The Bow Tie Teacher

Teachers will appreciate (Science Fair Edition)

Let's mix a funny story. 

Take a school wide Science Fair.

Add the fact that my student who was going to present for our class is absent. 

Sprinkle in some low 50's degree weather outside. 

The recipe for a funny event. 

9:34 am I have to QUICKLY prep new students to present on our science fair project because the student I wanted to present is absent. Sure, no sweat.

I have to still teach the rest of my class, but hey. I just didn't know I had 2 minutes to get my presentation ready. Ummm, boy it's hot in here.

9:37 I'm rushing to get these kids ready. I notice that they could use a little lotion on their hands and faces. It's cold and cold weather plays ashy games with little brown kids. So, being always ready I reach in the closet to give them some lotion, or what I thought was lotion. I give each kid a little dollop on their hands and I run back to my group.

9:37:43 I notice that the presenting kids are having a bear of a time rubbing this "lotion" in and it's starting to foam. One joker is rubbing it in on his face. I mean their going to town! 

9:38 The lady comes to my door asking for my students to come to the media center for the presentation. I run back to my closet to see what I gave them. BABY WASH! Why do I have a small bottle of baby wash in my closet! For the love of Pete! 

Thankfully, I play it off and give the kids a wet wipe to "spruce themselves up for their Blue Ribbon". 

9:41 I quietly laugh at myself, because this could only happen to me. 

At that point I should have grabbed my bag and taken a mental health day. It only got more and more crazy after this. Praise God!

About to get my Crossfit WOD and I'll catch you soon. 

Custapies

"Mr. Whitaker, how do you spell 'custapies'?"

"Ummm...baby, I don't know. Say that again."

"custapies"

"Would you possibily mean 'custard pies'?"

"No, custapies."

"Ok, will you use it in a sentence"

"We had my grandma's custapies for Thanksgiving."

"Dear, you mean CUSTARD PIE."

"No, custapies."

I got a neck sprain shaking my head

Thanksgiving again

 So the other day but spouted some comedy about Thanksgiving. Here's a more serious note. 
 I have a relationship with Christ that impacts every other area of my life. Knowing that the end of my story is already in His hands is very fulfilling.  

I have the best family in the world. My wife is so supportive. My kids are electric. I'd be a mess without them. 

My job is refreshing. Not many teachers can say that, but I do. I know I'm doing a task I've been assigned and that God is being honored. Not to boast, but I have a great group of students. I have been graced this year for sure. 

I'm apart of a fantastic church and a fantastic small group. I really think of them as a family.  
 
I could go on and on about all the ways I've been blessed this last year. The best I can do is to keep short accounts and long praises. Enjoying every second.

Thanksgiving

A sarcastic angle 

I'm so thankful for the opportunity to explain why I deserve '' 5 months'' off. 

It's my deep joy to spend 31.56 hours of my vacation planning what I'll teach next week. 

No seriously I don't mind you telling me how to do my job, Mr. Grocery store guy. 

Surely, parenting is just like teaching. I'm so glad you just reduced my parenting or raised my job, so much.

I'm thankful that my family doesn't throat chop me for mentioning my class while on vacation.

It's no biggie that my time off was exactly 3 days long even though the calendar says it was more.  

Check out www.jwhit.com

SWOT a teacher

In the business world there is a process of evaluation called the SWOT analysis. It stands for Strenths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats. Daily I think how useful this would be to have a teacher, grade levels or even a school do this process. When a group does it and focuses on building up and not just slapping others it can VERY useful. So....

Strengths: I know how to connect with students. I'm pretty good at delivering the material. 

Work; I know how and when to put in the heavy work. 

I don't have to yell. I know what to say and how to say it to get most of my students on track sans any foolishness like yelling. 

Weaknesses: PLANNING! I know this because I planned all weekend for a lesson today and I ROCKED! I could tell what I didn't plan for though because as soon as I finished rocking that kicking lesson the wheels on the bus came off. 

Time; I don't like giving a lot of my time to school. I'm acutely aware how much time I have and one day I'll have no more. I want to put as much time into my family as I can. 

I need every student's parent's phone number and email address. Not sure what I can do to get everyone since I'm relying on the kids to bring it. Just thought of something. 

Opportunities: I could get so much better at the curriculum. I know where to find it, yes. But if I could better break down every aspect of what my students should know I'd only get better. 

I must find a better way to file, grade and get back student work. I get swamped quick! 

Threats: I get bored easily. I can get super ADHD and if I'm not interested in something I can be less than excellent at teaching it. 

So I need to work on my strenghts and build up my opportunities.

Science fair project practice

I called myself doing this experiement with corn starch and water. It was supposed to be all fantastic. it would turn into a solid and everything. It was going to be great and even help heal ailing sea squirrels.  That sound you heard was the super big thud of it not working like it was supposed to and me having to keep telling my class to stir this mess! Just a big huge bowl of something I'm going to have to find away to get rid of. YUCK!

But I had a back up project, thank God. And I tried it at home first and it works better than I expected. I'm not sure about the sea squirrels, but my kids will get a lot from it. Enjoy

 

It's science fair time!

I have a great project planned for my class to do. My issue is I'm having a bear of a time figuring out how to get every student to participate. I hope to get my students to be able to run the experiments themselves and I'll just monitor and take pictures. Oh the hope and dream! 

More Teachers will appreciate

Back for round 2 of some comedy from Room #157. If I didn't have the best class in the world some of these would make me cry. 

You have 99 pencils and none are sharpened. But you want to sharpen them all?! 

I'm so glad your homework folder is safe at home. I certainly wouldn't want some random person to stuff homework in it. I'm glad you left it at home. Thanks. 

Yeah, that sealed enveloped addressed to your mom. Sure you can open that in class and start reading it...A LOUD. 

I haven't seen the outside of my house in the daylight all week. 

Centers time AKA Chinese fire drill. 

Carpet time AKA Rugby shrum.

#dutyfreeLunchcopyingplanningmeetingrestroomconference time rocks!

Sure feel free to use up the entire box of tissues in one day. No problem. *Notice that as soon as the last tissue is used NO ONE "sneezes" again. 

I'm sure you gained a lot of insight from that book that took you .23 seconds to read. Do you mind taking maybe a few minutes to re read it rather than run back to the book center?

Why do you have to josslte and tussle over EVERYTHING? 

Why did I bring this work home? Am I really going to do any of it? 

 I could build a new island with the amount of pencil shavings and eraser shavings you all produce in a week. You don't have to erase everything, that's why it's called scratch paper. 

Observation day (say this with a smile and tightly clenched teeth) SityourselfdownandyoubetternotaskanysillyquestionsorI'mgoingtoputyouindetentionuntilyourgrandkidscanvote!

Test a video

http://socialcam.com/v/BxrFuWM1

Swamped week = low blogging

I've been working hard the last couple of weeks and I've neglected my dear blog. I hope everyone found some humor in my last post. Let me blitz through some thoughts

Ok, the election didn't go as I intended. 

I'm still feeling strange about the GA bill to allow charter schools. I just don't feel like I know enough about it all. 

My students are FUNNY! Not sure if it's legal, but I need a reality show for my class. I'll even donate the money to scholarship funds for all of them. Some of the stuff they say is high grade comedy. 

I see lights coming of in the little eyes of my students. That's refreshing given that we're almost on Thanksgiving. Now I have to REALLY push them. Change up the learning for each of them cause they have to move to 3rd grade next year. No other option. 

My family is outstanding. My oldest will be standing out in the back yard if she tells me anything else about Tuesday's election! 

Next week I'm to be observed. I'm not worried. If I didn't do a good job when no one was watching I'd be worried. I wonder what other teachers do tot prepare. Seems like most I know are in defense mode. I wonder does anyone go into offense and really seek to wow their admins and draw them in? 

I feel like I've neglected my professional development website Pinterest! I posted some pics of some charts I made this week, but I haven't had time to search. 

Did you know Halo4 came out this week!? Amazing! Sure home my kids get me a new XBox this Christmas! IJS

This weekend is going to be busier than busy, but I plan to grill which is equal to me relaxing and unwinding. Brisket, ribs and brats are on deck. 

Crossfit has been good to me. My eating is so/so. I still need to do better. We're going grocery shopping tomorrow so that will fix the eating out monster who's come by my house entirely to much this past week! The challenge this month is strict pull ups. They're great. 

I have to finish getting the room ready for today. See ya! 3,2,1...go!