A Moment of Silence

I was doing bus duty after school yesterday. My group of pre-k through 1st graders were sitting and talking. Along came a 4th grader shushing them and asking for a moment of silence. Another teacher and I couldn't figure out why he wanted them to be quiet. Then we saw him point. A funeral procession was going by. Ahh, how sweet of him! Of course, now I'm turned toward the funeral procession laughing because I couldn't laugh at him!!


Today I was testing 1st grade. I asked the child who came out what his last name was. "Weirdo." I'm very confused and look at my list. Oh, he must have said "Rideaux!" It rhymes by the way.

Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer! I'm in week 2 of school. Last week went pretty smoothly - I'm ready to start pulling my kids again! I've already had a few come ask when they get to come to me again. We start testing everyone this week which is no fun!

Here's a little info on my job if you need it. I am a reading interventionist and pull struggling readers K-3rd for extra help. Yes, one of the dreaded "special" teachers - not sure why they call us special; we seem to not be valued much. I tend to get irritated when my classes are cancelled to cover for someone else. I am one that actually does my job and stays late to finish everything! It takes time to plan for 45 different students, keep up with all their documentation, and test them every other week, not to mention actually getting materials all ready for them! Plus lunch duty, before and after school duty. I really do enjoy my job.

I don't have any cute stories yet, so I'll leave you with one from one of my friends. Her son started kindergarten this year. When he came home from school, my friend asked him how his day was. His response? "Good, but my teacher talks too much!" Love it!

Up on the Roof!

Today our principal is spending the day on the roof! Our kids - especially 3rd & 5th - did so well on the TAKS test, she said she'd spend the day on the roof. Our campus will be recognized again next year! The kids are loving it! One said in an interview to the news that they're excited she's on the roof because they can do whatever they want today!

For the record - I managed to climb up to deliver her book and back down with her computer bag without falling!

Well this is a first!

Friday I went with 1st grade on their field trip. I had a great time. Those kids sure made me feel good about myself! They all cheered while I bowled and talked about how good I was (I'm really not at all). Then came the highlight of my day. We went to the park and I was playing basketball with some of the kids. Anyone who knows me is already amused. I'm 4' 11.5" just to give you a picture here. As I stole the ball away and held it over my head to keep it from the kids, one yelled out "Mrs. Z, you're TALL!!!" I have never heard that in my entire life!!

I Like Your. . .

I hear this frequently from my kiddos, "Mrs. Z, I like your _______!" Could be shoes, hair, skirt, necklace. But today? I walked by a kindergarten class carrying some paper and money another teacher had given me. I hear, "Mrs Z, I like how much money you have!" Her teacher and I cracked up!

Gross

I've kept Ping-Pong Boy in from PE the past 2 days. He's been extremely disrespectful and argues with every little thing I tell him. So he's been writing sentences about respecting adults. He's come up with every excuse to not write - I'm sure you've heard them - the famous "I have to use it" or "my pencil doesn't have an eraser" or "I think PE is over" to the original, gross excuse of "I have boogers in my nose." What?? I didn't ask this! And how does that keep you from writing? Eww!!

The Lunch Duty from _____

We all know how much I love standardized testing. So when I had lunch duty with 5th grade (blah!) during the big deal science test last week, I was just so excited. I'm sure you can just picture me skipping off to do mt lunch duty! Ha! So the kids were ready to relax and I was more than happy to let them. But they had to come in acting crazy.

First one girl bought another girl's pizza for $1. So what did the other girl have left for lunch? Pudding. Yes, pudding for lunch and taking the big deal science test!! Then the same girl who now had 2 pizzas tried to buy half of another girl's pizza for 50 cents. This is where I caught them. Gave them a lecture about sharing food and germs. And threw in how they needed their food to help their brain work for the big deal science test. Turned around and there they are, trying to sell the pizza again! I'm trying to remain calm - they are testing - so I tell them no selling food at lunch. Turn around again and there goes a pudding cup sliding down the table - to 2 pizza girl! Like she needs more food! Another lady on lunch duty grabbed it and threw it away.

So I'm thinking the rest of my lunch duty would be calm, right? WRONG! A group of boys raise their hand. I walk over and tell them I didn't want to hear any tattles. They insist, so I ask what the problem is. Oh, just another boy has a razor. WHAT?? I pull him aside and he denies it. I ask why 4 other kids are saying it then. Told him to empty his pockets. And what do I find? Not a razor. A pocketknife! About 4 inches long. Ugh. He says he just brought it to peel his orange. What in the world was he thinking?? Not to mention another boy in 5th grade was recently suspended for having a pocketknife, so they KNEW better. Of course I take him to the office. And here I was trying to not upset them during the big test! I went back and told the other boys they did the right thing by telling me.

While I was dealing with the pocketknife boy, two other boys decided to be totally disrespectful and make fun of the other lady on duty. They mocked her and wouldn't line up or close their mouths.

So on this lunch duty, where we wanted to have a calm, relaxing lunch for the kids testing, we end up with 3 referrals. What a lunch. I was so happy to have my 2nd graders back! We've only had one referral all year with them!