The Joy of Teaching #2

I have had a crazy few weeks in my classroom. 3 of my students have left and I have gotten 3 new ones. One of the students who left was a personal project of mine. He spoke little English and was leaving having conversations in English (his native language is Spanish). Anyway, 3 new kids definitely changes the dynamics of a classroom...

I have a special boy in my class, who I love very much, but challenges me in many ways. He is one of my lowest students but he is by far "dumb". He can't read but 6 words per minute and his math skills are touch and go. I have struggled with figuring out his ways of learning. He also has emotional/anger problems. He doesn't know how to control himself, he freaks out, throws tantrums, screams at kids and adults, throws things at people who he doesn't trust...the list goes on and on. (Oh, and this is the same little guy that peed in the grass)

Okay, so today, I find out that this student has ripped a page in his anthology and has scribbled in it (out of frustration, I am sure!) I was so mad at him. I didn't know what to do. I decided that he needed a "logical" consequence. He is going to be "earning" back the money of the book by taking out the recycle bins in the classroom and picking up the trash throughout the day (inside the classroom). He took to the jobs right away, (he definitely knew he was in the wrong) and took them pretty seriously. (Though he was EXTREMELY concerned that I was not going to allow him to eat lunch!) Towards the end of the afternoon he was getting frustrated and yelled out "can you guys stop putting trash on the ground! I have to pick it up!"

Oh man, the joy of teaching. My life is dedicated to those 20 rugrats right now. I have completely reorganized my classroom and it feels great...I am EXHAUSTED though!

Oh, the things I learn...

This week in my first grade class was crazy, crazy but fun. The kids were wound up on Monday and I really hard to get as much academics in as I could. The pressure to get all these kids to read by June is really setting in. We did a lot of Christmas crafts and activities. Wednesday, as we were getting working I had one of my lovely little guys poop his pants, for the 2nd time in a week. I just shook my head and sent him out the door.

On Thursday, we decorated cookies, we had a Christmas sing, Santa came to visit, and it was a day of fun! One of my little guys, whom I adore and hold very dear had to go to the bathroom so I sent him off. A few seconds later, one of the 2nd grade teachers brought my little guy in and told me she would be escorting him to the bathroom. She came back and told me that he had walked to the grass part right outside my classroom, unzipped his pants, and begun to pee.

Funny thing is, a few days prior he had been taking a long time to go to the bathroom so I told him from now on I was watching the clock. So the next few times, he was coming back SO fast. I made him promise that he was really going to the bathroom.

Sure enough, he was, he wanted to make me happy by not taking too long to go. Lesson learned, first graders are resourceful...don't time them when they go to the bathroom!

The Joy of Teaching

This year has been a lot tougher for me than last year with teaching. I've felt burnt out a lot more and I feel like I am working a lot more hours. First grade is just a lot tougher than second, which I expected but I just get worn out

This week though confirmed to me why I am a teacher and why I will stay a teacher. (Besides the fact that I know the Lord has called me where I am). I have a student this year who at the beginning of the school year I thought would be one of my more difficult students. He was REALLY low. REALLY REALLY low! For the last couple of weeks there has been a change in this little boy. He is sitting taller, he is able to sit still, and more importantly he is reading! READING. I sat down with him on Thursday and we read a little book together and he read it. With some help but more reading then helping. On Friday, I tested his sight words. (I do a weekly sight word test). He had a long list of sight words that he did not know. I asked him if he knew any on the page as I was writing something down and he just started reading off the words. As I began formally testing him he began to get more and more excited with the words that he knew. His voice got higher with excitement, he was looking at me for approval. I was so excited. He only missed 4. 4 out of 30! I was so proud of this little boy. He was so proud of himself. I had tears in my eyes as I watched his pride. I looked at him and said you can read! I called his mom to let her know...I hope she is as excited as I was!

This is what makes teaching worth it. I did not do anything for this boy but give him an opportunity to learn. I am so thankful I could be there to help him!

My class!


~N