Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Not much to report...St

This week is going well. I found out about a 'mystery noise' that occurs a couple times a week during fourth period. It's a banging that comes from the roof; apparently it started last year and they can't figure out what it is. It literally sounds like someone is doing work up in the ceiling... really strange. Maybe it's a ghost... maybe I'll turn it into a writing assignment. 
My after-school hours are starting to slow down. I get done at three; up until this point, I've been staying until six, but I'm really trying to cut back. It's nice to get home and have time to exercise before cooking dinner and planning for the rest of the night. And I've been cheating by reading for fun a little too much. I just can't put those middle school books down...they're so good! This week I read Stargirl by Jerri Spinelli, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and now I'm reading Black Duck. All excellent books, and fun to read. 
    To switch gears a bit, I'm a little frustrated with my elective class. It's only one period a day, and I'm finding it hard to prep for it. Last night I put in a couple hours of planning just for one period! Ack.  I feel like I'm not even getting into the things that I had hoped to cover. I hope that it's meaningful for them. Hopefully they'll learn something about leadership skills. Maybe next nine weeks will be better. 

Friday, September 26, 2008

Homework excuses

So I've given a total of two homework assignments. Two. This week's was assigned last Tuesday to be turned in today. In one class, I had two do it out of 22. They have to fill out "homework zero' passes where they write the excuse on them, and I got some pretty good ones:

- I had fevers all week (**so did I**) 
-I thought we had to do problems 1-5 only (**out of 40**)
- I was absent on Monday (**the homework was assigned Tuesday**)
- I didn't know we had homework (**it was on the board for 4 days**)
- I didn't understand the assignment (**then you should have asked me about it 4 days ago**)
and the all-encompassing "I forgot it in my locker"

Too bad, so sad. It's not a hard assignment, either. Hopefully they'll get it together. I know that I didn't do my homework all the time, but seriously, guys. We've had two assignments total in the past 5 weeks. Unacceptable. 

Other than those fun excuses i got to read today, not that much happened this week. I'm going camping tomorrow which will be a well-deserved break for both Michael and I. And the weather has been dipping into the sixties! Good timing. 

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

I made it...

...through my first open house! I was really nervous leading up to it, especially in the moments before they entered my room. But somehow I made it through the whole thing in one piece. In fact, it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be at all. I was afraid of seeming incompetent, too young... I don't even know what else. I feared running out of things to say, that I would be standing up there twiddling my thumbs and having to ask for the dreaded 'questions' that the seasoned teachers said not to ask for because they'll put you on the spot. So I talked a lot, and they enjoyed it (I guess.) Like I said, wasn't that bad at all. 

I feel that they're starting to come around this week. I feel like we're finding common ground, and that it's clicking (honestly for the both of us.) I'm starting to identify myself as a 'teacher' in the sense that classes are starting to flow and I'm feeling confident about everything going on. The students are beginning to take part in the class and get into routine, which is nice and easier for all of us to get things done. We've been covering grammar stuff which tends to get a bit dry, but they're taking it in well. I have to think about how I can teach 'subject' and 'verbs' because apparently they don't remember or never learned how to do it. Hello. If I wanted to be an elementary teacher then I would have gotten my degree in that. Oh well. 

Life is good! Let's make it over the hump day... then I get to go camping this weekend. 

Friday, September 12, 2008

Made it to Friday

It's the end of week three, and once again, I'm finding myself exhausted. The only things I want to do when school ends are eat chocolate (I've been eating TONS) and go on facebook, because my brain is fried and facebook is about all I can handle. But tonight of course we're having a barbecue and friends over... I might accidently fall asleep forever. This week was good. I would say the recurring theme was 'discipline' because it was time to set my foot down. It worked for all of my classes except sixth period, which is the biggest and most talkative. I have to email some parents this weekend, because some of the kids were obnoxious. Well, the end. I can't think of anything else, and my husband just got home. Goodnight. Oh wait, it's only 6:30. 

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Grrr

 They're good kids, but I let them run me the heck right over. I was a pushover in terms of discipline today, and I  was/am kind of discouraged about it. By lunch time I felt like I blew it for the entire year... that if I hadn't gotten it under control by now, then I lost them forever. 

I had some chance to reflect on the way home, talk to other teachers about it (and my wonderful friend Jessica who was a proteacher with me) and I realized that it's okay. This is normal. They're pushing me and trying to see what they can get away with, which means it's time for me to figure out what I'm going to do to let them know it's not acceptable to disrespect me in the classroom. Nothing major has happened, but they want to talk to their friends too much. They have to understand that I will give them time to interact with each other if they are respectful during instructional time. 

I am so thankful for the saying "tomorrow is another day," because it's giving me hope right now. I'm not going to stress out or get angry that they weren't good listeners because I need to show them who's boss. I was a social butterfly in middle school, so I know what it's like to keep on talking despite my teachers' warnings. But I also remember what it was like to be reprimanded, and how it made me super upset. So tomorrow is the new me... not a mean teacher or an angry teacher, but a confident one who follows through on discipline. 


Now I will go work out. Or cook dinner. Or grade papers. Or plan for tomorrow. 

Monday, September 8, 2008

Beginning of week three

Apparently I made it through the second week. There were moments where I started feeling like a real teacher, but those were fleeting and it was back to drowning. I'm tired. I'm super tired. We don't have a planning period, so it's six straight classes. After school we have one hour to 'plan,' but we're required to attend all kinds of meetings so we end up being stuck at school until 6. Then more planning at home (I just finished at 10.) I'm not complaining, but I definitely am somewhat drained. 

I'm feeling kind of alone lately. The other teachers are incredible and have been so helpful, but it's getting to the point where I need to figure out stuff on my own. Last night I was super anxious about going to school today, mostly because I didn't feel prepared, but also because I'm thinking about what I'll do in all the situations that are going to arise. Like parent conferences. And phone calls. And when am I going to get my school laptop? How can I ensure that I'm grading their papers fairly? And what about the hyperactive crazy kids that need the most attention? How can I give them the support they deserve when I have a big class (and I'm exhausted?) I don't know how these things are supposed to happen yet. 

I had a kid up until this afternoon with tourettes, autism, OCD and epilepsy. He was a trip... what a sweet kid. But my only issue with him was his flatulence. Every day without failing he would rip a huge fart. How am I supposed to deal with this as a teacher? It took everything I had today not to laugh. Because farting is funny, normally. But not in a classroom :)

I'm going to bed. We're teaching 'genre' this week.... so hopefully these kids will be able to tell me about fiction and nonfiction this week.