Parents

The parent piece of teaching is so interesting. Just when I think I'm getting a little better at it I am taken totally by surprise. The student whom I have been trying to get in for testing blew me away today. She popped her head in this morning just to ask if I had gotten the boom box from my wish list and then seemed to want to talk but didn't say anything. So... um.... have a nice day. I didn't have a clue what was going on. Then I walk out to pick up my kids and the SE teacher tells me that she came in and requested testing papers. Huh? OK. I guess that kind of explains her "wanna talk" thing from earlier. I am thrilled that she is trying to do the right thing for her child but surprised at the back door approach. It will certainly simplify things at the conference next week. Then after school the parent of the student who is receiving the Super Star award tomorrow came in and is concerned that perhaps his child didn't deserve it. Huh? His child has totaling internalized the rules and gently reminds others of what they are. And "Dad" is concerned that he is acting like a Kindergarten cop and bossing people around. Again, "Huh." I guess on some level I understand his position but on the other, a teacher loves those kids who can model and remind others of their responsibilities. B may be the sweetest boy I have ever taught. He is kind, helpful, compassionate, loves to talk about his reading and writing and yes, he might grow up to be a cop someday.

Easy to please

As much as I think that I would like to teach in the "upper" grades I am amazed at how easy it is is to please the primary bunch. Today was full of those humorous incidents. TF came in to take a look at some "give aways" I had. The minute he walked in all their heads turned (despite the excitement of tearing the first page out of their math books). I could hear all the whispers. That's my brother's teacher, he was my sister's teacher, he's funny. I couldn't stand it and had to announce, "That's right boys and girls. That is Mr. F. and he is very famous. They were goners! Then there was writing time. We are publishing their first piece and they are just beside themselves. We get to choose our own paper? That's right. We can illustrate? That's right. We can use markers if we want? That's right. You are the author and illustrator. You get to make all those decisions! Miss Allen, you are the best teacher! And if that wasn't enough there was the art lesson on tertiary colors. A new color wheel, blending with colored pencils AND to top it off mixing blobs of paint on paper plates. Miss Allen, you are the greatest! And to finish off the day I gave them their homework folders amid cheers. That's right, cheers. Is tonight math night? Oh yes it is! They definitely missed school on our in-service day yesterday! What other job gives you physical and mental hugs like this?

In-Service Day

Today was an in-service day at SCU. Why is it that a teacher is more exhausted after an in-service day than after a day of teaching 20 children? Our day was spent calibrating and scoring writing PBAs. That involved real conversations about writing and what constitutes such things as interval events, literary language, writer's craft and closure. Everything comes into that conversation - experiences with past students, your own writing life, and views about developmentally appropriateness. I left feeling a little less than an expert teacher. It is good for me to remember that I am a life long learner and learning always involve some disequilibrium. It is always somewhat depressing to look at the baseline assessments and see the long road that lies ahead. But we have 9 months to do it in. It is good to remember that we write and read everyday and get a little closer to the goal (standard) with each mini-lesson and conference. This too is a journey. I will be relieved to see my kids again tomorrow and get back to the work at hand.

The latest and greatest fundraiser

Oh yes, Sutter has joined the world of walk-a-thons. The first is now in the books. Walk For The Arts. It was absolutely fascinating to watch it all unfold. Their was a little concern at the beginning because nobody really knew what the response would be until it actually happened. The committee did their job and had all kinds of food for sale so that families could come and let their kids walk and get dinner at the same time. The kids were pretty worked up by the time Friday rolled around. After all, they got an early dismissal out of the deal! The families trickled in at the beginning abut by 3:30 there was a pretty good crowd of walkers, joggers, runners. The 5th grade classes had challenged each other but in looking back the challenge probably should have come from some of the younger kids. They were so darn funny. You see these little kindergarten and 1st graders walking around and around and around. They are hot and sweaty but refuse to stop. Their parents could do nothing to get them off the field. Then there were the big kids who just got bored and started a pick up football game in the middle of the course. Perhaps it was the little incentives along the way - 6 laps you get a fan, 8 more you get an otter pop, another 8 a hot dog or piece of pizza. We had kids filling up their whole card and starting on a second! It's a good thing we have an in-service day on Monday so those kids can recover. It also makes you think about the whole PE thing. If a child can walk for 2 hours straight perhaps we can challenge them in the world of physical exercise in new ways. Hot dogs on PE days? Maybe not. The teachers loved it because we only had to put in an hour's time marking cards. It was a riot to watch the kids heading around the curve, see their new or old teacher and light up. They got their card marked, an encouraging comment and even a hug or 2. But no one could compete with the principal. Kids just love getting attention from the head hauncho. So I suppose now that the actual event is the complete, the challenge will be collecting the money. It will be something new to nag about while I check attendance, lunch count, and homework :)

Follow up to parent/teacher thing

So, this morning the mom of yesterday afternoon's conference came in. I have probably already met with her 4 or 5 times as she stops by on the way to Day Care with one thought or another to share with me about her son. However, we had actually scheduled this meeting so we could go over the SCORE documents. She made reference to Dad's visit and agreed that things were not going well. We chatted for a bit and then it happened. The barrage of questions. Do you think he might have ADD? Do you think he might have a learning disability? Should we have him tested? All that morning time I have sacrificed with her has been worth it. What she doesn't know is that we had already scheduled an SST for the middle of October thinking that would give me enough time to assess, document and conference. It was definitely a relief to hear those questions come at me. The cutest part was when I told his 1st grade teacher. It is just another example of how teachers plant seeds but rarely get to harvest. She talked and talked and talked to the family last year about testing, ADD, and learning disabilities and got nowhere. I just chat with the lady a few times, console the dad and suddenly the fruit ripens before your very eyes. So I am hopeful for BR. It could be a great year for the entire family. They will need lots of support in facing the realilty of the child that they are raising. Some lost dreams will be mourned but others will be born. I only hope that they can accept him for the beautiful child he is, see the gifts he has to offer us and know that the world will be a better place because he has called us to see how easy it is to be kind and loving and how important it is to find time everyday just to play.

A kid only gets 2 parents but lots of teachers

A kid only gets one set of parents but will have many many teachers. This was the theme of my impromptu conference today. The dad staggered into my room as I was filing papers looking like he had just been hit by a truck with the greeting of "Can I ask you a question or maybe 2 questions?" He was just beside himself wanting to know what to do about his child that was really good at playing but didn't want to read. This is a child whose parents conferenced with his 1st grade teacher on a very regular basis with no progress made in anyone's favor. SCORE hasn't fixed it and neither has moving on to second grade. Yelling , bribing and enabling don't seem to have solved the problem either. Hmmm... maybe there is something else going on. How about just being his dad, loving him and supporting him as best you can? There's no one else in the world that gets that honor and privilege. He gets one and only one dad, one and only one mom. Teachers will come and go in his life. You don't need to take on that role. How about playing with him? How about reading TO him and developing a love of language so what he does read he will enjoy? Parents take that BTSN talk so literally - no margin for the human condition. The teacher said read for 15 - 30 minutes, by God, we're going to read for 15 - 30 minutes, whether you like it or not! My response is always; when it becomes a battle at home, let me take over in the classroom. A child doesn't need to spend what precious little time he actually has with his parents fighting about reading when there is a high probability that there is something unusual going on in that little brain. Life is too short for family time to be fighting time.

A clearer vision

I am thankful to be where I am in my life both in age and experience. Today at lunch there was some of that "teacher talk" that evidently can't be avoided. Do you teach PE? When do you do it? Don't you think that we should be able to count the minutes at recess? Don't you think that it's just one more thing for an already over-crowded schedule? Somehow that all escalated into public school vs. private school, etc, etc. I am grateful to have had the experiences I've had the past few years, even though a couple of them were somewhat painful. I am content in where I am and what I am doing. I truly do feel that teaching is the best job in the world. I am completely at ease at Sutter within the teacher and parent community. And, NO, I have no desire to go back to private education. I have definitely learned a few things on my journey. The grass isn't always greener. There are some things money can't buy. Education is about a lot more than the curriculum, test scores, and assessments. My students depend on me for much more than language arts, math, etc. Yes, to some of them I am the mother, father, nutritionists, and counselor. That's just the way it is. I teach children, the whole child, not just the academic portion. I give thanks to my time at Mayne for teaching me the importance of looking directly in every student's eye first thing in the morning and evaluating their physical and emotional status. A child can not learn to read or write if they walk in the door hungry or fresh out of a fight with mom. Greeting my kids has become one of my favorite things to do. My "Hello, how are you?" is often the nicest thing that anyone has said to them since they went to bed the night before. Or maybe it's just seeing someone smile and look at them, really look at them that does it. They know that I care and that I'll be there every morning looking for them, wondering how they are.

The Essential 55

I am currently in the midst of reading The Essential 55. It is a focus at Sutter this year so I'm playing a little catch-up. I actually flipped through this book a year or so ago and just thought it was a lot of hype. I need to have "meat" if I'm going to actually spend my hard earned money on a book. It is an interesting read. It's pretty much the way I was raised but the little stories that go along with each "rule" are interesting. I have had the aha that the fallout of two (over)working parents, single parent families, oober scheduled kids is that the rules of society have fallen by the wayside. My favorite rule to date is when someone asks you a question in conversation, you return the favor. It is interesting when you start observing humans in action. How many times do you ask someone - child or adult, How is your day? and get the answer Fine, great, sucky, whatever and he/she walks on by. These "rules" all seem to be part of how human beings interact with one another respectfully that just isn't demanded or even expected anymore. Yes... it is just one more thing to add to the list of what to teach but it will make the difference between our kids being respected, appreciated and employed in their lives that lie before them.

The generosity of parents

Part of my back to school night preparation was spent on creating a wish list for the classroom. I have always believed that parents will do whatever they can to help if you just tell them what you need. So this year I finally took the time to do it and the results have been shocking. I chose a variety of price ranges and to date there is only one item left on the list. The funniest one was the small CD boombox I wanted for PE. I really didn't think I'd get one but it was worth a shot. I walked past one of my parents this morning before school wished him a good morning and he didn't even look at me - not unusual for this guy. Then in less than 5 minutes he walked in my room, gave me the boombox complete with remote and extra batteries and then was gone again. I walked out to pick up my class. Another mom said she wanted to get the boombox for us. I had to laugh as I told her that Mr. G. had just given us one. She took the next to last item from the list - a subscription to Zoo books and said if LW's grandmother didn't come through with a carpet remnant she would buy a rug for the room. The idea of the wish list is to keep it going all year but I'm not sure what else I could ask for... Amazing!

Funny thoughts

Today had its funny moments...

As I explained a math problem to my VI kid - each student put 2 blocks into the box; there are 19 students here today; how many blocks are in the box? After doing some thinking she came to me and said, Miss Allen, "How about I just say there are 20 kids instead?" Yeah, that would be easier to solve wouldn't it?

Then there was the girl who wants me to come and see her soccer games on Saturdays. She is frustrated because she keeps forgetting to bring me her schedule. So finally she said, "Does my mom have your cell phone number?" Ah this is the next generation...

And then finally this one. After giving my presentation at Back to School Night, one of the dads asked me where I got my degree. I don't know if he was trying to hit on me or just couldn't believe that I had one! His face completely changed when I asked him which one he wanted to know about. When the word masters came out of my mouth he had nothing more to say. Why is it that the dads ask all those weird questions?

Professional development

Noyce training! Yahoo. Yes I know how weird I am I am thrilled to be able to grow professionally as a teacher. I was offered a position in the Advanced training for writing workshop being presented at Ponderosa this year. I will have 3 days during the year to learn and discuss more about my great love of teaching writing. My kids are beginning to think a little deeper about writing. They are more in charge of the discussions and eager to get their ideas up on the charts that we create. Today's work was on what good writers do after they finish a piece. It was interesting to note their focus on conventions. They have this feeling that writing is about correct spelling, capital letters and punctuation. When I think about how BIG the world of writers' craft is, I want to laugh at this tiny piece that kids focus on. It's definitely what they have heard at home and it's also something they can have control over. If there's a rule for it, they can master it. But this whole idea of making writing come alive for the reader is not so easy for a 7 year old to get a handle on.

All the other stuff

One of the advantages of coming back to Sutter was that I could cruise by on the weekends and do lesson plans or prepare activities for the coming week. Of course this can also get old when you suddenly realize that you are spending all your free time at school. This week I attempted to do a little more prep before and after school hoping to avoid the weekend visit. Unfortunately, it was a 4 day week so I started off at a deficit. I worked for 10 hours today, including lunch and still am not ready for Monday. I need at least another hour to be ready for those little cuties to walk through the door. ...get out the letters for spelling, write the words for the word wall, finish copying the packet for Tuesday's Back To School Night, outline my schpeel for the parents, papers to correct, forms to fill out for kids in counseling, and label the reading folders. Although I love my job it can become overwhelming at times. So what's the problem? That great Writerly Life curriculum I was writing about yesterday... each week I read through the lessons, imagine me teaching each one, then modify them to fit my kids. The social atmosphere of Sutter... The friendly atmosphere does put a crimp on getting work done even though I get there at 7:00. This week there were extra greetings surrounding my bicycle. It seemed that every morning someone was driving in the parking lot as I was parking my bike and shared their feelings about biking or gas prices. Then there was the planning meeting on Wednesday after school, an impromptu level meeting before school, prayer group. A few minutes here, a few there and suddenly the week is over with a list of things remaining to be done before the new week begins. I am still counting my blessings because I am lucky enough to have a job that is also my passion. But I wonder if the common person realizes everything that goes into that generic term that teachers call "lesson plans."

An interesting writing lesson

As a part of the Noyce group, Sutter has access to the Every Child a Reader/Writer curriculum. The Writerly Life study has recently been updated. Most of the lessons have remained unchanged but a new one has been added that had be smiling the minute I read it. I knew it was going to be memorable! It is an explicit teaching of how to approach writing conferences both as a teacher and student. Now, I have done several versions of a mini lesson that address this topic - modeling with a carefully selected student and charting the important parts of a conference. But I never thought of modeling and allowing each student to practice this skill. Yes, that's right. Everybody gets a partner and takes turns being the teacher and then the student in the writing conference. The goal of this lesson is to make the student conferences more productive. So when the teacher asks, "How's it going?" you get something more than, "Fine." There were so many times during the lesson that I just wanted to laugh out loud as I watched my students emulating me but they were all "teachable moments." I couldn't walk past any of them with out stopping and commenting on the fabulous job they were doing as teacher. I watched kids tell their "student" the correct spelling of they, how they could get feeling into their writing or paint a picture for the reader. Then there was the group having a discussion about what to do when you know what you're going to write about, you start writing and then suddenly you forget what you were going to write. I could hardly stand it. But I just said in my teacher voice, "That is a great question. Let's talk about that when we come back to the carpet to share." So, of course the end result of the lesson is what happens when you then have a conference with a student about their writing. So I had my regular conferences. The first student response to "How's it going?" was, "Well I'm having a little problem with this piece." (Success!) The next 2 were "Fine..." As I internally groaned, I asked the follow up, "Tell me about your writing." And my final student responded with her automatic "Fine" and then interrupted her own thinking with, "I mean, I want you to help me tell this story about when I had strept throat in pre-school." The end result was that I had my first conference with a primary student about telling a story from another perspective. She laughed out loud when I told her of my recent writing of a letter I wrote to Milo's parents from his perspective. Yet, another reason that teachers of writing must write!

The numbers of teaching

No Child Left Behind...
API...
AYP...
Meeting subgroups' targets...
Locating and filling the gaps...
Yes, these are the mathematical equations of current public education. Meeting standards is an important part of teaching as is some sort of an evaluation process. But I am always struck by the fallout of the annual review of STAR testing. We start with the positive but somehow that gets forgotten with all the highlighting, circling and recording of numbers. Experienced teachers end up looking like they were just hit by a truck. Yes, there is always more we can be doing to improve the delivery of instruction. But these are human beings we're dealing with and young humans at that. A piece of this has to be attributed to human nature. Humans get scared, they freak out, they get tired. Everything children learn is not represented on the STAR test. There are no numbers to represent the love of learning that is born in the primary classroom, the social skills involved in working and living within a classroom community, or the relationships that grow between teacher and child that lasts a lifetime. As teachers, it is important to keep everything in balance. The numbers are important but so are the faces that rest in front of those little brains we are testing, scoring, and evaluating. The faces that record what's happening on the inside - feelings of self worth, pride in each attempt, the beaming smile that comes from the eventual success, and trusting the classroom where it is safe to take risks.

Biking to work

I have decided that one way I can not only save lots of money on gas but also improve life on plant Earth is to ride my bike to work. I invested in a good bike and made my trial run yesterday. My initial plan was to ride twice a week but it went so well that I thought, "Heck! Why not try this every day? I don't know how long I'll keep up my momentum but day one is in the books. I was so excited about this new leaf that I kept waking up during the night last night and thinking about it. Finally morning arrived. I did all my before school things and then put Jack outside. He was quite surprised to see me follow him and get on my bike with my backpack on! I took off down the street with a smile on my face. I was cruising along down Homestead, stopped at the stoplight and watched carefully as a guy was turning into the intersection. Evidently he thought he could beat me. As I put on my brakes he looked up and waved me on with a rather sheepish "I'm sorry" grin on his face. Note to self: I must remain completely aware of what everyone on the road is doing. My life depends upon it. There will be no early morning cell phone conversations with Christine any longer. A few blocks down the street I was suddenly struck with the fact that my arms were getting very cold. This is slightly comical because just last night Bill and I had discussed the need for a jacket in the winter. No! There is a need for a jacket now. My next observation was how friendly everyone is when you're on a bike. The dog walkers all greet you with a robust "Good morning." Is it because they are slightly embarrassed with their attire - robes and slippers? I arrived safe and sound at school within 15 minutes and got several approving smiles from my co-workers. My favorite one was the lady who said, "That's great. I rode my bike to school once." Funny! Then people started questioning me about whether my bike was safe locked in the bike rack. Good grief. What will they think of next to worry about? Yes, my bike is safe and sound. I am in one piece. I have appropriate clothes to wear that will take me from biking to teaching. I put shoes in my backpack for school. Yes, I was a little chilly but I did not freeze. And it seems that I have the energy to ride home. It feels great to be getting some easy exercise that didn't need to be planned or paid for!

The PE Teacher

Let me add yet another item to my resume. Not only am I a recent devotee to teaching real art as opposed to my previous arts and crafts instruction, but now it seems that I am also about to become somewhat adept at teaching real PE. Oh yes, I have taught PE before - morning walk/jog around the playground, kickball, basketball, soccer, and other games of the sort. But never have I done the warm-up, stretch, work out and cool down system that I have always known defines healthy physical activity. The 1st and 2nd grade teachers have been in-serviced on a new program that is as easy to use as a Betty Crocker cookbook. So I found lesson #1 in the binder and with the help of Marleas, my PE team leader, assembled my materials and headed for the field. In reflecting on this simple 30 minute lesson I am stunned by the amount of energy it takes to teach something new. I was constantly looking back at my clipboard for what I was going to do or say next. I felt like a brand new teacher again. It was hilarious watching my kids in such a different environment. The more energetic ones release all inhibitions and seem to fly around the designated area. I have already learned that the most important part of PE instruction has nothing to do with muscles, strength or movement. It is incorporating a set of signals for the simple purpose of following directions. My whistle is my best friend!

Kindergarten woes

This was the first full day of the new kindergarten schedule. The teachers came into lunch visibly shaken. It is all so wrong. Wrong for the kids, wrong for the families, wrong for the teachers, wrong for our future. We are putting 30 4 and 5 year olds in a class with one adult and expecting them to come out on the other side reading at a level 3, writing a simple story and beginning to add and subtract. It's just not going to happen. And it's all in the name of the almighty dollar. Because the state will continue to fund this system and call it 20 to 1, we say terrific and hold out our hands. But what slips through our fingers is all the possibilities - children who value literacy, who create a classroom community, whose needs can be addressed, and whose first school experience will be the best of their lives. I am so sad for everyone involved and pray that this is a one year event.

But on the positive side, I was greeted by several of my old students today. I guess they finally figured out who that familiar face was that kept walking into their old classroom. They realized why I was smiling and waving at them. They came by my room one after the other. Do you remember me Miss Allen? I discovered a great cover. I say "of course I do," hug them and ask them who their new teacher is. In the meantime I look them dead in the eye and listen oh so carefully to their voice as they respond. And sure enough, the first grade face flashes in front of the 4th/5th grade student standing before me. What an honor, to be a part of this community, to be so loved and respected.