Disrespect

I can't believe how disrespectful kids are! Every day at least one child argues with me. Usually about something I saw them do. I don't get it. I would have never even thought about arguing with an adult, especially when I was totally wrong!



Today was my limit with one girl in 2nd grade - I'll call her A (for Arguing Girl!) Here's how our morning went when she walked in about 15 minutes late.



Me: Oh A, you're here. I just marked you absent.

A: I WASN'T ABSENT!

Me: Yes, you were. I'll change it to tardy.

A: I WAS HERE!

Me: Um, no. You just walked in the door.

A: I was in Mrs. B's room.

Me: Right. So you weren't in MY room which makes you absent from MY class.

A: I'M NOT ABSENT!

Me: I see that you are here now. Get your folder and get to work.



I gave her the clue for the mystery word of the week. They know it is a verb and has 3 letters. The clue was "I am faster than walking." The answer is run. She guesses runing (running). I won't take that since the clue says 3 letters. I just put them up if they don't get it right and move on.



A: MINE WAS RIGHT!

Me: No, it wasn't. Come to the table to get started.

A: YES IT IS RUNNING. I GOT IT RIGHT.

Me: No, A. It is not. Why are you arguing with me?

A: I'M NOT ARGUING!

Me: Yes, you are.

A: No, I'm NOT!

Me: A. Stop yelling. You can stay with me during PE to write sentences.



She started bawling. This wasn't the end of the mess. She carries on and on. I finally told her give me her mom's phone number that she couldn't remember until I was on my way to the office to get it. Then I tell mom about how A argues with adults constantly. I go through our morning with her. Mom says, "I really don't think she was arguing with you." I gave up.

Anyone figure out how to get these kids to stop arguing with adults? Mine students never win an argument. They end up in trouble, but don't care. They must get their way at home by doing this!

20 Questions Answered

I have a teenage helper with my CCD kiddos. She usually comes in after drill team practice. Wednesday she came in dressed to perform at the basketball game. The kids were so impressed.

Miss Ashley, you have makeup on!

Miss Ashley, your hair looks so pretty!

And my favorite -

Miss Ashley, you look like the American flag!

I cracked up! Her school colors are red, white, and blue.

This was also the week Father John came. They were pretty well behaved. We found out he likes chocolate chip cookies, the color blue, he love Jesus, God is his best friend, he prays, he doesn't have a wife, he like dogs, is allergic to cats, he doesn't have a Play Station (Father Michael has a wii though) and he likes songs, but the alphabet song is not his favorite. There was even a question about flowers dying in the Ice Age. He looked at me like where did that come from!

Who is Father John?

That was my question for my kindergarten CCD class last night. I got the best answer ever - from a 6 year old!

He's a guy who loved Jesus very, very, very much so he became a priest and works for God.

I loved it. We were getting ready for next week when Father John comes to visit our class. I had them come up with questions to ask him. Here's a few -

Do you love Jesus?

Is your favorite color yellow?

Do you love God more than anything?

What do you do if you forget what you're saying during mass?

Where do you like to eat?

What's you favorite part of being a priest?

Did you always want to be a priest?

It should be interesting next week when he comes!

Tardy Boy

I have a student, Tardy Boy, who is - I bet you'll never guess - always tardy! He has my class from 8:30 - 9:10. Tardy Boy isn't just a little late, he strolls in around 9 or 10. Every day! Of course Tardy Boy is struggling in reading (or he wouldn't be in my class), but he is one of my lowest students. He's in 2nd grade and doesn't know all his letters, much less what sound they make. I don't know how to get him to school. His mom has been to court, I've talked to her about the importance of my class, principal and assistant principal have talked to him, I reward him for showing up on time, I've kept him in from PE for being so late, and I'm out of ideas. She promises to get him here, but doesn't. Just for an idea of how much he misses my class, in the last 15 days of school he has missed 7 times and been late another 5. So 3 days he was on time. He has been less tardy this week, but still about 45 minutes late for school. Tardy Boy is so frustrated in his class because he is so far behind. I'm so frustrated with this parent. Last year she withdrew him for about 3 weeks. He didn't go to another school. He was helping clean the house. WHAT?? But yet mom says she's concerned about his progress. Argh. Any ideas are welcomed!

Ahh, a work day!

Let me start by saying I don't like the name of my day. Work Day. Like I don't work everyday?? (For those of you who aren't in education, a work day is a day the kiddos don't come and teachers finally have a little time to catch up on everything that piles up for months!)



Anyway, here's all I wanted to accomplish today -

• Get ready for Tuesday's classes


• Get all objectives for the week typed and filed for easy access


• Complete 3 RTI packets


• Clean off my junk table


• Gather materials to give a mini training for 6 different grade levels of reading teachers


• Clean off computer table


• Type up inventory sheets for 2 take home literacy bags
  
• Catch up on my MRT paperwork

So what did I accomplish? The ones in green are ones I did off my list and red are things I did, but weren't off my list.

• Drink coffee and check email.
• Check evites from party I'm planning.
• Email people about party.
• Start RTI paperwork!
• Get distracted and take things to be copied for the week to workroom.
• Stop by friend's room on the way back.
• Post some books she gave me on paperback swap.
• Back to RTI paperwork.
• Hmm, I have new email!
• Oh, someone requested one of these books! Wrap it up to mail after school!
• Oh yes. RTI paperwork!!
• LUNCH!!!!
• Finish one packet! Whoo-hoo!
• Reward myself with checking a few blogs.
• Must get stuff done! Get objectives typed!
• Good job - look at a few more blogs.
• Pull material for tomorrow.
• Start cleaning off junk table.
• Interrupted by assistant principal and principal - they want to see me. This can't be good.
• Get informed that one day a week I have to cancel one of my classes and part of another to tutor 5th graders in reading. Never mind that pesky grant that pays my salary and states I'm only to work with k-3rd.
• Found out it starts TOMORROW!
• Spend the next hour trying to find materials to use with 5th grade.
• Figure out a way for my class to still be taught (I'm borrowing a student teacher - won't she be thrilled?) and inform teachers of this change.
• Finish cleaning junk table since I'll have 5th graders at this table now while my 2nd graders use old table.
• Change clothes to go to gym.
• Try to prepare for for 5th graders.

Oh - I thought I'd add that I was given 1.5 hours for lunch, but only took 20 minutes to make up for my ADD moments! So, not the best "work day" for me!! I did get things done. Just not all I wanted!

Vegetarian?

On lunch duty with 2nd grade today, N had an interesting insight. "I'm not sure if I'm a vegetarian or not. Sometimes I can't finish all my meat." They crack me up sometimes!

I've noticed I work with several families lately. I guess they've noticed too. I redid my schedule recently and added a few new students. My few first grader told her teacher, "Well it's about time, she works with everyone else in my family!" Cute, but it also makes me sad to see so many brothers, sisters, and cousins struggling to learn to read.

Pink Throat

The other day one of my 2nd graders came into school and I noticed her older sister wasn't with her. I asked where she was and was told she had "the pink throat." Apparently my girl had "the pink throat" over Christmas. I saw their mom after school - the sister has strep throat! Love their descriptions!