I need a break!

And happily it is coming this week. Friday is teacher work day, Monday and Tuesday is UEA. I am so excited. It has been a hard week. We had ribbon week and everyday there was something going on, and NOTHING got accomplished. So, I have to test like crazy this week so I have something to show parents as Parent Teacher conference comes up. I don't know what is going on though. I am struggling with getting my class to act as they are supposed to. Sometimes they think what they have to say is more important than what I have to say. I need to figure something out. I also have made a new seating chart, and it is kind of exciting. I think I might have gotten my students sitting by some one they haven't sat by yet. We will see what their response is on Monday when they are changing it.
I just need to figure out what is going on. I meet with my principal and mentor tomorrow. Not scary at all because they both LOVE me. So, I just have to go and get a quick boost. . . I really like the days I see my mentor. I really feel like I have someone on my side when that happens. I also have a class this week I am going to, I am excited for that. So, my week is kind of extra short. It will be nice. It is time to go to bed, I need to be ready for tomorrow.

Contract time? What is that?

Okay, here I sit, I was in at least 20 minutes before contract time began, and it is now 30 minutes after it ended. The other teachers in my grade were at a cummunity council meeting and I feel bad I want to leave. When I leave I will go home take at least two hours for myself, then I will go buy the fish tank I should have bought yesterday, go get baby food, and food coloring. Go home and read for Social Studies so I can explain about what we are learning. And go to bed to wake up and start all over again. I really do love my job. I just wish I had it in me to say, "No more, I'm done." And actually I do. I am leaving if anyone else has a problem with it, too bad for them. I need to go away for two hours and then work on school stuff. I am not gettign anything accomplished here.

Yelling. . . Voice Level

Sometimes I feel that all I do is talk on a yelling level. I know that it isn't good becuase the kids keep getting louder until they meet my level and it starts all over again. What is the definition of insainty? "Doing the samething over again expecting different results."
I enjoy my class and I am enjoying them even more now that I see them all day. But, I feel that some of the things I am doing aren't working. I walk past the other sixth grade classes and the classes are quietly working my class is working noisely. However, my class is actually having more fun than the other two classes. So, I guess it is a trade off. I would rather have my class enjoy school than dread it. But I want them to behave while they are here. I just need to keep working on it and see what happens.

Stress Level

Well, my stress level has kind of balanced. I thought this was going to be so hard. But in reality it is so much better for me and for the kids. I am not fighting with the other teachers about issues. I have more time. I've also spent a lot of time thinking about what I need to do to make things work the way I want them to work. Nothing has really changed. I can do this. I just need to keep my focus on the right thing, the kids.
Yesterday was kind of scary being up there and doing nothing but reading. . . I was bored the kids were bored, so today I tried to make it more learning on their own and not from the book. I hope the kids have enjoyed it. I also spent over $200 to get a classroom set of a book, so we can start reading it next week. Like I said it is going to be different than what the rest of the grade is doing. But, I am excited to see what happens in the next few weeks.
My class overall likes the change. I like the change. I am glad it was good for us.

Be Careful What You Wish For. . .

Okay so for the last few weeks, I've been wondering if I should just take my class all day and not rotate. Well, my wondering, musings, and wishes came true. I have my class all day. The teacher teaching reading doesn't feel like she can do it anymore. So, we are all taking reading, and that leaves me kind of high and dry. There are a lot of positives to it all. But there are negatives. I was just getting to know the other classes and now I don't have them anymore, well not as much as I'd like. I thought I would be so excited but now, I'm not. We'll see how it goes. A couple of positives, my discipline plan is the only one in effect. I know exactly what I have to do to get my students to behave. There isn't any, "Your class doesn't do that so I can't use that." It also frees up a lot of time for the extra things. I don't have to cater to others schedules. I'm kind of excited to see how it goes but also scared. Monday is going to be an interesting day.

Hip, Hip, Horray it is Wednesday!

I was talking to a friend who went through the program with me. She is in a different school district and her short day is Friday. I was telling her how much I LOVE short days on Wednesday. She told me she loves sending the kids away on Friday. But, if your short day is on Friday you've got to hang out until the contract time is over. The way mine works, I only have to hang out until all the kids leave on Friday. But, a short day on Wednesday is like a break. I love the fact that I can be having a horrible week and then it is Wednesday the kids leave early it is like a fresh start when they come back on Thursday. Then two days later is the weekend and it is another fresh start. It gives me the added boost I need every week.
Yesterday my district mentor came in. It was so good to see her. She comes in once a week and sometimes it isn't enough. I love having that little extra support once a week. She sat in my lesson on continents which was really the kids sharing things they had found out on all the different continents. Then the two of us talked for about a half and hour. I needed it a ton. There is just so much going on in my classroom, and life right now, I just need that boost.
The fun thing, in math yesterday we were getting ready for the test today. And I played my review game. I divide the class into six groups and I give them a math problem and then they race to see who can answer first etc. The winning team got a treat yesterday. While we were playing the principal came in to talk to one of the boys in my class. After he was finished he just sat in for a second and watched what was happening. The whole time the resource teacher and I were just sitting in the back laughing at how the kids set it up. One problem I did was 22x2x0. . . one kid started on the 22x2 and was going to do the 0 later. . . some of the kids got it quickly the answer is 0. It was a fun activity and it works so well with them all.
Now, I've got to get that planning finished before I can play tonight. I love Wednesdays!

Next time I will. . .

Complete the sentence above. I do everyday. Today it is, "Next time I will take the sub for a full day." Or, "Next time I wont wait as long to punish or reward my class." Or, "Next time I wont feel guilty when my students don't understand a concept because they were talking."
I think I have said it before. It is hard being the new, young, "fun", teacher. I don't want to be that teacher everyday. I want my students to take me seriously. I know I have faults and one of the biggest ones is the fact I can be distracted. The other is I am a kid at heart. Just ask my roommate who saw me cuddling a Cabbage Patch Kid, and a Build-a-Bear animal last night. I don't know what to do. I am at a loss.
We were going through long division and multiplication of two digit or more factors. I was having kids go through step-by-step what they were doing, and explaining why they carried, etc. The process was great. I was liking how things turned out. Then a few kids in the back corner ruined it for everyone by talking when I had asked them not to for the tenth plus time. So, I gave them the math book page instead of the workbook page. And I gave them 49 problems. Then they worked so well I cut it down to 38 problems. I hate using assignments that way. However my justification is the fact I wasn't sure which assignment I was going to give them, so they chose for themselves.
I want my kids to take me seriously. Sometimes I watch a few of the kids laughing to their friends when I say something. I guess it is because I am a little uncertain about what I am doing but I feel that they are laughing at me. grrr. I just wish I really had it all together. I don't and I hate it. I wish I could be the seasoned teacher who doesn't need to prove anything to anyone.