstairs. She came along without protesting, although she did try to point out that it wasn't HER fault the boys were squishing her on line . . . We sat down and talked with Miss Amy about the hitting. Amy was ready to call her mom and send her home then and there. I suggested that since it was her first incident of the year we ought to call it a warning and leave the suspending for the next time. We asked RB if she felt like she could apologize for hitting, and she thought she could. With me moderating, she apologized, and I suggested to BP that maybe he ought to consider whether or not he had something to apologize for as well. He then apologized saying, "I'm sorry we wouldn't let you in [the circle]."
I really feel like this little girl is growing up. She has had many an incident where her emotions were high, yet this was the first time they got away from her. She is getting much better and reigning in her reactions and keeping herself on track. I don't think it's me, I think I just got her at a good age. Just like so many of my other 3rd graders, she changed over the summer. I just got lucky.
The weather changed today. Cold and wet - lots of rain in the valleys, and snow on the mountain peaks. The thunder last night was impressive. It seems fall has arrived (winter, some would say). I wonder how the students will react to the changing seasons? It is sure to be a roller coaster!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
One of those days
You ever have one of those days, Maria? One of those days where you have no motivation? No energy? No get-up-and-go?
Today was one of those days for me.
It didn't start out as such. No, that's not entirely true. Yesterday we got back from Timp Lodge around 2:45 (Teresa and I were the last to roll in because we waited at the lodge until all of the parents had left - to make sure everyone had gone), and when I went into the room, the students were all busily, and fairly quietly I might add, engaged in project work. Kati said the kids had gotten back to work without so much as a suggestion from her. I had thought to have them write in their journals and DEAR until pickup, but instead I let them keep working on their projects.
Yeah, it was a good idea, except for the part where they left the room an unholy disaster.
Coming in to work to a room that was so messy and chaotic, well, it was not the best foot to start on. The kids didn't seem to mind much, but I was totally discombobulated by it. Still, the students came in and did their morning tasks (mechanics today), and the day got underway in the normal fashion. I was thinking of doing the suffix functions lesson I had planned for yesterday, but instead I did capitalization rules. Felt rushed and unprepared - because I was.
I went out at lunchtime to get crickets for Viejo and picked up lunch for everyone at Cafe Rio. Got back and realized that I had forgotten to make Cait's lunch, and now it's late, and eat your lunch, and this is where the disconnect started for me. The rest of the day I kind of wandered in a fog. Kati did three small group lessons on types of triangles, and I just sat around watching. Watching her lessons, watching kids work (and not work), watching the clock tick off the minutes. I was going to do Lois's lesson from training - with the children of the world and the M&Ms, but instead I watched.
We cleaned up around 2:00 and went outside for movement activities. We played Fruit Salad, but it didn't work so well because we were sitting on the grass, and everytime "fruit salad" was called it was just a huge chaotic mess of students scrambling for open spots, but there were no defined spots. So then we played Red Rover, which worked out fine until JS got hurt, and then there was drama as all my attention seekers decided they were in horrible pain too.
I was less than sympathetic when LH sobbed and carried on as though the world had come to an end because "her head hurt." I told her to go out in the hall and get a drink of water and pull herself together. Seriously.
So, to sum up:
What I intended to do:
Today was one of those days for me.
It didn't start out as such. No, that's not entirely true. Yesterday we got back from Timp Lodge around 2:45 (Teresa and I were the last to roll in because we waited at the lodge until all of the parents had left - to make sure everyone had gone), and when I went into the room, the students were all busily, and fairly quietly I might add, engaged in project work. Kati said the kids had gotten back to work without so much as a suggestion from her. I had thought to have them write in their journals and DEAR until pickup, but instead I let them keep working on their projects.
Yeah, it was a good idea, except for the part where they left the room an unholy disaster.
Coming in to work to a room that was so messy and chaotic, well, it was not the best foot to start on. The kids didn't seem to mind much, but I was totally discombobulated by it. Still, the students came in and did their morning tasks (mechanics today), and the day got underway in the normal fashion. I was thinking of doing the suffix functions lesson I had planned for yesterday, but instead I did capitalization rules. Felt rushed and unprepared - because I was.
I went out at lunchtime to get crickets for Viejo and picked up lunch for everyone at Cafe Rio. Got back and realized that I had forgotten to make Cait's lunch, and now it's late, and eat your lunch, and this is where the disconnect started for me. The rest of the day I kind of wandered in a fog. Kati did three small group lessons on types of triangles, and I just sat around watching. Watching her lessons, watching kids work (and not work), watching the clock tick off the minutes. I was going to do Lois's lesson from training - with the children of the world and the M&Ms, but instead I watched.
We cleaned up around 2:00 and went outside for movement activities. We played Fruit Salad, but it didn't work so well because we were sitting on the grass, and everytime "fruit salad" was called it was just a huge chaotic mess of students scrambling for open spots, but there were no defined spots. So then we played Red Rover, which worked out fine until JS got hurt, and then there was drama as all my attention seekers decided they were in horrible pain too.
I was less than sympathetic when LH sobbed and carried on as though the world had come to an end because "her head hurt." I told her to go out in the hall and get a drink of water and pull herself together. Seriously.
So, to sum up:
What I intended to do:
- Suffix functions lesson on morning line
- Spelling tests for blue and green readers
- Hunger lesson
- Individual lessons/small group lessons throughout the day
- Movement activity in the afternoon
- Capitalization rules lesson on morning line
- Movement activity in the afternoon
Friday, September 11, 2009
Where did the Week Go?
So it's Friday, Maria, and I haven't written all week. Monday was Labor Day, so the school week didn't get underway until Tuesday. It seems like every time we lose a day that the whole week is a little off kilter. In addition, President Obama addressed the school children on Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM, taking up a sizable chunk of the morning work time that day. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to have been able to give my students the opportunity to listen to the president speak directly to them, but it made the morning feel truncated. I had one student, BP, who came to me as we were headed out into the commons and tell me, "My mom says I can't watch this." He hung his head a little as he said it, and his face was somewhat red. I suspect he may have been embarrassed at being set apart from his classmates, but I respected his mother's wishes and allowed him to work quietly in the classroom until the speech was over.
I taught the second great lesson Tuesday afternoon, and it went smoothly enough. I'm not totally jazzed with it, and I hope to improve the lesson for the coming year. Wednesday morning I taught a lesson on capitization rules (and I am loving how my students this year record lessons without fuss and drama. Somehow they've all gotten the message that after group lessons we record, and they just do it - Fabulous!) but I spent most of Wednesday looking forward to the afternoon extension of the second great lesson, "Survival of the Fittest." I sent the students outside with Kati while I set up, and then we played. I had a collection of small objects - fake flowers, marbles, safety pins, pom poms and jacks - and an assortment of tools - tongs, tweezers, spoons, scoops, etc. I divided the students into two groups, just because of the size of the group, and I told the students a story about the animals who lived in a forest, long ago on a planet much like ours, and on cue, each child was to use their tool to gather up food (the objects) in turn with the story. In the end some of the children had lots of food an all varieties, and some children had very little, and this led to a discussion of natural selection. The students were laughing and engaged, and I could tell they were enjoying the lesson.
Thursday was another bumpy day - it was picture day, and our picture time concided precisely with our music lesson, so our music lesson was bumped back a half hour. In the end we had very little work time in the morning. The afternoon went smoothly - we didn't have an extension for the 2GL, but Kati did an awesome art lesson.
Today we had Friday Academies. I love Fridays.
Oh! I almost forgot to tell you about the DRAMA! Big fun, Maria, we have boy-likes-girl drama in the class. I've got this one little 3rd grade girl, AD, who is new to Walden, and ALL of the boys are falling all over themselves for her. It's still kind of cute, but I can see it causing some problems in the future. I'll keep you posted.
I taught the second great lesson Tuesday afternoon, and it went smoothly enough. I'm not totally jazzed with it, and I hope to improve the lesson for the coming year. Wednesday morning I taught a lesson on capitization rules (and I am loving how my students this year record lessons without fuss and drama. Somehow they've all gotten the message that after group lessons we record, and they just do it - Fabulous!) but I spent most of Wednesday looking forward to the afternoon extension of the second great lesson, "Survival of the Fittest." I sent the students outside with Kati while I set up, and then we played. I had a collection of small objects - fake flowers, marbles, safety pins, pom poms and jacks - and an assortment of tools - tongs, tweezers, spoons, scoops, etc. I divided the students into two groups, just because of the size of the group, and I told the students a story about the animals who lived in a forest, long ago on a planet much like ours, and on cue, each child was to use their tool to gather up food (the objects) in turn with the story. In the end some of the children had lots of food an all varieties, and some children had very little, and this led to a discussion of natural selection. The students were laughing and engaged, and I could tell they were enjoying the lesson.
Thursday was another bumpy day - it was picture day, and our picture time concided precisely with our music lesson, so our music lesson was bumped back a half hour. In the end we had very little work time in the morning. The afternoon went smoothly - we didn't have an extension for the 2GL, but Kati did an awesome art lesson.
Today we had Friday Academies. I love Fridays.
Oh! I almost forgot to tell you about the DRAMA! Big fun, Maria, we have boy-likes-girl drama in the class. I've got this one little 3rd grade girl, AD, who is new to Walden, and ALL of the boys are falling all over themselves for her. It's still kind of cute, but I can see it causing some problems in the future. I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Academies Rock
I love Fridays, for more than the obvious reason. Every Friday is Academy Day in the lower elementary. We will be running four academy sessions this year. Students each get to choose two mini-classes from seven offerings which are carried over five academy days. It's great fun. This academy session we have a middle eastern dance class and a middle eastern cultures class, three artsy/crafty classes, a soccer class and a gardening class. I was able to get two volunteers to run my academies - the middle eastern dance and culture classes - so I get to sit back and watch as my students are exposed to way more than I could ever offer in our regular class. It's awesome.
So the students come in and have a 15-20 minute free-work period: no planning or tracking. Then we break for morning line and head off to academies by 9:00. First class runs from 9-10, and then we have a half-hour break. Second class runs from 10:30-11:30, followed by lunch/recess and room cleanup. Then we're done! The day FLIES by, and the students are happily engaged the whole time.
I never did get an entry done yesterday. It was a MUCH better day than Wednesday. I got plenty of sleep the night before, and I felt like a real human being. I also felt cruddy for having been such a meanie on Wednesday. When I called morning line, I picked up the peace table and carried it into the middle of circle, and then I apologized to the class. We talked about how lack of sleep makes it impossible for a person's brain to function properly, and the general consensus was that it was no big deal. The students also wanted to share story after story about times when their mamas were tired and mean. That I thought was cute.
We're on a long weekend here - Monday is Labor Day - and I'm going to do the 2nd Great Lesson when we're back. I should probably work on that over the weekend. Heh.
So the students come in and have a 15-20 minute free-work period: no planning or tracking. Then we break for morning line and head off to academies by 9:00. First class runs from 9-10, and then we have a half-hour break. Second class runs from 10:30-11:30, followed by lunch/recess and room cleanup. Then we're done! The day FLIES by, and the students are happily engaged the whole time.
I never did get an entry done yesterday. It was a MUCH better day than Wednesday. I got plenty of sleep the night before, and I felt like a real human being. I also felt cruddy for having been such a meanie on Wednesday. When I called morning line, I picked up the peace table and carried it into the middle of circle, and then I apologized to the class. We talked about how lack of sleep makes it impossible for a person's brain to function properly, and the general consensus was that it was no big deal. The students also wanted to share story after story about times when their mamas were tired and mean. That I thought was cute.
We're on a long weekend here - Monday is Labor Day - and I'm going to do the 2nd Great Lesson when we're back. I should probably work on that over the weekend. Heh.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
What a Day
Holy socks, Maria, today was one huge trainwreck. The nightmare began last night when my two-year-old woke up at 1AM and proceeded to vomit every thirty minutes until 5:30. I had this great, beautiful plan, and it was all shot to hell by circumstances beyond my control. So frustrating. I could see it all unravel, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. At first I thought I'd be able to keep it together, you know, run on adrenaline, until the early afternoon, but it was not to be; I crashed around 10AM. I saw myself, heard myself, take on a terse and impatient tone and soon enough the twinkle, which I tried to recapture, was all but gone. Even when we were in the middle of what should have been an awesome afternoon, I could tell my twinkle was forced and fake. Even so, I kept it up as best I could.
Here's what we had on the agenda: I started off with a mechanics lesson - the capitalization key experience. It's not a super entertaining lesson, and for most of my students it's 100% review. I was off my game already, and it kind of fell flat. I spent the rest of the morning teaching individual lessons - I got ID, BP and AC started on geometry nomenclatures, and I helped CB do the problems on the board among other things - and I did individual interviews and spelling tests with three students. LH has been planning and completing the same works every day so far: metal insets and creative writing for language and the binomial cube for math. We had a talk about challenging herself, and we decided on a goal of one language skyscraper and one math box each day. I know she can do it if she just puts her mind to it. KL is new and still figuring out tracking, and I know it will help immensely to get her more lessons. We're working on that.
The afternoon was supposed to be the high point of the day. I would teach them about harnessing the energy of the sun by creating a solar cooker, and we would talk about the scientific method (without calling it such). While our experiement processed, we would play games for movement time, and then we'd enjoy marshmallows dipped in chocolate. A short work time would follow, and we'd finish the day with a lesson by Miss Kati on the relative sizes of stars. That was how it was supposed to go, and on paper we got through it all. It was, however, not my most shining moment. I snapped at NL twice - once during the creation of the solar cookers because he kept sneaking his fingers out to snatch chocolate chips and later as we were enjoying our chocolate dipped marshmallows because he decided to stick his fingers into the chocolate bowl not 15 seconds after I had asked students to keep their fingers out of the bowls. Maybe he didn't hear me? Entirely possible, but did I consider that at the time? No way. Sleep deprivation got the better of me, and I lost my composure. I'll have to be sure to apologize tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, I'm anticipating a much better day. My boy has been feeling fine all day, and I'm hoping he'll go to sleep soon so that I can join him in sweet slumber. We have a field trip planned tomorrow. First one of the year. I'm looking forward to it, and I know the students are too.
If I can just get some sleep.
Here's what we had on the agenda: I started off with a mechanics lesson - the capitalization key experience. It's not a super entertaining lesson, and for most of my students it's 100% review. I was off my game already, and it kind of fell flat. I spent the rest of the morning teaching individual lessons - I got ID, BP and AC started on geometry nomenclatures, and I helped CB do the problems on the board among other things - and I did individual interviews and spelling tests with three students. LH has been planning and completing the same works every day so far: metal insets and creative writing for language and the binomial cube for math. We had a talk about challenging herself, and we decided on a goal of one language skyscraper and one math box each day. I know she can do it if she just puts her mind to it. KL is new and still figuring out tracking, and I know it will help immensely to get her more lessons. We're working on that.
The afternoon was supposed to be the high point of the day. I would teach them about harnessing the energy of the sun by creating a solar cooker, and we would talk about the scientific method (without calling it such). While our experiement processed, we would play games for movement time, and then we'd enjoy marshmallows dipped in chocolate. A short work time would follow, and we'd finish the day with a lesson by Miss Kati on the relative sizes of stars. That was how it was supposed to go, and on paper we got through it all. It was, however, not my most shining moment. I snapped at NL twice - once during the creation of the solar cookers because he kept sneaking his fingers out to snatch chocolate chips and later as we were enjoying our chocolate dipped marshmallows because he decided to stick his fingers into the chocolate bowl not 15 seconds after I had asked students to keep their fingers out of the bowls. Maybe he didn't hear me? Entirely possible, but did I consider that at the time? No way. Sleep deprivation got the better of me, and I lost my composure. I'll have to be sure to apologize tomorrow.
Speaking of tomorrow, I'm anticipating a much better day. My boy has been feeling fine all day, and I'm hoping he'll go to sleep soon so that I can join him in sweet slumber. We have a field trip planned tomorrow. First one of the year. I'm looking forward to it, and I know the students are too.
If I can just get some sleep.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Dear Maria
Day one of the second week of school. It was overcast but still warm. I had a very small group today - only fourteen children. There were four out absent, and I for sure lost KS to a different school. That makes me rather sad. I wonder if I'll get another new student. I'm up to six already, and I'd be glad to be done. Even so, I'll take more if that's how it goes.
SD came in this morning looking sad. She came to me with the +4 wheel to pass off, and in the middle of her math facts, she started to cry. She couldn't tell me why she was crying; in fact she told me "I don't know why I'm crying." I called her mom to ask if it had been a hard morning, and mom was surprised to hear her daughter was upset. We ended up having her go up the counselor's office to work in the sand tray for a while, but what really helped was recess. She got playing with her friends, and she was all smiles in the afternoon.
We had a good language key experience today on the Article, and this group of kids does not hesitate to record the lessons when they're asked to. It's nice to not need to nag. I think it really helped that from the beginning I presented the recording of lessons as something that was just done, rather than something that was optional. We also had a fun lesson - a really quick one - on the relative sizes of the moon and the stars. I showed them how to make a moon frame, and then I put paper plates on a tray for them to make their own. Several children completed the work.
I did interviews with four children today. The new kids, and the younger kids, are still working on tracking their work, but given that we've only been tracking for six days, they're doing pretty well. I am also going to combine spelling tests with interview times to make sure that everyone gets tested each week. I like using the Pink, Blue and Green words lists as spelling lists, and I think it's going to work out really well.
I taught several individual lessons today - other than the two group lessons. AD is so new she's still getting into it. I ended up doing many informal lessons with her, but I also did two formal lessons - squaring chains and secrets. She was drawn to secrets, and I noted her doing it later with MS. She must have given him a lesson. They were laughing, and appeared to be having a good time. I also showed BP the squaring chains, and AB was interested in learning how to use the verb grammar boxes. My but that girl has grown up over the summer. She is such a self starter these days! RB came in late - after lunch, late - but he got straight to work and completed five works before the end of work time. He's another that I'm marveling at. He spends his work time so productively. He needed a review lesson on compound splitting, and I was glad to oblige. There were many other lessons, both formal and informal, but there were too many to record here.
It's probably the honeymoon period, but I am finding it easy (ok, maybe easy is not the right word) to be twinkly with the students. However, there is this one child who is making it complicated. She has such a hard time focusing, and yet she is not a problem causer, so she easily slips off my radar. I need to work on keeping track of her so I can keep her on track. Come to think of it, there's a little boy I'm having the same trouble with. I need to strategize with Kati so we can come up with a plan to better serve these two little ones.
I came to school ready to go today. I had a good plan, and I followed it pretty closely. It helped to have the daily schedule posted, and that Kati and I were together on the plans for lessons.
The bird came and visited me several times today. She sat on me while I did group lessons and hung out with me while I read to the class after lunch. We're reading The Graveyard Book, which the students seems to enjoy immensely. One student was pretty freaked out by the first chapter, but today she decided to stay in with the class, and she too seemed to like the story. I'm glad, because I'd hate to have her miss out on such an awesome book.
Most of the students have gone now, Maria. I'm enjoying the year, thus far, and I think things will only get better.
Until tomorrow,
SD came in this morning looking sad. She came to me with the +4 wheel to pass off, and in the middle of her math facts, she started to cry. She couldn't tell me why she was crying; in fact she told me "I don't know why I'm crying." I called her mom to ask if it had been a hard morning, and mom was surprised to hear her daughter was upset. We ended up having her go up the counselor's office to work in the sand tray for a while, but what really helped was recess. She got playing with her friends, and she was all smiles in the afternoon.
We had a good language key experience today on the Article, and this group of kids does not hesitate to record the lessons when they're asked to. It's nice to not need to nag. I think it really helped that from the beginning I presented the recording of lessons as something that was just done, rather than something that was optional. We also had a fun lesson - a really quick one - on the relative sizes of the moon and the stars. I showed them how to make a moon frame, and then I put paper plates on a tray for them to make their own. Several children completed the work.
I did interviews with four children today. The new kids, and the younger kids, are still working on tracking their work, but given that we've only been tracking for six days, they're doing pretty well. I am also going to combine spelling tests with interview times to make sure that everyone gets tested each week. I like using the Pink, Blue and Green words lists as spelling lists, and I think it's going to work out really well.
I taught several individual lessons today - other than the two group lessons. AD is so new she's still getting into it. I ended up doing many informal lessons with her, but I also did two formal lessons - squaring chains and secrets. She was drawn to secrets, and I noted her doing it later with MS. She must have given him a lesson. They were laughing, and appeared to be having a good time. I also showed BP the squaring chains, and AB was interested in learning how to use the verb grammar boxes. My but that girl has grown up over the summer. She is such a self starter these days! RB came in late - after lunch, late - but he got straight to work and completed five works before the end of work time. He's another that I'm marveling at. He spends his work time so productively. He needed a review lesson on compound splitting, and I was glad to oblige. There were many other lessons, both formal and informal, but there were too many to record here.
It's probably the honeymoon period, but I am finding it easy (ok, maybe easy is not the right word) to be twinkly with the students. However, there is this one child who is making it complicated. She has such a hard time focusing, and yet she is not a problem causer, so she easily slips off my radar. I need to work on keeping track of her so I can keep her on track. Come to think of it, there's a little boy I'm having the same trouble with. I need to strategize with Kati so we can come up with a plan to better serve these two little ones.
I came to school ready to go today. I had a good plan, and I followed it pretty closely. It helped to have the daily schedule posted, and that Kati and I were together on the plans for lessons.
The bird came and visited me several times today. She sat on me while I did group lessons and hung out with me while I read to the class after lunch. We're reading The Graveyard Book, which the students seems to enjoy immensely. One student was pretty freaked out by the first chapter, but today she decided to stay in with the class, and she too seemed to like the story. I'm glad, because I'd hate to have her miss out on such an awesome book.
Most of the students have gone now, Maria. I'm enjoying the year, thus far, and I think things will only get better.
Until tomorrow,
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)