The Typical Teacher

First Day of School

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 22:42:00 -0400

Everything went picture perfect and my new students are super cute! The best part of this year is the small class sizes we are having :) I started with 22 students and two have already withdrawn…I only have 20 students in a 4th grade classroom which is pretty rare.

I love it! It will make class management so much easier!

The Night Before

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 00:47:00 -0400

Tomorrow’s the first day of school and as usual, I can’t sleep. First day jitters?

I’m so afraid I’ll miss my alarm and oversleep…or all these disasters will occur when the kids are present! I have to make sure I’m boss with everything I do, yet still keep a positive and safe atmosphere…there’s just so much to think about!

AHHHH GO TO SLEEP, MIND!

Open House & Grandparent Assumption

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:59:00 -0400

Well, Classroom Setup Day 4 is over! I cannot even explain how exhausted I am. I just took two Tylenol because I had no Dayquil, since I may be getting sick out of exhaustion, and it was hard to wake up since my legs were so sore from all the labor all week. People don’t realize how much physical energy is required setting up a classroom (especially if you’ve moved classrooms!) This is my third classroom for my third year teaching this year and I have a feeling we’ll be moving again next year. I think it’s gonna be crazy easy when I have the same classroom two years in a row!

We had open house today, where the students and parents come in to meet the teacher and see the classroom. Normally, I stress out, but this year I made sure to take it easy and do a little more than my version of the bare minimum. My classroom is colorful and pretty, even though not everything is up yet…and although it’s not “perfect” for Open House in my standards, it’s a lot better than what other people have done to their classrooms. I don’t know why everyone else’s classrooms suck so bad. I’d like some better rivalry! Don’t these teachers know we’re all competing?

The parents seem pretty normal so far. No one strikes me as crazy and of course I put on my “I’m the energetic, friendly, positive, happy elementary school teacher who loves glitter!” face. Actually, a student’s grandmother asked if I took a Valium because I was “so smiley” and “couldn’t stop smiling”. I actually was genuinely excited, and was trying to get my personality to distract parents away from the few unpacked boxes lingering behind my desk.

My future students were extra super cute! I love the fourth grade. They are at such a perfect age because they are still so kid-like (meaning they don’t have the attitude adolescents have), yet they are so much more independent and more fun to talk to than those Kindergartner or First Grade Squeaks who make up nonsense knock knock jokes. My 4th graders can actually tell me FUNNY jokes!

And now for the worst part: One of my students walked in with his mother and grandmother, and another man who I assumed was the grandfather. You are not supposed to assume people’s relationships! I don’t know what I was thinking, but somehow I blurted out “So, are you a grandparent?” and he politely, with a smile, told me he was the uncle. THE UNCLE!! And then I took a closer look at him and realized OMG, HE’S SO YOUNG. What kind of a person asks someone if they’re a grandparent?! Well, that would be me! I was so embarrassed and started uncontrollably talking about….something I don’t remember. He’ll always remember me as the stupid, ditzy, air headed elementary school teacher in her la-la crayon world.

Anyways, let’s end on a positive note. A mom said I looked too young to be a teacher, another mom said I was beautiful, another mom said the room looked great, most people smiled around at the classroom, and overall I think everyone liked me. What, you think this sounds like the writing of a freshman in high school? It’s true- I think everyone, parents and kids, all liked me! :)

Classroom Setup Day 2

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:48:59 -0400

My classroom is becoming messier as I set up, but it’s getting more organized in my head.

There’s a vision of a colorful, interactive, functional classroom in my head and I can seriously see it. If you walked into my classroom right now, you would wonder what kind of teacher keeps her stuff out in the open everywhere, from boxes to crayons to books to paperclips! But, I can’t clean without the mess because I clean and organize from the inside out.

Just wait. It’ll look great. Might drive me crazy, cuz I’m working so late.

Also, there are some teachers already almost done with their classrooms and their rooms aren’t even pretty. I know I shouldn’t be judgmental or competitive, but honestly, sometimes I wonder how these teachers can be satisfied with their rooms looking that mundane for an elementary school setting. Where’s the color and the cuteness? Even fourth graders loves rainbows and monsters and smiley faces!

Tylenol

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 00:10:00 -0400

I thought my first day of work went great until a minor headache started getting worse and by the hour. Sigh, I guess I can’t wait to organize all my supplies and materials in my classroom tomorrow.

What kind of a teacher sleeps the night before his/her first day...

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 00:19:00 -0400

What kind of a teacher sleeps the night before his/her first day of work? How many desks should I put in each group for my tables? I don’t want rows, right? What am I going to do with the bulletin boards? What do I need to photocopy and laminate? Where am I going to put everything since there’s hardly any storage in my new classroom? ETC.

2012-2013: Happy New Year

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:35:00 -0400

You know it. For us teachers, the real year starts at the end of summer. That’s when we really make our resolutions and buy a whole new wardrobe. Yes, I suppose the same goes for students, too, but this is more important for us since our bank accounts hit an all-time low!

I haven’t written since May because life just threw me on a speedsicle and away I went. June came quickly and I wrapped up the year not with peace and satisfying fulfillment, but with anger and stress as our administrators made us move rooms for no sane reason. Seriously, no sane reason. They made 11 teachers move their classroom in an effort to drive us crazy and not have the time to tell them how much they sucked. I’m only semi-over that, because this late August, I’ll be going back to unpacking that hell of a mess.

Anyways, about that new years resolution…last year, I was so motivated to do everything right and picture perfect. This year, I’m going to be more realistic and hope that I can do the bare minimum in terms of stressing myself out at the nitpicky details, but enjoy my time with my students and try to take them to a land of curiosity and inspiration. Hopefully, I can be super creative and hands-on in my lessons and activities, but keep the planning practical enough to have adequate time for Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl, and 30 Rock! Also, I’m not volunteering for any of that extra social committee or whatever crap. I thought it would do me good to be more involved with the staff, but have realized it’s just a waste of time. Classroom first, and classroom second!

There are so many changes this year, from classrooms (as happily mentioned above), to new coworkers…the changes in current staff positions, schedules, curriculum, etc…The new year really is a *different* year each time. I’m actually kind of excited for that little bit of spice…the adrenalin rush of the unknown and the new trials with a set of children whose last year’s notorious reputations will hopefully turn out to be untrue.

I start teacher-preparation-preservice week in two days and I have done absolutely nothing in terms of planning or classroom decorating. I will survive by putting on a fabulous show in front of my kids and my classroom will probably be more colorful and neater than the others who I secretly compete with. They don’t know all my hidden files are a mess and so is my brain. I have to make sure that the first few days of school go smoothly by making sure my hair and makeup is flawless and my students have already learned to be in a straight, solider-like line. The rest shall fall into place.

Here we go again, a typical year in the life of the typical teacher.

world-shaker: Everyone is a reader… Some just haven’t found...

Wed, 02 May 2012 17:13:40 -0400

world-shaker:

Everyone is a reader…

Some just haven’t found their favorite book yet.

May SIGH

Wed, 02 May 2012 17:09:12 -0400

I can’t believe it’s May! I don’t wanna lose my kids and my awesome class. I just want it to stay the same. I want everything to freeze.

SLOW DOWN, MAY! Go slow, slow, slow!

thatfunnyblog: Wanna LAUGH OUT LOUD?! Follow this blog.

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:20:51 -0400

thatfunnyblog:

Wanna LAUGH OUT LOUD?! Follow this blog.

Oooh, Bad Teacher!

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:13:19 -0400

Remember I told you about that “bad kid” in my class? The one and only child that drives me wild! Well, he’s progressed a lot this year, so I should start calling him the “Getting Better Kid”…even though labeling children is completely immoral in this profession.

The Getting-Better-Kid hasn’t had a one-on-one repercussion with me in a while. So today, I let him have it!

He can be very immature for a 4th grader. He decided that his partner (who stuck his tongue out at him) was no longer being helpful and he decided to cry. One of my usual tattletales told me he was crying, but I ignored it in hopes that he would get back to work soon. (I also didn’t wanna deal with his immature reaction of crying, which is so hypocritical, I know, beacause I’m a girl and I cry about stupid stuff all the time).

He left his grumpy face on and rested his cheek on his hand so that his right cheek was all smushed up in his eye like a chink (and he’s uhhh, actually East Asian so I’m really doin the labeling thing here).

Here are some very bad things I did/said:

“This is what you look like right now.” (Threw my face onto my hand, elbow on the desk, and then smushed my cheek up into my eye. I also pouted out my lips all grumpy and ugly and exaggerated his dramatic pose)
“Stick your tongue out at me.” I replayed the event and made his partner stick his tongue at me so I could show him what he looked like (again).
I let the other kids snicker/giggle about it.
Worse, I even reacted to the other students giggling and said “This looks funny, right?” When the Getting-Better-Kid said in defense that it’s not funny, I said “YES, actually this DOES look very funny. That’s why people are laughing! Even (insert boy’s name with Autism) thinks its funny!”
Made him tell me other options of what he could do instead of putting on a Mr. Grump face. When he said “nothing,” I called other students to tell me and then I actually SNAPPED MY FINGERS IN FRONT OF HIS EYES because he wasn’t even listening.
I made him repeat “I will not cry when I get stuck on a math problem.”
I threatened him with “If I EVER see you crying about a math problem, you will be writing ‘I will not cry when I get stuck on a math problem’ 50 times on paper” (I was picturing Bart Simpson at the chalkboard in my head at this time & giggled in my head, too).
“I am a 4th grade teacher. I don’t like Kindergartners. They cry too much and I don’t like crying students. You are in 4th grade so act like a 4th grader, not a Kindergartner.”
I later made a reference to this being 1st grader behavior.
I wasted 10 minutes of what could have been good quality instructional math time.
AND THE PART THAT I’M ASHAMED OF THE MOST….an hour later, someone else complained that the Getting-Better-Kid called him a baby. I said to the Getting-Better-Kid, “YOU called him a baby? Weren’t you the one crying in math today?” (OH, SNAAAAAAAAPPPP)

Let’s face it. Sometimes we teachers don’t make good decisions after all. Not when we’re pissed or in the heat of the moment. And although that may go for all professions out there - we’re the ones who can’t risk it the most. Not in front of these children - we can’t do that and we know it. But once in a while, let’s be totally real now: it happens.

Although I thought it was annoying at first and funny when I told my coworkers, I now can finally say it was a bad couple of moves. Tomorrow I promise to give this child LOTS of encouragement, praise, and I won’t exaggerate and mimic him in an intentional effort to embarrass him!

Popsicle Dad!

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:42:43 -0400

Since it was hot, one of my student’s dad brought in Popsicles for our class today!

It was awesome. He happens to be one of those great parents that teachers love, the kind that always donates tissue boxes and antibacterial hand sanitizer. He volunteers for field trips and parties and sends notes in about his kid. He’s involved, but not psycho involved. He asks questions, but not in a way to criticize the teacher.

Love those few people out there that are the PERFECT class parents!

It's Been A While

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:10:25 -0400

When Spring Break rolled around, I got into DO-NOTHING-THAT-REQUIRES-MY-BRAIN mode, so I never blogged. It’s a very well-deserved and necessary break for teachers. We are so burnt out by Spring that if we didn’t have a week off, these children would be in serious danger of loopy teachers for the rest of the year!

I don’t know how we do it, honestly. Fast paced days of spontaneous kids and their problems. All my non-teachers friends say “Oh, wow, I wish I had a whole week off…” and then I punch them back with this: “Well, I get paid one-third of your salary.” Like, seriously, shut up. And don’t start talking about my summers off. They’re unpaid, too!

Anyways, I got back in the swing of things after my rejuvenating and super-spoil-myself Spring Break. My classroom is neat and clean. All my worksheets are copied ahead of time. And my daily checklists have been less than 5 bullets long!

A few more weeks to go this school year. Like I’ve said many times before, I love my class this year and I’m sad to see them go. I wish I could freeze this time and have this class/routine forever.

Next year is already in the air…the talk of shuffling around teachers and the sad news of the positions that have been cut. I hope everything works out for the best and I don’t get stuck with some idiot teammate next year! I’ve heard I’m teaching 4th grade again next year (yay!), but I hope that doesn’t change. It seems like we have no voice in this matter under our current administration - which should actually be called dictatorship. (Unbelievable, right? I wouldn’t be surprised if millions of public schools all over our Democratic U.S. have this scenario!)

It’s been such a great year. I need to savor every moment of my current dream students!

The Perfectolio

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 20:05:14 -0400

I have to do this dumb portfolio.

It basically showcases a few things I’ve done this year and how it fits into our county’s standards.

It’s supposed to be simple, with a few artifacts. But of course, I have to take it over the top and make sure everything is color coded and organized in page protectors in a binder. They tell us to keep it simple. How can I condense all the amazing things my students have done in the small little accordion folder they gave us?!

It’s overwhelming if I think about all the things I have, from photos to student work to rubrics! The after-school committees, the endless meetings, the use of technology!

I just need to do it as minimal as I can…and not care…ugh, I wish I didn’t care!

But like most teachers, we are perfectionists and we are detail oriented. We care about the colors and the pretty, cute little fonts and clipart. We love everything in page protectors and we never do the bare minimum. Everything has to be colorful and beautiful - and let’s face it - it has to be the best.

Teaching is still a female world, so let’s not forget about the subtle competition. Last week, I had another female coworker call me an “overachiever” to my face. Sure, she said it jokingly about my students’ beautiful (better) posters, but the tone of that word did not sound friendly at all. Overachiever.

I, like many other fellow teachers, work more than hard in our classrooms. And late night at home. We have the scissors that cut edges into fancy designs and we are up to date with the latest apps/programs for the kids. There’s no way only one of us is overachieving - that’s just part of our job description! And yes, there are some (SERIOUSLY) crappy teachers out there, but that doesn’t make the average teacher an overachiever, right?

Everyone should step up their game a little. I’m noticing less creative bulletin boards and more chit-chat in the staff lounge these days. Don’t worry, I’m not going to be the brat who actually suggests that to anyone.

Let’s do this portfolio as quickly and perfectly as I can now.

*LIGHT BULB MOMENT* Maybe I should practically switch to that e-portfolio n PowerPoint instead of the binder. I have done one in grad school before…hmm…

1 More Test Day

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:16:23 -0400

Tomorrow’s my last day testing the brains out of my fourth graders!

State standardized tests are a drag, but I’m so glad we’re done cramming for them. We can finally go back into normal teaching mode, at a normal pace, with actual room to be creative. The pressure of time can drive a teacher bananas-especially when we’re teaching to a test!

The only good thing about testing:

*No planning!!!* We’re testing all morning & either playing movies or doing other fun activities in the afternoon! :) We worked on creating nonfiction board games and had extra recess!

The very bad thing about testing (besides the kids having to suffer through the long, mundane test) is that the kids go crazy. Testing, schedule changes, no specials, etc. devours their control of their own energy. I hear fidgety desks all day and start to sense the “ahhh! let’s run around!” mentality.

One more day! :D

Hey Girl

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:07:58 -0500

It’s Friday night and I feel like such an accomplished, acknowledged, and satisfied teacher. Why? Because I just went through this entire page: http://heygirlteacher.tumblr.com/

Test Cram

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:39:35 -0500

All we’re doing is cramming for this standardized state test coming up. That’s all we’ve been doing for a month. Actually, we started talking about this test and preparing weekly since the beginning of the school year.

The only reason we’re one of the top 5 counties in the USA is because of how much test cramming we do and the pressure we put on this stupid test. Why do 8-10 year olds need to be tested at such a rigorous and insane level?

These poor kids. And these poor teachers!

Is it worth it?

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 19:58:00 -0500

No matter how many after-hours I put in, or the amount of hair I pull out…it’s true. I love my kids and will continue to let them boil my blood each day (or on some days, each hour).

In the end, these little guys care so genuinely about their teacher. Nothing is fake, nothing is sugar-coated. Their affection and kind words always mean so much. Every little note or card on my desk (we teachers get tons!) is always so meaningful. And I especially love the stapled or taped together hand-made envelopes!

Yes, the grading, yes the emotional roller coasters we go through each day - but is it worth it? Let’s be honest. On most days, we teachers say no. We’re underpaid and exhausted, so definitely no.

But once in a while, a rare and powerful type of peace appears and runs through our beat up souls…and then we think yes.

The Sunday Night SuckFest

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:09:53 -0500

Fun weekend, fun fun fun! Weeeeeeeeeee!

Until you realize it’s Sunday night. Time to pull out that lesson planner…refresh on what needs to be done for tomorrow…and stay up all night thinking about it.

Class Discussions Today

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:32:25 -0500

After some hardcore, mentally challenging, & muscle-numbing testing, we took a break in class today.

First we talked about the importance of standardized testing and why we should try our best. This led to a question if the president would see our tests (of COURSE I said yes!)

Next, we talked about SOPA since so many students were confused about what it meant and why it kept popping on their screens at home.

This led into the conversation of “piracy” and how major labels were going to stop creating music CDs. The kids were blown away, because in their type of neighborhood, most of my kids have “boom boxes”, not iPods. This reminds me of the girl who came in with boots taped up with packing tape (but, Mrs. X, they have holes in them so I have to!)…

And then I was randomly (well, randomly to me, obviously not to this student) asked the question if I was going to adopt any babies or have my own. I said I would like to have my own. The female student said “I’m going to adopt my kids.” I said “that’s good,” thinking she would further explain how there were so many poor, lonely kids in the world. But she told me how she saw on tv…a woman who had to get a giant shot in her back when having a baby. And then the conversation continued…pregnancies, teenagers they KNOW with babies, and so on (yup, that’s 4th grade)! And obviously they know where babies come from. That’s why they didn’t ask!

Not a bad day. Definitely not as bad as the day we spent an hour talking about animal cruelty. Don’t worry, I brought those sad puppy eyes to a heartwarming end with the famous “Christian the Lion” video.

Can’t wait to hear what they have to say and ask tomorrow!