I feel like these weekend updates are becoming the norm around here. Truth to tell, sometimes my weekends are the only two days of the week that feel normal. I'm sure that will change, but for now I'm doing good to come in and make dinner and get the dishes cleaned up (having a dishwasher makes that so much easier!) so coming in and blogging just hasn't happened...yet.
This week was my first week to be a switcher teacher. I just made that term up, but it basically means that I only teach the language arts (the reading, writing, and God help all the children...spelling) and social studies. My partner teaches math and science. It works pretty well I think. While I did it the last two years, I didn't really enjoy the math/science part so I'm very happy to be doing the LA part. The planning is easier and I really feel like I can sink my teeth into topics rather than skimming because I've got two other subjects to prep for too. So, everyone understands...the material I love.
The switching...it is taking some getting used to on my part. We have a homeroom which is basically just a gab fest. I have work for the kids to do, but everyone is coming in at odd times and everyone needs to show me something or tell me something. Truthfully, I use it too as an extra 35 minutes of prep too. At 8:30 the switch begins. I receive my AM class. They are the AG (above grade...basically means we'll review 2nd grade material for a few weeks and then move on to 3rd grade material for the rest of the year) kiddos. They are what I've always been used to teaching. They raise their hands, they participate, they actually work, and they are behaved. My mornings run smooth.
The PM...I suppose the best way to say this is that those kids will challenge me as a teacher. They will challenge me to find a way to reach them. They will challenge me to put into action my classroom management style that before has always just been a "this is how it is and you won't challenge it" kind of system. They will challenge me to find a way to make the required material fun and interesting. They will challenge me to want to come back and face them again tomorrow.
I've hit my first "shock and awe" class. In the relatively short time I've been teaching, I've finally run into that class that you just don't get. At first, I was a little shocked that my usual manner of teaching wasn't working. After the AM kids, I was thinking this would be a breeze. I was so wrong. Next came the pissed off stage. I was pissed that these kids had absolutely no respect for me and what I was trying to do for them. I know respect is earned and I guess I've never had to work so hard for it. When it comes (and it has to come right?) I know I'll appreciate it all the more and work to keep it. But now, I'm sort of resigned. These are my kids. I'm trying really hard not to feel like they are the ones I'm stuck with, but rather the ones I've been gifted with...I didn't say I was succeeding but I am trying. The afternoon leaves me drained.
In other sort of related to school news...I've caught something. Yesterday I noticed that my throat was scratchy and swallowing felt like glass was going down. If I'm going to catch something it will always start in my throat. While not feeling 100% I decided to head on to happy hour and mingle with my fellow co-workers. Besides as someone else battling The Germs put it, "If beer won't help than nothing will.". So, after two beverages of the loaded variety, I decided to head home...where I mixed Nyquil and Advil with the drinks and landed myself in bed.
This morning, whatever was in my head has obviously moved to my chest where only coughing and gaging and hacking up goo will make me feel better. Needless to say, after my first "real" week and now an onslaught of The Germs, I feel pretty roadkillish...you know when you're in the middle of the freeway and you get hit by the truck and then backed over by the truck.
Anyone know directions to the exit ramp?
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Beep Beep...Get Out Of The Road
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5 comments:
Think of this way - you could have those PM kids ALL day! ha! Seriously, I have taught for 11 years now and I have only been blessed with those AM kids that you talk about - twice. Twice in 11 years I've had a dream class. Last year was one of them. This year is NOT!! By Friday's I have been so drained that I come home and crash. I keep thinking it's got to get better! And, it will! Power of positive thinking!! :-)
Sorry about the germs...you would think we would be immune to everything!
Have a great week!!
Don't worry girl! You will get to those "PM" kids!! That is why God put them in the afternoon - so you have the nice, easier kids in the morning when you are still waking up and getting going. I have faith in you!! :)
I am sorry to hear about you feeling sicky...recommendations would be lots of Vitamin C, hot tea to soothe the throat and plenty of hand sanitizer! Hope to hear from you and see how you are doing!
Teaching is a gift - you obviously have it - you'll find a way to get through to those kids.
I love having a dishwasher too - I spent my entire adult life without one until my house burned down last year, I moved into an apartment that had one - and I'm NEVER going back!! Do you know how much time you can spend in a day washing dishes by hand when so many people are around using them?
Get well, dear, and get some rest.
At least you got to update this weekend - I was gone the WHOLE time. And that's not nearly as fun as it sounds.
Sorry about The Germs - I hear that's one of the pitfalls of teaching, especially in the lower grades!
I taught Behaviorally Disordered kids for 5 years in an out of district placement. (they were bad so they got kicked out of school) To be honest, I liked them a lot. Just keep in mind that every child in every classroom learns differently, and there isn't one set thing that will reach the whole group. Kids like that, in my experience, have shorter attention spans, so maybe breaking things down into shorter chunks will keep them focused. I also never raised my voice, not once. Kids who are tough in school are also tough at home, so they are probably used to being yelled at. They can tune that out instantly. One thing I used to do that worked for younger kids was a Mystery Man Reward. Often, teachers will punish a class for the behavior of a few. What I'd do is pull a name out of a hat each morning and put it in an enveloped that I taped to the board. At a certain time during the day, I'd reveal who the Mystery Man was, and if that child had done whatever the set criteria was (homework, class participation etc etc) then the whole class got a reward - something simple like 10 minutes extra for fun reading, or a few extra minutes at recess etc. I found that when they didn't know who was the Myster Man, the whole class would support each other and encourage each other to do well during the day. They all worked together to keep each other on track. I don't know if that fits into your classroom, but it's something that worked for me.
Also, YOU know that you're doing something great for them, WE know it, the other teachers know it - but the kids are too young to see it that way. They're forced to be in school, so it's not something they're going to appreciate now. Try not to resent them for not being thankful. Make sure you are very consistent with your discipline etc. My experience was that kids like that needed the most structure. They need to know that if they do ABC, XYZ will happen every time. They test boundaries, but make sure those boundaries are there.
Just my two cents.
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