Quick Tip

We had Parent-Teacher conferences this week. Usually, I'm lucky to get 5 parents and I teach about 45 kids. Since I'm not their child's classroom teacher, many don't think to come see me. I've asked the teachers to tell them to come see me, told the students to send their parents by, and stuck notes in their report cards. Nothing worked like my new idea. And it was so simple - why didn't I think of this sooner? I made a post-it note telling the parents to come see me and gave them my room number. The teachers stuck them on the front of the report cards. I've seen 24 of my kids' parents!!! I'm doing this every time!

I Just Can't Spell!

Ping-pong boy (a 2nd grader) was working on the computer directly in front of me this week. I glanced up from my small group to see how he was doing. He should have been typing out a word the computer said. Instead, he had typed a s s. He saw me looking and frantically erased it. I called him off the computer to sit by me until my group was finished. Then I asked him why he typed that. His response? "I was just trying to spell as!" Sure you were. That's why you were looking over your shoulder to see if I was looking. And he could spell both words just fine when asked.

I See a Pattern

Today I was standing in the hall as we were getting kids back from a break from The Test. One student in 3rd grade started talking to me.

T: Mrs. Z - is it always like this?
Me (totally confused): What?
T: You know, mean, nice.
Me (still confused): What are you talking about?
T: Well last year I had a mean teacher, this year I have a nice one, so next year. . .
Me (trying not to laugh): Who's room were you in last year?
T: Mrs. D and this year I have Ms. L.
Me: Oh, well you know Mrs. D's sister-in-law teaches 4th grade. Maybe you should have her!
T: Nooooooooo!

I loved how he was so worried about this pattern!