The Bow Tie Teacher

Spring break is here

This week was a bear. I'm not sure if it was because of the impending break or what. What I can say is I'm thankful to God that 245pm got here without incidents. Hope I didn't peel out when I left.

Anyway, I had time to write a little primer for how to fully enjoy your Spring break

• Block all your coworkers/parents emails and phone numbers
• Put your work badge under that stack of good reading you have
• Send all your professional clothes to the dry cleaners and put the claim check with your badge
• If anyone asks you about your job just walk away
• Stay away from kids for the next week, unless its your own kids
• LEAVE ALL PAPERS AT SCHOOL, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GRADE THAT STUFF ANYWAY!
• Grow a beard just in case you run into one of your parents at Target. Might a bad idea if you're a lady.
• Shop in a different area, maybe different state
• Think about work only when your co-workers are  able to reach you
• Enjoy every second of your break, its a blessing to work and even more so to rest from our labors

 Have a great Spring Break, you deserve it! 

 

 

Class BBoard is up

I'm quite proud of my classes work. We can always stand to focus and use time better, but there's hope.

Pulled a large map up on line and traced it onto some large butcher paper. 

After tracing it I cut it out and placed it on the board. 

Put up our Needs/Wants post cards. I need to take some close ups of these. They were a hoot. 

We labeled all the continents and used yard to pin point where various Needs and Wants come from. 

We made a nice banner "What we know about Needs and Wants" and called it a day. Pretty good class! 

I don't like preaching

I don't think my students listen to preaching at and droning on and on. Matter of fact I know they don't listen. They might hear, but it's 1/2 hearted at best. 

All that said I had to go there today and make this statement. 

"Do you realize that right now today you're better off than great grand parents or even grand parents? (Took a quick break to talk about ancestors since that was talked about earlier in the year) What do you thin I mean when I say that you're better off?"

"We have more stuff."

"We have more money."

"We have things."

"Ok, that is all true, but let's talk about something else. Since we talked about technology in reading. Do you think your grand parents when they were in 2nd grade could reach out and talk to someone in China and video chat with them?"

"No cause that stuff just started. It's new."

"Exactly! What about cell phones, email, books on CD, audio and stuff like that? Do you think they had that?"

"No."

"What do you think your greats or grands would do right now if they could be 7-8 years old and be in your seats? Write it down."

Here are two responses that show that I'm not living in vain. 

 

"If my grandmom was in your class she'd listen a lot and do her work. She would pay attention and not be bad."

 

"My mom's mom would like this class. She would want to work on the computers and go to the media center. She would want to go to the reading center, too." 

Teaching is a BEAST sometimes. The effort/energy to motivate the unmotivated is exhausting. The more we as parents do to help our kids see the blessedness in being able to learn the better off they'll be. If possible allowing them to meet/talk to those who don't have the same opportunities as they could be enlightening. 

Felt like I didn't hit a home run today, but I did DESTROY my workout today at Crossfit South Cobb. The better I eat the better I feel. I think this grass fed thing will work out in the long run.

Taking a second to review

I don't like dwelling in the past. I believe that my future is so incredible that every second spent in the past is diminishing the shine of the future. That being said I do need to look at how I've been working with my class and what I can do to help them more. Right now for a few I don't feel I'm helping them much. Most of my class are getting the work and making the progress. I just want to know what I did to reach these little ones and what I can do to keep capturing their attention. 

Here's to a little reflective planning. 

No Crossfit today, but I did hit the deck 40 times and jump back up 41 times. Burpee challenge day 40...done. 

Driving this week with the brakes on

Not sure why, but this week feels like it's going in slow motion. It could be due to the fact that I'm running sans coffee/sugar, but I don't think that's it. What it could be is that it's 80 lovely degrees out and I can't get outside because of the Yellow Scourge aka pollen running amok. *I'd to be the reason some kid swells up like a balloon because they have some crazy allergic reaction to this stuff. At 9000 parts per million that's pretty intense. It wouldn't be a good idea to make them go out and do 10 burpees this week.  

Thankfully, I had a great meeting with my admin about my performance this year. Even though I don't feel as successful as I'd like it felt good to know others who know what they're looking for see that I'm doing a good job. I got a list to work on and the most important it keep assessing my kids. I need to find a better way to assess and retest, reteach on a regular basis.

One thing I did get is that my efforts to keep my students on task are not going un noticed. The kids may/may not always response like they should but it doesn't always look bad on me. *I'm really conscious of the kids making me look bad. Needless to say I don't look as crazy as I thought I did. 

We're in crunch mode getting ready for the end of the year. I'm just taking each day as it comes and thankful for everyone of them. Can't wait to get in the gym today. I have a lot of stress to burn off. 

Seriously am I being Punk'd?

My kids must be playing games with me. They see this gray in my beard and they think I'm old and crazy. These Little scalleywags are a trip. Let's enjoy, shall we?

"Mr. Whitaker, I can't do work today the pollen is to high."

"Mr. Whitaker I want to sharpen my pencil." 

    "Which pencil, that one?"

    "No, that one's already sharpened."  *crickets

"Mr. Whitaker, Johhnny put the wrong answer on his test."

    "And you know this how?"

    "I was checking his work to make sure he didn't put down the wrong ansewr."

    "I guess he didn't let you down, huh?" *crickets

"Mr. Whitaker, there's a wasp in the room."

    "Well, be quiet and let it learn. Maybe it brought a pencil" *crickets

"I have to go get my LUNCH from my bag, Mr. Whitaker."

    Ok, what did your bring?"

    "These... 
    "Wow, did you have to bring 5 bags for yourself?"

    "I can bring you one tomorrow." 

Mind you these little gems fall all day long. I really wouldn't mind if a camera crew would set up in my room and rig my class with all these different cameras. Maybe I could just get the room set up with mics all over. The sound effects would be priceless anyway. Besides, I don't want to be seen on a camera, I would be a trip. 

Here's one. My principal came in to do a 15 observation on me. I didn't have my horse and pony show set up. We just went for what we knew. THEKIDSACTEDLIKETHEYHADSENSE! When have they ever done this...*crickets! So when I warn them and prep them they can't remember how to add, but when I give them no advanced warning they answer questions like they're on Jeopardy. I just don't understand kids these days. 

Crossfit SCobb really was the business today. Add 80 + degree weather to 8,000 pollen count stir in some insane desire to get fit and sprinkle some a great pair of workout shoes in and you get me smashing my workout with a pretty nice time. Granted my shoulders don't work anymore, but hey. Burpee day 39 tomorrow. 

What Bruno Mars and Crossfit have to say about this week.

I think Bruno Mars said it best about this week. "Black, black, black and blue. Beat me til I'm numb."

For my Crossfit family you can appreciate that this week was Fight Gone Bad, really bad. 

All I can say is I'm very, very happy today is Friday. I'm going to totally unplug tonight and reward myself for some hard teaching. Sadly I didn't get *teacher of the week, but there were some bright lessons.  

But let me highlight some good points. I made it. The kids made it. Fewer of my kiddos are totally throwing 2nd grade out the window than I thought. A lot of the pressure things that were being rolled out on us have been moved back. Oh yeah, I'm still caught up on my burpees. 

Can't wait to get to the gym today. My body is tired, but I want to smash this workout and then spend the evening watching Dora the Explorer with my favorite Dynamic Duo. 

*My on going joke is that I can't reach for the goal of Teacher of the Year, but I can be Teacher of the Monday or Teacher of a great Math lesson. 

I hope I get some feedback on this

I have 4 kids who KNOW EVERYTHING! I'm not sure why they're in 2nd grade cause they know it all. They only want to go over concepts one time. The 2nd time they blatantly express that they don't want to review or reteach the concept. This is very frustrating cause they don't have the grades to show any form of mastery, but they think they have it in the bag. This attitude happens in all subject areas. It's an even split of boys and girls who do this. They all are on grade level, but not above.  Parents have been called, notes, texts, emails have been sent. This is an attitude thing that just hasn't been shaken. 

Can you give me some ideas on how to help them see/understand that this is important? 

This week

All I can say is this week is "Job for Jehovah". There is a lot to do and I just don't see where/how I'm getting it done. Taking one assignment at a time. One day at a time. Making the most of each day.

My take away this week is not allow things to pile up. As much as it's easier to put it off I have to tackle things as soon as possible. Even when I know doing so might mean...that I have more to do. I have to jump in and get things that are important done sooner than later.

The only mental saving grace I have is that I'm learning that the more I look for the good in each situation the more good I find. The more I seek for a reason to say something good the more reasons I find. It's tough when some of the situations just scream and scream to get me to say something negative, but it's becoming easier. 

We're at the 9 week mark. We also have testing season coming upon us. So you can imagine the pressure. My school did well last year and this year the stakes have been raised so we have to get at it. 

It's been tough getting into the gym this week. Thankfully, I've overcome laziness so I can get in the basement and swing my kettle bell and work on more form. Not sure if this weekend will allot me time to get in there. It's more a time issue than a desire, but I'll get at it soon. There were some fun workouts this week that I'd love to get in sometime. Back to the grindstone. 

This week has started off with a pop. That was the sound of my tire yesterday morning. Still got to work 15 mins late, but the kiddos learned. Students came to school with a plan, but I've just decided that if I don't like their plan I'll delete that joker and keep on moving. We only have 9 weeks left of school and I don't have time to be running around like a fool.

Have to put my Crossfit on pause this week. I'm doing A LOT every evening. However, I will get my work out on in the AM before I get the family stirring for school. Will be in the gym Friday and Saturday. If my PTF board doesn't mind me stinking up the meet today I might be able to go today. 3,2,1..Go!