We're sitting in our favorite part of the classroom, the colorful carpet in the front of the room. Everyone is sitting in a circle because its reading, and circles are more fun. We all have our legs stretched out just because i feel like mixing things up, normally its criss cross applesauce, but i'm feeling a little nice today.
i've allowed things to get a little out of control, but now i have decided to pull things together in case someone walks in and i get caught teaching them lyrics from, "Lion King" purely for my own amusement. i'm trying to calm everyone down by counting to 5 and allowing them to relax, but it is not working. so i begin the threats, "if its not quiet in 7 seconds, no one will be allowed to dream tonight!!" still nothing, they don't need dreams! time to try something else, "the next voice i hear will not be any taller than they are now!" this one works, and in 2 seconds, all voices are silent...except one...the one who has not been able to keep his mouth closed all day!! finally i kirk out, "DUDE! I swear to GOD, if you don't be quiet i'm gonna feed you to the middle schoolers...get it together!!" and thats when a hush came over the crowd.
"You can't say God!" yelled A.M
"Yes I can, GodGodGodGodGodGodGodGodGodGodGod. See!" i maturally said.
"No, she means you can't say God's name and not mean it, you can't swear to God, its in the Bible," said B.L.
"Yeah, you can't use God's name in cursive, you have to want something if you're gonna say his name," chimed in J.P. (seriously, i can't make this stuff up, he may have meant vain but who knows!)
"I wasn't using God's name in cursive, i meant it. its a promise, if T.W. doesn't get quiet, i promise both he and God that i will put him on 2 slices of bread and feed him to a middle schooler," i replied.
"Ms. Wallace, just to be safe, you're supposed to say, i swear to butter beans, so then you won't use God's name in cursive," advised S.E.
"Thank you S.E., and my soul thanks you. Now lets get quiet or i swear to butter beans i will see each and every one of you in the second grade next year!" Lesson learned!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
The 4 Kinds of Sentences
Usually near the very end of the day, the kids are at their rowdiest, noisiest, and funniest. Because of all the curriculum we have to cram in a day, normally i run out of time and have to get creative with how and when i fit things in. Everyone had just finished sharing their workshop products and i had them sitting on the carpet, criss-cross applesauce hands in your lap, it was the last 10 minutes before copying down homework, and we were reviewing the 4 types of sentences. i was asking for different examples and had gotten to "command sentences - you're commanding someone to do something, like give me a pencil or tie your shoe, who can give me an example of a command sentence?"
One of my favorite little boys, who is very creative and almost always wants to share...was waving his hand emphatically. I took a few students before him.
Answers like, "give me a pencil," from T.E. who i'm glad he can remind himself to blink, "Thanks T.E. but that was my example, try and think of your own big guy!"
another volunteered, "Where's my pencil?"
"No sir, that's an asking sentence, and lets get off the pencils, try and think of another topic."
i was getting tired, the next response, "Where's your pencil?"
"Look dude, changing one word in a sentence does not make it your own, thats called plagiarism and you could seriously get like 50 years in copy cat jail for that offense, watch your back, plus that was wrong."
"Last chance, someone please give me a command sentence, that's not about pencils, and that's not an asking sentence, please, before i fall out my chair and you people will have to roll me out of here, life is serious."
Finally, T.T., "Dude, save me, give me something good!"
T.T.: "WOMAN, you better fix me a sandwich! that's a telling sentence AND a strong feeling sentence."
He was looking VERY proud of himself!! "Well sir, i thank you...and ike turner thanks you! ummmm...now everyone to your seats, i don't think anyone can top that one!"
One of my favorite little boys, who is very creative and almost always wants to share...was waving his hand emphatically. I took a few students before him.
Answers like, "give me a pencil," from T.E. who i'm glad he can remind himself to blink, "Thanks T.E. but that was my example, try and think of your own big guy!"
another volunteered, "Where's my pencil?"
"No sir, that's an asking sentence, and lets get off the pencils, try and think of another topic."
i was getting tired, the next response, "Where's your pencil?"
"Look dude, changing one word in a sentence does not make it your own, thats called plagiarism and you could seriously get like 50 years in copy cat jail for that offense, watch your back, plus that was wrong."
"Last chance, someone please give me a command sentence, that's not about pencils, and that's not an asking sentence, please, before i fall out my chair and you people will have to roll me out of here, life is serious."
Finally, T.T., "Dude, save me, give me something good!"
T.T.: "WOMAN, you better fix me a sandwich! that's a telling sentence AND a strong feeling sentence."
He was looking VERY proud of himself!! "Well sir, i thank you...and ike turner thanks you! ummmm...now everyone to your seats, i don't think anyone can top that one!"
Thursday, January 8, 2009
S.E.
He's one of the smallest kids in class and has the biggest attitude. He's a beautiful dark chocolate baby with very big and bright eyes. His hair is corn-rolled and parted down the middle. Him being named after a deceased rapper completes this kid's tough exterior...and i'm about to kill him.
S.E. has been driving me crazy since the second day of school. He will not keep his mouth shut, he picks fights with the other kids, and his new thing is to burst out laughing whenever i discipline him...not cute.
To top off his negative attitude, he reads and writes on a lower first grade level. At this point i have tried an arsenal of techniques to try and get through to this young man. I've tried to be really mean to him, making him walk around the classroom during math until i got tired because he decided to run around the cafeteria and fight other boys in the bathroom...didn't work, he was back in time out by lunch. I tried to be super nice and encouraging. Paying him extra attention during carpet time, calling on him more, asking him to be my assistant for the morning. This ended in him telling a little girl to 'shut up' while i walked across the hall to borrow a piece of chalk. The little girl was in tears, and he was back in time out. I tried to pull him aside while he was in his new favorite place (time out) and have a one on one talk about how important it was for him to pay attention in class and how much i wanted him to succeed, and asked him what he wanted out of life and why getting through the second was so important. it ended in a hug...and then him talking ugly to the cafeteria lady less than 10 minutes later.
All of his behavior culminated with one of the girls coming to me after school and saying that she saw S.E. steal bags of chips from off the table while the two of them were alone in the classroom getting their things together. I was floored. I thought he and i had bonded. I thought i had gotten through to him. while he was constantly rude to his resource teachers, he had never disrespected me like that. i was hurt...i was offended. If he wanted chips, if he were hungry, all he had to do was ask. I knew it would be time for a "stealing" talk the next day.
I pulled out my best acting skills for this one. I did ever thing but drop to my knees and pull out my hair. I spoke to the class as whole. It started with telling everyone how much i loved and cherished them, and that if anyone ever needed anything from me, if it were in my power, i would make sure i did it for them. They were told how hard i work to make their days as educational and productive as possible...i laid on the sugar before hitting them hard. Someone had the audacity to steal from me. I had used my hard earned money to buy chips and someone had stolen them from me....and i knew who it was...and they knew who they were. The students started to look around trying to read any guilt on one another's face. i quickly glanced by S.E. and he had the most passive look plastered on his face as usual...he was very practiced at this. i gave the thief an ultimatum, they guilty culprit had until after school to confess...or the consequences would be so harsh...i couldn't even tell them yet! The rest of the class feared for their lives...and S.E. looked cool as a cucumber!
the day went on, and i purposely tried to avoid him. i wanted him to come to me on his own accord...i wanted the guilt to course through his veins and the very thought of my disappointment to seize his conscience and for him to come running to me with is head bent in shame and to say, "Ms. Wallace, forgive me, I DID IT!!" By end of the day, i had almost forgotten about the gauntlet that had been thrown down that morning, until i looked up and realized that he has slipped out and gone home without anyone signing him out...i was done.
i went home that night feeling both guilty and let down. A little piece of me wanted to embarrass him, and another piece wanted to finally bond with him...i'm not sure which piece was bigger. I was so upset with myself for not taking the higher road and simply letting it go, but i really wanted to get through to this little boy. its so infuriating that he can't read, and doesn't seem to want to learn. the more i try to help him, the more he fights me and the more i push him to try his best, the more he pushes away from me. i don't believe in giving up, but i felt like i was running out of options. He never speaks of a father, and his mother is a recovering from something and has a PO. His clothes are usually dirty and stained even though he wears a leather jacket and a new pair of jordans. he hasn't had a back pack since the first month of school and more than once i've had to convert a piece of yarn into a belt for him. he needed me, he needed my over bearing love, he needed me on his side, but he didn't want my company.
I came in the next morning having decided that since he was not at all feeling guilty, that i would leave the whole thing alone. i would tell the children that the person decided to keep to themselves and that it was okay, i knew they understood why their actions were wrong.
while i was knee deep in objective writing, my door opens a little, and a little face peeks through, "Ms. Wallace, can i talk to you for a minute?" it was S.E., "Oh course," i said in the most noncommittal tone i could muster up.
"Ms. Wallace, i was the one whole took your chips. Someone had taken my drink, and i saw the chips and i took em, i didn't know they were yours, and i'm sorry."
i stayed calm. i told him that i was not mad that he took the chips, i was mad that he did not come to me sooner. he knew that it didn't matter whose they were, it was wrong to take them, and he promised that if the situation ever came up again, he would simply ask someone. He said he understood. I told him that his apology was accepted and i thanked him for talking to me. I bent back over my work. Suddenly I felt a little pair of arms around my waist. Before i could respond and hold him back, he was out of the door. The rest of the day was a blur.
S.E. has been driving me crazy since the second day of school. He will not keep his mouth shut, he picks fights with the other kids, and his new thing is to burst out laughing whenever i discipline him...not cute.
To top off his negative attitude, he reads and writes on a lower first grade level. At this point i have tried an arsenal of techniques to try and get through to this young man. I've tried to be really mean to him, making him walk around the classroom during math until i got tired because he decided to run around the cafeteria and fight other boys in the bathroom...didn't work, he was back in time out by lunch. I tried to be super nice and encouraging. Paying him extra attention during carpet time, calling on him more, asking him to be my assistant for the morning. This ended in him telling a little girl to 'shut up' while i walked across the hall to borrow a piece of chalk. The little girl was in tears, and he was back in time out. I tried to pull him aside while he was in his new favorite place (time out) and have a one on one talk about how important it was for him to pay attention in class and how much i wanted him to succeed, and asked him what he wanted out of life and why getting through the second was so important. it ended in a hug...and then him talking ugly to the cafeteria lady less than 10 minutes later.
All of his behavior culminated with one of the girls coming to me after school and saying that she saw S.E. steal bags of chips from off the table while the two of them were alone in the classroom getting their things together. I was floored. I thought he and i had bonded. I thought i had gotten through to him. while he was constantly rude to his resource teachers, he had never disrespected me like that. i was hurt...i was offended. If he wanted chips, if he were hungry, all he had to do was ask. I knew it would be time for a "stealing" talk the next day.
I pulled out my best acting skills for this one. I did ever thing but drop to my knees and pull out my hair. I spoke to the class as whole. It started with telling everyone how much i loved and cherished them, and that if anyone ever needed anything from me, if it were in my power, i would make sure i did it for them. They were told how hard i work to make their days as educational and productive as possible...i laid on the sugar before hitting them hard. Someone had the audacity to steal from me. I had used my hard earned money to buy chips and someone had stolen them from me....and i knew who it was...and they knew who they were. The students started to look around trying to read any guilt on one another's face. i quickly glanced by S.E. and he had the most passive look plastered on his face as usual...he was very practiced at this. i gave the thief an ultimatum, they guilty culprit had until after school to confess...or the consequences would be so harsh...i couldn't even tell them yet! The rest of the class feared for their lives...and S.E. looked cool as a cucumber!
the day went on, and i purposely tried to avoid him. i wanted him to come to me on his own accord...i wanted the guilt to course through his veins and the very thought of my disappointment to seize his conscience and for him to come running to me with is head bent in shame and to say, "Ms. Wallace, forgive me, I DID IT!!" By end of the day, i had almost forgotten about the gauntlet that had been thrown down that morning, until i looked up and realized that he has slipped out and gone home without anyone signing him out...i was done.
i went home that night feeling both guilty and let down. A little piece of me wanted to embarrass him, and another piece wanted to finally bond with him...i'm not sure which piece was bigger. I was so upset with myself for not taking the higher road and simply letting it go, but i really wanted to get through to this little boy. its so infuriating that he can't read, and doesn't seem to want to learn. the more i try to help him, the more he fights me and the more i push him to try his best, the more he pushes away from me. i don't believe in giving up, but i felt like i was running out of options. He never speaks of a father, and his mother is a recovering from something and has a PO. His clothes are usually dirty and stained even though he wears a leather jacket and a new pair of jordans. he hasn't had a back pack since the first month of school and more than once i've had to convert a piece of yarn into a belt for him. he needed me, he needed my over bearing love, he needed me on his side, but he didn't want my company.
I came in the next morning having decided that since he was not at all feeling guilty, that i would leave the whole thing alone. i would tell the children that the person decided to keep to themselves and that it was okay, i knew they understood why their actions were wrong.
while i was knee deep in objective writing, my door opens a little, and a little face peeks through, "Ms. Wallace, can i talk to you for a minute?" it was S.E., "Oh course," i said in the most noncommittal tone i could muster up.
"Ms. Wallace, i was the one whole took your chips. Someone had taken my drink, and i saw the chips and i took em, i didn't know they were yours, and i'm sorry."
i stayed calm. i told him that i was not mad that he took the chips, i was mad that he did not come to me sooner. he knew that it didn't matter whose they were, it was wrong to take them, and he promised that if the situation ever came up again, he would simply ask someone. He said he understood. I told him that his apology was accepted and i thanked him for talking to me. I bent back over my work. Suddenly I felt a little pair of arms around my waist. Before i could respond and hold him back, he was out of the door. The rest of the day was a blur.
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