Insecurities

Soooo, we started flexing right after Thanksgiving break ... so I've had my new classes of kids about 7 weeks or so. And most of the time I feel really great about what I / we are doing in there. I think we're making progress. I think we're really learning. I know we're making a difference.

                    And then, today, I gave a unit test. A big test. An intimidating test.

During the test, I thought they were doing really well! Angie (Mrs. P - our sped teacher) pulled a group to the table. I circulated to answer questions. They worked hard! They did great.

                                             And then I graded the tests. 

                                                       Whoa buddy. 

These kids are in our class (Mrs. P and I are co-teaching) because they are low. I get that. We work with them every day. We modify activities. We skill and drill. We do hands on. We do groups. We do higher level. Well, we do "higher level". I know these kids are low. But when you work with them so much and understand their way of thinking and modify ... sometimes you forget  HOW low.

And then you give them a test. A test that all of 4th grade is taking, not just them. You have to ignore the fact that they have different strengths. You take away the hands on. You throw a 4th grade reading level passage at them even though they read at a 2nd or 3rd grade level. And you just, simply, test them. And they don't do so well.

I kinda freaked out. It made me doubt everything I had done with these kids for 7 weeks. Maybe I wasn't doing enough. Maybe we haven't made as much progress as I thought.

I texted my wonderful teacher buddy who has our "low" math group. She reassured me that, well, these kids are low. And this is a "true standardized test". And a c average is, well, expected from the group. And I am not awful.

I went from being totally panicked to being somewhat panicked and somewhat angry. I HATE that I have to test my kids. I hate that their grade will reflect a standard mold that they do not fit in. They simply don't fit that mold. But look at their research projects we worked so hard on. Look at the dioramas they are so proud of. Listen to them tell you about the book we just read together that the LOVED (Shiloh). Let them draw you a picture. Play a game with them. Let them tell you a story.

They are so far above average in many ways. Just simply not on the test I gave them today. I get that. I expected that ... and it is still super frustrating to see it reflected in test scores.

     Turns out I don't like *giving* tests any more than I ever liked *taking* tests. Go figure.

Counting Blessings

I am - we are - so incredibly blessed.

**Blessed because we are homeowners! We've owned our house for just over a week, and it already feels like home! 

**Blessed because I have such wonderful family and friends that helped make the house feel like home - scraping wall paper, moving furniture, painting, and painting, and painting ....

**Blessed because we have family who cleaned our rental for me so I could focus on getting things set up in the new house.

**Blessed because I have a husband who is willing and able to work to get things ready so that we can be comfortable here - like working to rerun the internet cable so I don't have to have the ugly modom in my pretty living room and cutting down a tree in the back yard so the direct tv people can set up for us....

**Blessed because I am once again surrounded by woods that I love instead of town houses and streets that I didn't love.

**Blessed because I have lots of decorations to put up and lots of fun yard projects planned for spring.

**Blessed because Rob and I both have steady jobs that make us feel comfortable (well, at least as comfortable as anyone can) signing away our lives to a 30 year loan.

**Blessed because this house lots of fun room for us now, and lots of room for future growth.

**Blessed because I (we) finally have room to have people over to enjoy our home with us - which is why I LOVE our basement so much! 

....I was going to put pictures up on this post, but my phone is being stubborn and doesn't want to upload them -- so you'll have to wait! BUT, I will put up a picture post soon ... or you could just come see it in person! ;)

Sad News...

or at least there will be soon (hopefully!).

ooohhh -- hopefully? sad news? Those things don't go together! I know, I know... ;)

I think I am parting with the Java Finches. Which will be sad news when I break it to my students! :S.They really HAVE been great pets! They are fun to watch, neat to listen too, not to noisy, not too distracting ...But we are moving. And I am tired of cleaning their cage :S.

My kids have grown so used to them that they hardly pay any attention to them anymore -- which makes keeping up with them less and less worth it! And, with our own birddie to clean up after at home, and the time commitment of moving into a new house in the middle of the school year and parent teacher conferences (woo - whole 'nother post there!), it is simply not worth it to me to keep up with the finches.

I still think pets are important for kids. I am still on the quest for the perfect class pet. I'll find it, just you watch....

Pro's about the finches:
    neat to watch
    awesome to listen too
    not too distracting
    not to messy or smelly
    not very expensive to upkeep (just buy them seed!)

Con's about the finches:
   -I hate cleaning their cage! When I clean my cockatiel's cage I can get her out and really clean her cage good. The finches are not hand tamed, so they have to stay in the cage at all times which makes it a lot harder to clean! Also, there are 3 of them as opposed to my one cocketiel. More birds = more poop.

  - The kids can't interact with them. Because they finches have to stay in the cage, the kids don't get to hold or touch. The kids do occasionally poor their seed in for me or change the water, but that's it. 4th graders need to touch and feel and handle - otherwise you loose their attention. Sooo, the birds were super cool for a while, but now they are a bit "old hat".

  - Feathers! My female is losing feathers and I can't figure out why! There is nothing wrong with her that the vet can tell, so it is probably just stress. I would be stressed too if I was constantly in a cage with two males and surrounded by 4th graders ... so, go figure. It could also be that she is wanting to breed and pulling out her feathers to try to build a nest. If that is the reason, she isn't doing a very good job since her feathers end up all over everything and not at all looking like a nest .... a good bird owner would probably give her a nesting box and nesting material to see if that works, but I am not ready to handle baby birds in a 4th grade classroom ... another reason to send them to live in a new home!

  Long story short, with a move coming up, feeling mean about not being able to help the female, the kids not caring tooo much about the birds, the dislike I have for cleaning their cage ... the con's simply outweigh the pro's. So, off to a new home they will *hopefully* go - sooner rather than later!

    Next year I'll be, once again, on the search for the perfect class pet! Because animals really are important for kids!!

                           ................you have any brilliant ideas?!?!

Comma, Comma, Comma

Comma's are boring. Okay, so I might love them a lot (to the point where I fight the urge to overuse them!). They let me list lots and lots of things (and I dddooo love to make lists!). They tell me when a good spot to breath is when I'm reading or singing. Lots of great things about commas!

But when you are a 4th grader who struggles with reading and writing, commas are boring. Scary, even!

White boards, however, are neither boring or scary. They are actually quite a lot of fun!

Enter: Comma boards!!

Nothing all that special - just giant construction paper commas that are laminated so kids can write on them with dry-erase markers! Awesomeness in comma form. =). 

I made a simple, quick power point complete with "quiz questions" about commas - we will play it as a game. Kids will write their answer choice on their comma board and hold it up on the count of three. Whoever gets it right will get a point - person/people with the most points at the end will win (a round of applause and maybe a piece of candy!). Short. Sweet. Simple. Better than just lecturing on commas for sure! Then, a quick 5 question quiz to make sure we got the jest of commas! :)

                                            Enjoy - Power Point and Comma Quiz

Ready or Not...

...here we go!

I'm ready. I'm also very much not.

I'm ready to get back in routine. I am NOT ready to get out of the bed early each morning.

I'm ready to see my kiddos. I am NOT ready to have a bajillion inside recesses with them (so, I'm gonna need it to warm up soon. Not a lot, just so the wind chill is above 20 degrees or so).

I'm ready to buy a house. I'm NOT ready to spend that much money (and commit to a loan!).

I'm ready to move. I'm NOT ready to move in the middle of teaching ... we have great timing. =(.

I'm ready for Zumba with some awesome ladies! I'm NOT ready for how sore I will be in the morning.

I'm ready to lose weight (my goal is 30 lbs by June 14th when we go on a family vacation -- I'll be using exercise and myfitnesspal.com! check it out!). I'm NOT ready to exercise ... or watch what I eat. I like food. I LOVE pizza. A lot. =(.

I'm ready to start a new year. I'm NOT ready for how fast time is going!

I'm ready to go teach again ... I'm just not ready to wake up tomorrow. :)

Are YOU ready ... or not?