My Crazy Schedule (Made Even Crazier...)

In taking this split class, I was changing from following the fifth grade schedule to the fourth grade schedule. However, my twelve fifth graders needed to be "farmed out" to the other straight fifth grades for math. And, to make the split easier for the fifth graders to handle, they would stay with that straight fifth grade class for math, followed by a 30 minutes recess and 20 minute lunch, and then go to pe or music, all with whichever fifth grade they were with. This way they got the math instruction they needed, along with the social time with their same-age peers. I'm calling this their "Fifth Grade Block" time on my daily schedule.

Meanwhile, I will getting some fourth graders from the other classes for math instruction. This should all work like a well-oiled machine.

But yesterday, the first day we were all in our new classes, was more like A Comedy of Errors. For whatever reason, fifth grade was NOT going to teach math that day, and asked me to wait until Monday to start the Fifth Grade Block. At fist I said ok, until I realized that Ms. Lunch Lady would be ready to send the lunches of my kids to whatever fifth grade class they had been farmed out to. If my kids weren't there, it would cause lots of problems. And further, if I waited until Monday to start, my fifth graders wouldn't get that promised social time with their fifth grade peers. I knew they'd be very unhappy to be in the split if they didn't get that time from day one.

So it was decided that I'd send my fifth graders as planned, and the two fifth grade classes would give all fifth graders this Degree of Reading Power test. I was a bit unhappy, as I had hoped to be able to give it to my class at once. But I am flexible. I would just give this test to my fourth graders in the afternoon, and the fifth graders would just have to work quietly or read. They could do it as they were good kids.

Meanwhile, I began my first science lesson of the year (I am teaching science as planned, as I have half a class to get to pass the science state test this year). We set up our Science Notebooks with a title page and a Table of Contents. As we were working on this, a newly-hired woman enters my room, carrying a stack of DRP test booklets. "Here you go," she said.

"Oh," I replied. "I didn't think I'd get these until the afternoon."

But she said no, that I was to give the test ASAP. "Well," I continued, "I already worked it out with fifth grade that I'd be sending my fifth grade students over and they'd take the test in their fifth grade room."

Well, she told me that whatever kids went to Ms. New Fifth Grade Teacher would have to bring their booklets with them, as there weren't enough. Ok, I can do that. Therefore, at the designated time (I thought), I passed out bubble sheets to my fifth graders, including test booklets for those that needed them, and sent them on their way. Meanwhile, I passed out bubble sheets and test booklets to my reamaining fourth graders. I assumed that the fourth graders had never taken a test like this (although some said they had), and was actually glad to have a small group to really explain how to do the test to.

I was in the middle of giving the test directions, and having the students answer the sample questions, when my door opens. In walk all seven of the fifth graders I had sent to Ms. New Teacher. "Why are you back," I asked. Well, apparently Ms. New Teacher didn't have any test booklets, so she sent my kids back. "But," I said, "you have to be in her class for lunch and recess, or I don't get my thirty minute lunch break or my planning time..." But given this wasn't the kids' fault, I just had them sit down to take the test with us. We started again.

The door opens again. In walks Ms. Education Assisstant along with Ms. Test Helper. "You can't give the test right now!" they tell me. "Ms. New Teacher doesn't have any booklets for her class."

"I know," I said, "as that is why she sent my fifth graders back. But she can't do that. She has to keep my fifth graders for the Fifth Grade Block Time." I gesture to my schedule. "I can't follow both the fifth grade schedule and the fourth grade schedule, or I won't get my thirty minute lunch or my 35 minute planning block."

Ms. Education Assisstant looked at me and said, "Well, you'll just have to figure that out!"

"When?" I asked. "It was figured out. My fifth graders were to go to their Fifth Grade Block as planned and take the DRP. Then they'd stay for recess and lunch and specialist time as planned. They were looking forward to being with their fifth grade peers. Now I have no lunch or planning. So how am I to fix it?" I was trying to remain pleasant, as 19 pairs of eyes were upon us.

Finally, Ms. Education Assisstant understood my predictament. I have learned that every position has its stresses, and no one ever understands how hard someone else's job is...But she finally understood my point. "Ok," she said. "What time do you need your fifth graders to leave?"

"I need them to leave at 11:20. That is when the fourth graders go out for recess. Then the fifth graders need to be in their farmed out classes for lunch, as that's where their lunches will be waiting. They need to stay there until 1:35, as was planned already."

"Ok. Send your seven fifth graders back to Ms. New Teacher at 11:20. Have them bring a book that they can read quietly, since the other fifth graders will be taking the DRP test. Where are your other fifth graders?" Ms. Education Assistant asked.

"They are still with Ms. Other Fifth Grade Teacher. She must have had enough test booklets, and is testing my kids, too, which was what we originally planned."

Ms. Edcation Assisstant looked at my posted schedule. "So we can get the test booklets back to you this afternoon. You can test your kids then. The kids who have already finished the test with Ms. Other Fifth Grade Teacher can just read quietly." Satisfied with herself, and for a problem solved, she took all of my test booklets and left.

For a minute we all just looked at each other. "That was absolutely crazy," I said. "That was indeed a comedy of errors." The students all agreed, eventhough they have no idea what a comedy of errors means. "How about if I just read aloud for awhile?" I ask.

My class thought that that was a splendid idea. Later that day we took the test.

I Can Tell in the First Five Minutes!

So, this week the fourth grade teachers and fifth grade teachers at our building met on Tuesday after school to do the divvying up of students. Also present was Mr. Principal and Ms. Special Education Teacher. The gal who was going to be changing from a straight fourth to a straight fifth grade class is young, about 24 years old. Which means I started to teach the year she was born.

Anyway, she was listing off the kids she would be giving to me (the three fourth grade teachers had gotten together the day before ON LABOR DAY to figure this out...Who meets on weekend/vacation days to do stuff like this? Not me...). She gets to Bobby. "You will really have to stay on top of Bobby. I did the first two days of school, and today he was great!"

Thanks for your advice, Sweetie! It's cute that you think you need to tell me this. But let me tell you: I can spot who I need to "stay on top of..." within the first five minutes of meeting them!

What A Week...

My head is still spinning, actually. Now, back in the summer, right before school, my teaching partner told me that Mr. Principal had told her that the two fifth grade classes would have 30 and 31 students. This is not the news you want to hear. That is a huge number, and if that was the the number they were predicting before school even began, what about those kids who get enrolled at the last minute? Or those kids that move into the school boundaries the first month? At 31, there is no room to accomodate growth...

But fourth grade was sitting pretty with 21 kids in each of the three classes. That means I had ten more kids than fourth grade in my class, and my teaching partner, who got to 32 by the first day, had eleven more students. Obviously, this wouldn't work, because, thank god, our class sizes couldn't get above 32, and at 30 we got extra para time which meant extra dollars for the school/district. They don't want to pay that extra money. The only answer was to create a split class of fourth and fifth graders.

And who was the best person to teach this split? Well, I guess that was me. Because I was the only one who had taught both fourth and fifth grade. Thus ensued many afterschool meetings as we hashed out the logistics of this switch. I was to give up 19 of my students, and keep 12 fifth graders. My teaching partner was to give up 6 of her students, bringing her down to 26 fifth graders. One of the fourth grade teachers, a newly hired gal who had only taught one year, and that was sixth grade, gave me 12 fourth graders. The rest of her fourth grade kids were doled out among the remaining two fourth grade teachers, bringing their numbers up to 25. This newest gal got my 19 kids and my partner's 6. She got a whole new class, and was now a straight fifth grade.

On Wednesday, we told the kids about the change that would happen. On Thursday, at the end of the day, we did the big switch. On Friday, we began with our new classes.

My class of 24 is not as well-behaved, actually, as my class of 31...Hopefully I'll be able to whip those fourth graders into shape. I got one girl who is the cousin of a sixth grader I had a few years ago, a class I didn't like at all. In fact, her cousin was one of my "mean girls," and that was a split class. I was not going to take another split willingly until someone else did. I took this split, as I thought since it was fourth and fifth graders, it would be better. We'll see.
The twelve fifth graders I kept are good kids. So I'm hopeful that they'll be good influences on the fourth graders. And the worst fourth grader I have is pulled out often during the day, so I won't have to deal with him too much.

But what a week.

True Quote (What Do We Do During Reading, Then?)

At my two days of inservice before school was to start, us teachers were actually told "...but the students won't be allowed to read during core reading instruction..." Ah. So, I suppose they can't do math during core math instuction? And of course, they shouldn't write during core writing instruction...Genius!

The Truth Hurts

Today was the first day of school. I had noticed a name on my list that sounded familiar...I thought perhaps I had a sibling or cousin of the person on my list. So this morning, as kids were working on the various sheets on their desks, I walked around the room. I got to the boy whose last name I thought I recognized...

Me: Did I have a brother or sister of yours? Or maybe a cousin?
Boy: You had my brother, Andrew.
Me (jokingly): Did he say, "Oh, too bad you have Mrs. Teacher! I hated her!"
Boy nods seriously.
Me: Really? He really said that?
Boy nods again.

The truth hurts.