Radio Rumors

It's a miracle that I haven't gotten sick. In the last two weeks I have had two or more students out every day. A couple days I have had up to four. Some of them have had some bad colds...some of them had the flu (yes that flu) and one named Radio broke his arm.

Radio was given his nickname last year by his third grade teacher. He is very good at remembering to get the radio to take it outside to recess. On Tuesday, Radio was not in school. Later on in the day or on Wednesday I can't remember now I was told by a former student in fifth grade that Radio had fallen off his bike and broke his arm. Well actually according to Franny, Radio had fainted and fell off his bike and broken his arm and had been really scratched up. This of course worried me a bit since he said he fainted but you never really know with kids where they get their info. Since this seemed a bit more serious than I had thought I went and asked Radio's cousin who is also in fifth grade about what happened to Radio. She gave me pretty much the same story, minus the fainting, that Radio had fallen off his bike and broken his arm pretty bad. He was having surgery that day. I later in the day also got an email from the office saying that Radio's mom had called to say he had broken his arm and would be out the rest of the week. This I thought would be the end of it...I was quite wrong.

On Thursday morning, my kids were coming in all melancholy. One student Netty walks in, looks at Radio's desk quite sadly and says "Oh I really hope he remembers me." I thought this a bit odd but didn't say anything to him about it. A couple of minutes later I was sitting at my computer and got an email from Radio's third grade teacher. Apparently many of her students had been coming in saying that Radio had been run over by a car and didn't remember anything. I then of course remember Netty's remembering comment from earlier in the morning and ask him what in the world he had heard about Radio. According to Netty, Radio had been run over by a car and had broken his arms and they also had to take him to the hospital to have surgery to have his memory taken away. The poor kid really thought Radio had lost his memory and wouldn't remember anything. According to him, Radio's cousin, the same one I had talked to had told him this the previous afternoon at YMCA.

Since this info was drastically different than the information I had heard earlier, I went back down to fifth grade to ask the cousin once again for her story. She seemed to have a lot more facts than the previous day. Her story now was that Radio was riding his bike down a hill, panicked and jumped off. Right after the accident he couldn't remember what happened but did have his memory now. She had seen him at his house the previous day and he was doing much better. Still quite scraped up and had a big cast on his arm. I took this information back to my students, squashing their pitiful rumors and told them to share the real story to people. Once again...I thought this would be the end...

Later in the day on Thursday, I was walking down the hall near the lunchroom when another third grade teacher stops me. She asks, "Which one of your students got run over by a bus!?!" I almost died laughing. Now poor radio had gotten run over a by a bus. I straightened her out, and kept walking only to run into three more third grade teachers who were wondering the same thing. Apparently all the third graders were coming in crying and quite distraught this morning that some kid in my class had gotten run over by a bus, lost his memory and they didn't know if he was going to live. I once again straightened them out as well and contemplated if I needed to send out an allstaff email explaining the real story to squash the rumors.

Overall, it was a very interesting experience. I have never seen a story change and spread like that. It is a perfect example for kids to show how fast a rumor can spread with misinformation. Here they have Radio in the hospital on his deathbed with no memory after getting run over by a school bus, when really he just fell of his bike and is at home with a broken arm. Later on I heard that nearby in another county a kindergartner or something had gotten run over by a bus. I think that might be where the confusion might have started. But luckily it was at that just a rumor, and hopefully little Radio will be back at school on Monday. We shall see...

Picture Day with the Green Goblins

Three weeks are gone and it sure has been interesting. This week we had picture day. We were suppose to go get our pictures taken at 10:45. But by the time lunch had come at 11 we had yet to be called. So I took them to lunch as normal. I was really not fond of the idea of a bunch of nine year olds eating lunch in their nice picture day clothes but didn't have much choice. I told them to be very careful and not get any food on their clothes. On my way out I ran into my principal who asked me to bring my class to get their pictures taken right after lunch.

I went and ate my lunch, went back to my room to reapply a bit of lip gloss so I'd be nice and pretty for my own yearbook picture and then made my way back to the cafeteria to pick the little rascals up. I walked in and saw a teacher/parent's worst nightmare on picture day. I looked in horror at the first few kids who had already lined up and their green mouths. I then took a panicked run through the cafeteria pulling green Popsicles out of unsuspecting fourth grader's mouths. But I was too late... At least half of my class had fallen prey to the evilness of the green Popsicle and had the ramifications to prove it.

Now let me tell you these are no normal Popsicles. If I had a choice and if it weren't for that the sales of ice cream helps our school I would definitely outlaw them in my classroom. These are the kind of Popsicles that are multilayered in color. The first and worst layer is green, and then it changes to red and yellow I think after you lick it for a bit. Last year I only had one or two that got one every once in a while. This year it seems to be my class favorite. At least more than half the class get them every single day. So even by dismissal I am teaching a class full of green mouthed and faced children aka the green goblins. This green mess dyes their faces and does not wash off easily. Trust me.

Anyways, so as I said I was too late. Too many of them had bought the evil Popsicles and started to eat them and I hated to make those those who just bought them to throw them away. So we start walking towards the gym where I see our principal. I yelled: "I have a problem!!!" and she looks at me in panic, "What?" I replied with, "Look at them!!!" And she just started to laugh. Seeing as there wasn't much either of us could do, she sent us back to the room to attempt to wash our faces and mouths.

I wish I had gotten a picture of them standing their in their nice clothes and green faces. I can only imagine what their parents would say when they got their pictures back and their wonderful child is there smiling with bright green teeth and lips. After some serious scrubbing, rubbing, mouth rinsing and swishing of water we made our way back to the gymnasium to get our pictures taken. This will be one yearbook I may have to buy. What a great memory.

On a happier note, I got the chance to talk to Lil' G's mom on Wednesday. Lil' G has taken the best of me. We have had our many struggles the past few weeks, and have been meaning to call his mom many many times, but have had yet to do it. I hate talking on the phone in general, but the thought of calling a mother to tell her she needs to put her kid back on his Ritalin just didn't sound so thrilling. So when Lil's G's mom came to pick him up from school I took that chance. We were just about to leave for lunch when the call came. I was trying to get them to hurry so I could get them to the cafeteria and then run to the office to see Lil' G's mom before she left. Of course this is the day the teacher next door to me was running a little late for lunch and we were stuck behind them. Usually not a problem, but when your worst problem student's mom is in the office, you take that opportunity. So I yelled Ms. G get moving!! She of course gave me a strange look and then I explained "Lil' G's mom is here!." She understood exactly why I was in a hurry. She is an angel and takes Lil'G for thirty minutes everyday for his reading group. It is a very welcome and much needed break. Anyways, when I yelled at Ms. G to move it, our wonderful Literacy Couch happened to be standing there as well. When I yelled at Ms. G, she heard me and also knew who I was talking about and said she'd take my kids to lunch for me and to run to the office. Luckily I did make it, and was able to have my first, parent heart to heart about a student that was not all positive. I avoided having very many parent conferences last year so feels good to have one of these down and under my belt. It went very well. She was very understanding, and agreed that if he is not getting any work done, putting him back on his medicine was a good idea. As of Friday he had yet been put back on it, but I'm hoping maybe they were able to accomplish that over the weekend. I can only hope... for my sanity and his. :)

Cheeto of Liberty

I swear I'm not crazy. Just maybe a little strange... But the other day during lunch I was eating my cheetos and examining them as I always have and noticed that my cheeto looked strangely liked the statue of liberty. I got really excited and everyone laughed at me. Then one of my fellow teachers decided we should take a picture of it, and gave me this piece of patriotic paper to put it on to take a picture with. The kids thought it was the coolest thing in the world. They wanted to send it to the President. But then another said no we shouldn't because he might eat it. Then one other kid said "It's the Cheeto of Liberty!" So that's how the name stuck. One of my girls said in her wonderful Southern drawl: " That's one special Cheeto." It made for a very exciting day. I ended up hot gluing the cheeto to the paper and it is now hanging up on the wall in my classroom for all to see.

Long life the Cheeto of Liberty!!

So should I put it on ebay?? Or I've also heard youtube...but not sure how you put a picture on there just videos. Maybe if I put it on ebay it will get on that Sell or No Sell bit on Leno! Now that'd be cool!

New Year...New Kids...New Ms. Geer

Did you know I teach third graders? Well I don't really, but after this week it sure does feel like it. I think I got way too used to end of the year almost fifth graders, and now have a bunch and I mean a bunch of brand new fourth graders. From looking at their birth dates they are also all very young fourth graders. A bunch are still 8 or just turned 9. I got the baby class. Oh have I mentioned there are 27 of them? Last year I had 18-20 all year. It is so insane. The room is packed full of desks and I can't stand how far away the kids in the back row are.

Ok, sorry I'm not complaining, or I am, but I don't mean to be. It's just going to be a drastically different year than last year. I was so lucky my first year, I had great sweet kids with hardly any behavior issues. This year, I do have sweet kids. No real behavior issues except for Lil' G. Little guy, whose mother asked me at Open House if we had a drama club because her son is very dramatic. This was while her two sons were running around in circles in my room. Lil' G is as sweet as can be but has the most stereotypical case of ADHD that I have ever seen. And of course mom took him off of his medicine this summer. I haven't quite decided how I feel about this. Let's just say his desk was moved 3 times in the first 3 days and is now right by my desk in the front of the room. Where I am sure it will stay all year.

Oh and a funny story to leave you with. Yesterday we had a lock-down drill where we practice hiding in our rooms if there was someone running through the building. Always the most exciting thing with kids. They are always full of "What if" questions that can be never ending. Well before the actual lock-down drill started I had them practice going to their spots and I went outside to the hallway to see if I could see anyone from looking in the window on the door. Completely forgetting that the door was locked I closed it and locked all of my students in the classroom and me in the hallway. I knocked and knocked, and gestured for them to come let me in. But they all just sat their in their hiding places and stared at me. Some tried to get up but then changed their minds and sat back down. They thought I was pretending to be an intruder and was trying to trick them into letting me in the room. Finally I was yelling through the door that it was ok, and to let me in. Of course a bunch of teachers at the end of the hallway hear me and come out and see what was going on. It was only slightly mortifying...Only me...

Oh and guess what! I got a puppy!! Her name is Elphie and she is 10 weeks old and brown. We don't know what kind of puppy she is, but is super cute. She is quite feisty and a little strange when she's chasing balls. She likes to chase not one, or two, but three balls at once. She's as cute as can be though. I think we'll keep her. The picture is at the top, I'm not sure how I could get it to be down here.

Testing Our Days Away

Testing...testing...and more testing... but guess what! It's over!!! Wahoo!!!!  Throughout the testing I have come up with a few good stories to share.  Some good...some bad...and some quite ugly.

The good...

This is not a personal story but very worth sharing.  A fellow teacher and was walking down the hall with some of her students while the announcement came on that testing was over and that makeup testing would be happening the rest of the day so everyone still needed to be quiet in the hallway.  One of the boys: "Geez, why do they always have makeup testing?  Who needs to take a test on makeup?  Is it like to put it on?  The Girl: Oh wow, I would totally get an A on that! I am awesome at applying mascara and eyeshadow.  Teacher: Guys, it's make up testing like if you need to make up a test that you missed, not on applying make up...

The bad...

On Friday morning I got a call from the front office saying that one of my students had been taking to the ER.  He had had stomach issues all night and when she went to go take the younger brother to school she came back and he was passed out in the bathroom and unresponsive.  They called the ambulance and took him in and got him woken up.  He was at the hospital for most of the day and is still pretty sick.  Doctors don't quite know what's wrong with him apparently.  Don't know much else really.

The ugly...

The new student...J-Man2... he's still here, and he's still kicking.  And about to drive me nuts.  Today was our last day of testing.  We test in two different sessions of 45 to 70 minutes each.  In between the sessions there is a ten minute break.  So we had just finished session 1 and taken our 10 minute break.  I had just started them back when J2 raises his hand and asks to go to the restroom.  I'm like no, we are testing you can't go now.  You should have gone during the break.  I walk around the room again and come back around and he's bawling at his desk.  Okkk...well don't know what to do.  I can't deny this kid the toilet right? And I definitely didn't want him to go pee in his pants.  So I stop everyone else and send him to the restroom since we had just started testing.  I stood at the door and watched him walk down and then waited.  One minute went by...then another...then another... then I hear some banging.  And some more banging, and more minutes go by.  Finally after like 6 minutes and the banging seemed so loud I called the office.  I couldn't leave my room, but I didn't know what in the world he was doing in the bathroom.  So my principal came down and he finally came out right as she got there.  He said he wasn't banging, and I was a little bit livid... :)

And one last thought.  Today we had the Social Studies test.  I have gone through all of the directions and ask for final questions and K raises his hand and is like I have a problem.  I bubbled my entire 70 question Science test into the Social Studies bubbles yesterday.  Woops...how'd I miss that???

All for now! I need to rest my poor softball weary body and head to bed.  Softball you say?  Well that's a whole other story for another day!

Spring Fling Video

Happy Easter!!!!!

Here is a video for a change of pace!  Next month, we are having a spring fling at school.  This is a promotional video we made to show at school to help promote it.  The idea is the teacher dancing at the beginning is suppose to be the Principal, and I am the Assistant Principal.

Enjoy!!!!

"You Said I'm Going to What???"

I've been thinking a lot about something that happened last week with a fellow teacher, student and me.  Every afternoon but Fridays,  because I'm (a) crazy, (b) love kids this much or (c) love easy money, I tutor for the YMCA.  I get paid $25 a day to watch poor (as in pitiful) kids who have had no break all day do their homework, and then attempt to persuade them to listen to me while I try to tutor them in something else.  

On Tuesdays and Thursday, the teacher next door and I do our tutoring together because we do not have a lot of kids.  We usually end up doing a Reader's Theatre to help the kids practice their fluency skills.  Last Tuesday, Mrs. H and I were discussing about how we both care too much about people we've never met.  Me (a blog family who has a very sick baby) and her (Natasha Richardson and her untimely death.)  This very special girl (Tina) who I love my time with every week was sitting with us.  She asks us what we are talking about, and the other teacher tells her we were having a grown up conversation about people we don't know.  Tina then proceeds to tell us "Oh you shouldn't gossip! My pastor at church says if you gossip you will go to hell."  

I for one was dumbfounded.  That I was just told by a 10 year old that I was going to hell for gossiping?  I wanted to explain myself that (1) there is a difference between gossiping and talking about people and (2) we weren't saying anything bad about them in the first place .  But I was too annoyed at her comment that I don't believe I said anything at all.

Which brings to the question that I have been pondering.  When we told this story to our fellow teachers they were all more horror struck that she was correcting her elders than what she actually said.  This is what got me thinking.  How old do you have to be before you get to correct people that are older than you?  And, how come kids don't get to correct adults?  Besides the fact that she was wrong in her assumption that we were gossiping, what if we really were?  Would she have to sit there and listen to the adult figures in her life do something she knows is wrong but not be allowed to correct them?

I guess maybe because I am brand new at this adult thing, and still 50% of the people around me are my elders I was curious how this really worked.  As I thought about this, I realized that the majority of the time I would not dare to correct my elders and I too was brought up this way. Now, I am not sure what point I was trying to make and think I might be just as confused as I was to begin with.

It's just that kids are told day in and out not to do this and that, and are constantly being corrected and then when they think they've caught their teachers doing something wrong, they aren't allowed to correct them.  I guess where Tina went wrong was that what she thought she was "calling" Mrs. H and I out on, we weren't even doing.  She might need to go look up the definition of gossiping...  

What do you think?  Would you be offended if someone younger than you corrected your misbehavior?

J-Man returns?????

I got a new student last week.  Well I don't know if "got" is the right word.  It sounds like I had a choice... Back up to 20, which really is not that bad, I should definitely not be complaining.  Within 10 minutes of being in my room this new boy...hmm what should his blog name be?  If you have been reading my blog since the beginning of the school year, you may remember a certain student I had that I liked to refer to as J-Man.  Well we should call this new guy, J-Man the second, so how about J-2?

Anyway, back to J-2.  Within 10 minutes of being in my room, I think every girl in my class was in love.  Seriously, there were tongues on the floor and girls turned completely around in their seats staring.  Needless to say, as soon as they went to specials, their seats were changed.  Getting a new student close to testing is always a big scare.  Because no matter how soon it is, what this student scores will reflect the teacher.  I was though quick to discover that J-2 is extremely smart.  Then I was quicker to discover that not only is he smart...he's a bit of a know it all.  Within minutes in our math lesson, my previous top math student discovered that there was some competition which proceeded into a yelling match over the correct right answer.  Amazing, that after only a short time, J-2 has changed the dynamics of the classroom.

At RECESS the first day, J-2 succeeded into getting into a fight with another student on the playground.  Not usually a good idea on your first day at a new school.  This was last Thursday, J-2 has yet to return to the playground because he does not seem to like to do his homework.

After school on the first day of J-2's arrival I was looking at his records on the computer which includes his new address.  I look at J-2's address, and think hmmm that street looks familiar.  So I looked at the rest of the class's addresses, nothing there, and then looked at the original J-Man's address.  There we go! It was the same street.  So I looked at the house number and then back at J-2s and discover with quite amazement.  Not only is it the same street, it's the same house.  How strange is it, that my new student lives in the same house as my previous trouble-making student??  At this point, I was a little frightening that my few months of bliss after J-Man's departure were over and his "lively" spirit has returned somehow...

On the second day of his arrival, we went to the library to get some good ole AR (Accelerated Reader) books.  Remember that lovely program? Well it's still around.  While the rest of the students were taking a test, I had J-2 start his AR book.  After about 20 minutes, he declares that he has finished this although short, but about 50 paged book.  I disbelieving this have him go ahead an take the AR test on it.  He proceeds to make a 100 percent.  The rest of the class stared in shock. I think they were amazed that someone could even get a 100!!

 

It appears though, that I have my work cut out for me.  J-2's favorite thing to say is "Whatcha Doing?" About 200 times a day.  I have quickly gotten rid of this habit, by giving him laps every time he says it.  From what I've heard it seems like this poor kid has already been through a lot.  Single Mom, probably not too much money, moving in March is never usually a good sign of anything.  From the way he screams out all his answers, you'd think he went to a school were the kids didn't know how to raise their hands! But, we are working on it, and it has gotten a lot better everyday.  You honestly though can't hardly look at this kid and be angry because I along with the rest of the little girls in my class have fallen in love with his precious dimples and smile.  Soon, I'm sure I'll be thinking was there ever a time without J-2?

All for now, you all should just be impressed that I updated twice in one week.  I was told there were some impatient people in Virginia who say I don't post enough?  I'll try to do a better job...hah we'll see.  CRCT is in 2 weeks!!! EEEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!!! (For you VA people that's our version of SOLs.)  

No rest for the weary!

Need a Laugh????

A few good laughs to make your day a little brighter courtesy of Room 102...

 A few afternoons ago at dismissal I heard the phone ring in my room.  I go to answer it and it is another teacher asking me if I have Franny S.  I say yes I do, and she asks me if he gave me a note saying that he did not need to go to YMCA this afternoon because his little sisters are saying that they are suppose to go home on the bus.  I tell her no, but I will ask him.  

Actual conversation follows:  

Me "Franny, do you have a note saying you don't need to go to YMCA today?"  

Franny: (With a very perplexed look on his face) "No....I don't"

Me: (I say into phone) "No, he says that he does not have one"

Franny: (While I'm talking on phone) "I do have a note that says I need to go home"

Me: (Into phone) "Nevermind...he does"

My kids are special...very very special.  And for even more proof read on for another amazing story, that yes really happened...

Today I was teaching a lesson on alliteration.  I had a poem written on the board which happened to include the author's name.  The author's name of the poem was Christina Bertolli.

Conversation was as follows:

Lilly: "Ms. Geer! Did you write that poem?"

Me:  "No, Lilly, do you know what my name is??"

Lilly:  "Well, I know your first name is Christina, but I don't know your last name."

Me and rest of class: "What? Lilly for real?  Are you kidding?  Her name is MS. GEER!! That's her last name!! Duh!!!!"

Lilly:  "Oh, I just thought that was your teacher last name"

Apparently she thought teachers teach using secret alias last names... I'm really not quite sure. She tried to play it off later that she was kidding, but I think she was just quite embarrassed when she realized how ridiculous she sounded.

It's all in a days work in the 4th grade :)

This post has nothing to do with teaching

As I sit here avoiding going to bed because I want to finish watching the Oscars I had a few thoughts:

1.  The kids from Slumdog Millionare are so precious.  They honestly made the movie for me and I was so excited to see that they got to make their first trip to America to go to the Oscars. How exciting for them!  I heard the director saying later, that some of these kids really came from the backgrounds similar to their characters in the movie.  What an experience.  When Ryan Seacrest interviewed them, he asked the smallest one a question and he just smiled.  The older one replied "He doesn't speak English."  So Ryan asked him to translate and the older boy said "He doesn't speak English, so he didn't say anything."  It was super cute.  I just love kids with accents!  Above is a picture of them!

2.  Heath Ledger won!! Wahoo, although my mother says he just won because he's dead I truly think he won because he deserves it.  But I guess, we will never know!

3.  Anne Hathaway has been one of my favorite actresses since the Princess Diaries.  I really enjoyed her little song and dance with Hugh Jackman in the opener.  Just proving more why I love her!!!

4.  Ben Stiller is hysterical with his impression of Joquin Pheonix. I mean really what is up with him?

5.  And lastly...I did the cool google your name with the needs at the end...and this is what I got:

1.  "Christy needs to blog" This I suppose the result of getting that result

2.  "Christy needs help" This is always true

3.  "Christy needs to take her opinions elsewhere" Hah, this is very true, I can be quite opinionated...

4.  "Christy needs more pop" If this referring to soda, then I definitely don't need anymore

5. "Christy needs a new computer" Well I don't need one...but I would like a new macbook

6.  "Christy needs an intervention video" Do I?????

7.  "Christy needs to take a hard look in the mirror" Hmmmm do I look that bad?

8.  "Christy needs to go to sleep" How true this is!!!!

9.  "Christy needs all her readings in electronic form" I could I suppose

and..10.  "Christy needs to stop putting those men before those kids"  If only this was true....

GOODNIGHT!!!! And I hope you enjoyed my lack of education related post

If I Were President...

Today, was of course a historical day.  I felt that there is no better history lesson, than watching today's events on TV live.  I wanted my kids to someday say I remember when...and have a good memory for the event.  My students and I had a front row view of the inauguration on our Promethean (Smart board) which is basically a 5 foot or so TV screen with surround sound powered by a projector.  Since we eat lunch at 11:30, we did not want to miss the action, and had the special treat of eating lunch in our room.  My students did an amazing job for 10 year olds in keeping quite and paying attention.  I was quite impressed of their understanding of how a momentous occasion that this was.  

So in honor of today I have included some direct quotes from the coolest 4th graders around.  The Jimmy Carter foundation in Georgia runs a "If I Were President" contest every winter around President's day.  I have included some of my favorite quotes to the three simple questions. The spelling is in original form :)

If I Were President...by Ms. G's 4th Grade Class

I think the hardest job for the President is...

- to do a lot of work and help some people on something they need to work on

-  to be reponsable of the whole contry like run the contry sign important papers and haveing to answer lots of people's questions.

- is the paper work because you halft to answer all those quesions

- to take care of everyone and also haveing to take care of his family with is much important to him

- cleaning the white house. they would have to clean it.  It would be hard work and take a long time. And would be boring.  But you would have to keep it clean so when people they won't say the place is nasty

- right now he needs to put his attion in the economy the country is living at this time look for a new jobs for the people are with out their jobs

If I were President, the first thing I would do is...

-  to take care of the Uinita State of Amerecai

- to help people without papers (Can you tell my kids are immigrants?)

- to make sure the country is in good shape

-  Practice the peace

- give houses to the homeless and give me food and drinks

-  unpack and take out stuff from the lugage and then get my cloths ready for tommaro

- give people papers and so the people won't go to jail

-  I would check the house and see what the gardes are doing and that is all

and... I say no more taxes because why even have to pay taxes and ceidens (citizens) have to pay more and is not fair!

Things I would take to the White House...

- my family...I can bring my toys and my make-up to play with

-  I would take my awards, family photos and signs that say no more taxes

- I would take my lucky stuff. Like my necklace and bracit.  My very very lucky bear

-  I would take my husde (husband) and kids if I had some. and clas (class) and Ms. Mahan (mrs. McMahan)

- Things from school so I can tell them about school and every grade

- my stuff from my house and take books about how to be a president. Oh and I would even take my cloths from my house

- My wrestelers

- Important papers

It goes to show what is important in these kids lives...I can't imagine any kids back in Virginia worrying about "papers." But girls everywhere are always worried about their clothes.

Case of the Mondays

(For Christmas I put this picture on one of those WalMart Christmas Cards.  Great cheap idea and they loved it!)

Why do I seem to blog a lot on Mondays?  I seem to have a case of the Mondays today at school.  From the moment I left home this morning, (the scraping of ice on my windshield is what I think did it) I have been in a bad mood.  My poor kids had to get the wrath of it.  

Well what has happened since I last posted?  Oh yeah! Christmas!  I had always heard stories of what school was like the last week before Christmas...and they were all true.  But I discovered its definitely not all the kids that have issues with it.  I was just as bad as them for not wanting to do anything but sit and watch "The Grinch" and "Frosty the Snowman."  Luckily though the fourth grade teachers and I created a "Christmas Around the World" event.  I throughly enjoyed teaching all of the fourth graders my "vast" knowledge of China.  Another way that I kept the kids busy was having my wonderful mother come in and teach the kids how to make Despereaux "mouse" ornaments.  For those of you who have not read the book you should.  My kids loved it, and on the Saturday after we got out for Christmas, some fellow teachers and I met our students at a local movie theatre to see the movie "Tale of Despereaux." Book of course was better than the movie, but wasn't too bad.

So now, we are back at school.  Already the second week, and counting the days to Spring Break.  I always hated it when I heard of teachers saying that, counting the days till the next break.  But, here I am, doing it.  I felt like I was teaching a bunch of zombies this morning with the blank faces.  I think we all had a bad case of the Mondays.

I do have some sad news though.  The first day back, something that I knew had been coming for a long time happened.  J-Man came in with his Mom and withdrew.   It is a bittersweet departure.  He could be so sweet and the most helpful student I have had.  But, he also could be the most uncooperative and frustrating.  My class now has an eerie silence.  The first few days after he was gone, I was constantly looking around trying to figure what he had gotten into this time.  But then I remember...he won't be there anymore.  So although I am happy that I will not have to go through the trouble of implementing a Behavior Management Plan...I will miss little J-Man and his unique personality. :) 

Tomorrow I am looking forward to putting the Inauguration Events on my fancy new Promethean (Smart Board).  You can't have a better history lesson than that right?  How do you plan on watching it?