I know this next post is supposed to be about the glorious field trip we took to the MSI a few weeks ago but this has got to be said...
I already know that I have to figure something out for my kids to perform during the Christmas Pageant. I already have one song and I am trying to work on another one that is whimsical, fun, and EASY! I actually rather enjoy working at a school that unabashedly celebrates Christmas...but then I get an e-mail that just floored me...
Teachers, the tree trimming party is on November 30. Please make sure to have your kids make their ornaments for the tree...WHAT!?!?!?!?!?
I think I almost passed out right there and then. I'm wondering when there will be enough time in the day, let alone the month to figure something out. And now that I know I have to do this my mind has already kicked into gear about what kind of ornament I will have the kids make...I would like to do something that doesn't duplicate something the kids have done in the last three years of being at our school...and something where I don't have to spend too much money...I have pipe cleaners, origami paper, Popsicle sticks and construction paper...I think I might even have a glue gun and I definitely have a ton of googly eyes...I have websites, craft books, and a few ideas...now I just need to find the time to make a demo ornament and make sure I have enough supplies for 18 kids to make said ornaments!
You may resume your normally scheduled lives...I think I need to take my blood pressure pill.
Sincerely,
Novice Teacher
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Four day week
Most teachers would be thrilled at a four day week.
I know what you're thinking, wait a second, isn't this newest blog supposed to be about the field trip? I'll get to that sometime this week, I promise.
Anyhow, back to this four day work week...While I am thrilled and delighted I get a Friday off to do with whatever I please I am NOT so happy about the fact that my already limited (by half an hour) teaching time in language arts is going away for one day. I'm supposed to cram five days worth of instruction (at two hours each day) into four days worth and one and a half hours each day! GAH!
On top of all this I want to get guided reading groups done; read stories aloud (I'm sure I haven't mentioned my shock and dismay at learning that my kids haven't heard of the modern classic tales of "Where the Wild Things Are", "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" - the book version, NOT the movie, "Officer Buckle and Gloria", among many others, I know, I could seriously bring in Daniel's whole home library and only a few will have read any of them before I read it to them! - I digress); and I expect my kids to take their accelerated reader (AR) tests because, let's face it, some of them have intentionally been skipping taking them because they think I'm not paying attention, but I am!
I would like to get another chapter in math knocked out too, on addition strategies, so that I can move onto subtraction strategies...and I'm having a hard time with this whole math series because I can see that a lot of my kids have these tips and tricks up their sleeves already while some definitely need the help...and by some I mean four kids...
I'm starting a new topic in science after a successful showing of my kids (10 got As, two of whom got perfect scores, 3 got Bs, 1 got a C - and not even the kid you think!!!).
AND this week kicks off my second and third graders campaign to help some needy families in Northfield by hosting a food drive. Speaking of which, I should probably put my donation in already...
So, four day school week? Any other time of year I would welcome you with open arms and my body would thank you...but this week you are just a pain!
Until next time - Novice Teacher
I know what you're thinking, wait a second, isn't this newest blog supposed to be about the field trip? I'll get to that sometime this week, I promise.
Anyhow, back to this four day work week...While I am thrilled and delighted I get a Friday off to do with whatever I please I am NOT so happy about the fact that my already limited (by half an hour) teaching time in language arts is going away for one day. I'm supposed to cram five days worth of instruction (at two hours each day) into four days worth and one and a half hours each day! GAH!
On top of all this I want to get guided reading groups done; read stories aloud (I'm sure I haven't mentioned my shock and dismay at learning that my kids haven't heard of the modern classic tales of "Where the Wild Things Are", "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" - the book version, NOT the movie, "Officer Buckle and Gloria", among many others, I know, I could seriously bring in Daniel's whole home library and only a few will have read any of them before I read it to them! - I digress); and I expect my kids to take their accelerated reader (AR) tests because, let's face it, some of them have intentionally been skipping taking them because they think I'm not paying attention, but I am!
I would like to get another chapter in math knocked out too, on addition strategies, so that I can move onto subtraction strategies...and I'm having a hard time with this whole math series because I can see that a lot of my kids have these tips and tricks up their sleeves already while some definitely need the help...and by some I mean four kids...
I'm starting a new topic in science after a successful showing of my kids (10 got As, two of whom got perfect scores, 3 got Bs, 1 got a C - and not even the kid you think!!!).
AND this week kicks off my second and third graders campaign to help some needy families in Northfield by hosting a food drive. Speaking of which, I should probably put my donation in already...
So, four day school week? Any other time of year I would welcome you with open arms and my body would thank you...but this week you are just a pain!
Until next time - Novice Teacher
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
My first field trip...
Tomorrow I go where most novice teachers shouldn't boldly go on their own...my first field trip. I heard through the grape vine that the upper grade students were heading to the Museum of Science and Industry to partake in some lectures. I was looking for something to take my students on this fall and looked forward in my book to find that space and technology were two topics that wouldn't come into our plans until the end of the year (if we were lucky). I couldn't do that to my kids! I even heard from my three third graders that they didn't even get to study space last year as second graders! How sad! Since Daniel is in such a space kick I figured I should probably take advantage of the vast amount of knowledge I have gained in the last few months (since the end of July) about our solar system and space in general, ask permission (from the teacher who coordinated the trip as well as my principal), skip ten chapters and then go back after I'm done.
So now, here I am, the night before my field trip and I'm a nervous wreck. See, one of the things I brought in with me when I first interviewed at this school was my itinerary from a field trip my mentor teacher had me organize under her supervision...a five class, 125 (roughly) student, two day, three location trip around historical Glen Ellyn. Yeah, I was really proud of that accomplishment...and still am. But I had help. A guide. A previous itinerary upon which to lean on in the event my plans went awry. I mean, really, what if my kids misbehave? What if I lose one? What if we don't make it back to the bus in time? What if I kill my kids? I am hoping they are on their best behavior but this hasn't been an easy bunch so why would they make it easy on me? I mean, I only have four of their parents coming to play referee and to see if I am either A) under paid, I mean, some of the issues I have had so far this year are unbelievable or B) a complete liar, how can I say there have been problems with immaculately behaved cherubs? And so here I am - with 18 students and four parent chaperones thinking - I should be able to do this.
I'm going over pictures of the places within the MSI I have taken Daniel to. I'm mapping out the best places to go and best times (based on the time we get there and the time we have to leave). My head hurts...
If I post again it won't be until Sunday. I will hopefully have recovered by then. Stay tuned...
So now, here I am, the night before my field trip and I'm a nervous wreck. See, one of the things I brought in with me when I first interviewed at this school was my itinerary from a field trip my mentor teacher had me organize under her supervision...a five class, 125 (roughly) student, two day, three location trip around historical Glen Ellyn. Yeah, I was really proud of that accomplishment...and still am. But I had help. A guide. A previous itinerary upon which to lean on in the event my plans went awry. I mean, really, what if my kids misbehave? What if I lose one? What if we don't make it back to the bus in time? What if I kill my kids? I am hoping they are on their best behavior but this hasn't been an easy bunch so why would they make it easy on me? I mean, I only have four of their parents coming to play referee and to see if I am either A) under paid, I mean, some of the issues I have had so far this year are unbelievable or B) a complete liar, how can I say there have been problems with immaculately behaved cherubs? And so here I am - with 18 students and four parent chaperones thinking - I should be able to do this.
I'm going over pictures of the places within the MSI I have taken Daniel to. I'm mapping out the best places to go and best times (based on the time we get there and the time we have to leave). My head hurts...
If I post again it won't be until Sunday. I will hopefully have recovered by then. Stay tuned...
Saturday, October 8, 2011
My Inheritance
As you may recall, I got this job fairly last minute due to a teacher from last year informing the school she was not coming back this fall. So here I am in her old classroom, making it my own. It feels good, you know, having something that's mine. I've decorated it the way I wanted to, moved the furniture around just so, and inherited a whole lot of stuff from teachers manuals to junk.
Inheritance is a weird thing. Some stuff you get "willed" or left to you is extremely useful. And other stuff you wonder about...you don't wonder necessarily why they left it, just how they could have left it in the state it is in.
My leveled readers for example...I have six boxes of them (I teach both 2nd and 3rd grade language arts after all). Sam was kind enough to put the books together one afternoon so that I have (hopefully) five books per lesson per set. But we didn't organize them further than that. What did I do? Yesterday was catch up day so I had my third graders and one second grader help me organize the book. What I heard from them was, "How could anyone leave such a mess?" and "I will never complain about my teachers having to get ready for our classes!" The good news is we got all that organized. Now I have to deal with my classroom library!
During this three day weekend I took the opportunity to take home a lot of things which need to be cleaned up and that I can do here at home. I brought home transparencies that need to be organized, papers that need to be graded, CDs and DVDs that need to be listened to or viewed in order to see how useful they will be to my future lessons and posters that need to be written.
So what did I do last night while watching a movie with Daniel and Sam? Organized the third grade transparancies in a binder...I'm missing some pages but hopefully they are the ones I found somewhere else and already started using. On to the second grade batch, to grading, and to planning for this week and the next...But first, breakfast with my two loves, a friend's birthday party this afternoon, and dinner with great friends we haven't seen in a while later this evening.
Despite the crazy, I would chalk this up to a win. Life is good my friends...even for the novice teacher.
Inheritance is a weird thing. Some stuff you get "willed" or left to you is extremely useful. And other stuff you wonder about...you don't wonder necessarily why they left it, just how they could have left it in the state it is in.
My leveled readers for example...I have six boxes of them (I teach both 2nd and 3rd grade language arts after all). Sam was kind enough to put the books together one afternoon so that I have (hopefully) five books per lesson per set. But we didn't organize them further than that. What did I do? Yesterday was catch up day so I had my third graders and one second grader help me organize the book. What I heard from them was, "How could anyone leave such a mess?" and "I will never complain about my teachers having to get ready for our classes!" The good news is we got all that organized. Now I have to deal with my classroom library!
During this three day weekend I took the opportunity to take home a lot of things which need to be cleaned up and that I can do here at home. I brought home transparencies that need to be organized, papers that need to be graded, CDs and DVDs that need to be listened to or viewed in order to see how useful they will be to my future lessons and posters that need to be written.
So what did I do last night while watching a movie with Daniel and Sam? Organized the third grade transparancies in a binder...I'm missing some pages but hopefully they are the ones I found somewhere else and already started using. On to the second grade batch, to grading, and to planning for this week and the next...But first, breakfast with my two loves, a friend's birthday party this afternoon, and dinner with great friends we haven't seen in a while later this evening.
Despite the crazy, I would chalk this up to a win. Life is good my friends...even for the novice teacher.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Fun in Science
Our first chapter in science was called ALL ABOUT PLANTS. It talked about woodlands, prairies, marshes, deserts, what plants lived there, how plants have adapted to their environments and what kind of things plants do to survive. One of the experiments was placing stalks of celery in water to see if it needed roots to absorb water. I had a mason jar, the celery, and as a tip from my MIL I also had food coloring. We chose red.
The kids drew their predictions for what would happen. On the first day I was just putting the celery in the jar without any water. Just as they thought, the celery wilted.
I put water in on day 2 (like the experiment said to do) and added the selected red food coloring. I had them predict what would happen. They were right. The celery turned red (in the leaves and some parts of the ribs).
The kids enjoyed seeing the celery turn red so we kept it going. Then they asked if we could put other food coloring in. I thought, sure. Why not? Well, this is why - after ten days of a successful celery stalk changing color we added blue food coloring to turn the fresh water purple...and over the weekend the celery melted into the water so I had to toss it out.
I can only hope our experiments with space, seasons, gravity and the phases of the moon go better. Much better. At least the kids were able to work on some scientific processes!
The kids drew their predictions for what would happen. On the first day I was just putting the celery in the jar without any water. Just as they thought, the celery wilted.
I put water in on day 2 (like the experiment said to do) and added the selected red food coloring. I had them predict what would happen. They were right. The celery turned red (in the leaves and some parts of the ribs).
The kids enjoyed seeing the celery turn red so we kept it going. Then they asked if we could put other food coloring in. I thought, sure. Why not? Well, this is why - after ten days of a successful celery stalk changing color we added blue food coloring to turn the fresh water purple...and over the weekend the celery melted into the water so I had to toss it out.
I can only hope our experiments with space, seasons, gravity and the phases of the moon go better. Much better. At least the kids were able to work on some scientific processes!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The Paper Trail...
I'm sure you are wondering why I haven't posted anything lately. The truth of the matter is that I am swamped by a two inch thick pile of papers that are just waiting to be graded! That's what I get for giving my kids brain warm-ups in the morning and in the afternoon! A friend told me that giving them something to do in the morning establishes a routine while getting the kids ready for the day or the afternoon. I can't agree more PLUS it's really awesome when they get something, you know, that proverbial light bulb...but the paperwork...UGH! Even with a quick plus, check or minus, I'm already behind by a week! Don't get me wrong, when Friday rolls around the kids have a heap of stuff to take home in their folders!
Which leads me to wonder when I became the teacher who uses paper (and a LOT of it) to get her kids to do stuff?!?!? I'm not that teacher am I? I'm the fun one. The one who does fun (while still learning) activities. Music plays during group project time so the kids sway to the beat as they put together posters or puzzles. We're out of our seats. We're talking with a partner or two and sharing ideas. We're brainstorming...I mean, the kids have about a zillion things on their "What kids need to know in 2nd grade" lists, it's not like they are coloring all the time, they are, indeed, learning something or twenty...still, the paper trail is driving me nuts!
Speaking of paper trail...Have I mentioned I do after care? Well, three days a week I watch anywhere from 15-30+ children ranging in ages from 2-10 years old...and the first few weeks were chaos. Seriously. I was completely outnumbered - and I still am. And frankly my room is not safe for kids under 6! I have games with a gazillion parts to them! But alas here is where the whole paper thing comes into play. I have found that a successful (read: less messy) Mrs. Bell's room with a five minute clean-up merely requires 100 pieces of paper with photocopies of favorite things...HITS: anything Disney princess or animals; MISSES: Sesame Street characters. Who knew? So I have the coloring station with three buckets of crayons (supplied by me and any kids who decided they didn't care to get their crayons back last year); the play with Legos and Jenga blocks station; room on my carpet for a read-aloud or to play games; an area to do homework (study hall is for an hour and only for 4th grade and up); a snack station; and on Mondays I don't even have to do this in my classroom! I simply have the boys pick a movie one week, the girls another, and life goes on.
So off I go to bed so that I can wake up in the morning and grade papers...because by golly those Friday folders will have mail in them so help me!!!
Which leads me to wonder when I became the teacher who uses paper (and a LOT of it) to get her kids to do stuff?!?!? I'm not that teacher am I? I'm the fun one. The one who does fun (while still learning) activities. Music plays during group project time so the kids sway to the beat as they put together posters or puzzles. We're out of our seats. We're talking with a partner or two and sharing ideas. We're brainstorming...I mean, the kids have about a zillion things on their "What kids need to know in 2nd grade" lists, it's not like they are coloring all the time, they are, indeed, learning something or twenty...still, the paper trail is driving me nuts!
Speaking of paper trail...Have I mentioned I do after care? Well, three days a week I watch anywhere from 15-30+ children ranging in ages from 2-10 years old...and the first few weeks were chaos. Seriously. I was completely outnumbered - and I still am. And frankly my room is not safe for kids under 6! I have games with a gazillion parts to them! But alas here is where the whole paper thing comes into play. I have found that a successful (read: less messy) Mrs. Bell's room with a five minute clean-up merely requires 100 pieces of paper with photocopies of favorite things...HITS: anything Disney princess or animals; MISSES: Sesame Street characters. Who knew? So I have the coloring station with three buckets of crayons (supplied by me and any kids who decided they didn't care to get their crayons back last year); the play with Legos and Jenga blocks station; room on my carpet for a read-aloud or to play games; an area to do homework (study hall is for an hour and only for 4th grade and up); a snack station; and on Mondays I don't even have to do this in my classroom! I simply have the boys pick a movie one week, the girls another, and life goes on.
So off I go to bed so that I can wake up in the morning and grade papers...because by golly those Friday folders will have mail in them so help me!!!
Friday, September 23, 2011
End of the week
Yesterday I kept hearing the words, "Tomorrow is Friday!" passed on from teacher to teacher. Ordinarily I would brush it off but this week I really am thrilled the Friday is upon us and it's not just because Sam is coming home tonight! (Though that is a plus for sure!)
The commercial, which is 60 seconds long, was supposed to take one day of filming. Now I know that one day meant one whole day. I was prepared to lose one whole day of instruction. But every day this week one, two, or all the kids in my class were pulled out and we lost valuable instruction time!
What!? A teacher wants to teach her kids something? Um, YES! So you can imagine my dismay at having to send an e-mail out to the parents saying, "Um, sorry, but due to the filming of this commercial we may or may not be chosen for, our math test has been postponed...til next WEDNESDAY!" I felt like the biggest flake in America - and there was nothing I could do about it!
Thankfully I was able to get through week 2 of our reading text book - including the vocabulary for the week - for both my second graders and their third grade counter parts. I got some math in when I could but there was no way the kids would be prepared to pass the test today and by Wednesday I started drawing arrows in my lesson plan book so that I could do the science lessons I had planned for Monday and Tuesday down to Wednesday and Thursday...and even today - like that's going to happen - we have an assembly during my science and social studies blocks today! Speaking of which, I didn't even start using the social studies text book and would feel bad about that if we weren't working on our classroom citizenship (or lack there of) on a daily basis!
I hope this post isn't sounding too negative. In fact, I hope that so much that instead of ending with my rant of how much work we didn't get accomplished I will instead end with the good that happened this week:
In the midst of it all we had a (pretty) successful fire drill. No tears from my kids and, I'm pretty sure, no talking either!
We led the school in prayers and the pledge all week without major incident.
Kids are starting to sit quietly while waiting for their friends to finish warm-ups instead of shouting out, "Mrs. Bell! I'm finished! What should I do now?"
We managed to take all the recess I had built into the schedule (and then some)
I finished almost all the grading I had to do this week so my kids' Friday Folders will be full of wonderful things they can share with their parents!
THE END
The commercial, which is 60 seconds long, was supposed to take one day of filming. Now I know that one day meant one whole day. I was prepared to lose one whole day of instruction. But every day this week one, two, or all the kids in my class were pulled out and we lost valuable instruction time!
What!? A teacher wants to teach her kids something? Um, YES! So you can imagine my dismay at having to send an e-mail out to the parents saying, "Um, sorry, but due to the filming of this commercial we may or may not be chosen for, our math test has been postponed...til next WEDNESDAY!" I felt like the biggest flake in America - and there was nothing I could do about it!
Thankfully I was able to get through week 2 of our reading text book - including the vocabulary for the week - for both my second graders and their third grade counter parts. I got some math in when I could but there was no way the kids would be prepared to pass the test today and by Wednesday I started drawing arrows in my lesson plan book so that I could do the science lessons I had planned for Monday and Tuesday down to Wednesday and Thursday...and even today - like that's going to happen - we have an assembly during my science and social studies blocks today! Speaking of which, I didn't even start using the social studies text book and would feel bad about that if we weren't working on our classroom citizenship (or lack there of) on a daily basis!
I hope this post isn't sounding too negative. In fact, I hope that so much that instead of ending with my rant of how much work we didn't get accomplished I will instead end with the good that happened this week:
In the midst of it all we had a (pretty) successful fire drill. No tears from my kids and, I'm pretty sure, no talking either!
We led the school in prayers and the pledge all week without major incident.
Kids are starting to sit quietly while waiting for their friends to finish warm-ups instead of shouting out, "Mrs. Bell! I'm finished! What should I do now?"
We managed to take all the recess I had built into the schedule (and then some)
I finished almost all the grading I had to do this week so my kids' Friday Folders will be full of wonderful things they can share with their parents!
THE END
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