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Summer Reading Enchantment

One of the most precious gifts summer can give a teacher is time. Time to sleep, time to eat lunch in more than 20 minutes, time to go to the bathroom whenever you want…I know, it’s exciting.  It also gives me time to dive into the enchanting world of novels.

So far this summer I’ve covered a few different novels.

• ·         House Girl by Tara Conklin
• ·         The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
• ·         Room by Emma Donoghue
• ·         Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok

It’s been fantastic traveling between different time periods and into the minds of characters, seeing and experiencing things that I would never be able to if it weren't for the mystical words of a book.

Teachers tell kids and parents to read over the summer. We send them home with their book bags from the school year, stuffed with material learned throughout the year in hopes that some of it will be retained over the next two months.

Well, we’re right. Kids can and usually do lose a lot over the summer, especially young readers. Usually my August students come in one or two reading levels lower than they were as May students. This could be reason enough for parents to encourage their kids to read, but just like anything, if we’re asking kids to read to just be good at it what’s the point?

If you’re already reading with your kids, thank you, but I would encourage to go the extra step and love to read with your kids. I will never be able to live in Virginia in 1852 or know what it’s like to be a Chinese immigrant, but Tara Conklin and Jean Kwok showed me glimpses.

Your kids can go anywhere when they read. You can go anywhere. So go to the library, get the summer reading program rocket ship or treasure map and start filling in those game board pieces.

Yes, your kids can lose reading ability over the summer, but they can lose more than that. They can lose the opportunity to become things, experience things that many of us are never able to except through the black ink of a stark white page. So my question for you is, where do you want to go this summer? Who do you want to be? Chances are there’s a book that will help you get there. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to let your kids in on the fun too.

Summer Reading Tips for Students and Parents

Summer Reading Bingo

Bring a Bunny to the Office

Secretary (over the intercom): Can you send Piper to the office?

Public Domain Pictures

Me: Yes

Secretary: With a buddy

Student 1: With a bunny?

Student 2: A buddy, like a friend

I don't have bunnies in my classroom, but I've had a bird...

Where it all started

Ants in your stomach

Quote of the Day: I think there's ants in your stomach because it's itchy and ants are itchy...I had ants in my stomach once.

Giving Away Brothers

Math Word Problem

Teresa has 3 siblings. Annie has 1 sibling. How many more siblings does Teresa have than Annie?

Me: What is the problem saying?

Marvin:  Annie's going to give her brother to Teresa.

Where are our listening ears people?

Teachers Have Toes

You're minding your own business shopping in Wal-Mart when you turn the corner, and what do you see? The shocked expression of a student who can't believe you actually go out into the world. It's my third year of teaching, and I've gotten two questions quite often. You go home? You have a mom? No children, I sleep here on my desk with an endless supply of Lean Cuisines in my mini fridge.

One day when I was trying to make a point in front of class, I learned a new thing they were surprised to learn about me. I have toes.

Any primary teacher out there can probably attest to the multitude of things children find to distract themselves on the rug. My biggest enemy is the shoe. Whether it's tying and untying the laces, picking the rocks out of the bottom, or my favorite coloring on it...there seems to be an endless amount of footwear distraction possibilities.

During this particular lesson, shoe fascination was running high and in attempt to make a point I took off one of my flats and started playing with it. While I was trying to be all dramatic and make a point, I heard one of my kids whisper to another, "I saw her toes."

So maybe they didn't get the whole you shouldn't play with your shoes thing, but at least now they know I'm a little more like a normal human being.

 

 

 

Clouds in Phoenix?

Now Phoenix isn't known for its weather diversity but I think my kids are even more sheltered than I thought...

Me: What are some kinds of weather?
Student 1: Cloudy
Student 2: What's cloudy?

Breathe

Before I left school for Christmas vacation, I told a co-worker I was excited to go on break so I could breathe. She looked at me a little confused until I explained it meant I wanted to relax. I had been so wrapped up in school and holiday activities, I couldn’t remember the last time I sat and did nothing.

While I was on vacation, I had the opportunity to work on a writing project. With a soon approaching deadline, I had to switch from teacher mode to full blown writer mode. Although this required a lot of work, it was one of the best things that could have happened to me because it reminded me of something: I’m not just a teacher.

I consider it a privilege to be able to have a job that I also feel is my calling for the moment, and it has become a lot of my identity. Submerging myself in my writing the past two weeks has helped me remember that it’s not my only one. I’m also a writer, a sister, a daughter…a child of God.

In order to be a better teacher in 2014 I need to remember my other identities. Teaching is a rewarding profession, but like any job, if you let it consume you, it can leave you drained. And who wants an overtired teacher who’s only keeping her eyes open because she’s drank 3 cups of coffee that morning? Not this lady. And probably not the kids either.

I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions, but I do want to start my year differently. I want to be able to breathe. With prayer and determination I move forward to be a better time manager, to be more organized, and to mentally leave school at the end of the day.

What are you doing differently this year?

Bust

Conversation of the Day:

Me: Read the word. (bust)

Student: Bu…

Me: Bu…s

Student: Bus!

Me: Bus…t

Student: Buts!

Me: Bust

Student: Buts!

Me: Bust

Student (running around screaming): Buts! Buts!

Me: That’s close enough.

The Little Red Hen keeps her hands to herself.

Quote of the Day

Me: What is the central message in The Little Red Hen?  It teaches us to…

Marvin: Keep our hands to ourselves

Conversation  of the Day

Me: I want to remind you that tomorrow our homework is due.

Tina: the zoo!

(Students all start getting excited and talking about animals they see at the zoo.)

Me (after several moments): I said “Our homework is due.” Due means you have to bring it in.

And I wonder if they listen to me…

We draw on paper, not rugs.

Well Harold got himself into a pinch again. The debacle started when I noticed green highlighter drawn in wide strides in, of course, the yellow squares of the rug. “Who sits in yellow?” I asked to myself as well as the class, pointing at the unsightly green markings on our classroom rug. Two candidates were named, Harold and we’ll call the other one Bruce. I quickly pulled out the tests we had been correcting. Bruce’s had indeed green highlighter and Harold had nothing, which means we were doing something else to fill our time. I called Harold and Bruce over and our conversation went like this.

Me: Who drew on the carpet with green highlighter?

(They both point at each other.)

It was at this point I noticed something very helpful to the case, green highlighter all over Harold’s leg.

Me: Harold, you have green highlighter all over your leg.

Harold: I had a yellow marker.

So I got real close to his little face.

Me: You have green highlighter all over your leg so don’t try to tell me you didn’t have a green marker.

(He just stares at me.)

Me: Now who drew on the carpet with green highlighter?

(Harold puts his head down.)

Harold: I did.

Me: This is very serious so you’re going to have to go talk to the principal about it later.

Velcro shoelaces

Do you ever wonder if the kids wake up some days thinking, “How can I push my teacher’s buttons today?”  Such was the feeling when I had a shoe tying straggler down the sidewalk.  We’ll call him Harold for all purposes.  Now Harold was tying his shoes for five million hours and when the last of my students were entering the classroom, I forcefully stated to Harold that shoe tying time was over.  Well, he started walking towards the classroom and when his shoes got into plain view, I burst out in dismay, “You don’t even have shoelaces!”  Such is life and such is the fact that Velcro shoes need ample shoe tying time.

Oceans

I love teaching kids.  I love finding creative approaches to lessons, seeing that light bulb moment on a student’s face, and of course those silly moments when a kid says or does something that just makes you break down laughing.  I have had a couple of those moments this year, but I’ve also had a lot of challenges.  It’s been 6 weeks, and feeling completely drained I’ve been struggling with the thought “I can’t do this.”  Well, I’m right. I can’t do this, but God reminded me during worship this morning that it’s not just me doing this.  We’re doing this.

“Oceans” by Hillsong United

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

And I will call upon Your name

And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

So I’m calling upon His name this week.

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.  About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.  When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”

 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!”

Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.  But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.

Matthew 14:24-33 NLT

 

Like Peter, I’ve started to sink, but I’m reaching out and I know God is going to not only catch me, but pull me up on top of the waters.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

The waters are my classroom and the waves are five million and one things but when you your feet fail, call upon His name and He’ll be there.  Well, He’s always there, you’ll just remember to take His hand.

Vampires at school?

Quote of the Day:
(In response to students playing and screaming)

I think they're scared of vampires.

Tuxedos and 6-year-olds

Conversation of the Day:
(while discussing "change", one of the vocabulary words of the week)

Me: If you didn't have to wear your uniform and could change into any clothes, what would you wear?

Student: A tuxedo, I have one.

Never ever

What if someone told you will never ever have another student falling behind?   You will never ever have another angry parent come to your classroom door. You will never ever have another student with a challenging behavior.  What do you feel?  Relief?  Confidence?  Peace?

I was driving to work today when Kristian Stanfill’s “One Thing Remains” came on the radio.

He sings:

“On and on and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never, ever, have to be afraid
One thing remains”

When I started relating the lyrics to thoughts about teaching and what never ever would mean in that context, the line “I never, ever, have to be afraid” boggled my mind.  Never ever.   I never ever have to be afraid.  It’s not likely I will never have a student falling behind, or an angry parent, or a challenging behavior, but there is a “never ever” I can hold on to.  Because of God’s great love for me, for His people, I never ever have to be afraid.

 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.  The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.  Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Roman 8:14-17 NIV

Now have I heard this truth before?  Of course.  I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home surrounded by the Word of God and His promises, but maybe it’s like growing up in a time where everyone knows the world is round.  You get it.  The world’s round. But maybe when you get on a plane, travel halfway around it and don’t fall off, you get it.  I think I got it today, and I’m grateful. Never doubt when God can take an ordinary moment and make it into something extraordinary.  And don’t doubt God’s love.  You never ever have to be afraid. 

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39 NIV

Paper Eating Amendment

I would like to add an amendment to my life lessons list from yesterday as a result of a discovery I made this afternoon.





We don't eat paper.

Beginning Lessons

I have officially had my first full week with my new little ones and besides reading, writing, and arithmetic there are some other things we will be working on in first grade. 

Some of those include:

-Where the front of a notebook is
-Fingers stay out of our noses
-Books don’t go on our heads
-You still have to go to PE even if you hide under your desk

What life lessons are you teaching the first days of school?

You never know what's going to come out a kid's nose.

Friday Flashback

Everyone sneezes differently.  There are those continuous sneezers, like mucous sprinklers you need to get out of the way of before they hit you. Then, there are those passionate sneezers that let the ah-choo thunder through the room causing all to tremble in its path.  When you here a little boy continuously sneezing with mighty passion, you begin to worry. 

That’s what happened to me two years ago when I was walking my students back to the classroom.  I looked back to check on the little guy, and after one final nasal eruption I saw the culprit lying in his hands: a button about an inch long.  As a first year teacher I didn’t have much experience, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t normal for children to sneeze out buttons.  My investigation of the situation played out like this.

Me:  Why did you put a button in your nose?

Student:  I didn’t put a button in my nose.

Me: Then how did it get there?

Student: I don’t know. 

Not many answers, but kids will be kids and buttons might be in their noses.

Where it all started

Quickly into my first year of teaching I noticed something.  Kids are funny.  Ok, so it wasn’t completely new information, but after I accumulated a couple stories and shared them I kept getting the same question.  Are you writing these down?  Yes, I would tell them, and it wasn’t a lie.  I did write them down…on stickies or the back of a worksheet, whatever paper I had lying around when the perfect humorous moment presented itself.  Well, I decided to gather them all in a blog.  Then, they are all written down somewhere, other than on the back of last week’s math test.  As a new school year begins, I’m beginning the journey of compiling them all in one place.  Since my 2013-2014 students haven't made their entrances yet, I’ll begin this blog with a classic flashback.  I’ll give you a hint.  It ends with a bird flying around my classroom.

Any teachers out there can probably relate to the naivety of being a first year teacher.  I was no different.  On this particular day, I noticed a group of students kept hovering around one of my student’s backpacks.  I asked what was in there and was told a bird.  The students continued to tell me it was fake and being a teacher with a million and other things to worry about, I dismissed it.  I can hear all you teachers yelling at me now.  Stop!  Check it!  Well, I didn’t.

So time went on and so did the bird issue until I had enough and needed to see the fake bird myself.  The little girl pulled it out of her backpack, held it in front of my face, and kept insisting it was fake.  Now if fake birds didn’t breath and have real feathers, yes it would have been fake. Clearly, this bird was not. Caught in the lie, the little girl was sent to let it go outside, but she didn’t quite make it all the way.  I don’t know if the bird knew the attention of twenty-six first graders was about to end, but it tried to make a run for it…and then, a bird flew around my classroom.

 

Have you ever had any animals in your classroom?