Help!

Since it is my summer break and I don't have any funny stories to share, I thought I'd share this link.

http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=176514

It is my grant I wrote to get some neat take-home backpacks filled with books and fun activities for my students. If you have a few extra dollars laying around, here's a great place to put them! Or if you know anyone who'd like to contribute you can pass the link along!

paper backpacks

I'm making paper bag backpacks with my kiddos. It's been . . umm. . . interesting. I love seeing who can follow directions and catch on and who can't! So here we are with 3rd grade making our bags. This step is where the cut slits on the line I drew. On the outside of the bag. And, yes, I showed them how to pinch the bag to do this. Below is Wild One's attempt at cutting slits!

He did get it eventually! This is the back of his bag.
Just in case you couldn't read Wild One's words - here it is. And if you wondered why I called him Wild One. I must say it is a great description of him!!

Glasses & Singing

Part of my job is to stand in the hallway in the mornings monitoring students on the way to class. I hear some interesting conversations down there sometimes! This morning, Blinky (you'll understand in a minute) came out from eating breakfast. Blinky is a 2nd year 1st grader. He hugged me and the counselor and then asked her if he could have her glasses! She wears reading glasses - kinda old lady looking ones. She asked why he wants them and this is his response (I love it!) - "Because when I blink 11 times like this (oh yes, he showed us) my eyes get kinda blurry and I can't see right." Oh my! I had to turn away! I'm thinking he shouldn't blink so much at one time and he'd be ok!!

And my sweet story of the day. 5th grade is having their graduation program so I popped in for a minute. I love listening to them sing. They sang "Keep the Dream Alive" and had 3 soloists. One girl was doing an awesome job. Really into it with soul and everything when the song got to her and she started crying. She kept right on singing though. She did great and got a standing ovation.

Awards Day

Oh the excitement! Yesterday was kindergarten's day (where I had to be one of the k teachers - ack!) and today was 1st and 2nd grade's day. Chatterbox was all over the place - couldn't stay in his seat at all! His teacher and I both were constantly telling him to sit down, quit jumping, stop talking. It was almost time for the big song. All eyes are on the music teacher. Well, not Chatterbox's eyes. Just as they're about to stand he turns to his teacher and says, "Mrs. B, I have rabies." Then he turned around and started singing and dancing. His teacher turns to me and says, "that's what wrong!" I'm so glad everyone was singing because I was laughing so hard!!

Back to yesterday - I was in kindergarten all day (why hire a sub when you have a reading interventionist - I must have nothing to do). Anyway, two girls got in an argument and the kids told me one called the other a fat b!tch. So I called her out in the hall to talk. She is crying and saying she didn't say that b word. So I asked her what she did say. "I called her a fat chick!" And you know, with her little accent, I can hear how the kids thought she said that b word! Now, my other little girl did call someone a f*cking hoe bag. Nice.

Awww, shucks

Look at this cute award John Deer Mom gave me!! I'm excited - my first award!! Ok, ok, she actually gave it to me last week. But since I'm new to this, I needed more time to learn how to make links and all that good stuff. So let's see if I figure it out!

So, here are 10 blogs I love, in no particular order (or how about alphabetical - I am a teacher).

Bluebird's Classroom

But Wait! There's More. . .
Chocolate for Teachers
Have a Gneiss Day
Its Not All Flowers and Sausages
Momma of a Whole Lotta Drama
Ms. M's Apples
Tense Teacher
This Teaching Life
An Uncertain Path to Pregnancy

Jello Shots

Here's a great lesson I recently learned from a 7 year old. What exactly is a jello shot? It's jello mixed with medicine that makes you sleepy. And yes, this first grader had jello shots.

My classroom & the bitch

So yesterday I was testing 3rd graders that I don't normally see (that means they aren't struggling in reading). I enjoy listening to them and seeing how they're doing. One boy, let's just call him Brainy, came in yesterday. He's interesting - very smart, usually quiet, and has a monotone speaking voice. Brainy walks in, looks around, and says, "Nice room you've got here." I did really good and didn't crack up. He sounded so adult!

During my 2nd grade group (back to my strugglers), we came across one of those words that is just bad if you happen to pick the wrong vowel sound. Chatterbox was reading along (doing a great job) and then came this sentence. He read, "He pushed the float back near the bitch." Instantly his hand went over his mouth and everyone looked at me. Chatterbox's eyes were huge. I just told him to look at the vowels and try it again. Thankfully he read, "He pushed the float back near the beach." Whew! Poor person on the float being pushed toward a bitch instead of the beach! He-he.