Explain directions (for those auditory learners).....
List directions on whiteboard (for those visual learners).....
Make students repeat directions....out loud.....twice (to check that they understand)....
Begin activity.....
"Mrs. N, what does it mean 'trace?'"
"Mrs. N, what questions am I supposed to answer?"
"Mrs. N, when am I supposed to read the book?"
"Mrs. N, you didn't tell me I was supposed to read the book before I answered the questions!"
"Mrs. N, where am I supposed to put this?"
"Mrs. N, are we supposed to, like, use this hole punch to do this?"
"Mrs. N...."
"Mrs. N...."
Strong support for my belief that drinks, ice cream, and chocolate should be available at all times in the teacher's lounge.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Dusting off
When everything you do goes wrong, somehow....
When everything the experts tell you to do still doesn't work....
When you wonder if you're here to teach, or just to make sure children behave....
After you've gone home, dug a deep hole in the Psalms and curled up in there for awhile....
After you've decompressed in the bathtub (with ice cream)....
....and had a good cry....
You get up and ask for the strength to do this just one more day, knowing that it's in your own weakness that your Father makes you strong.
When everything the experts tell you to do still doesn't work....
When you wonder if you're here to teach, or just to make sure children behave....
After you've gone home, dug a deep hole in the Psalms and curled up in there for awhile....
After you've decompressed in the bathtub (with ice cream)....
....and had a good cry....
You get up and ask for the strength to do this just one more day, knowing that it's in your own weakness that your Father makes you strong.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Belief and Practice
Today I pulled out my writing conference notebook. This is where I take little notes on each of my students as a writer, what I've noticed they do well, and what writing skills and styles they still need my help with.
I believe that conferencing with each child is key to improving them as writers. I believe that writing can not be taught using whole group instruction alone, and I believe that in order to know which skills my students need, I, as a teacher, need to be very connected to what they're doing as writers. I need to know what they're writing about, how they're writing, and what they struggle with. And I can't do that without actually sitting down with them and chatting about their writing.
That's what I believe.
Then there's my actual practice: a semi-dusty conference notebook, where the last time I had a writing conference with a kid was October 9th. Yeesh. There's no excuse for that. None at all.
I believe that conferencing with each child is key to improving them as writers. I believe that writing can not be taught using whole group instruction alone, and I believe that in order to know which skills my students need, I, as a teacher, need to be very connected to what they're doing as writers. I need to know what they're writing about, how they're writing, and what they struggle with. And I can't do that without actually sitting down with them and chatting about their writing.
That's what I believe.
Then there's my actual practice: a semi-dusty conference notebook, where the last time I had a writing conference with a kid was October 9th. Yeesh. There's no excuse for that. None at all.
Monday, February 2, 2009
The End Result
You just don't know what the end result will be when you're eight and the doctor standing above you says, "I'm going to give you a shot, it's really going to hurt, but then nothing else I do will hurt," and then proceeds to give you an excruciatingly painful local anaesthetic in the head. You just can't see the end result of that action: a q-tip shoved up your nose and writing four days of sub plans.
I started feeling tired and achy last weekend. I've had fatigue before though, and gone to the doctor for nothing, so I got my tired body out of bed and shuffled to work on Monday morning. By noon I knew I was running a fever, so when Mr. N urged me again to go to the doctor, I agreed. Which is when they shoved the q-tip up my nose. Not pleasant. Not AT ALL pleasant. Ten minutes after the q-tip incident, the P.A. walked back in the room and cheerfully announced,
"Influenza! Looks like you won't be going anywhere for the rest of this week." Then she takes another look at my file. "But didn't you get a flu shot?" she asks.
No, no I did not get a flu shot, which is the end result of my experience as an eight year old. Since then, needles have been among my least favorite things on earth. Since then, I will avoid any needle that is not strictly required, including flu shots.
Which is why I was sitting in the doctor's office a week ago, recovering from a q-tip probe, mind spinning with, "WHY didn't I finish those emergency sub plans the first week of school? WHAT on earth will I have a sub do for four days? Can I leave an introduction to decimals with a sub? No, not a good idea. How many movies can I show in the next four days?"
In the end, of course, this was really a minor disaster...my kids are mostly unscathed and my health is improving. But I've learned my lesson. Next year, I brave the needle!
I started feeling tired and achy last weekend. I've had fatigue before though, and gone to the doctor for nothing, so I got my tired body out of bed and shuffled to work on Monday morning. By noon I knew I was running a fever, so when Mr. N urged me again to go to the doctor, I agreed. Which is when they shoved the q-tip up my nose. Not pleasant. Not AT ALL pleasant. Ten minutes after the q-tip incident, the P.A. walked back in the room and cheerfully announced,
"Influenza! Looks like you won't be going anywhere for the rest of this week." Then she takes another look at my file. "But didn't you get a flu shot?" she asks.
No, no I did not get a flu shot, which is the end result of my experience as an eight year old. Since then, needles have been among my least favorite things on earth. Since then, I will avoid any needle that is not strictly required, including flu shots.
Which is why I was sitting in the doctor's office a week ago, recovering from a q-tip probe, mind spinning with, "WHY didn't I finish those emergency sub plans the first week of school? WHAT on earth will I have a sub do for four days? Can I leave an introduction to decimals with a sub? No, not a good idea. How many movies can I show in the next four days?"
In the end, of course, this was really a minor disaster...my kids are mostly unscathed and my health is improving. But I've learned my lesson. Next year, I brave the needle!
Monday, January 19, 2009
Ick.
This lovely thought from one of my social studies students:
"Mrs. N! Can you just imagine if a horse had to use a litter box?!?!?"
"Mrs. N! Can you just imagine if a horse had to use a litter box?!?!?"
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