A Day In the Life (a teaching RANT)

In honor of all of the pundits, politicians, and people who don't (or can't) understand what it is to be a teacher, I am setting out here in this blog to document one day (just ONE DAY) of my life teaching third and fourth grade on the West Side of (major city). Not to scorn to mock you, but to help you understand what it is I DO. This is not a job, not even a career... it is my life. It is who I am. The day documented below is real and unexaggerated- Thursday, March 3, 2011.

5:30 

Alarm goes off, I'm up. Need to email myself the worksheet I created last night to test if my students actually understood the math skill (multiplication) we've been working on all week.

5:45

Shower. Thinking about D, wondering if I can move his desk, or try a sticker chart or something else to keep him on task today. Know his home life is hard, and he comes to school with a lot of burdens, but he's missing out on a lot of my teaching because he is in another land. I'll try moving his desk and see what happens.

6:15 

Breakfast. Throw an extra Nutrigrain bar in my bag. K never eats breakfast,complains she is hungry. Better  to just take care of the issue than bug her about it. You can't  learn if you are hungry.

6:30 

Pick up Starbucks, then my co-worker. Starbucks is my morning treat to myself. Talk to my mom (a 5th grade teacher) on the phone-- exchange thoughts about students, lesson plans, etc. We catch up on school in the mornings, life in the evenings.

7:15

Arrive at school. School begins at 8:20, but several of my students have been dropped off already. Pick them up, take them upstairs to work on the computers for extra practice. Pick up my attendance folder, check my mailbox. Check email. Go through the day's lesson plans, make sure I have all of the copies, materials I need for the day. Help the kids on the computer. Sharpen pencils (we must go through 50 a day). Make a list of things I hope to accomplish during the day if breaks in teaching permit: update collaboration logs, grade, enter grades, call parents, talk to colleagues, work on next week's lesson plans, file papers...

8:00

Send early bird students down for breakfast. A former student, now in 6th grade, comes up to help me- she straightens desks and chairs, changes the date, records previous day's color (related to discipline) while I write morning work on the board, put things on desks, get everything prepared.

8:20

Students arrive. Stand in the doorway so I can see both hallway/lockers and classroom. Mark students present as they arrive. Remind them to not talk in hallway, tuck in shirts, turn in homework, get pencils, sit down, get started, speed them along. Collect lunch money, popcorn money, candy money, random presents. Say good morning, shake hands, listen to stories about sisters, brothers, moms, little kids down the hall who were eyeballing my students, why homework couldn't be completed, or where it was forgotten.

8:30

Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthem, Lift Every Voice and Sing. Remind students to stand tall, tuck in shirts (again), be respectful. 

8:35

Back to work. Monitor students on morning work. Correct students who are off task. Check homework- check in with students who do not have it. Sign completed AR (independent reading) tests, check out new books to students. Help a student get her listening center working correctly (Thanks to DonorsChoose, I have 6 of these in my classroom). Change colors for students who are missing homework. Remind them this is not the end of the world. Console angry child. Mediate a dispute about an accidental bump. Hug. Love. "It's too early to be mad." Send 3 students to another teacher for ISAT tutoring. Send several students with special ed teacher for minutes.

9:15 (only 9:15??)

Reading groups. Get six students started on the computer on spelling/vocab, six students working independently on grammar, six students working together on reading comprehesion, while I work with six on writing (six are out with special ed or other tutoring). While working with my six, I must still monitor the others, make sure they are on task, completing work, not distracting others. Change several colors for horseplay, off task behavior.

9:50

Wrap up groups. Get everyone back to their correct seats, collect and paperclip work to grade at some other point in time. Quick class share-- what did you learn? Struggles and questions? Line up students for restroom break- remind them to take a book- even in the line we can be reading and learning. Several elect to take multiplication chart to study.

10:00

Restroom break. Monitor restrooms, move it along. Stop for water.

10:10

Back in the classroom, time for a quick lesson on sentence correction. Be sure to not always call on the same students, circulate so you can tell who is just copying off their neighbor. Remind students about personal space bubbles, as we are having a problem with that in the hall.

10:15

Students continue lesson in classroom while I run downstairs for a meeting (someone has come to cover my class). Parent has not shown, but we meet anyhow, just to document our meeting and conversation. Discuss concerns with specific student, strategies for response. Back to the classroom.

10:30

Timed tests. Some of my students are working on multiplication while others are still struggling with +3s.

10:40

Special Ed students return for math. I have a second teacher in the classroom to help, but she is called to a meeting so I'm on my own. Working on probability. Whole class lesson and notes, paired work with "impossible", "certain", "likely" and "unlikely" cards- be careful- group work can easily get out of control- it takes careful maintenance, then independent work. Self-guided independent work when completed. Maintain order, help struggling students, scan AM (Accelerated Math) cards, print AM work, assign work, soothe hurt souls, trade pencils, push in chairs, shh, shhh, shhh.

11:40

Restroom/water break. Same as before.

11:50

Share current event articles, discuss the state of the world as seen through a nine year old's eyes. Try to explain difficult concepts in kid-friendly language, engage them in discussions of right and wrong, try not to step on the toes of what parents are teaching at home. Relate to what we have learned in Social Studies. Read aloud from a book we have been reading. Ask questions, gauge student comprehension.

12:25

Wrap up. Tell students that even though they have been cooped up for months, the playground is too wet, and they will have indoor recess again. Listen to them groan. Promise them freeze dance in the afternoon as a consolation prize.

12:30

Students are in the room for recess. Go eat my own lunch in another teacher's room- we are meeting to talk about the RTI committee which I am helping head up and the RTI process in general. Work through lunch.

1:30

Students are in computers. They've had trouble with behavior in this class, so grab a stack of papers and go sit in the computer room for the first ten minutes grading. When they seem settled enough, return to the classroom. Sort work from the morning, paperclip and put in grade box. Get out supplies for afternoon's science lesson and distribute around classroom. Meet with a former student to help her calm down (bad day). Meet with another former student to work on multiplication facts. Touch base with grade level partner to check up on something. Complete collaboration logs for students in special ed. Call special ed teacher to check up on morning work. Call three parents to let them know their students are having rough days. Complete missing work papers. Sit down to grade papers, and realize it is time to go.

2:45

Pick up students from library, take them to music. Touch base with the music teacher. Drop them off, return to classroom. Parent calls, wants to discuss student progress. Have conversation. Another teacher drops by, looking for ideas on how to deal with a student problem. Discuss. Laugh a little. Look at the clock. Sit down, grade a few papers. Put the rest into bag to take home.

3:25

Pick up students from music. One student is being suspended for gross disrespect. Give entire class lecture on the importance of acting right. Return to class via restroom and fountains.

3:40

Snack time. Freeze dance, as promised (play music- they dance. I pause it. They freeze). Remind students to be neat, throw away trash, keep desks clean.

3:50 

Science. We've moved on from rocks, but I just got my hands on some cool samples, so we're working at discussing, sorting, and classifying rocks based on physical characteristics. Circulate, check for on task behavior, proper treatment of rocks, comprehension of what a physical trait is, soothe hurt feelings and flaring tempers- everyone is ready to go home. Field several parent phone calls. Monitor noise and language.

4:30

Collect work, discuss.

4:40

Hand out homework, sign planners so parents are sure students have written down homework. Pack backs, check that students have all materials. Help with stuck zippers, remind students about forgotten books, tie on scarves, give hugs, get hugs, get students into line.

4:50

Proceed downstairs for dismissal.

5:00

Dismissal. Release students to parents. Give brief synopsis of day, field questions about conduct, homework. Plan meetings. Give love, love, love. ("See you tomorrow!" "I know you were on red, but tomorrow is a new day.")

5:15

 Wait for co-worker who I give a ride to to complete work in her room-- grade papers, call three parents, touch base with other teachers, principal.

6:30

Leaving school. Drive home. Discuss day. Decompress.

7:00

Arrive home. Make, eat dinner. Grade one more stack of papers. Work on a project for school on the computer.

8:15

Time for me. Check face book. Settle in to a good book. Call mom, sister, dad. Watch half an hour of trash t.v., talk to a friend. Think about going to the gym in the morning at 5:30. Change mind.

10:00

In bed, exhausted. Ready for tomorrow.

Am I the exception? No. The rule? No. There are teachers more and less dedicated than I am, but this is my story-- every bit of it true. One day. My life. I wouldn't trade it for the world, but I'm tired of having it discounted as cushy or less than other "real" jobs. It's Sunday. I'm headed to Starbucks to grade.

KISSES (baking)

It's time for a baby (and gleefully, I report it is not mine)! For Vinnie's sister's baby shower, I decided to make chocolate truffle kisses, originally posted on bakerella.com

The recipe (annotated by me):

1 package oreo cookies (divided… use cookie including the cream center)
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
chocolate bark

My step 1: taste test the oreos.

Her step 1:

1. Finely crush all but seven cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency.

(cookies minus 7)

If you just got a ninja cause your sister or your friend Michelle told you it was awesome, you should use that. It grinds those cookies like no one's business!!

Look at those crumbs!

Step 2:

2. Stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together.  Give up. Mush it up with your hands. It's a much better choice.

Step 3:

3. Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.

Step 4:

4. Then, begin to form the shape of a kiss. Flattening the bottom and forming a point at the top. (Mine ended up about 1.5″ tall)
5. It helps to put the uncoated balls in the freezer for a few minutes to keep the mixture from starting to fall apart when you drop into the melted chocolate.

Step 6:

6. Melt chocolate as directed on package and then dip “kisses” one at a time into chocolate, tap off extra and slide them off spoon onto wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. 

From what I read, this is difficult for a lot of people, but if ou tap well, it doesn't seem too difficult. Maybe I'm just a candy coating natural.

Decorate: 
1. Handwrite your messages or create them on the computer. Cut out the strips (about 1/4″ tall and however wide you need).
2. Cut up some square sheets of aluminum foil (about 5.5″ square)
3. Place dry kiss in center and start wrapping the foil around the base. Insert message near top and secure it by pressing the foil together at top.

This was the fun part! My brain started racing with variations.... mmm.... the yumminess!!

Presents (also known as... What the...)

I get presents. Often. An apple here, an eraser there. Stickers. Candies. Little pictures and things shoved into my hands while I greet kids in the morning, or as I walk around the room. I love the love.

This morning I got... wait for it... A slider. From White Castle.

"Here Ms. K. I got this for you."

Why, thank you....

MULTIPLYING (by the numbers)

Do you remember learning how to multiply?

I don't. It feels like one of those things I have always known how to do, like counting, instead of one of those things I have a specific memory of learning, like folding a bottom sheet. I had forgotten how many landmines are involved with the tricky concept of multiplying double digits by single digits (especially if you don't know your basic multiplication facts)- you might write the ones and carry the tens, or forget to add what you carried, or some other nonsense.

Like most teachers, I think incessantly about my students. It's like they have a secret compartment in the back of my head, and they are apt to spring from it like jack-in-the-boxes. I was driving home on Tuesday, listening to oldies, when I heard the rousing *stomp, stomp, clap* of Queen's We Will Rock You. MOMENT!!

Flash forward to my classroom on Wednesday, when I introduced my students to our new song, designed to help them master their multiplication. (See below). Amazing fact #1- my students can clap, stomp, sing, and learn at the same time. Amazing fact #2- 85% of them passed their multiplication test this Friday for the first time. If I had any idea how to copywrite and publish this, I would, but I don't think I can, so instead I will share it in this forum, with the three of you who read this, and welcome you to use it, and use it well. The kids LOVE it!

We will multiply ("tune" of We Will Rock You)- you can substitute any example. This uses 53 x 7 = 371

We will, we will multiply. We will, we will multiply.
First you take the bottom number, multiply the ones.
Write down your ones and carry your tens.
Then you take the bottom number, multiply the tens.
Add what you carries and write it down!
Sing it!
We will, we will multiply. We will, we will multiply.
We will, we will multiply. We will, we will multiply.
First you take the seven, multiply by three.
Write down the one and carry the two.
Then you take the seven, multiply by five.
Add the two and write thirty seven.
Sing it!
We will, we will multiply. We will, we will multiply.

I hope to one day hear this sung in schools all over the U.S. It will make me smile. It made my students smile. Which always makes me smile.

We are growing!

Yes, all of us!

I have been a less than perfect blogger this year. I think this started because I wasn't sure anyone really wanted to hear my inner teacher, baker, crafty whirling dervish monologue, and continued because I felt busy. Deep thought, I know. I am coming to realize, however, that I (underlined, italicized) want to hear my inner monologue, and unless I slow myself down, I hear nothing.

Therefore, I am going to make a concerted attempt to a) write more regularly and b) not judge myself before I write.

I will, however, not refrain from judging myself after. This blog is boring. It is true, but boring. Therefore I will end it now and write another.

My friend Amy...

... blogs. And when I say she blogs, I mean she blogs like a madwoman. A crazy, hoarding, fifteen cat owning madwoman. And I love her. I am the sort who, last week when my computer broke and I had to get a new one, said to my computer genius (and pretty much everything else genius) sister, "I just need to be able to insert a chart into word, write tests for my students, and watch hulu". Classic. I once worked in IT at college, but I'm pretty sure they only kept me around because I color coded things and filed with great glee. Needless to say, I am envious of Amy's blogging. Not envious because I have nothing to say, or because I am incapable of speaking well, but because I lack the motivation to figure that out.

I do a lot of things in my life. I am a strong, independent woman. I work at a charter school, 8-5, and yet I still (try) to find the time for a social life, and someday, I will find time for a lovely significant other. But I learn by doing, and unless one of these times I take Amy and force her to sit down next to me and my newly purchased software and show me what she does, I fear you, my readers (do I even have any readers anymore?) will be seriously neglected.

Not that you aren't already neglected. Have I told you how much I love what I do? Have I told you how my students make me laugh and giggle, and how their joy at learning makes me glad to be alive and how their sadness makes me cry and their anger makes me angry? Have I told you how I want to smooth away their worries and bury their fears and dry their tears? Have I told you that sometimes I wonder if I will ever be able to have my own children, because I feel their pain so intensely, and they have never been a PART of me, even though they have become a part of me? Have I told you about the nights spent sharpening pencils and grading papers and coaching them through their homework over the phone? Have I told you I can not think of anything else I could do that would make me feel as WHOLE?

We aren't perfect. We don't have everything. We don't know everything. I strive each day to make my classroom a sanctuary-- to talk about the big issues, be sure no one is being called gay, to give second, third, fourth chances, to laugh and talk with them, to love them with all the capacity of my being. I work on the weekends, work in the evening, work throughout the day, work in the shower, work in my sleep, and I can not tell you enough that I would be empty without it. And if you are neglected, it is because I am busy shaping minds and holding hands, bandaging knees and drying tears, teaching fractions and singing silly songs about putting names on papers, teaching lessons and making charts, sharpening pencils and calling parents, and I trust you will forgive me.

I am neglecting you for the future of my world. Your world. Our world. If I were Amy, my blog would sing. As it is, I hope it speaks clearly.

Every day a challenge...

Just home from six hours at school... on a Sunday! I am not complaining, but this year (like every year) has brought a new set of challenges. This post will be short, but I would be extremely receptive to any thoughts.

Challenge 1: My class size has increased from 22 to 30

Challenge 2: I have many (many) students with IEPs and ADHD (some diagnosed, some not)

Challenge 3: I have a TA for the first time (blessing, but challenge as well)

Challenge 4: I am teaching a split class- third and fourth grade

Challenge 5: I have never taught third or fourth grade before

Your thoughts, prayers, ideas are welcome!