last monday, i had to buy my class pizza because they earned a certain number of behavior points.
i wanted them to have something to do besides just eat pizza, so i looked through my "best of the discovery channel" dvds (thanks mom).
the 3 pilot episodes of the show "mythbusters" were on one dvd, and i started watching sunday night ...
episode 1 started with the myth that if you flush an airplane toilet while sitting on it, you could get suctioned helplessly to the seat. i watched some of it and thought it was hilarious, and plus, it's about butts, so, what's not to like for a 6th grader?
they thought it was SO dumb. "ms. matthews, this [is] corny!"
oh well. it was a nice try. i wonder if they'll like the documentary about nefertiti better.
Saturday, April 08, 2006
disclaimer
the walls look - and are - exceedingly bare not because i may be a terrible teacher, but because we just finished PSSAs and were required to take down all instructional materials ... we used to have a word wall, times tables, math facts, science information, a government poster, prefixes, suffixes, things to do as we read ...
see, i'm not a total slacker.
isn't room 201 a cute little place?!
oh, and yes, there are 2 tvs in there. i had one, but then i needed one to which i could hook up my dvd player, so found another one ...
need to give *both* of them back :)
see, i'm not a total slacker.
isn't room 201 a cute little place?!
oh, and yes, there are 2 tvs in there. i had one, but then i needed one to which i could hook up my dvd player, so found another one ...
need to give *both* of them back :)
Thursday, April 06, 2006
second chances
he was here today. my student who i thought would be in the detention center by now.
his mom is giving him a second chance.
she is accompanying him on our field trip tomorrow.
i was so happy to see him today. somehow he was not so grateful and was still out of control.
his mom is giving him a second chance.
she is accompanying him on our field trip tomorrow.
i was so happy to see him today. somehow he was not so grateful and was still out of control.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
new template
i haven't quite decided if i like this. it's a little busy, but the other one was a little boring.
i tried a green one which i thought would be nice. turns out it was NEON. whew!
what do you think?
i tried a green one which i thought would be nice. turns out it was NEON. whew!
what do you think?
circus friday
we are going to the univerSOUL circus (haahaha). it's a multicultural circus.
should be ultra fun.
the day before spring break is the perfect time for a field trip. mmm. can't wait to get out of the building.
should be ultra fun.
the day before spring break is the perfect time for a field trip. mmm. can't wait to get out of the building.
fires
in the last two weeks, i've seen at least 5 houses on the way to school freshly burned out.
yesterday on the way home, there was a huge fire in one house, just having been put out as i drove by.
crazy things goin' on here ...
yesterday on the way home, there was a huge fire in one house, just having been put out as i drove by.
crazy things goin' on here ...
heartache
one of my kids burned up the lot behind his house, catching a couple houses on fire in the process (see accident #1).
last week, the courts put him on house arrest (as opposed to juvi-)
his 'mom' (actually his aunt ... mom is strung out somewhere) has told me a few times in the last couple weeks that she is really having a hard time dealing with him and doesn't know how much longer she can take it.
all this week, he's been a walking disaster. today i had to call home, after giving him probably 25 warnings (ie. "you know it will be bad if i call your house. i would really like to not have to. start making some good decisions.").
his mom said, i can't do this anymore, i'm calling the courts and having him taken away. i just can't do it. i'm sorry you have to be involved in this ...
she came and got him in the middle of the school day.
what if he doesn't come back to school tomorrow? or the next day? sigh.
last week, the courts put him on house arrest (as opposed to juvi-)
his 'mom' (actually his aunt ... mom is strung out somewhere) has told me a few times in the last couple weeks that she is really having a hard time dealing with him and doesn't know how much longer she can take it.
all this week, he's been a walking disaster. today i had to call home, after giving him probably 25 warnings (ie. "you know it will be bad if i call your house. i would really like to not have to. start making some good decisions.").
his mom said, i can't do this anymore, i'm calling the courts and having him taken away. i just can't do it. i'm sorry you have to be involved in this ...
she came and got him in the middle of the school day.
what if he doesn't come back to school tomorrow? or the next day? sigh.
chocolate mocha ice cream
last friday, a random woman shows up in my room with the assistant principal. she introduces us and then informs me that this woman is going to be my classroom assistant.
say what??!
it sounds good, but it's like chocolate mocha ice cream - chocolate part is great, the mocha part makes me cringe and therefore i don't like the whole thing.
she wants to grade papers ... ummm ... i don't really have that many to grade.
she wants to cut things out for me ... ummm ... i am not planned quite so far ahead.
she wants me to give her stuff to work on over spring break ... ummm ... over spring break *i* will be figuring out what is next.
actually, it's really good, because it's going to make me be on the ball.
and she bought a jump rope for my girls to use during recess (okay, i jumped some too. they thought that was just hilarious).
and it's still ice cream, which is ultimately a good thing no matter what.
say what??!
it sounds good, but it's like chocolate mocha ice cream - chocolate part is great, the mocha part makes me cringe and therefore i don't like the whole thing.
she wants to grade papers ... ummm ... i don't really have that many to grade.
she wants to cut things out for me ... ummm ... i am not planned quite so far ahead.
she wants me to give her stuff to work on over spring break ... ummm ... over spring break *i* will be figuring out what is next.
actually, it's really good, because it's going to make me be on the ball.
and she bought a jump rope for my girls to use during recess (okay, i jumped some too. they thought that was just hilarious).
and it's still ice cream, which is ultimately a good thing no matter what.
oh, and next year
sooo ... our school is cutting 5th graders next year to begin transitioning to a high school.
our budget also got cut in half.
guess which teachers get cut? the ones with no seniority (ie me and all my little TFA buddies).
so, it's not official yet, because it's a little different for Special Ed.
And there is apparently a racial element, so for once in my life, being white will actually help me make a place diverse. Interesting concept.
Chances are good that I'll get to stay, but chances are not as good for some of my beloved colleagues.
By the way, did I just say "get to stay"? Wow.
our budget also got cut in half.
guess which teachers get cut? the ones with no seniority (ie me and all my little TFA buddies).
so, it's not official yet, because it's a little different for Special Ed.
And there is apparently a racial element, so for once in my life, being white will actually help me make a place diverse. Interesting concept.
Chances are good that I'll get to stay, but chances are not as good for some of my beloved colleagues.
By the way, did I just say "get to stay"? Wow.
two random kids
another SpEd teacher was absent on monday. so two of his kids came in my classroom instead of running the halls (good choice boys).
they were so GOOD! it was amazing! i didn't know there were 7th grade boys so considerate and kind.
and then when it was time for them to go to music, they left, and about 5 minutes later, i found them in the hall.
i took one wrist in each hand and walked them arm in arm up to music. we had to walk past a bunch of other 7th grade classes, and they were laughing so hard because they were embarrassed. i told them, you act like kids running the halls, i'm going to treat you like kids and walk you right to the door of your music class.
any of my students would have FLIPPED if i did that. but these guys didn't.
maybe i'll have them next year. :D
they were so GOOD! it was amazing! i didn't know there were 7th grade boys so considerate and kind.
and then when it was time for them to go to music, they left, and about 5 minutes later, i found them in the hall.
i took one wrist in each hand and walked them arm in arm up to music. we had to walk past a bunch of other 7th grade classes, and they were laughing so hard because they were embarrassed. i told them, you act like kids running the halls, i'm going to treat you like kids and walk you right to the door of your music class.
any of my students would have FLIPPED if i did that. but these guys didn't.
maybe i'll have them next year. :D
american idol
okay, i watch it. whatever.
and i have favorites.
one of my kids watches it and the last few times, his favorite person always is the one who gets eliminated. poor thing.
so after last week's episode, he came in and said, ms. matthews, i'm gonna like mandisa now. i know she's your favorite, but just watch, she's gonna get gone next week. just because i like her. my girls are always goin' down.
blast him!! she was the best one on there and she got kicked off tonight!
boy am i going to hear it tomorrow.
and i have favorites.
one of my kids watches it and the last few times, his favorite person always is the one who gets eliminated. poor thing.
so after last week's episode, he came in and said, ms. matthews, i'm gonna like mandisa now. i know she's your favorite, but just watch, she's gonna get gone next week. just because i like her. my girls are always goin' down.
blast him!! she was the best one on there and she got kicked off tonight!
boy am i going to hear it tomorrow.
breakfast
during testing, we got boxes with juice and things like pop-tarts or honeybuns to have for breakfast in the classroom. my kids went through withdrawal the days after testing was over.
so last thursday (after one WHOLE day without breakfast in the classroom), they were all talking about how if i just wrote them a note to go to the cafeteria, they could get a box of breakfasts. i was skeptical and annoyed because we were already 25 minutes into the school day. all of a sudden, i looked up and two kids are gone.
15 minutes later, they came back with a box they could hardly carry together. it was FULL of juices and snacks. one of them had written a note (in his chicken scratch writing ...) and the cafeteria ladies bought it ... both my name and breakfast were spelled wrong. and the note said they needed 25 breakfasts.
they are so good at getting what they want. i couldn't do much but laugh.
oh, and on monday, they came back with 30 something pop-tarts. oh bless.
so last thursday (after one WHOLE day without breakfast in the classroom), they were all talking about how if i just wrote them a note to go to the cafeteria, they could get a box of breakfasts. i was skeptical and annoyed because we were already 25 minutes into the school day. all of a sudden, i looked up and two kids are gone.
15 minutes later, they came back with a box they could hardly carry together. it was FULL of juices and snacks. one of them had written a note (in his chicken scratch writing ...) and the cafeteria ladies bought it ... both my name and breakfast were spelled wrong. and the note said they needed 25 breakfasts.
they are so good at getting what they want. i couldn't do much but laugh.
oh, and on monday, they came back with 30 something pop-tarts. oh bless.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
accident #3
fortunately there isn't one, unless you count accepting this job in the first place.
i'm outta stuff, and my head hurts ... will think of more later :)
i'm outta stuff, and my head hurts ... will think of more later :)
accident #2
(an actual accident)
last thursday, it was almost the end of the day when i heard a big commotion coming from what sounded like the room below me (which happens to belong to one of my good friends). i started listening carefully then heard an ENORMOUS crashing sound, sounded like metal ... which it was.
i sprinted downstairs to his room and saw his whole class near the window. i heard him on the phone calling 911 and asking for an ambulance ...
a student had left school early (left out, as we say) and was standing on a big metal grate outside my friend's class. he was jumping up and down (trying to reach the window, we think) and the grate, which was made up of a bunch of smaller grates about 2' by 7', gave in beneath him and he fell into the 20' deep concrete well.
i don't think i've ever personally witnessed anything quite so traumatizing. from my classroom window, we could see him down there, bloody and trapped under about 3 or 4 of these huge, heavy things. after about 40 minutes they got him out and in an ambulance. about 2,000 people (student population of our school, the high school, and alllll the neighbors) were crowded in the streets. the emergency vehicles were all over the place, so there were probably more than 10 trolleys lined up in either direction, waiting. helicopters overhead ... an intense situation.
miraculously, he's okay - staples in the head, punctured lungs, and cracked ribs, but nothing that won't get better. whew. scary times.
last thursday, it was almost the end of the day when i heard a big commotion coming from what sounded like the room below me (which happens to belong to one of my good friends). i started listening carefully then heard an ENORMOUS crashing sound, sounded like metal ... which it was.
i sprinted downstairs to his room and saw his whole class near the window. i heard him on the phone calling 911 and asking for an ambulance ...
a student had left school early (left out, as we say) and was standing on a big metal grate outside my friend's class. he was jumping up and down (trying to reach the window, we think) and the grate, which was made up of a bunch of smaller grates about 2' by 7', gave in beneath him and he fell into the 20' deep concrete well.
i don't think i've ever personally witnessed anything quite so traumatizing. from my classroom window, we could see him down there, bloody and trapped under about 3 or 4 of these huge, heavy things. after about 40 minutes they got him out and in an ambulance. about 2,000 people (student population of our school, the high school, and alllll the neighbors) were crowded in the streets. the emergency vehicles were all over the place, so there were probably more than 10 trolleys lined up in either direction, waiting. helicopters overhead ... an intense situation.
miraculously, he's okay - staples in the head, punctured lungs, and cracked ribs, but nothing that won't get better. whew. scary times.
accident #1
two weeks ago, one of my kids was absent on monday. tuesday he came in with a note from his mom. it said "(his name) was not in school monday because he got lock up." (translate: he was arrested.)
por que? he set his couch (and subsequently his house) on fire. he told me this after school that day. i said, honey how did it happen? was it an accident?
his response: not exactly an accident. i was mad.
i thought accident #1 was a better title than arson ...
por que? he set his couch (and subsequently his house) on fire. he told me this after school that day. i said, honey how did it happen? was it an accident?
his response: not exactly an accident. i was mad.
i thought accident #1 was a better title than arson ...
PSSAs
we had another PSSA pep rally last week. this week the test started. unfortunately, i have been incapacitated. got really sick on sunday, and monday and tuesday were a complete disaster in school. i should have known not to go tuesday ... but couldn't do it! have some sort of upper respiratory and sinus thing going on. could hardly speak at all ... yesterday (tuesday) i went in an hour late and then couldn't talk. i wrote notes on the board and the kids thought it was funny and weren't particularly well behaved for me. boo.
but (there is always a but), the math section of the test that they took tuesday wasn't too bad for some of them! the two open ended questions were both things that we had talked about and so the problems at least felt familiar to them. :) oh the little things.
but (there is always a but), the math section of the test that they took tuesday wasn't too bad for some of them! the two open ended questions were both things that we had talked about and so the problems at least felt familiar to them. :) oh the little things.
good days, bad days
there have been quite a share of both of these in the last three weeks.
one week (the ... second, i think, week of march) was great. we were studying algebraic expressions in the 6th grade math book and one of my 5th graders had a near nervous breakdown because he thought it'd be too hard. by friday, he was the first one finished with the practice problems and we did a little celebration dance together.
on the other hand, the same kid has actually THROWN a chair at another student more than 3 times in the last couple weeks. once we weren't able to intercept it midair and it hit the target, right in the chest. ooof.
one week (the ... second, i think, week of march) was great. we were studying algebraic expressions in the 6th grade math book and one of my 5th graders had a near nervous breakdown because he thought it'd be too hard. by friday, he was the first one finished with the practice problems and we did a little celebration dance together.
on the other hand, the same kid has actually THROWN a chair at another student more than 3 times in the last couple weeks. once we weren't able to intercept it midair and it hit the target, right in the chest. ooof.
long time, no write
sorry to my faithful blog checkers (you know who you are ...). march has been a little crazy. actually, not so much. i've just been lazy. well here goes, to try to update 23 days worth of life with a bunch of kids.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
big words ...
one of my kids has been really excited about learning big words lately. i got a pretty advanced vocabulary workbook and gave it to him yesterday. today after school we worked on words like myriad, contagious, appalling, picturesque, and eminent. it was grand.
same kid also told me about when he read the book of Revelation. scared him so bad he slept in his grandmom's bed for a week. i told that's why it's important to read between the beginning and the end. he said not to worry, he knows Jesus.
and he has an audition tomorrow for a play at his community center. his big dream is to move to california and become an actor. early in the day, he told me about it, asked me to pray (and said if he doesn't get a part, he's going to ask me if i talked to the Lord or not and if i didn't he'll be mad) and come to the show if he gets in. after school he told me decided not to do it ... he said "see, i don't deal well with rejection or failure. and i don't want to be rejected and have them tell me i'm not good. see, ms. matthews, i'm half-illiterate and half my brain doesn't work [not true]. in these things, they just give you a script and have you read, and i'll mess up on any big words. ms. matthews i can't do it. i don't wanna be embarrassed. i'm not goin' in there and not getting a part. i'd rather not try out at all."
poor thing. i convinced him that they'd surely let him practice before his audition with the script, that he could use his tape recorder to record someone reading it as he reads along to practice ... told him how tom cruise is dyslexic ...
i reallllly hope he gets a part.
same kid also told me about when he read the book of Revelation. scared him so bad he slept in his grandmom's bed for a week. i told that's why it's important to read between the beginning and the end. he said not to worry, he knows Jesus.
and he has an audition tomorrow for a play at his community center. his big dream is to move to california and become an actor. early in the day, he told me about it, asked me to pray (and said if he doesn't get a part, he's going to ask me if i talked to the Lord or not and if i didn't he'll be mad) and come to the show if he gets in. after school he told me decided not to do it ... he said "see, i don't deal well with rejection or failure. and i don't want to be rejected and have them tell me i'm not good. see, ms. matthews, i'm half-illiterate and half my brain doesn't work [not true]. in these things, they just give you a script and have you read, and i'll mess up on any big words. ms. matthews i can't do it. i don't wanna be embarrassed. i'm not goin' in there and not getting a part. i'd rather not try out at all."
poor thing. i convinced him that they'd surely let him practice before his audition with the script, that he could use his tape recorder to record someone reading it as he reads along to practice ... told him how tom cruise is dyslexic ...
i reallllly hope he gets a part.