Homophones: Flower versus Flour

So today starts what I hear is the greatest week ever: Teacher Appreciation Week. Today was flower day, tomorrow is drink day, wednesday is snack day, thursday is note day and friday we get breakfast from the PTA. Now here's the thing, Trevor is a boy and I am a girl. Silly for me to have to state this but for some reason it became TOTALLY clear. Close your eyes, oh wait, open them back up. Imagine this I'm writing names for homework collection up on the board when I am handed sunflowers. Two beautiful sunflowers. I'm totally taken aback and smiling that I missed the important event that makes this story AWESOME. In meeting, I am thanking this student for the flowers then suddenly it comes out that Trevor got flour. Yes, I meant flour.. Ya know 3 cups of FLOUR in bread? He got flour in a bag. Because Trevor is a boy he must not like flowers right? WRONG. He later stated to me that he would have liked some flowers. Now, I will give our student some credit for understanding the tricky Homophones... And so I leave you with this awesome youtube video that actually describes homophones perfectly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0VpP7VxtYg

Rocket my life forward

So thursday and friday of this week both brought interesting adventures into my life. Let's start with thursday. I interviewed for a teaching position at a school I would really love to be at. It was an amazing experience and I'm so grateful that I got to have it. I definitely learned a lot and no matter what happens I am glad I got the chance to be a part of the process. I feel special to have been involved and can't wait to see what happens. On friday we had rocketry launch day! It was amazing and we had an awesome day. After the 5th graders headed off to DU for their day the 3rd and 4th graders headed off to Wash Park with Trevor and myself. We slowly walked our way over to South High School before separating by grade. Trevor and the 3rd graders headed back to school and the 4th graders and myself headed off to South. For the next 2 hours we launched rockets into strong wind. There were a few mishaps (my own rocket included... Sorry person who found a hot pink and gold rocket in their yard :-)) but overall the kids handled the adventure very well. Granted I was exhausted when we returned it was a hugely successful day and I'm so happy about it.

Girl Dramz

I feel as though I have hit a wall in terms of a little social/ emotional trio. I just can't find a solution for these three girls. There is always something that tips the three of them off. I've tried every strategy I have in my toolbox to fix it. One parent emailed Trevor about it, it's just been a lot. I'm unsure of where to go next. Trevor thinks I've completed my "job" of trying to help them and I can now say "work it out yourselves" or send them to him. Nothing feels right for me anymore, I feel like no matter what I do I can't please the girls, I can't please myself and I can't please their parents. It's the only thing that lately feels to me in some manner, unbalanced or incomplete. Any ideas?

Wicked

So tonight I had the chance to go to Wicked with my dad. Now see here's the thing with that musical, even though it's dark and it's twisted and it's all things Oz, it's also awesome. I've been so fortunate since moving home that I get to do fun stuff like go to Wicked with my dad. As I sat there, I couldn't help thinking about how Wicked has played into my life. For those of who you weren't there in college, Defying Gravity was one of my main sing a long (in the car, in my room, on the fockey bus, whenever I needed it. I felt invincible every time it came on my iPod. I felt that no matter what was going on, eventually I'd work through it, rise to the top and feel better. It also was one of my escape songs when I was headed home because of the line, " If you care to find me, look to the western sky". I mean duh, I live west of ALL my friends so that line always made me happy. During that song, as it was happening, literally my whole body tingled. It was as if I had faith in myself again, like the actress was singing directly to me. Please be aware I know I was at the Buell and very much a part of the audience. But it didn't matter. For about 5 minutes, nothing else in the world mattered. I was happily reminding myself of everything I can do. I felt like no matter what this year brings I can survive. So thanks dad (and mom for getting the tickets)... I was happily reminded that I am capable.

Smell YA Later!

So yesterday and today I got to teach 3rd grade sex ed. Now before you freak out, sex ed in 3rd grade looks more like understanding the 5 senses and keeping everything PG. 4th and 5th grade, well that's a whole different story that we can get to later. I have been assigned the role of smell educator. AKA I freaked out and pulled my resources. My plan was to talk about smells in general, educate the kids on how smelling works, let them understand how taste and smell are connected, then let them go smell things and try to guess what they are. In theory it would be fun and they would love it and smell would be not boring. In reality IT WAS SO MUCH BETTER THEN THAT!!!!!! I honestly couldn't have imagined anything better. Their faces when they released their noses and let the jelly bean flavors explode in their mouths were CLASSIC. It was truly amazing to them and I loved it. They totally jumped on board when learning how smelling works, including taking a risk to try to say Olfactory Epithelium... Oh yeah, you try to say that, its not easy. When it came to the hands on try to smell different things portion the kids were HILARIOUS. As it turns out lavender smells like earwax to kids and eucalyptus smells like medicine. I felt so accomplished knowing how much fun it was for them. I couldn't have asked for anything better. In terms of 4th and 5th grade sex ed, well the 4th graders read a book called "hair in funny places" but it's so scarring that they can't talk about it. They are totally afraid and scarred for life. The 5th graders have egg babies aka RAW eggs that they have to carry around. Feed, diaper change, burp, and keep generally safe RAW eggs. Needless to say I'm afraid of what Friday looks like when they break but oh well... At some point the 5th graders have to watch a video of a live birth and let's just say... I don't want to know about that ;-)

Success.

Today's story is one of pure success. There is an adorable third grader who struggles with writing and has come onto our radar of needing more help. In the case of our ocean essay he had been selected to be in a little group with me for some more one on one attention. Today the greatest thing happened. He finished his draft of his essay. I literally nearly died. We have worked so hard, I'm talking not even one paragraph in a day hard, so to finish his essay. Man, it was a godsend. The best part wasn't even my excitement. It was the smile on his face when he high five'd me. It was literally electric. I felt like this bonding experience between the two of us was literally monumental for him because he finished an essay! AN ESSAY...

It's things like this that make me realize how wonderful teaching is. Sure, later today in math one of our students yelled and cried at me and was generally disruptive. But it didn't matter, because I had completed such a break through. Sometimes even just one great moment can carry through all the not good. And that is what I will focus on.

I owe you guys some posts...

So first things first, I am a fail as it has been weeks since I posted. I'm sorry. The truth is, as it has been for my whole life, journaling isn't my strength... The number of diaries I wasted trying to be "one of those girls" who can keep it up. I guess it's because my diary isn't pre-written by a set of writers and doesn't have a voice-over of me reading it.

So ive been lately feeling like there is this gap in my own knowledge. Given that we who were in aurora last semester started so much earlier we had the first week of school the same week as orientation. While I loved orientation, I couldn't help but think about the classroom I had spent the week prior setting up. I wondered how Scott was doing and wondered what my kids were like. The following week I jumped right in as you know. Flash forward to now when I am applying for and trying to get a job. I'm almost afraid of actually getting one because I'd have to figure out the whole first week of school purely based on what I've been taught and not on my experiences. I'm worried that I will end up spending my time all year trying to fix this problems. I'm hoping that I will be able to use my knowledge and experiences, but really, will that be enough?

4/9:Today during planning Trevor and I exercised our abilities to write with the opposite hand. AKA we sat "planning" the week with our left hands. Needless to say it mainly led to giggles and wobbly hand writing. Shortly after we regained our "grown up" attitudes and planned the rest of the week. I have so enjoyed working with him and that is just a perfect example of our awesome collaboration.
4/10: Another rocketry day. I'll be honest. I have come to dread tuesday afternoons for the reason of 4th grade rocketry. While at first it was fun because I like science and building rockets is fun, that fun has now turned to dread. The job of the intern who helps out in rocketry is essentially bitch. I have to keep the kids who are talking quiet, to keep the kids who ride the line, inside the line... In other words I am the one who reprimands and disciplines the kids. I hate it. I feel awful about it and when the day is over, I feel drained and exhausted. I often feel unable to reenergize for the rest of the day.
4/11:So today I did this cool lesson with the kids on power points. I did a power point on Izze, my dog. For those of you who don't know, I'm obsessed with my dog. She is my baby, and I LOVE talking about her. So needless to say my 4 slide power point was awesome. Their slide shows on dogs, cats, baseball, Peeta from the Hunger Games etc; were adorable and hilarious. I definitely felt like they got the memo on how to work power point and how to have a little bit of fun.
4/12: BRAIN WASH. So we had our curriculum units due today. So seminar was hilarious. All of us interns were totally brain dead. Seminar was literally the funniest thing ever because none of us were able to really get our lives together. It was difficult to function, to listen, to breathe... To do anything. Granted it led to some funny "what you think inside" and what you "say outside" versions of parent interactions, it was pretty clear we all were desperate for some sleep.
4/16: After a weekend of spending time with my family I was totally jazzed for this week. I just felt this sense of excitement and renewed sense of love. And for the most part it was a solid day. The kids weren't toooo crazy, a little but not toooo crazy. It was a nice way to come back. I felt like we were headed for a nice spring. It was refreshing and delightful.
4/17: Good god. It's tuesday.... You know what that means, rocketry day. However, before I could even get depressed or excited about rocketry I had to teach math. It was brutal. EDM doesn't do a good job of teaching mean because it requires the kisd to divide WITHOUT teaching them real division first. It was super frustrating. I got confused in teaching them and it was a total disaster. BUT somehow, the kids forgave me and in the end THEY COULD FIND THE MEANNNN.... It was wonderful!!! YAYYYY
4/18: woop woop it's wednesday wednesday wednesday is my favorite day. haha just kidding that are the lyrics from our "friday" song but instead to the tune of wednesday. It's kind of like friday because thursday is such a long day that then friday is a breeze... And i've lost it... I think I'm going to try to go to the gym early tomorrow which would be a big deal but since it's 8:40 and i'm already in my PJs it seems like it might actually be a realistic goal. Wish me luck!

Funniest twist of fate

So today the FUNNIEST thing happened today in reading buddies. Our kids were presenting their alphabet books (a project we did a little while ago where the kids came up with different vocab words and fun drawings and crazy coolness) to their reading buddies. Some groups worked really hard on their books and others just completed the project. It was interesting watching our students attempting to wrangle their buddies in. It was even more interesting when I watched an interaction between one of our... more wild, out there, wonderful kids and her reading buddy. The interaction was as follows (202= our kid, 007= reading buddy kid):

202 kid: "please come out from under the table"
007 kid: ignores and continues to hid under table
202 kid: " please come out. NOW"
007 kid: no change
202 kid: we worked really hard on this, you need to respect that.
007 kid: comes out and starts waddling
202 kid: please walk like a second grader, i know you can



Now if you haven't bursted into laughter I'm disappointed. The fact that a fourth grader said the phrase, " we worked really hard on this, you need to respect that" with a STRAIGHT face I might add is amazing! Now if only I could get her to reflect and realize the reason she knows that phrase is because I've said it to her many times....

End of the day shenanigans...

So up until 1:40 today was awesome.... then 1:40 came around and honestly I have NO idea what happened but the kids lost their damn minds. I mean they seriously were INSANE... and I was frustrated I'll be honest. There are times to be crazy and then there are just times to be serious. Don't we come to school to learn? Ay ay ay.... In other news, I had so much fun this morning on my 6 minute commute to work because I magically pulled a mix CD (yup, I just went there... MIX TAPE MADDNESS) and it just made me realize how far we grow over the years. It also made me a little anxious thinking in just about a month I'm going to be going to my 5th grade reunion... YIKES... anyways... that's all for now

Dystopia... and Thoughts

So with the Hunger Games and Divergent on the up with school ages kids I've been thinking about this influx of dystopian literature. I'm wondering why it is exactly that this style of writing has taken off... Has our society reached a comfort with the idea of the world that we know being changed? Or is it that we are bouncing back from the fairy tale romantic thoughts to a point where we need to create a world that doesn't really exist? I just don't understand it. While I admire that kids are reading I wonder what it means that so much dsytopian literature that kids are getting comfortable with.... How will that affect the future of our world?

In other thoughts, I've been wondering about the concept of learned helplessness... The idea that where a child has learned that when a task seems too hard or seems menial that they will simply NOT do it. Instead they play this " I can't do thisssssss" BS or they don't come to school or they go to the bathroom and avoid....and I'm sorry but that will not get you places. What if I just decided that work was too hard and "I couldn't do it"? Would I be getting job offers and advancing my career? OH I DON'T THINK SO.... Come on now.... is it parenting styles are changing now? Or is it just that I'm more perceptive to it since kids missing school affects my teaching? Can any light be shed on this for me? Anyone anyone?