Rockets, and Thanksgiving

Yesterday was so much fun. We had a Jr. Engineering fair at the school during they day. The teachers got to pick what they taught and then they had activities for the lesson. I picked rockets. I taught the kids about air pressure and how the rockets work. Then they built rockets with pop bottles. We launched rockets after that. It was so much fun! I had a headache by the end of the day, but it was a blast, literally. I would do it again, maybe not tomorrow, but next year I am all for it again. The other thing, next week. . . three days off of school. I am so ready for the break. I feel like I am burning out a bit. I also feel like I do the samething everyday. Next week, I will be gone half day on Monday to see some other teachers teach and on we are finished with school for the week on Wednesday. I can have some fun and relax for a couple of days. My whole family will be together for Thanksgiving and I am excited to see them all on Thursday. It is the first time everyone has been together for Thanksgiving in six years at least that is my calculations. . . It might be longer than that. I get to play with my family for three days. I'm very excited. Here are pictures and video of the rocket launch:

My First Parent Teacher Conference

Well, this week was a lot of fun. I had Parent Teacher Conference. It was really nice to meet some parents I didn't know, and to be able to talk to my students one on one a little bit. There weren't too many problems, just a couple of parents I wasn't prepared for what they had to say, but I let them know I have their child's best interests in mind and they calmed down quickly. I think the best part of this week is today. No conferences and my students left two hours early. I should be planning something, but I haven't.
Over all things are going great. I had a good talk with my principal today about things, and it was nice to do that. I like the fact I get along with my principal. It is nice to have that support.
My kids have been tough this week. They want things their way and it isn't how it is supposed to be. But, at PTCs I told the main ones they needed to shape up or they would loose an opportunity they got. And in the past two days my class is so much better, I can teach and not have to stop every five minutes just to get them ready to learn. Hopefully this will keep up. I was also able to have some fun with them today, and that makes everything better. I love what I do, and I love the kids I work with. I am so glad this is what I have chosen to do with my life.

Changes. . .

New quarter, new things coming. In my determination to become a better teacher, I am changing the way I do some of the things in my classroom. Right now my class is buzzing with the thought of "banana bucks" or "Duncan dollars" which ever I choose. They are also designing them. I'm such a nice teacher. I've also been working really hard on getting a new vocabulary program started in my class. I worked for ten hours on my prep day, and yesterday I was here until 5:30 and the Janitor kicked me out. So, today I am thinking of those blasted vocabulary books that need to be finished, and my sanity. Which do I value more. I think I am choosing the vocabulary books over my sanity. Only because they should be done by Monday so we can start using them, and my sanity I have a lifetime to gain back. I also have about another ten billion things to do.
Parent teacher conference starts next week. Exciting and scary at the same time. I just had the first one. By my last conference I should be a pro. I've been learning more and more the only way I will grow and learn what I am supposed to do is to do it. I would love to hide in a hole next week, but it won't help me when it comes down to it all. I just keep thinking, what do these parents think when they see me as a teacher? Is it just they trust that I really know what I am doing? Or do they wonder what the 18 year old is doing teaching their kid? If it was me, I would probably be worried about the very young looking teacher teaching. However, I have paid my dues, I am not as young as I look, and I think and hope they all know, I am a first year teacher.
The other thing. Even though my class talks non-stop sometimes. . . and I have to get mad, and strict. I look out at them and just think, "I couldn't be in a better place right now. I couldn't be doing anything better with my life at this moment. I have some of the best kids." I really do, I am very grateful for it all.