Quick Unloved Pics

This is a brief summary of our Valentine/poetry unit! I am always looking for a way to look at tasks from a different perspective, and when I saw this book, I knew what I wanted to do! The book, Vulture Verses, is a nod to all those animals that may not be feeling the love. So I researched the top unlovable animals and then typed them up for the students to pick. Some were super tough (like a tapeworm!) we then researched the animals and came up with positive attributes, which were then turned into a verse or two of rhyme. The resulting poem was then typed into a website which shaped it into a heart. The kids emailed me their finished product, then illustrated. So... Here are a few pics to help you see the hall display!

A Day in the Life... If you Dare

     For quite awhile, I have thought about doing this blog...chronicalling a day in my classroom. A typical day, nothing special. There are so many things asked of teachers, especially in the classroom. Don't get me wrong, I love my classroom, and I love doing my job. But the responsibilities have become more and more every year, and the overwhelming message I hear seems to be..."And I need this too..." As I reflect on this day, the only "Thank you" I heard was from a sweet kid whom I gave a notebook yesterday. I don't work for verbal praise or credit, but I just don't know that anyone knows the day of a classroom teacher... So here's the day in review...

 Arrive and startup computers...put up morning work (created the previous day)

Discuss troubleshooting of technological problem with co worker

Walk to office and check mailbox

Students arrive... Get a note from parent that needs to be dealt with 

Receive a screen cover that will reduce the refresh rate for a photo sensitive student

Struggle with the screen and take 15 minutes wrestling it back into box, while carrying conversations with students

Listen to who will be out, who was out, and who is out today-adjust and create make-up work

Take up field trip money

Receipt field trip money

Take up snack orders, fill out order, receipt money

Take up notes from parents

Remind students to turn in library books

Send library books

Take attendance, enter it into the computerized program

Write homework in planner for 5 students to help them with organization

Remind students to put up lunch choice

Tally lunch choice

Put lunch order form in hall

Reply to request from coworker concerning an ADHD checklist

All this is interspersed with student questions and redirection...

And now it is 8:30 and instruction can begin

Correct and check Daily Language Review... Discuss mistakes and why they need to be corrected

Explain small group assignments for differentiated instruction

Check for understanding then dismiss groups to begin work

Send one group out for computerized reading program, remind myself to print reports and review so I can adjust in the classroom

Send another group to work on same program with different teacher

Monitor other two groups in my room as they read, redirect, ask questions, show app that relates

Remember to separate a student ... Monitor all groups

Upon complete ion, send students back to seats to work on individual skills on iPads (I assigned these during my weekend) 

Fix iPads with no ConnectEd link on home screen

Monitor student usage

While monitoring, rehang anchor charts (for third time) in effort to make reading more visual because that was a personal goal this year

Check through make-up work assignments, remind a student to stay during speciality to complete test from last Friday

Students return from other classrooms, line everyone up, walk to library

Remind about hallway expectations

Hold the hand of a student (his choice) :)

Leave students, check in office

Get to classroom for my planning 9:15

Check emails

Reply to emails

Compose email about student absence

Remember to remind about fundraiser for school

Remember to remind about cancer fundraiser

Remember to remind about dance fundraiser (remember to get 80's dance stuff for my kid)

Make copies of answer key from yesterday's foldables... I made 6 for kids that were out

Search ideas on Pinterest for Greek and Latin roots anchor charts

Realize Pinterest images are no longer loading

Try on iPad

Reboot computer

Try Pinterest again

Email tech friend about Pinterest

Need to send in service request... Tomorrow

Get on phone, turn off wifi, research and find applicable charts 

Think about how much faster a kid would've figured out the system

Make anchor chart

Prepare phonics lesson

Load web based practice activity

Forget to go to bathroom, will have to wait until 12:30...

Remember to print reading goal progress...tomorrow

9:55 planning over...

Go get kids from library

Walk to classroom, remind they can use restroom, get water, and get morning snack

Teach phonics lesson, get feedback and input from kids

Google image for megaphone to be sure there is a frame of reference

Work with students in guided practice of applying root words to extract meaning

Transition to City of Ember small group read

Pass out guide for reading

Monitor and answer questions as students work on Chapter 4

Take pictures of students working, remember to upload files to school share drive for yearbook...tomorrow

 

10:45ish Social Studies

Sing review songs about the Civil War

Review prior lessons from Virginia Studies 7

Stop and put on jackets

Fire Drill...remember to take bag

Back in, refocus on Social Studies

Complete review on Civil War, Virginians roles, major battles, important leaders...and try to help student make connections for easier recall

Have students record answers (provided support from previously created files)

Repeat, assist, answer questions I am able to, encourage students to write questions for research in their new inquiry notebooks

Put away Social Studies binders

Stamp planners

Line up for switch, walk around room to straighten

Walk students to math/science, monitor hallway behavior

Receive second class-note absences to create make up work - it takes me between 15-30 minutes to create makeup work. I often have to send it with another student so I have to go find and hand off to them...other times parents will ask for assignments to be left in office. Sometimes they pick it up, sometimes not... And I always jump for joy when a student or parent asks if their child missed anything when they were out...

Begin while group instruction again...

DLR

Phonics

City of Ember

Fix iPads

Search for info on new student

Find book for new student

Fix pencil sharpener

Lunchtime... Line up students according to what they ordered...

Head to lunch 

Get kids situated in line

Tell coworker I am going to heat my lunch

Microwave soup and use the restroom for first time of the day... 

2:00 later take lunch to cafeteria to eat and monitor student behavior

Discover school cafeteria mascot, mentioned in email earlier

Discuss practicality of a mascot for the cafeteria and the effect on student behavior

Remember this also coincides with full moon...

Wonder how much the mascot job pays

Wonder how much the study that suggested a mascot for cafeteria food would increase food purchases cost

Shake my head

Talk with very upset student...he told someone they gave him a sore throat, they didn't care, they got angry...

Remember two students have silent lunch from prior day

Learn of issue of student with another teacher... Teacher was accused of mistreatment of kid by a kid who heard it (because they were in another classroom)

Ponder what would happen if teachers sued for slander

Ponder what is professional about enduring witch hunts...

Try to recall more pleasant conversations...like what is up with Bruce Jenner...

Allow an assortment of kids to go to restroom...remembering who's already gone and if there will be issues... Trying to remember is the student looked sick, or complained of feeling unwell...in case I need to recall for the nurse or parents

Settle another issue with student unhappy about another student's treatment of him

Lunch time is over!

Remind students to clean up around areas

Line up to go to room

Remind about hallway behavior

 

Afternoon class - Small groups - same lessons and practice as morning group

Readjust three students...groups are supposed to be flexible

Fix iPad

Reassign student

Social Studies...songs, review, remind, connections etc...

Allow time for research of inquiry questions... Robert E. Lee - the E stands for Edward, Ulysses S. Grant - S stands for Simpson... We're still researching cause of death for Stonewall Jackson  and a visual of his hand injury from the Battle of Bull Run

Stamp planners

Line up

Switch...remind about hallway behavior

Somewhere in there I....

Ask reading coach and principal about information on new student

Try to read info, but just don't have time and can't take it from office for long

Discuss behavior issue with principal

Receive feedback on situation with student

Agree to take a student with my daughter home then out to church (my husband did this) 

Take kids out for recess...

Remind those behind in reading goals to take a book to library

Walk with coteacher and coworker

Avoid molezilla's holes on field

Watch students

Discuss legislative session

Wonder what education will look like in another year

Discuss families while walking... We have a wellness plan where we try to keep active

Deal with behavior issue... Three kids with same name...frustrations boil over on kickball field...assign consequences, promote apologies, promote forgiveness

Come in 

Pack up

Pass out snack

Send back snack box

Told by a student she was supposed to be parent pickup

Miss call from secretary about bus note

Get reminded that I didn't send kid for bus note...

Get bag from office

Get bus notes, pass out

Straighten room

Line up kids for release

Release...monitor student behavior and time

Fix smart board files for tomorrow

Clear air with coworker

Go to wellness meeting

Commiserate about lack of snow with coworkers

Remind each other we've completed 110 days

Think about May

Think about weight :(

Think about how tired I am

Finish meeting

Gather stuff...including kids

Head home...and remember to go to the restroom once I get there

So there it all is... A normal day...

I don't write it to be a martyr or to suggest I work any harder than anyone else. I just want people to be aware of what it looks like when the rubber hits the road. Where lofty curricular ideas intersect with reality of hungry kids, struggling readers, and youthful exuberance. I feel like I am in a constant crossfire and expectations are unrealistic. I keep hearing new things that are being added to the overwhelming workload and how present performance is not good enough... This is not the message from a specific person, but the entity of the educational system of which I have chosen to be a part. Now I have to go remember what I forgot and look into studies for mascot teachers... And remind myself once again, I love my kids so I will stay the course and pray for wisdom, discernment, patience, and joy... And the ability to see what actually will matter in a year.