Last week I gave a unit math test to my students. They all pretty much did very poorly. I found it necessary to review addition, subtraction, and multiplication of decimal numbers. Each day this week, I've given them pages full of problems to solve. Well, as happens, the paperwork stacked up without getting corrected.
So today I handed back the three pages of problems. I told them to take out their calculators and correct their own work. If they got a problem wrong, I told them, they were to rework the problem and figure out what their mistake was.
It was amazing how many kids thought that it was their calculator that got it wrong...
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Never Thought I'd See the Day...
I never thought I'd have to do this. But Emily is grounded. For the weekend, and I'm extending it into the week as well. No computer unless it is to do school work. No tv. No phone calls from friends. No going anywhere.
It all happened yesterday. It was a statewide inservice day for teachers, so both my husband and I had to work. But the girls had the day off. Emily's girl scout troop had originally planned to have an overnighter in a nearby state park in a couple of yurts, but the weather began to change and be unpredictable, so an alternate activity was planned. They decided to go the a pumpkin patch/corn maze instead.
I had arranged that Emily would ride with another girl who lives in our neighborhood, but at the last minute, she decided not to go. So, even as late as yesterday morning when I left for work, I didn't know for sure that Emily would be going. But I left her $20, my cell phone, and told her to take her key. If she was going, then I would have to run home quick during my lunch break, pick up Stella who wanted to come to my room anyway to see my two leapard geckos, and head back to school. The afternoon was our teacher time anyway, so I wasn't in meetings.
When we finally broke for lunch, I called home. Emily informed me that she was going to the pumpkin patch, so I knew I had to hurry home to get Stella. I rushed home, said goodbye to Emily, and headed back to school.
At about 5 pm that evening, Stella and I left school to head home. After a couple of stops (the store for coffee, and then to the Blend for a smoothie), we got home. Later my husband got home. I hadn't heard anything from Emily, but wasn't concerned as the email about this venture had said they'd be back 8:30ish. I had interpreted the email as saying we should pick up the girls at the house they met at earlier in the day about then. In fact, I had told Emily to call me with the cell phone as they were heading home so I'd have an idea of when to pick her up.
But I didn't hear a thing, and 8:30 came and went. I tried a couple of times to call the cell phone, but there was no answer. I didn't know if she didn't answer because she was in a dead zone, or it was so noisy she couldn't hear, or (what makes me most angry) the phone wasn't even on. But finally about 9:00ish, my husband and I drove over to the house just to see. I couldn't figure out why she didn't call me from the house, if, for instance, the batteries on the phone went dead.
I knocked on the door, and the husband came to answer. The house was very quiet, and he hadn't heard that the girls were coming back to his house to be picked up. I had said that was what I had assumed. He then tried to call his wife on her cell phone-no answer. Then he tried to call his daughter on hers, and a nearby phone rings, indicating that she left her phone home...(So, the lesson is: What good are cell phones anyway?). I left, and we went back home, hoping we'd see them waiting outside our house, or, since Emily had a key with her (at least, she SHOULD have...)she'd be waiting inside (we had left a note).
But no one outside, and no one inside. I began to really worry. It seemed late, and I wasn't even quite sure who she was riding with. And she wasn't answering her cell phone, which bugged me the most.
Finally, just before 10 pm, I hear a car. I go outside and it's a car full of girls. Emily gets out, all happy from a fun, full day. No cares in the world. I thanked the mom for driving the girls. Emily and I walk back to the house.
"Emily, please answer this one thing," I said. "Did you turn on the cell phone?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed. Then she paused. "At least I think I did..." As she went to pull the phone out of her pocket, she realizes that she can't check it, beause it isn't even in her pocket. And it is worse than if she forgot to take it with her. It is worse than if she just didn't even turn it on. She has lost my cell phone.
She knows she took it. She knows she had it in the car on the way to the pumpkin patch, or at least that is what she says. She called the house of the mom whose car she rode in, and they checked but no cell phone. They gave her the number of the pumpkin patch, and she will call today.
I'm not holding my breath. And she's grounded.
It all happened yesterday. It was a statewide inservice day for teachers, so both my husband and I had to work. But the girls had the day off. Emily's girl scout troop had originally planned to have an overnighter in a nearby state park in a couple of yurts, but the weather began to change and be unpredictable, so an alternate activity was planned. They decided to go the a pumpkin patch/corn maze instead.
I had arranged that Emily would ride with another girl who lives in our neighborhood, but at the last minute, she decided not to go. So, even as late as yesterday morning when I left for work, I didn't know for sure that Emily would be going. But I left her $20, my cell phone, and told her to take her key. If she was going, then I would have to run home quick during my lunch break, pick up Stella who wanted to come to my room anyway to see my two leapard geckos, and head back to school. The afternoon was our teacher time anyway, so I wasn't in meetings.
When we finally broke for lunch, I called home. Emily informed me that she was going to the pumpkin patch, so I knew I had to hurry home to get Stella. I rushed home, said goodbye to Emily, and headed back to school.
At about 5 pm that evening, Stella and I left school to head home. After a couple of stops (the store for coffee, and then to the Blend for a smoothie), we got home. Later my husband got home. I hadn't heard anything from Emily, but wasn't concerned as the email about this venture had said they'd be back 8:30ish. I had interpreted the email as saying we should pick up the girls at the house they met at earlier in the day about then. In fact, I had told Emily to call me with the cell phone as they were heading home so I'd have an idea of when to pick her up.
But I didn't hear a thing, and 8:30 came and went. I tried a couple of times to call the cell phone, but there was no answer. I didn't know if she didn't answer because she was in a dead zone, or it was so noisy she couldn't hear, or (what makes me most angry) the phone wasn't even on. But finally about 9:00ish, my husband and I drove over to the house just to see. I couldn't figure out why she didn't call me from the house, if, for instance, the batteries on the phone went dead.
I knocked on the door, and the husband came to answer. The house was very quiet, and he hadn't heard that the girls were coming back to his house to be picked up. I had said that was what I had assumed. He then tried to call his wife on her cell phone-no answer. Then he tried to call his daughter on hers, and a nearby phone rings, indicating that she left her phone home...(So, the lesson is: What good are cell phones anyway?). I left, and we went back home, hoping we'd see them waiting outside our house, or, since Emily had a key with her (at least, she SHOULD have...)she'd be waiting inside (we had left a note).
But no one outside, and no one inside. I began to really worry. It seemed late, and I wasn't even quite sure who she was riding with. And she wasn't answering her cell phone, which bugged me the most.
Finally, just before 10 pm, I hear a car. I go outside and it's a car full of girls. Emily gets out, all happy from a fun, full day. No cares in the world. I thanked the mom for driving the girls. Emily and I walk back to the house.
"Emily, please answer this one thing," I said. "Did you turn on the cell phone?"
"Yes!" she exclaimed. Then she paused. "At least I think I did..." As she went to pull the phone out of her pocket, she realizes that she can't check it, beause it isn't even in her pocket. And it is worse than if she forgot to take it with her. It is worse than if she just didn't even turn it on. She has lost my cell phone.
She knows she took it. She knows she had it in the car on the way to the pumpkin patch, or at least that is what she says. She called the house of the mom whose car she rode in, and they checked but no cell phone. They gave her the number of the pumpkin patch, and she will call today.
I'm not holding my breath. And she's grounded.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
The Nose Knows (Again)
This morning I let my students into the classroom. As a few of the boys passed me, I got a very strong whiff of some kind of musk-scented cologne. I followed those boys, sniffing as I went, to find the culprit.
"Darwin, come with me," I said, when I had found the scented-one. Darwin followed me out into the hallway. "Darwin," I said, "you are quite fragrant today. What did you do?"
"Derek sprayed me with cologne," Darwin replied. So I poked my head into the classroom. "Derek-Get out here," I commanded.
Derek came out and joined us in the hall. "Did you spray Darwin with cologne?"
"He asked me to," Derek replied.
"Where is the colonge?" I asked.
"In my backpack," he replied.
"Go get it," I said.
When he came back out, he said, "Julius asked to be sprayed, too."
So I stuck my head back into the classroom. "Julius, get out here."
Julius came out and joined us in the hall. "Did you let Derek spray you with cologne?" I asked.
"No," replied Julius. "He just sprayed me. I didn't want him to."
Arguing then ensued as to who asked whom to be sprayed with cologne. Then Derek said, "Albert has cologne, too."
I stuck my head into the classroom. "Albert. Get out here."
Albert came out. "Do you have cologned in your backpack?" I asked. He nodded. "Go get it," I told him.
Now I have four boys, and two cans of a spray-type of cologne in my hand. "First of all," I said, "I cannot stand the smell from this. Darwin has it on so thick I don't even want to let him back into the room. Second of all, if you're worried about stinking, this wasn't the way to go. You now smell worse. If you stink, you need to use an unscented deoderant. None of this. Both of you will take it home, and never bring it back, and never put it on before you come to school. If you do, I will send you home for a shower before you can come back."
I made Austin promise not to use it, knowing that a phone call home would be useless. His parents apparently don't care. He promised.
Derek, though, is a troublemaker, suprisingly since his parents are military. "Derek, I think I will give this back to your parents personally when they pick you up today from school."
"Yes, M'am," he said.
After school, I waited in the office with Derek for his mom to come. As we waited, Derek began to cry. "Why are you crying?" I asked.
"Because my dad said if I get in trouble one more time, he would whup me," he replied.
Not wanting to be responsible for the whupping of a child, I wondered what to do. So I told my principal. She said, "Well, I guess he shouldn't have gotten into trouble then..."
Soon Derek's mom showed up. I think she first thought I was waiting with Derek just to be considerate, until I followed her out. I told her the whole story. Apparently, Derek's mom thought he was stinky the other day, and they couldn't find his non-scented-for-sensitive-skin deoderant, so his dad had bought the spray stuff. And she had told him to use it, and had sent it with him to use during the day if he was stinky.
I informed her that apparantly he wasn't using it in a responsible manner, and that it was quite fragrant, and was probably best left at home. She said she'd go find his non-scented deoderant. I thanked her.
And will the whupping occur? I'm leaving that to them...
"Darwin, come with me," I said, when I had found the scented-one. Darwin followed me out into the hallway. "Darwin," I said, "you are quite fragrant today. What did you do?"
"Derek sprayed me with cologne," Darwin replied. So I poked my head into the classroom. "Derek-Get out here," I commanded.
Derek came out and joined us in the hall. "Did you spray Darwin with cologne?"
"He asked me to," Derek replied.
"Where is the colonge?" I asked.
"In my backpack," he replied.
"Go get it," I said.
When he came back out, he said, "Julius asked to be sprayed, too."
So I stuck my head back into the classroom. "Julius, get out here."
Julius came out and joined us in the hall. "Did you let Derek spray you with cologne?" I asked.
"No," replied Julius. "He just sprayed me. I didn't want him to."
Arguing then ensued as to who asked whom to be sprayed with cologne. Then Derek said, "Albert has cologne, too."
I stuck my head into the classroom. "Albert. Get out here."
Albert came out. "Do you have cologned in your backpack?" I asked. He nodded. "Go get it," I told him.
Now I have four boys, and two cans of a spray-type of cologne in my hand. "First of all," I said, "I cannot stand the smell from this. Darwin has it on so thick I don't even want to let him back into the room. Second of all, if you're worried about stinking, this wasn't the way to go. You now smell worse. If you stink, you need to use an unscented deoderant. None of this. Both of you will take it home, and never bring it back, and never put it on before you come to school. If you do, I will send you home for a shower before you can come back."
I made Austin promise not to use it, knowing that a phone call home would be useless. His parents apparently don't care. He promised.
Derek, though, is a troublemaker, suprisingly since his parents are military. "Derek, I think I will give this back to your parents personally when they pick you up today from school."
"Yes, M'am," he said.
After school, I waited in the office with Derek for his mom to come. As we waited, Derek began to cry. "Why are you crying?" I asked.
"Because my dad said if I get in trouble one more time, he would whup me," he replied.
Not wanting to be responsible for the whupping of a child, I wondered what to do. So I told my principal. She said, "Well, I guess he shouldn't have gotten into trouble then..."
Soon Derek's mom showed up. I think she first thought I was waiting with Derek just to be considerate, until I followed her out. I told her the whole story. Apparently, Derek's mom thought he was stinky the other day, and they couldn't find his non-scented-for-sensitive-skin deoderant, so his dad had bought the spray stuff. And she had told him to use it, and had sent it with him to use during the day if he was stinky.
I informed her that apparantly he wasn't using it in a responsible manner, and that it was quite fragrant, and was probably best left at home. She said she'd go find his non-scented deoderant. I thanked her.
And will the whupping occur? I'm leaving that to them...
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Music to a Teacher's Ears
*Today was music choice day. That means kids either have band, orchestra, or something called...well...the name of the third choice escapes me at the moment, but it's not important. What is important is that the kids had just come in from music choice, the 5th graders had just come back from social studies, and all were noisy. I was trying to get them quiet and ready to go home. Some of the boys were banging on the desks like the desk was a drum.
"Stop hitting your desk," I bellowed. They stopped. Then I continued to hear banging noise. I looked around the room, and a couple of boys were drumming on their cases to their instruments.
"Stop banging on your instruments," I bellowed. Luckily, no one got it...
*Earlier this week, about the last hour of the day, one of the boys was going out into the hall, probably to the restroom.
"Mrs. H.," he yelled from the doorway. "The doorknob came off!"
Sure enough, he was holding the doorknob in his hand, but luckily, holding the door open. "Don't shut that door!" I commanded, as I rushed over, and pushed a door stopper in the way. I then called the office to have them alert our custodian as to our situation. Soon, she came by.
"I think you're just going to have to keep this door open until you leave for the day," she said. "Someone from the district can be out first thing in the morning. But don't let the door shut. The handle could fall out on the other side, and you'd be locked in."
I shuddered at the thought, and we returned to business as usual. It was uneventful, until it was time for the 6th graders to go to musice choice. Since this is my planning time, my 5th graders are divied up between the other three 5th grade teachers. It's a hectic time; the 6th graders leave for music, the 5th graders come back from music, and then go to their assigned teacher.
All of a sudden, the door shut. And I can't blame a 5th grader; they weren't even back yet. It happened while the 6th graders were cleaning up, putting away lap tops on the cart, and getting themselves ready to go. And I'm sure it was no accident, not really. The door was pretty well wedged open.
But shut it was. We were locked in. What to do? First, I bellowed, "Get out a book and read. I do not want to hear a thing!" Then I called the teacher next door. She didn't answer her phone-most teachers don't during the day. So I called down to the office.
"My door has shut, and the handle doesn't work. We are locked in. Please call Mrs. Smith's room to have her open the door for us."
Soon, I saw a teacher in the hall, and I heard the ominous words, "What happened to the handle?" I then realized that the handle had fallen off on the hallway side as well. Did I mention that this is the ONLY door into the room?
I called the office again. "The handle is off on the other side. We are locked in, and no one can open the door from the other side. Get someone here quick!" To which there was much laughter.
"THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT THIS! GET SOMEONE HERE QUICK!" I yelled.
"Oh, lighten up," they said. I mumbled a few choice words under my breath. Soon, there were a few teachers in the hallway, working at the knobless door. They were eventually successful, and the door opened. Apparently, the teacher across the hall has tools, and found one just the perfect diameter to open the door. yay.
I wedged the door open once again. The 6th graders left for music choice. The 5th graders left for their classes. The room was quiet. I let out a big sigh. Then I heard, "Whose teacher is yours, huh? What class are you in?"
"Please, don't let this involve me," I pleaded. But, in marches one of the music teachers, who doesn't realize that this is my planning, and she shouldn't bring a trouble-making kid back to me. But she did. I sighed again, and took her to the office.
Gee, I can't figure out why I'm always exhausted!
"Stop hitting your desk," I bellowed. They stopped. Then I continued to hear banging noise. I looked around the room, and a couple of boys were drumming on their cases to their instruments.
"Stop banging on your instruments," I bellowed. Luckily, no one got it...
*Earlier this week, about the last hour of the day, one of the boys was going out into the hall, probably to the restroom.
"Mrs. H.," he yelled from the doorway. "The doorknob came off!"
Sure enough, he was holding the doorknob in his hand, but luckily, holding the door open. "Don't shut that door!" I commanded, as I rushed over, and pushed a door stopper in the way. I then called the office to have them alert our custodian as to our situation. Soon, she came by.
"I think you're just going to have to keep this door open until you leave for the day," she said. "Someone from the district can be out first thing in the morning. But don't let the door shut. The handle could fall out on the other side, and you'd be locked in."
I shuddered at the thought, and we returned to business as usual. It was uneventful, until it was time for the 6th graders to go to musice choice. Since this is my planning time, my 5th graders are divied up between the other three 5th grade teachers. It's a hectic time; the 6th graders leave for music, the 5th graders come back from music, and then go to their assigned teacher.
All of a sudden, the door shut. And I can't blame a 5th grader; they weren't even back yet. It happened while the 6th graders were cleaning up, putting away lap tops on the cart, and getting themselves ready to go. And I'm sure it was no accident, not really. The door was pretty well wedged open.
But shut it was. We were locked in. What to do? First, I bellowed, "Get out a book and read. I do not want to hear a thing!" Then I called the teacher next door. She didn't answer her phone-most teachers don't during the day. So I called down to the office.
"My door has shut, and the handle doesn't work. We are locked in. Please call Mrs. Smith's room to have her open the door for us."
Soon, I saw a teacher in the hall, and I heard the ominous words, "What happened to the handle?" I then realized that the handle had fallen off on the hallway side as well. Did I mention that this is the ONLY door into the room?
I called the office again. "The handle is off on the other side. We are locked in, and no one can open the door from the other side. Get someone here quick!" To which there was much laughter.
"THERE IS NOTHING FUNNY ABOUT THIS! GET SOMEONE HERE QUICK!" I yelled.
"Oh, lighten up," they said. I mumbled a few choice words under my breath. Soon, there were a few teachers in the hallway, working at the knobless door. They were eventually successful, and the door opened. Apparently, the teacher across the hall has tools, and found one just the perfect diameter to open the door. yay.
I wedged the door open once again. The 6th graders left for music choice. The 5th graders left for their classes. The room was quiet. I let out a big sigh. Then I heard, "Whose teacher is yours, huh? What class are you in?"
"Please, don't let this involve me," I pleaded. But, in marches one of the music teachers, who doesn't realize that this is my planning, and she shouldn't bring a trouble-making kid back to me. But she did. I sighed again, and took her to the office.
Gee, I can't figure out why I'm always exhausted!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Teacher Complaints
I am not bonding yet with my class. They talk non-stop. It drives me crazy. And they are such a healthy bunch. Every day they are all present. When does cold and flu season hit?
And apparently they all have bladders the size of walnuts. I mean, come on! If I can hold it from recess break to recess break, what with all the coffee I drink and the fact that I gave birth twice, then I think their 10-13 year old bladders can last just as long. We all know it is just an excuse to get out of the room. I need a new way to handle bathroom breaks.
Also, I said I'd teach the 5/6 split this year, and one reason I agreed to it was that I was told I'd be "capped" at 27 students. Well, before the first month was over, I got my 28th student. So much for promises, huh?
And apparently they all have bladders the size of walnuts. I mean, come on! If I can hold it from recess break to recess break, what with all the coffee I drink and the fact that I gave birth twice, then I think their 10-13 year old bladders can last just as long. We all know it is just an excuse to get out of the room. I need a new way to handle bathroom breaks.
Also, I said I'd teach the 5/6 split this year, and one reason I agreed to it was that I was told I'd be "capped" at 27 students. Well, before the first month was over, I got my 28th student. So much for promises, huh?
Saturday, October 4, 2008
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