So There, Life!

Warning, the happy picture is probably the nicest thing about this posting.

There's something to be said for the innocent 3rd grader who shows everyone the bandaid on her middle digit.

Wednesday is my song and dance day; 4 tough classes back to back before lunch, throw in a few violent kids, a lack of aides to travel with them, and I'm exhausted by 4:00.

(Some of the following are real scenarios, and have happened to various teachers in my school. I have not named names.)

What do we do with the big kids who just say no to teachers? What do we do with the little ones who head butt teachers and bite aides and other students? At our school, apparently nothing. So I've taken to whispering instructions to these few. If they don't do it, the other kids will not see them not listening to me. So, the child and I are not in a power contest with each other.

One of the teacher unions sent a student discipline survey around for us to fill out. It mentioned the safe schools act of 1995. I wrote in, what happened to safe schools for teachers?

Just because one child has a right to the same education as everyone else, should not mean that he takes away everyone elses right to learn by bullying, biting, and, or distracting (like crawling on the floor waving a confederate flag, poking other children when they ignore him).

I have 30 years before I retire. Unless I consider a career change before that. I love my job too much now to think about that, but what happens when the honeymoon is over...

Bugs and school

So how is it that my friend Gina can post every single day since the beginning of school, and I'm lucky to post once a week?

I'm still overwhelmed with this new thing called "a job". Now, technically I know I started in january, but it's easier to jump in during the middle of the school year, as opposed to starting up a school year.

On the bug front, my house is a new haven to fruit flies (gnats), and I've just had my very first (drum roll please) case of "daughter bringing home head lice from school". Now I truely have been christened as a mother. Washer and Dryer, don't quit on me now!

Today's Picture Day at school. So I get to go have my picture taken with a freshly washed head smelling of lice shampoo.
"At least," my husband so kindly pointed out to me, "it's not a scratch and sniff picture."

You're in Charge

So when I get to school yesterday, I'm hearing jokes from the other teachers saying "you're in charge".

Huh?

Mr. Principal sent an email out to everyone: He won't be at school today, not even for the assembly, and the Art and Music teacher are in charge.

Art teacher has only been at the school for 3 weeks. I've only been there since January. (Thank goodness for Coach, our intercom announcer and calm head.)

I check my email and Mr. P wrote, "by the way, I've invited so and so. Make sure you introduce her and give her time to speak. Oh, and take pictures for the newsletter..."

Well, the entire assembly went ok. Really, the only chaos was in my head. "So and So" had time to speak. I delegated the picture taking responsibility. Trying to practice with Choir when I have 20 kindergarteners I'm supposed to be teaching at the same time isn't a bright idea. I could have strangled choir for being so loud when they shouldn't have been, and too quiet when they were supposed to be heard. But, it's done, thankgoodness.

Mr. P. showed up at 4:00 wanting to know how everything went. I said pictures are on your desk, next year let's have a quiet celebration in the classrooms.

He says, "Huh? Why don't you want to do it again next year?"

I say, "It's 4:00, I gotta go."

Constitution Day and Country Roads

So our school has to celebrate constitution day. Not a bad thing, but at a bad time of the year. I figured choir isn't doing anything constuctive this time of year anyway, so I put together a patriotic medley and said, here, sing this. Of course, living in the grand state of West Virginia, I decided to include Country Roads. It's not exactly patritoic, but I knew it was a song the kids would know. And, oh yes, did they ever know it! I finally shut up and quit singing it with them because they knew it better than me! After all, I did grow up in Pittsburgh, PA.

Lesson learned, don't try to teach the "nativer" their own songs. Just shut up and enjoy the music : )

Country Roads, take me home to the place I belong, West Virginia, Mountain Momma, take me home Country Roads....

I thought something Bitter Sweet would be more appropriate

You Are Mexican Food

Spicy yet dependable. You pull punches, but people still love you.

What Kind of Food Are You?

Alice's Adventures with Michael and Weird Al (or CMUS)

I needed a good laugh tonight and the heavens opened! Thank you YouTube for reaquainting me with Michael Jackson and Weird Al.

Michael's "Beat It"

Weird Al's "Eat It"


CMUS- I wanted to marry Michael Jackson when I grew up. I went to bed everynight listening to Thriller on my Walkman. Little did I know, eh?

hello from wonderland

At least I feel like Alice in Wonderland. A teacher's life has so many parallels to that wonderful story. I'm sure if I think about it, I could come up with some wonderful analogies....like the mad hatter class, or the kid, I mean queen, (or administrator) who says "off with her head". How about disappearing down the rabbit's hole?

Sorry for the long pause between posts. I'm just sticking my head above the water to take a breath.

Now I'm going to play catchup with everyone elses' blogs.

yea! long weekends!

Happy first of september everyone! It is so cool out this morning, I had to go back inside to change. (I'm a sissy). I have on the "workout" clothes that my husband bought me in hopes that I'd "Work out". Work out clothes are really great for bumming around in, they are so comfy.

My week at school ended well, much better than the beginning. I hope it's a good sign for the year. I'm supposed to be planning lessons right now, since I"m a social butterfly and run my mouth during my planning time.

I think I'll do a unit on cats in honor of Tubby. Tubby...I had such high hopes for her losing some weight when she came to us. I pictured a sleek, trim kitty, happy as a kitten. Unfortunately, Tubby's gotten even fatter, if possible. She really looks like a tadpole when viewed from above. Big brown blob with a skinny little tail.

I found out my 4 year old daughter feeds the cats everytime they give her their begging eyes.

So to tie the kitty lessons in with "journeys", I think I'll do the song about the kitty who went to london to visit the queen. The words are "pussy cat", but I decided a discreet change to Kitty cat would be better. And then we can go into the song about that naughty kitty cat who is fat because she's been sneaking the butter. I'll bring in a few pictures of Tubby. I think I'll make a cat puppet too.

I don't know, is it PC to talk about "fat cats" in school?

Perhaps my husband needs to buy the "work out" clothes for Tubby instead.