I was teaching a lesson on the Tricks of the Nine, and we needed our scissors. I look over at Joe, who has his scissors very close to his head and see a small clump of hair, unattached, sitting on his forehead. I was beyond upset. This was the letter I received when I sent him to time-out.
"I did something bad and I don't know why I did this. I don't want to end up like a bad kid and I'm verey sorry that I cut my hair. I like school. Its somthing that you could learn from and have fun with people. You could learn reading, since, social studies, math, languge. But I think your the best teacher ever. But Im not happy and either are you."
That's right. I'm not happy, either, Joe.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Funnies
Testing on sight words, Arnulfo comes to the word "upon".
Arnulfo: "Upona"
Me: "What?"
Arnulfo: "Upona. You know, like 'once upona time'?"
Yesterday, while making math posters, I was making my 4x4 when Arnulfo came to me and said, "You forgot your pimples."
"Excuse me!? My WHAT?"
"You know, your pimples. Those black dots in the inside of your eye?"
"Oh! PUPils!"
Gaby: My family and I went to the park and a boy duck was attacking his girlfriend!
Me: Oh no! Did you call the police?
Gaby: No. I thought about it. I just threw bread at his head, instead, and he stopped.
Ebelyn: Look! A karate-chopping Indian! It would be like, "Ooh-oooh-oooh-hi-YA!"
Arnulfo: "Upona"
Me: "What?"
Arnulfo: "Upona. You know, like 'once upona time'?"
Yesterday, while making math posters, I was making my 4x4 when Arnulfo came to me and said, "You forgot your pimples."
"Excuse me!? My WHAT?"
"You know, your pimples. Those black dots in the inside of your eye?"
"Oh! PUPils!"
Gaby: My family and I went to the park and a boy duck was attacking his girlfriend!
Me: Oh no! Did you call the police?
Gaby: No. I thought about it. I just threw bread at his head, instead, and he stopped.
Ebelyn: Look! A karate-chopping Indian! It would be like, "Ooh-oooh-oooh-hi-YA!"
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Tragedy Strikes
I'm tired of the drama of teaching at this kind of school. So far this year: a car accident death, drugs found on students from fourth grade to eighth grade, and, today, news that one of our students was stabbed.
It's frustrating thinking that our students leave to be in that sort of neighborhood and community. And even school isn't a completely safe place.
It's frustrating thinking that our students leave to be in that sort of neighborhood and community. And even school isn't a completely safe place.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Tell A Tale of Cockroaches
In the morning, during centers, Angelie came to me and said, "Miss Sells! I saw a cockroach as big as a dog."
"Where was it?" I said calmly. She pointed to the corner where she sits. I went over and searched for it, but found no cockroach. "Let me know if you see it again."
A few minutes later, Vanessa comes to me and says, "Miss Sells, I swear while I was sitting doing my work, I heard a noise under my desk that sounded like a big bug!" I assumed that Vanessa overheard Angelie's conversation and dramatized a cockroach sound.
"It's okay, Vanessa. It's probably just your imagination."
A few moments later, as I was on the floor with a small group, I see a HUGE COCKROACH scuttling across the floor toward my desk, about two feet from us. "Watch out!" I scream and throw the students aside (as if they were going to be attacked by this cockroach? I don't know). The cockroach runs under my desk. I get up and try to find it to trap it, but it's gone! Poof! I'm a little worried because Mitch told me once that cockroaches can climb walls, so I'm imagining the cockroach in my purse or hanging out in my drawers.
Toward the end of the day, while I was teaching Calendar Math, Angelie begins screaming. "Miss Sells! The cockroach!" I run over there, trying to keep some kind of order (and actually continuing to teach my lesson: "That's right. And why is 65 odd?), and call, "I need a cup!" Well, my students are more interested in seeing the stupid thing than helping me trap it, so I'm calling Daniel out from under his desk, telling Alex that, no, we can't have this cockroach as our class pet, and trying to rein the kids in, while dumping out my cup of dice to use. I put the cup over the cockroach, then, put a cup of beans (I have the strangest thing in my classroom- I know) over it so it couldn't knock the cup over. I was just going to leave it there, but Angelie was obviously a little concerned about having a cockroach so close, so I got a piece of paper and scraped the cup onto it, from underneath. I was going to just pick up the whole thing, but that mutant cockroach was too big, so I ended up having to push it across the floor to the door, on my hands and knees.
I put it right beside the door, where it was pretty hot. A little later, Ebelyn asked where the cockroach was. "Outside, baking" was my answer.
"You mean like muffins?"
Yes, Ebelyn, our cockroach is a muffin baker.
P.S. Rest in peace, giant cockroach. He died under the cup.
"Where was it?" I said calmly. She pointed to the corner where she sits. I went over and searched for it, but found no cockroach. "Let me know if you see it again."
A few minutes later, Vanessa comes to me and says, "Miss Sells, I swear while I was sitting doing my work, I heard a noise under my desk that sounded like a big bug!" I assumed that Vanessa overheard Angelie's conversation and dramatized a cockroach sound.
"It's okay, Vanessa. It's probably just your imagination."
A few moments later, as I was on the floor with a small group, I see a HUGE COCKROACH scuttling across the floor toward my desk, about two feet from us. "Watch out!" I scream and throw the students aside (as if they were going to be attacked by this cockroach? I don't know). The cockroach runs under my desk. I get up and try to find it to trap it, but it's gone! Poof! I'm a little worried because Mitch told me once that cockroaches can climb walls, so I'm imagining the cockroach in my purse or hanging out in my drawers.
Toward the end of the day, while I was teaching Calendar Math, Angelie begins screaming. "Miss Sells! The cockroach!" I run over there, trying to keep some kind of order (and actually continuing to teach my lesson: "That's right. And why is 65 odd?), and call, "I need a cup!" Well, my students are more interested in seeing the stupid thing than helping me trap it, so I'm calling Daniel out from under his desk, telling Alex that, no, we can't have this cockroach as our class pet, and trying to rein the kids in, while dumping out my cup of dice to use. I put the cup over the cockroach, then, put a cup of beans (I have the strangest thing in my classroom- I know) over it so it couldn't knock the cup over. I was just going to leave it there, but Angelie was obviously a little concerned about having a cockroach so close, so I got a piece of paper and scraped the cup onto it, from underneath. I was going to just pick up the whole thing, but that mutant cockroach was too big, so I ended up having to push it across the floor to the door, on my hands and knees.
I put it right beside the door, where it was pretty hot. A little later, Ebelyn asked where the cockroach was. "Outside, baking" was my answer.
"You mean like muffins?"
Yes, Ebelyn, our cockroach is a muffin baker.
P.S. Rest in peace, giant cockroach. He died under the cup.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Remember When?
Way back during my student teaching, my final evaluation given by my master teacher rated my professionalism as my weakness. At the time, I was shocked and rather upset, but now I understand.
Here are some reasons why I am not always professional:
1) I think one of the reasons why I make a good teacher is because I still remember what it's like to be a child. Because of this, I often play on the playground with my students during recess.
2) I tend to shy away from professional clothing because a) it's not comfortable and b) it doesn't allow me to do the activity mentioned above.
3) My lessons are often dramatic, silly, and more than a little creative. My vice principal was in shock when he came into my room and saw me conversing with a white rabbit on my hand (Twinkie).
4) I believe in sarcasm (for the older kids, when appropriate) and humor. Some teachers cannot understand this teaching method.
5) I don't mind sitting on the floor, dressing up, dancing or singing for my students. Whatever keeps their attention!
Here are some reasons why I am not always professional:
1) I think one of the reasons why I make a good teacher is because I still remember what it's like to be a child. Because of this, I often play on the playground with my students during recess.
2) I tend to shy away from professional clothing because a) it's not comfortable and b) it doesn't allow me to do the activity mentioned above.
3) My lessons are often dramatic, silly, and more than a little creative. My vice principal was in shock when he came into my room and saw me conversing with a white rabbit on my hand (Twinkie).
4) I believe in sarcasm (for the older kids, when appropriate) and humor. Some teachers cannot understand this teaching method.
5) I don't mind sitting on the floor, dressing up, dancing or singing for my students. Whatever keeps their attention!
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