Tonight's post is only being written so I can keep my promise to myself to post every school day. I just got home, it's way past my bedtime, and I'm oh, so tired. I had to attend a wake tonight, practically right after I got home from school, then afterward I went to dinner with my brother and father. Oh, and I forgot to mention that before leaving for the wake, I had to drop my friggin' car off at my mechanic's AGAIN!! Then, when I got back to my dad's after dinner to take my mom's car, it wouldn't start! OK, enough bitching. Let's see, what happened at school today?
Yeah, so much for ending the bitching! Just like Mrs. F. told me, I'm up to 38 little darlings. Like I predicted, the 4 days away was good for me and helped me find a little patience. At least enough to get me to lunch. It was kind of downhill from there. Really, I know I'm being too hard on them. But, the reading coach (or whatever the hell her title is!) came to me this morning and asked how my DIBELS testing was going. After I stopped laughing, I let her know I hadn't even started yet. I thought I was going to have to pick her eyeballs up off the ground. I now have nearly 40 kids to test this week, which is going to be very difficult. However, I was able to get 10 of them done today. Yup, even she was impressed!
The problem is, I need a very quiet room so that I can hear the responses of the child I'm testing, seeing as this is an oral test. Yeah, try keeping 37 kids quiet while you test that 1. Good freakin' luck!!! So, I spent a LOT of time today telling them to be quiet, which then changed to "put your heads down!" That made me feel bad, so we put on our favorite DVD - Chicka Chicka, Boom Boom! There wasn't a whole lot of work done today in our room. I'm just going to have to let that go, and not feel guilty about it. That's probably how the rest of the week is going to have to go. At least until DIBELS is finished.
New Principal approached me today and very briefly asked what my feelings were about going to half-day. Um...HELLO!!! Even though my preference would be to have 2 kindergarten classes, half-day would be 100% better than what my situation is now. I'm just afraid that once we tell the parents about going half-day, many of them will pull their kids out (because their free all-day daycare will be cut to half-day!) which will make our numbers go down instead of up. That would subsequently mean no second class, since there won't be enough students. OK, I'm not going to get ahead of myself. New Principal said she was waiting for central office to call her back.
I'm too tired to write much more, despite wanting to share some details about today. Maybe I'll do it tomorrow. I need to go sleepy now....
Behave Badly And You’re Toast
24 minutes ago
7 comments:
it seems like 1/2 day might be the only solution to the problem.
if i was in chicago i'd definitely come in and work in your classroom and help you out.
don't burn out.
well done on the next 1lb loss.
:-))
It just never ends, does it? Good luck with the classes...I sure wish you did not have to work so much.
And here I was freaking out about my daughter's class having 17 kids in it. 17!! She has never been in a class bigger than 7, and that was with a teacher and a para. This new class has one woman. Period. When I told her my child was special needs, her eyes bugged out and she said she wasn't aware, nor prepared for my kid. Yay. This is going to be fun. So instead of my child starting on Monday with everyone else, I was told not to bring her until Thursday. I will be going to a special meeting with the principal on Wed.
Hope you get half days.
The life of a teacher -- does anyone really understand? Unless,of course, you are a teacher or live withone. I read one of your comments on Suz' blog and thought I'd stop by.
From one teacher to another -- I'm going to follow your blog.
:)
Sue
NO HALF DAY!!! Don't do it.
good luck.......
see? another example of my personal philosophy that kids are our future and if they dont get brought up right, it wont be good. i know your parents are using your class for free daycare which brings me to my point, WTF can we do about parents like that? their parents probly did the same, so now they are doing it too, and unless someone stops the cycle, these lil ones will grow up to pass on the same behavior. its a frikkin chain of dysfunction cheech and i can totally understand your frustration as you try to make a difference. yes our kids need the most immediate help but so do the parents... are there any programs to help them learn whats important to instill in their kids lives?
well god bless your 38 student DIBEL testing kindergarten heart. all you can do is do your best and take one day at a time.
i too would come in and help you if i lived in chi-town.
are there any programs for high school students to rotate through one day a week to assist you and other busy teachers like you? maybe they could receive credit of some kind and if a large number of them take turns, it would help them, and you, and the kids.
c
People at my school are upset about 24 and 25 each. HEHE I told them they have NO IDEA. What is going on that they can't hire another teacher? Doesn't the union provide money for that? Are they waiting for Labor Day?
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