Recently I have had some problems with behavior in one of the other classes. They had a class meeting and the kids wrote letters to the people they were misbehaving for. I received 5. I will write them as they were written to me and then translate those that need it. Names have been deleted due to the law prohibiting me from posting them. :-)
Dear Mrs. Barnes I Am sorry how I acted. I will not do that any more. I will try my best in Social studies. I will follow are school rule. I will helP other PeoPle. I will try to not talk anymore or Play around. because I will work hard. I will always follow Dierections. I will not give uP until I Do it right. I will Do better in social studies I Promie. sincerly...
Dear Mrs Barnes
I am sorry for going to the restroom but I will change and I will do what's expected and I will try to do it the best I can. I will try to work hard.
Sincerly...
Dear mis Barnes (underlined)
Iamsare for tacking wene youweretechingIwilltrieytow ontbowitegen.
sinceuy...
TRANSLATED...
Dear Mrs. Barnes
I am sorry for talking when you were teaching. I will try not to do it again.
Sincerely...
Dear Mrs. Barnes I am sorry that I am playing awroud I will do better by fluolote dwexing. (following directions)
sincerely...
Dear Mrs. Barnes
I am sorry to get your help and not geting my work done and want from you to get my team smart knows what is expected.
Sincerly......
TRANSLATED...
I have absolutely no idea what this kiddo was trying to say..... any ideas let me know!
Other than those I received another letter this week. A great student left the school on Friday. She and her brother had been on a waiting list for another school and they have been accepted. I was so sad I teared up. Never once have I cried over a student (shocking, I know). She wrote me a note on Friday with a heart with my name in it and a penguin. The note said...
Dear Mrs. Barnes,
You have been a good teacher to me. I was so happy to have you for my teacher. You are the best. I hope I find a teacher as good as you are!!
This was from the little one who experienced the horrible anxiety issues last year. I was heartbroken when mom told me they were leaving. Her mom has been so helpful to me already this year. She gave me a hug and thanked me for being so great for her daughter. She said she was so thankful for what I have done to make her daughter like school again and was so glad that she requested me. She was crying which of course almost made me cry.
I will certainly miss that little girl, but she said if she doesn't like her new school she'll be back because she "loves me 'cuz I'm fun!"
TTFN...ta ta for now!
ADDED November 13, 2010
Recently Ethan spent a night in the hospital after falling and hitting his head. I was very worried the next day at school, waiting for news about all of his tests. While at school I received word that one of my all time favorite teachers from high school had passed away. I was very broken up about both situations and the kids could completely tell. They were so wonderful that day. I got a ton of hugs and "don't worry Mrs. B, it's going to be ok!". One of my little ones, who happens to be a fabulous writer, wrote me a letter.
Dear Ashly, (HAHA)
I know how you feel and I feel really sorry for you. But probably it was his time. About your nephew just be patient and have faith. I had really big faith when my mom crashed and told God to please take care of my mom and next thing you know she was back. She hurt her leg but she came back alive and it was a day after my birthday and I know your nephew will come back like new.
Sincirly,
Needless to say I basically lost all composure. She also gave me a necklace that has a cross inside a heart and said that I needed it more than her that day. I felt completely blessed to have such a caring and compassionate 9 year old in my life that day.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Student of the Month Part 2
Today was the student of the month assembly. It was all kept a secret and I even played it up that his parents had to come to the school to talk to me about something important. He stood waiting for our class to be called staring up at the sky whispering "please let it be me". The look on his face when he heard his name was absolutely priceless. He was so excited and proud of himself. I met his mom and she shook my hand and thanked me for choosing him. My response was, "he totally earned it, I'm so proud of him." Mom was almost in tears. He gave me the biggest hug and said he was proud of himself and shocked and excited. I gave him a letter that I wrote to him explaining why I chose him and he smiled ear to ear while he read it. The rest of the day I didn't lift a finger, anything I needed he was there before I could move and would say, "don't worry Mrs. Barnes your student of the month will handle it!" It WAS the best feeling I have had in my short teaching career. I talked with him at the end of the day and asked if he was going to keep up the student of the month type behavior and he said definitely. He is most certainly the reason I'm a teacher. I have never been so proud of a student for any reason.
One of my tougher kiddos made his day every day this week which was a big feat. He will be going to talk with the social worker weekly starting next week. He has anger and self esteem issues which is just heart breaking. I was talking with the social worker about what I can do to help him and we decided that when he makes his day for a whole week he can go to the prize box. I had him stay after the bell and gave him a hug and a high five and he picked a backpack out of the prize box. We talked about how he will not always get prizes that big and eventually he might not get one every week, but for now we will work together to make his behavior great. He was super excited and has never smiled the way he did today.
Obviously it was a super rewarding day. I wish that I could legally post pictures of those 2 kiddies, but alas, I like my job and want to keep it.
As for Barry, last week he did an observation with his kids. He had a goldfish and a snail (the kids loved it). Over this last weekend the snail had 2 babies. This week Barry changed the water and all 3 snails went to snail heaven. Now just the goldfish is left, the kids have named it Swimmy. The PE teacher suggested Swim Pickens, but Barry went with the kids' choice.
Yesterday I had a very embarrassing moment. I raised my voice at the principal thinking it was a kid. He loved it, I turned bright red and I will never live it down. Thank goodness he has a sense of humor and plays jokes. I opened the door to my teammate's room to ask her a question. I was leaning against the door and felt it being pushed against me. I said "Excuse you!" and he peeked around the door with a grin and "yes?" I was mortified. My kids were in on it and proceeded to tell me that I was almost purple I was so red. My response being, well yeah I yelled at the principal, it's embarrassing. The kids loved it and so did he. I'm pretty sure the whole school knows about it. Like I said, thank goodness he has a sense of humor.
We met with our second grade buddies today and the kids had to make dogs out of water bottles or toilet paper rolls. We gave them cotton balls, tissue paper, straws, pipe cleaners and yarn to work with. They turned out so cute. One group made a poodle with all cotton balls and another group made a golden retriever by covering the water bottle with gold tissue paper. Again, I wish I could send pictures. I'm going to take pictures of every group and make a news letter for both classes called "Buddies Are the Best". The other teacher thought it was a great idea, so we are both really excited about it. I took some pictures this afternoon but the battery ended up dying.
I got the second book of folder games today, so finishing all of those is my weekend project so that I can have them laminated and cut before I start teaching a before school math class on the 13th. I'm excited to work with 4-6 graders and play a lot of skills games. I will have some of my old kids which will be fun.
I think that's enough for now, I'm getting the feeling that I'm starting to blab on and on and on.....you get the idea.
TTFN...ta ta for now!
One of my tougher kiddos made his day every day this week which was a big feat. He will be going to talk with the social worker weekly starting next week. He has anger and self esteem issues which is just heart breaking. I was talking with the social worker about what I can do to help him and we decided that when he makes his day for a whole week he can go to the prize box. I had him stay after the bell and gave him a hug and a high five and he picked a backpack out of the prize box. We talked about how he will not always get prizes that big and eventually he might not get one every week, but for now we will work together to make his behavior great. He was super excited and has never smiled the way he did today.
Obviously it was a super rewarding day. I wish that I could legally post pictures of those 2 kiddies, but alas, I like my job and want to keep it.
As for Barry, last week he did an observation with his kids. He had a goldfish and a snail (the kids loved it). Over this last weekend the snail had 2 babies. This week Barry changed the water and all 3 snails went to snail heaven. Now just the goldfish is left, the kids have named it Swimmy. The PE teacher suggested Swim Pickens, but Barry went with the kids' choice.
Yesterday I had a very embarrassing moment. I raised my voice at the principal thinking it was a kid. He loved it, I turned bright red and I will never live it down. Thank goodness he has a sense of humor and plays jokes. I opened the door to my teammate's room to ask her a question. I was leaning against the door and felt it being pushed against me. I said "Excuse you!" and he peeked around the door with a grin and "yes?" I was mortified. My kids were in on it and proceeded to tell me that I was almost purple I was so red. My response being, well yeah I yelled at the principal, it's embarrassing. The kids loved it and so did he. I'm pretty sure the whole school knows about it. Like I said, thank goodness he has a sense of humor.
We met with our second grade buddies today and the kids had to make dogs out of water bottles or toilet paper rolls. We gave them cotton balls, tissue paper, straws, pipe cleaners and yarn to work with. They turned out so cute. One group made a poodle with all cotton balls and another group made a golden retriever by covering the water bottle with gold tissue paper. Again, I wish I could send pictures. I'm going to take pictures of every group and make a news letter for both classes called "Buddies Are the Best". The other teacher thought it was a great idea, so we are both really excited about it. I took some pictures this afternoon but the battery ended up dying.
I got the second book of folder games today, so finishing all of those is my weekend project so that I can have them laminated and cut before I start teaching a before school math class on the 13th. I'm excited to work with 4-6 graders and play a lot of skills games. I will have some of my old kids which will be fun.
I think that's enough for now, I'm getting the feeling that I'm starting to blab on and on and on.....you get the idea.
TTFN...ta ta for now!
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