It's a hard enough life...

Thanks Chris for speaking out!

Just got my W-2's (aka: W-BOO's), so I decided to compare them to my old ones, so sad and so depressing. Since 2012, I have lost over $2700 in income, since 2009-$4200, and since 2007-$7450. Compared to last year's, I am making $1019 less.

Here's the sticking point-compared to 7 years ago (been teaching for 13 years) I am doing ten times the work-worthless portfolios, multiple trainings where I am having to stay until 6 or 7 at night to plan (I have to present these to teacher's during District Wednesday, as the district is too cheap to pay for the trainer to do them for everybody) and not getting paid (I was told that the trainings were being held during school hours and under contract time, therefore the extra planning was my fault), and having a HORRIBLE evaluation tool where even though I was HIGHLY EFFECTIVE last year, I was told that I would be lucky to be EFFECTIVE this year (so that the district would not have to pay so much performance pay).

I work my ass off, dedicate my life to my work, yet I have to live paycheck to paycheck. I don't even make enough to support myself and my dog, much less the family that I would like to have. I am very lucky if I can pull in $840 every two weeks ($420 weekly), which after paying my house payment (I live in a manufactured home that was made in 1996), 1 credit card, 1 USED car payment (2006), insulin and prescription food for my dog, 1 cell phone payment ($60 a month), and my utilities, leaves me with about $50-75 to buy groceries, etc. for the month.

I have cut EVERYTHING that I can-trash service, home warranty, satellite, going ANYWHERE, even buying groceries! I am TIRED of it, as I know many of my friends are. I am 35 years old and wishing for retirement everyday. I am a responsible person, never spending extravagantly. I love my students and my job, but am sick of pandering to people that don't appreciate me. These WORTHLESS individuals make triple the amount that I do, yet seem to think that they know what is best for me. I am constantly having to PROVE myself, when it should be them that should do that.

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Reading Buddies and Math Buddies

Reading buddies is nothing new and used to be quite poplar when I was in school.  These days it's hard to find the time and make sure it fits into assigned curriculum.  If everyone knew the academic value, the fun, and social skills it promotes I think they would make the time like I do.  We take turns on who visits who so the kids get a chance to see the other classroom and work in a different space.

My class has 2 sets of buddies: Kindergarten Reading Buddies and 1st Grade Math Buddies

When second graders visit kindergarten they have to be the "big" kids and read.  Many of mine think teaching is fun so they point to the words for their buddy and help them to read their books too.  As the kids get better at working together they will be able to do activities like share a mini book report type project with their buddy.

I love having good readers and they love reading!

Thank you Heather for the photos!




When we visit with 1st graders we share math problems.  The first graders had support in solving and explaining their work while the second graders really had to think and carefully explain what to do.  We planned for 15-20 minutes and 30 minutes flew by with kids on task, and these groups are not known for being calm and on task!

   

    

   

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Parent-Teacher Conferences with a Large Group of Parents

It's time for parent-teacher conferences again...oh the dreaded long days and meeting after meeting.  I know how important these are for the kids, but I just don't enjoy them.  My principal pushes for 100%  one-on-one in the fall, so I have a plan for the spring.  

Here's what I do:
1. Convince my second grade teammates to join me in my genius plan.  PLEASE It'll be easy and we can have snacks usually works.

2. Pick a conferencing day and block out 2 hours in the library.

3. Decide on teaching tools for parents to use to help their kids (base 10 blocks/math strategies, story questions, journal writing prompts, homework encouragement) 

4. Send out notices to all second grade students (ones not needing separate conferences because of behavioral or academic concerns) inviting them to a group conference.

Click Here to Download My Letter 

5. Have each teacher sets up a station with a learning tool, explains its use, and teaches parents what to do at home.
 - Station 1: "Questions To Ask When Reading"  I print out sets and the kids cut them into strips while I explain to parents about the importance of modeling good reading and talking about the books. Download My Questions HERE


 - Station 2:  Math Coaches Corner has a great example and printable page you can download for free. 120 Chart Link

- Station 3: Journal Writing - this website has prompts for all grade levels!  Journal Buddies Writing Prompts

- Station 4: Homework Tips 
   * Don't just take your child's word, check their backpack and make sure you see the homework completed 
   * Make a Checklist (my kids have planners) of what needs to be done each night
   * Set up a work station with paper and pencils. It should be away from the TV or computer but in range of an adult to help.
   * Talk about what they did and how they did it
   * Celebrate their good work habits!

6. Have a fun time with real conversations and providing parents with what they ask for ALL year! 



Bonus Activity:  Fill out a Be Kind strip about your child to help add to our school chain.

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100th Day of School

There are so many fun ideas out there to celebrate this day, but do you know why it's a BIG deal?!  

All the hype comes from how schools get their base funding for the following year, and that's by students count.  I have heard it has changed in the last few years but it has to do with an average of the number of students at school up to the 100th day, and then the 100th day, in all of it's glory, is factored in too.  So to get more money we need more kids in attendance on that day, and to get more kids to school (and parents on board) we need to advertise FUN, FUN, FUN!

So the short version of my explanation: Get those kids to school and the schools will be given the base amount of money they should be given anyway!!



I have always done activities to go with this day including; 10 exercises 10 times, filling in 100 charts, counting 100 of something, making snacks with 10 sets of 10 cereals, reading for 100 minutes, writing a 100 word story, etc.  This year Day 100 landed on a Wednesday, and that's a half day in my district so I wanted to be simple.  My school encouraged (and rewarded) students for dressing up as a 100 year old.  I was more than happy to wear a house coat and slippers all day, of course with a professional outfit underneath since we had a district meeting after school.

I encouraged the students to bring in 100 of something yummy and healthy that we could all share.  

Here's what I got:
100 packages of fruit snacks
3 Bags of Pretzel Sticks

I cleaned out my pantry and found:
Cheerios
Wheat Thins
Chocolate Chips
Candy Corns
Marshmallows
Orange Tic-Tacs


It was a perfect assortment for REAL math!   So then I found a lovely check list online and we were set.  I was excited for the opportunity to do some addition with both finding the missing addend and finding the sum.  Counting by 10's is soooo 1st grade anyway :)

We started with the fruit snacks, each kid got 2 packs and had to add them to their list and count them.  They ranged from 18 - 14 so to even them all out I told them they needed to get candy corns to get their snack cup up to 25 items.  Next was the chocolate chips, they had to add 10 bringing the total to 35.  Then I gave them each 3 tic-tacs, and we were at 38.  To get to 50 they each added 12 pretzel sticks.  Then another 10, this time of marshmallows, for a quicker equation, and we were at 60.  5 Wheat Thins since the bag wasn't huge, and now we have 65 snacks.  What's left?  Cheerios! Add in 35, good thing they are small and there are tons of them in a bag, and the cups were overflowing and we had 100 treats!!

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Classroom Games

These games are excellent fillers and even better for those early finishers who need a challenge!

How about some good old fashioned Boggle?  I found this one on Pinterest!

Boggle on the Left = Making Words http://www.pinterest.com/pin/148055906474971474/ 

Rules: Must make real words by connecting touching letters.  The longer the word the better, you can give points by word length (ex. 2-3 letters 1 point, 4 letters 3 points, 5 + letters 5 points).  I award for most words that follow the rules.

Noggle (number boggle) on the Right = Making 20's
My Noggle Worksheet 

Rules: By using any mathematical operation (add, subtract, multiply, divide) the solution must make 20.  My second graders only add and subtract to get to 20, but some add over the 20 so they can then subtract bask to it.  You could add a point value to this game too, I just award most accurate expressions.

Letters and numbers came from here: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/148055906472954773/ 

Washi tape makes for a great border to outline the game letters or numbers

Since I'm lucky to have an extra (who'd a thought that was possible) whiteboard, these games are always up on half with my objectives on the other half.  This board is also magnetic so the pieces all have a small magnet on the back making it easy to swap them out for a new round!  

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20 Questions

This was one of my favorites for long car rides and long waits at restaurants.  To play in a classroom you need a bucket full of nouns.  These NOUNS are what I use for second graders, but any set at your grade level will work.  Having the words helps keep players on track and avoids cheating.

Rules:  On the board draw a t-chart for the questions and guesses.  20 questions are allowed and depending on the group I allow up to 5 guesses until they learn the difference between a question and a guess.  Teacher (or a student) takes one noun out the the jar, reads it in their head, and holds it in their fist to hide it.  Students can ask 'yes or no' questions or make a guess until the questions and guesses are all used up.  If someone figures out the word they win, OR if they run out of question and guesses the word holder wins!

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December Madness

It's nearly the end of the first half of the year and we are OVERLOADED with things to do.  Grading, Report Cards, Benchmark Testing, Reading Level Testing, Awards, Special Project, Assemblies, and my favorite...CLEANING

Snow Globes

Every year I make these they come out a little different due to the supplies I can find for the best prices.  This year I used: plastic punch cups, fake plastic snow, construction paper, green pip cleaner, model magic (you can't see it, it's under the snow), and of course silly pictures of my kids looking extra cold! 

End of the Quarter = Last Day with my Reading Group

The story we read wad about Paul Bunyan making pancakes....so I made them pancakes!

So simple with a griddle, small containers with pre-measures mix and eggs, and the best part (free and perfect size) 1 school lunch milk!

Golden Shoe Award and Winners Run

So my class was more naughty than nice this quarter...maybe it'll be us in the spring...

Way to go 6th Graders!!

 

McTeacher Night

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