one of my tss workers today asked if i go there a lot. it's a bar on penn's campus. i told him, no not really, i don't really hang out there much anymore. ;)
then the tss workers (the 3 that were there today) asked if we could have a holiday celebration together, like going to copabanana or something.
sure, whatever guys. what an adventure that will be.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
confirmed
so we're going on a field trip. to lord and taylor to see the lights show (my kids in lord and taylor ... ? oh my ...) and to reading terminal to see the train display, and to gallery east to see santa there (i don't know how into any of this stuff they'll be, but it is a field trip which they ask for ALL the time).
i am sooo apprehensive.
i am sooo apprehensive.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
field trip?
i walked into the bathroom today and i heard a voice say, who's there?
um, ms. matthews ...
oh, it's (so-andso). so your name's on the list for the field trip next week.
what field trip?
you haven't heard about it?? well it's wednesday, all day, free except for tokens and lunch. (which is not that free, by the way)
where are we going?
downtown.
who is going?
most of the special ed classes.
what do i need to do?
just get permission slips signed.
umm. okay, sounds good.
oh, and, the principal hasn't technically approved it yet, but just assume we're going.
___________________________________________________________
so, i'm taking my class downtown i guess ...
um, ms. matthews ...
oh, it's (so-andso). so your name's on the list for the field trip next week.
what field trip?
you haven't heard about it?? well it's wednesday, all day, free except for tokens and lunch. (which is not that free, by the way)
where are we going?
downtown.
who is going?
most of the special ed classes.
what do i need to do?
just get permission slips signed.
umm. okay, sounds good.
oh, and, the principal hasn't technically approved it yet, but just assume we're going.
___________________________________________________________
so, i'm taking my class downtown i guess ...
boo 3
and then yesterday ...
[background: my cute little hugger kid has this friend who walks him to school. she dotes on him and watches out for him and sort of shows him off to her friends (in a condescending-this-is-my-token-mentally-deficient-friend-way). in any case, she's really funny and has a lot of personality. i will call her c and my student is k].
we're lining up after lunch waiting to go into the classroom. c walks by us to the water fountain and of course, k runs over to her. she says, hey boo, in that voice they all use when they say boo. then k responds with, heeeeyyy sweetie (in this realllly girly voice).
that doesn't sound as funny as it was, but i laughed hard inside.
later that day k's step-sister/guardian told me that c calls their house alllll the time for him. she was saying, i have got to watch out for that girl. she is up to no good.
probably true, boo.
[background: my cute little hugger kid has this friend who walks him to school. she dotes on him and watches out for him and sort of shows him off to her friends (in a condescending-this-is-my-token-mentally-deficient-friend-way). in any case, she's really funny and has a lot of personality. i will call her c and my student is k].
we're lining up after lunch waiting to go into the classroom. c walks by us to the water fountain and of course, k runs over to her. she says, hey boo, in that voice they all use when they say boo. then k responds with, heeeeyyy sweetie (in this realllly girly voice).
that doesn't sound as funny as it was, but i laughed hard inside.
later that day k's step-sister/guardian told me that c calls their house alllll the time for him. she was saying, i have got to watch out for that girl. she is up to no good.
probably true, boo.
boo 2
lately i've noticed the kids saying it.
there is some new graffiti in the stairwell that says "tyesha is my boo" ...
there is some new graffiti in the stairwell that says "tyesha is my boo" ...
boo 1
around here, boo is a pet name.
this summer at institute there was a cafeteria worker who would ask "whatchu want mommy? whatchu want daddy? how you doin' boo? aright now boo. you have a good day now boo."
everything was boo. sooo funny.
this summer at institute there was a cafeteria worker who would ask "whatchu want mommy? whatchu want daddy? how you doin' boo? aright now boo. you have a good day now boo."
everything was boo. sooo funny.
phone calls
this afternoon (2 hours after dismissal. kids were home), my classroom phone rang and i picked it up to hear, "ms. matthews?"
it was one of my students, which was funny first of all because for them to call my room means that he had to talk to someone in the office who connected him to my room.
i said, hi *** (his name. he remains anonymous).
he said, whatcha doin'?
i told him how i was organizing the cabinet and cleaning up the classroom. he then asked me some questions like, are you having fun? can we work in groups tomorrow?
then his mom got on and was like, did you call here or did he call you?
oh no, ma'am, he definitely called me.
i guess he just wanted to chat ...
it was one of my students, which was funny first of all because for them to call my room means that he had to talk to someone in the office who connected him to my room.
i said, hi *** (his name. he remains anonymous).
he said, whatcha doin'?
i told him how i was organizing the cabinet and cleaning up the classroom. he then asked me some questions like, are you having fun? can we work in groups tomorrow?
then his mom got on and was like, did you call here or did he call you?
oh no, ma'am, he definitely called me.
i guess he just wanted to chat ...
oh! and ...
part of the glory of the day surely includes the mail i got today - well, a ups delivery ...
of 3 HUGE boxes filled with stuff for my class from home. my sisters, brother, mom (and dad, although probably more indirectly (ie the credit card bill?)), aunt and even my little cousin (who left me the cuuuutest note) put together gifts for my class - boxes of school supplies, stockings for each kid with random christmas-y stuff in them, and a few 'class' gifts - construction paper, those cool edged scissors, and gel pens. boy oh boy. room 201 is going to be out of control.
i need to figure out what to buy my tss workers (i feel like i should buy them something ...) - black pens i think. like, niceish ones.
but the thought of my kids opening these presents just absolutely makes my day.
of 3 HUGE boxes filled with stuff for my class from home. my sisters, brother, mom (and dad, although probably more indirectly (ie the credit card bill?)), aunt and even my little cousin (who left me the cuuuutest note) put together gifts for my class - boxes of school supplies, stockings for each kid with random christmas-y stuff in them, and a few 'class' gifts - construction paper, those cool edged scissors, and gel pens. boy oh boy. room 201 is going to be out of control.
i need to figure out what to buy my tss workers (i feel like i should buy them something ...) - black pens i think. like, niceish ones.
but the thought of my kids opening these presents just absolutely makes my day.
what a glorious day
actually, not really. i've just been dying to say that phrase (thank you david crowder).
in fact, this morning was about as bad as its been.
BUT once the kids left (at 12:19!!), I had all day and evening (when i was required to be there - until 7) to work on my room. i organized, cleaned, hung posters, got the lights changed (it's like a new room), and more.
and then tonight i downloaded a bunch of great christmas music (thanks linds) to the classroom computer so i had the excellent "maybe this christmas tree" album accompanying my toils ;)
excepting this morning, a glorious day.
in fact, this morning was about as bad as its been.
BUT once the kids left (at 12:19!!), I had all day and evening (when i was required to be there - until 7) to work on my room. i organized, cleaned, hung posters, got the lights changed (it's like a new room), and more.
and then tonight i downloaded a bunch of great christmas music (thanks linds) to the classroom computer so i had the excellent "maybe this christmas tree" album accompanying my toils ;)
excepting this morning, a glorious day.
Monday, December 12, 2005
the splits
one of my boys was pretending to be a cheerleader this morning.
he did the splits (well, not totally), and we all heard his pants tear.
hahahhaa.
he did the splits (well, not totally), and we all heard his pants tear.
hahahhaa.
fire!!!
we had a fire down the hallway today. this is the story:
one of my girls comes back from art class and tells me that the hallway smells like smoke. as my kids gradually come in, i stick my head out into the hallway and see that, in fact, the hallway looks foggy. as i take a step out, i find that the smokiness is not just a smell - but there is a lot of smoke in the hallway. before i know it, there is an entire class of kids that (escaped?) came running out of the room across the hall and, en masse, was running down the hall screaming, "there's a fire! where's the fire? fire! fire! fire!"
(all this time, mind you, we are still *in* the building)
i finally get my kids (who joined the running crowd) back in the classroom with a strict word of advice - if there is ever a fire, you never ever EVER run TOWARDS it. they understood and we shut our door and opened the windows. (and waited, or at least i was waiting, for word to evacuate the building or at least move to another floor)
but no, the security guard in the hallway tells me that something in one of the bathrooms caught on fire. still not sure what. but, no fear, b/c the firemen came. there they were, 3 men, one with a hatchet, in the full garb, walking down our hall like they were in a movie. my kids went CRAZZZZY.
crazy like, ran after them screaming "firemen!!!!!!" then my really truly crazy girl, she threw herself on the ground and spun around in circles in the hallway screaming.
then there was a scream of "the fire trucks outside!" from the window ... and so the class ran back and forth - window - door - window - door ...
eventually the firemen left, the truck pulled away, and the smoke subsided.
and we never went outside.
one of my girls comes back from art class and tells me that the hallway smells like smoke. as my kids gradually come in, i stick my head out into the hallway and see that, in fact, the hallway looks foggy. as i take a step out, i find that the smokiness is not just a smell - but there is a lot of smoke in the hallway. before i know it, there is an entire class of kids that (escaped?) came running out of the room across the hall and, en masse, was running down the hall screaming, "there's a fire! where's the fire? fire! fire! fire!"
(all this time, mind you, we are still *in* the building)
i finally get my kids (who joined the running crowd) back in the classroom with a strict word of advice - if there is ever a fire, you never ever EVER run TOWARDS it. they understood and we shut our door and opened the windows. (and waited, or at least i was waiting, for word to evacuate the building or at least move to another floor)
but no, the security guard in the hallway tells me that something in one of the bathrooms caught on fire. still not sure what. but, no fear, b/c the firemen came. there they were, 3 men, one with a hatchet, in the full garb, walking down our hall like they were in a movie. my kids went CRAZZZZY.
crazy like, ran after them screaming "firemen!!!!!!" then my really truly crazy girl, she threw herself on the ground and spun around in circles in the hallway screaming.
then there was a scream of "the fire trucks outside!" from the window ... and so the class ran back and forth - window - door - window - door ...
eventually the firemen left, the truck pulled away, and the smoke subsided.
and we never went outside.
Friday, December 09, 2005
Thursday, December 08, 2005
bad news
echo the dolphin the defender of the sea and of the future is plagerized from a game that my student must have.
boo i gave her major credit for creativity there.
it is actually ecco the dolphin the defender of the future.
it is still funny to me. i will pretend like the game doesn't exist.
boo i gave her major credit for creativity there.
it is actually ecco the dolphin the defender of the future.
it is still funny to me. i will pretend like the game doesn't exist.
poor people
we are (sort of) writing persuasive essays. one kid choose to write about why it is wrong that people are poor. i talked with him about it and he shared these stories about how he can never decide whether to give people on the streets money because he wants to but he knows they "be spendin it on smokin and stuff." he told me about how sometimes he has gones gone downtown to feed the poor people and give the kids stuff (i'm guessing around christmas time) and how he is amazed how happy they are at the littlest things. he said that money would solve the problem except that people don't know how to use it.
it is amazing how thankful he is. i've seen his house. he ain't got a lot. but wow.
it is amazing how thankful he is. i've seen his house. he ain't got a lot. but wow.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
for example
stuff like this happens all the time.
we're working on our animal reports today. one guy has been working hard on his poster about gray wolves. it is neat, organized, and sentences are coherent. he had gotten frustrated with his partner for not helping enough, so after a while, he blew up and scribbled all over the poster he had spent over an hour working on, crumpled it up, and screamed.
all in a day's work. i need to submit something to reader's digest.
we're working on our animal reports today. one guy has been working hard on his poster about gray wolves. it is neat, organized, and sentences are coherent. he had gotten frustrated with his partner for not helping enough, so after a while, he blew up and scribbled all over the poster he had spent over an hour working on, crumpled it up, and screamed.
all in a day's work. i need to submit something to reader's digest.
echo the dolphin
i'm still laughing as i type this.
today we did little reports on endangered species. my two girls worked together and made a poster about dolphins. it was great. we had pictures and everything on it.
under the pictures, they wrote the name they (well, one of them) had given the dolphin:
Echo the Dolphin, the Defender of the Sea
i find that so absolutely hilarious. you kind of have to know the girl too. it's very, well, special ed.
today we did little reports on endangered species. my two girls worked together and made a poster about dolphins. it was great. we had pictures and everything on it.
under the pictures, they wrote the name they (well, one of them) had given the dolphin:
Echo the Dolphin, the Defender of the Sea
i find that so absolutely hilarious. you kind of have to know the girl too. it's very, well, special ed.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Monday, December 05, 2005
inclement weather
ooo. i truly just realized that if we have a really snowy and icy winter, and if the school district is afraid of snow (? farfetched i know ...), then we just might have a snow day ... or two ... or three ... or more ...
i cannot even begin to imagine how absolutely glorious that would be. i mean, uhh, uh, i love my class and i'd hate learning time to be taken away from them.
i cannot even begin to imagine how absolutely glorious that would be. i mean, uhh, uh, i love my class and i'd hate learning time to be taken away from them.
food fights
last week there was a terrible food fight in the 1st lunch. we're talking no-more-kids-in-the-cafeteria-for-the-rest-of-the-day, milk-dripping-off-every-surface, a-few-teachers-nearly-fell bad.
today, the kids in the 2nd lunch had a wild time, which i found out as most of my class came RUNNING to my room 5 minutes before lunch was over and breathlessly told me that my boys had started it. sweet.
today, the kids in the 2nd lunch had a wild time, which i found out as most of my class came RUNNING to my room 5 minutes before lunch was over and breathlessly told me that my boys had started it. sweet.