Under My Belt October 18, 2011

Tomorrow I will be observed by my principal. I am not nervous, but I do wonder if I should be. I have been teaching for so long that observations come naturally to me. I can remember my palms sweating, heart pounding, and loss of sleep the night before my observation. I can say that I have grown as an educator. I do like to be observed so I know what I need to improve upon.

I know one thing I need to improve upon ~ consistency with discipline. It is so hard to be consistent. I have been better this year. Maybe because of the new grade or maybe because I am more sure of myself. Whatever it is, I still need help. Tomorrow class will probably go smoothly and I will receive high marks on my observation, but the part that my principal doesn’t see is the days Johnny Boy misbehaves. Tomorrow he’ll be an angel.

I guess I can say I have my lessons under my belt, but I sure do need help with that area of discipline. I wish it were a perfect world in a perfect schoolhouse, but it’s not. I have to live and learn from my mistakes even when the principal is not around.

The End of the Quarter October 14, 2011

The end of the quarter

Seems to creep up

On me and my students

What can I do to get my grade up?

Do your assignments when they are due

Can I get extra credit?

Um, let me think about it?

Can I?

Um, no…

Seriously?

Seriously!

The end of the quarter

Seems to creep up

On me and my students

May I take an AR test?

Not if it is The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food

Why?

You’re a fifth grader.

It’s a fourth grade level.

Why have you waited until today to take a test?

The end of the quarter

Seems to creep up

On me and my students

***

Papers everywhere

Grades here and there

Comments and conduct

I wish you all good luck

Writing Club September 20, 2011

It’s official. I am starting a writer’s club this school year. For several years now I have wanted to conduct a writing club, but wasn’t sure how. This year I took the plunge and wrote the proposal! My principal is excited about this new endeavor at our school. The name of the club is The Spilling Ink Writer’s Club. I have the book Spilling Ink: A Young Writer’s Handbook and wanted to learn more, so I googled it. Guess what? The authors have a blog  with a plethora of writing information for young writers. This year we will use the book Spilling Ink. I have made buying the book optional. The club is for students in grades 4-8. My hope is that the students will come to enjoy being with a community of writers along with creative writing. Our first official meeting will be Wednesday, October 21. I can’t wait!

First Day Delights August 11, 2011

 

 

I love the first day of school

Freshly waxed floors

Welcoming classrooms

New shoes

Crisp uniforms

Happy smiles with contagious laughter

Hugs from previous students

Eager eyes wait in anticipation of the new year

Questions, questions, questions

Answers, answers, answers

CHANGE is Good ~ Right? June 16, 2011

Last Monday my principal called and left me a voice mail. I was intrigued by what she wanted to talk to me about. Thousands of thoughts passed through my mind — what does she want? Does she want me to teach computer? Is she finally going to ask me to teach 6th, 7th, and 8th grade English?

My heart pounded as I punched in her number. I really wasn’t sure what she was going to ask me. As the phone rang, my heart fluttered more and more. “Hello,” said the quite voice on the other end. “Sister, this is Andi returning your call.” Then it came. The question that I wasn’t expecting at all. “How would you like to teach 5th grade?” A long pause went by before I answered. “Oh, I am not so sure. I am going to need time to think about it.”

We ended the phone conversation and my mind was going 90 miles an hour. My first reaction was to tell her absolutely not. Why would I want to move down? I have been teaching 6th grade for 10 years. Why change when I have my routines set? Is this really something I want to do? Would I hate it? Would I love it? These were all the questions running through my mind – no let’s say sprinting through my mind.

Three days had past and I decided to call her and tell her that I wasn’t going to take the 5th grade position. I waited until 7:30p.m. to call her. “Sister, I don’t think I want to teach 5th grade. I don’t think I would like it.” Sister sounded disappointed, but at that moment I didn’t care. It was over. I made the decision. I’m staying in 6th grade.

“Not so fast!” my heart said. Something didn’t feel  right. My heart wasn’t settled. I kept pondering my decision. The clock’s minutes ticked away. I couldn’t sleep. My decision seemed to be haunting me. Of course I had to call my mom. I dialed her number hoping she would still be awake. I didn’t care that it was midnight. I needed my mom’s words of wisdom.

The next morning around 6:45 I called my principal. I changed my mind. I will be embarking on a new adventure this 2011 school year — 5th grade! I am ecstatic about my decision. My heart feels at peace and I’m ready for this new journey in my life. Who knew?

Environmental Issues May 3, 2011

As a SACS accredited school, we have to continuely work on our school. Each year we have plans that are implemented and this year we have the goal of addressing to students about global and environmental issues. I had no clue to how I was to go about this because I am not a science teacher. I decided to do some research and found a local website about recycling called Recycle Jackson. On this site was information on E-Waste and a video clip on the global impact of what goes on when countries don’t recycle. I had this information in the back of my mind because I knew I had to implement the goal before school let out in May.

Today I decided since I wasn’t going to get to see both of my sixth grade reading classes this week due to Music practice performances that I would give my students a quick eye opener. I quickly created a power point that had facts, pictures, and that video clip. I introduced it to my students and they were amazed at what landfills looked like and above all what goes on in other countries. I felt that it was a good lesson for the students to realize that our trash does affect others. Below is my power point that I showed my students.

Does What We Throw Away Affect Others

Student Thoughts on SOL April 10, 2011

Last week I graded all of my students’ SOLS. Yes, it was a tedious task, but I enjoyed reading each and every slice. I learned a lot about my students and what they liked to write about and what they didn’t like. Most of my students enjoyed the SOLs, but what they didn’t like was writing every day. Some thought that they didn’t have much to say when they did. Next year I will have to focus on modeling how the simplest things matter too. Along the way I scanned several students’ slices so that I can share with next year’s students.

 

This Wednesday I am going to celebrate with those students who sliced 31 entries with a pizza party. I’m also going to have a writing give away that day. I told them if they sliced 18 slices their name will be entered into the drawing once, 25 slices their name will be entered twice, and 31 slices their name will be entered three times. I can’t wait until Wednesday!

Bill Cosby April 5, 2011

I didn’t know what to expect. My husband turns left into the Civic Center parking lot. There are lines of people. The people weave throughout the parking lot and under the awning of the rather large building. I say to my husband, “We have to wait in line?” He goes to investigate. Luckily, we had table tickets which meant that we didn’t have to wait in that treacherous line. We proceed through the glass doors to the will-call booth. The lady hands us our tickets and we are shown where our table was located. As we enter the dimly lit gathering hall, we spot more lines! Lines for the cheese! Lines for the cupcakes! Lines for dinner! We have no choice, but to get in line. The line slowly dissipates and we finally load our plates of what is left to eat. If you are a vegetarian, it’s not your night because there is only beef to choose from. Strange selection I think. We scramble to find our table in the sea of tables and people.

My husband and I greet our table members and enjoy our beef dinner. The program begins promptly at 7:05 p.m. We are greeted by the president of Lambuth University. After he speaks, Bill Cosby is introduced! He tells of stories when he was fifteen. He makes crazy faces like he did on the Cosby Show and Jello commercials. He has the audience laughing the whole time. My mouth is still hurting from laughing so much. Tonight is definitely a night to remember!

Stacks of Slices April 3, 2011

Last night I graded my first stack of four writer’s notebooks. I too had them reflect on their journey. I was pleased to read that some of those students liked the challenge. Several students commented how they liked hearing their peers’ slices and several didn’t like it because the slice had to be on that day. In that class I had two students write all 31 slices – I was excited to see that they stuck it out. I have enjoyed reading all of their slices. Today I will grade another stack. I hope to get them all done by Tuesday.

I used the below rubric to get their grade on this challenge: (students were to write at least 18 slices – that’s how many days we were in school in March)

80 points for 18  half of page slices (approximately 4.4 pts each)

10 points for neat and legible

10 points for slices representing a sliver of their life not a diary or bed to bed entry (had a lot of those, but at least they wrote)

My Reflection from SOL April 1, 2011

I am sad that the month long SOL challenge has come to an end. Each day I enjoyed writing and couldn’t wait to get home and write. I only missed two days and on those two days I didn’t have internet access or I would have sliced. SOL challenged me – especially the words I chose to express my thoughts. It was like the slice chose me not the other way around. My classes also sliced. I found that the challenge pushed them with their writing. It challenged how they wrote their slice, which fascinates me the most. I am proud of my students for keeping up with this challenge. Those students who sliced all 31 days will receive a pizza party. I am also drawing a name for a writing package prize. Of course there were some students who hated this challenge, but we all dislike something. In the end I am proud of all my slicers! It was a great month! Thanks Two Writing Teachers!