Trying to Keep my Promise

There is so much I want to say, but so much I don't feel I can say because I made a promise that I wouldn't use this blog to complain about my team or students. Just school life is very difficult right now.
I am at a point I don't know what I should do. I've talked to my principal last week and if a different position opens up in the next few months I will be considered for it. Honestly, I really want to teach 6th grade again. I could do a better job of it next year. But, I won't leave schools because I have the best principal ever, so if the choice came down to continue working with the cruddy team or leave my school. I choose the cruddy team. But if it came down to getting away from the team or the cruddy team. . . I don't know what I will do.
Positive I have made friends with one of the kindergarten teachers. It is so great to have someone to talk to everyday. Someone who understands where I am coming from and can help me with not feeling too horrible. Also, someone who I can count the days down with and not feel like I am breaking my, "You still have month, you've got to keep going." By the way one month tomorrow and we are done with school. I will no longer be a first year teacher. I keep looking forward to that, because I will actually be able to teach my class everything in a timely manner. I will be completely honest, Math I am so behind, I'll be pushing my class to get it done in the next few days. Science, we just finished, but they still have some gaps. But at least we have a week to review. Oh well, I guess they will just do their best, and that is all I can hope for.

Ruined Lunch and NCTM

Well, we the sixth grade teachers finally did it. We held to our threats of seven months and the kids had to eat in the classroom today absolutely quiet, and I had to be in there to monitor. I was mad. Lunch is no fun in the classroom with twenty-five kids who aren't supposed to talk. Then we didn't have recess, so I started right into math which was good, because we were able to get things done before the assembly.
However, last minute decision has me going to the National Council of Teachers of Math confrence in Salt Lake on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I'm excited. It means I will be away from the kids all day for TWO days. But, it also means I have to come up with sub plans, and all that fun stuff. Oh well, I am looking forward to it. I will tell you how it goes.

Go Fly A Kite!

And I did. It was kind of fun today to sit outside for a few minutes and just enjoy myself at school. I think the kids don't know what to think about me most of the time. It is what I get for being who I am with the personality I have. Other fun things for the day we did planets to scale today. The kids were kind of amazed when they looked back and noticed how far away everything was. I think next year there will be some changes in the activity. I'm sure I will come up with them.
I had my last observation for the year. YEA! It is finished. I had my principal observe me during center time. And he loved it. I proved that you can do centers in a 6th grade classroom. I have to say centers and Reading are my favorite time of the day. My kids work independently and I get a chance to have some one-on-one time with the kids of my class. I am glad my principal liked what he saw and he didn't think that it was a bad thing.
I think that is all about my life right now. We only have 7 weeks before this year is done. I am kind of sad and kind of excited at the same time. It has been a fun ride. I am just grateful I will never have to do my first year of teaching again.

Frustration

At least my frustration is coming from oneside today or this week instead of twenty. My team, I keep wondering about the smarts I had to sign up to work with them again next year. They do a behavior reward one day a quarter, as of right now I don't know that it is happening today. Oh wait, I should say as of right now I don't know that they are in the middle of it. No one ever told me. I need to say something I know, but I don't really want to. I am sick of the fight. Next year I think I am going to do it all on my own. I can't deal with them and having the same issues coming up again and again.
In all honesty I look up to these two teachers, they know their stuff. I just don't like the fact that I feel like I am in Jr. High or Elementary where three friends can't handle playing together. I want to work with them. It was never my intention to not work well with them. I also would like to learn things from them. They really are great teachers and they can teach me so much, but they won't.
Okay I am going to stop complaining about them. And end on a positive note, my class, except for the talking thing, they are doing so well, they are almost half way to the points they need for the party. It is absolutly wonderful. I have to say that I have the best class ever! And I am so happy they are my class.

Field Trip Day

We have a field trip today. Along with that it is the first day of Spring, and we are going on Spring Break tomorrow. YEA! I finally get a break and I am so excited.
Tomorrow is a teacher work day, and I am going to get rid of some of the stuff I was left by the teacher before me. I don't want or need a lot of it. I did find some gems yesterday though. Compasses and protractors. I wish I would have known where they were two months ago.
Other than that things are moving forward. I finally got the courage to tell my team that I was clueless about the going on's around here. I think it will be better for me in the long run. I haven't cried recently, I wanted to on Friday than I just reminded myself to make it through the rest of the week and I get three days without students.
I was talking to a parent yesterday the child is failing and the mom doesn't want her to fail because the dad it seems is abusive and he will freak out if the child fails. Honestly I don't know what to think about it all. I really could careless if the child fails. What I care about is that the child learns the skills they need to make it in seventh grade. My principal keeps reminding me about the fact that grades are disposed of after 6th grade. They really don't care until they get into 9th grade. So, my thought make the dad happy and give the student all passing grades. Then help the kid get more organized so they can succeed during the other school years. The mom doesn't really agree with that plan she wants the girl to do all the work she is missing so she can not fail this quarter. I say right now, bag the grades for the kid. Give the fake grades to the dad. Get the kid some study skills and try for a better 4th quarter.
It is now March 22, 2008. As I was preparing grades yesterday I realized I had a lot of students failing. The reason, absences. I wish my students understood what being absent had done to them. Not only in not getting homework turned in, but in giving them the skills they need for other concepts. It is hard to see it. I did make sure the one student was getting D's in everything. . .I am going to talk to her personally on Monday, and see if we can light a fire for this semester. The others I want the parents to see what 15 or even 5 absences does to their child. I know the kids have been really sick and all that, but what about the fact they aren't turning in the work or they don't care to when they come back. It is hard to see a straight A student go to F's in two quarters. As I wrote that I realized how worried I should be. So, I am going to talk to this kid and to their parents and see what I can do to help. This job has so many ups and downs it is incredible. It also has its amazing rewards. I am so grateful this is my job.

Things that roll:

Correcting papers from my lovely students. The question was write words associated with the topic of things that roll here are some of my favorites:
eyes, dice, yo-yo, dough, clay, me (the student, not me. . . even though I have on occasion), humans, and anything spherical.
Yeah, there are the smart-alec comments and the really thoughtful ones too. But they were funny and they made my day. So, I thought I would share.

Hmmmm. . .

I cried in my classroom today.

Not a good sign.

2 months, I hope I can make it.