Field Day

It was Field Day today.  Shot put (heavy balls), soccer kick (accuracy), 50 yard dash, free throws, broad jump, and lemon/spoon race.  I was put in charge of 4th grade supervision, which ended up being a fairly easy job.

It was a fun day, but the sun came out pretty early, and made it pretty hot out there.  I forgot to dress appropriately, so I was out there in long blue pants and a polo shirt.  I was dying.  After the first event, I wised up and called Julie and asked if she could bring me some shorts.

Irene, who has always been a bit unusual, just seemed to be on the spectrum.  She was so excited about the day before we went out there.  She got all worked up, so weird.  After all was done she was crying because she didn’t place in any event.  She even ripped her hat accidentally because she was so mad/sad.

After lunch there were the relays, by grade level.  We squeaked out a 3rd place (out of 5 4th grade teams).  A pretty fun day, but not much done achedemically.  Oh well, 3 1/2 days left!

And I got a burn.

School Olypics

This morning we had our school Olympics for the upper grade.  Mr. K and I were in charge of the “shot putt,” which was really a softball-size 5-pound ball.  We weren’t really given any instructions on how to run it, or even how the day was going to go.  It turns out each event would get a set of grade-level boys or girls.  You ran your event with them, and then when each event was finished, they would rotate.

Mr. K came up with a good way for us to find a 1st – 3rd winner.

The morning was actually pretty fun.  Mrs. S let us borrow some of her 2nd graders to help, and I think our event ran pretty smoothly.  I think everyone was hot and tired, but it stayed mostly cloudy for most of the morning, so it wasn’t too bad.

We were finished by recess.  Everyone got a bottle of water and some grapes when they were done.

Open House – Part II

Leaving Open House, and getting home from it, are two great feelings.  Walking to your car, with all the other teachers heading out doing the same, leaves me with a feeling of accomplishment, of achievement.  I’ve gotten through another Open House.  I put on another successful show.  But getting home feels great.  I never go home between then end of the half day a school, and the event.  There is usually too much to do, and if I happen to be ready enough, I just worry too much while I’m at home.  So I stay, get my work done, and hopefully enjoy a very casual, stress free, early dinners.  So by the time the night is over, it has been a long day.

I think this year’s Open House was good.  I think I had about 25 families show up, but more than that, I had about 5 former students come by to say hello.  One was in 10th grade, and apparently making really bad decisions (baby on the way and in a gang).  Another was a 22 year old I had when I taught 2nd grade at Price.  I totally remembered her for some reason .  It turns out she is the oldest sister of a current student of mine (I had the two girls’ brother in between having the two of them).  I had 2 students who are now juniors in high school, and apparently doing well, with plans to go to college.  And then I had 2 girl who I had 3 or 4 years ago.

It’s always pretty fun to see former students.  But when they are young adults, it’s just weird.

* * * * *

It’s always good to get Open House over with, for a couple of reasons.  The first (and they are in no particular order) is that there is always a push with teachers to get new, good work up on the bulletin boards.  That means pushing your students for their best work, and then taking down all their old work and putting up new work.  And teachers usually put more art work, and work in general, up on the boards.  So we’re jamming art, writing, and math all over, in every space we can find.

Another reason is that once Open House is over, it seems the end of the year is finally in sight.  All year long you look for the State test, and prep for that.  Once that is over, it’s the big push for Open House.  Now that that is behind us, we can finally look towards the end of the year.  But it’s going to be a busy 3 weeks.

In a couple of days we have the all-school Olympics, which my class has not prepared for at all.  Then the week after that is Gold Rush, which we are way behind in.  We are going to have to practice singing, dancing, and doing the play a lot these next 10 or so school days!  And then some time around then there is our report card prep day.  Once that hits, I’ll be busy after school for about 3 hours, for at least 3 days, and probably more.  Then there is a whole list of little things that need to be done before the school year ends (literally, we are given a list), all of which take time and energy.  By the time that last half day of school rolls around, it feels so good to get it over with.

I think we’re planning root beer floats after lunch on that day, just like last year.

Happy June

Aren’t long weekends great!

I am sooo far behind for Open House!  I have all day Tuesday, and half day Wednesday with the class to get things done with them.  Then half a day Wednesday afternoon to get the room ready.

I need to mount my math wall, mount my language arts wall (2 papers each), finish our line drawings, do another “arty” project, mount that, move half of my language arts board, move my focus wall and language arts charts, wash desks, clean out the desks, and I’m sure a few more things.  Oh yes, and correct all their missions reports, and change my Social Studies wall.

It’s going to be a long 2 days.  Then after that I have to focus on the Olympics, Gold Rush, moving classrooms, and report cards.

Hang on!

* * * * *

Did I mention I don’t feel like I can trust this class.  There is always someone who will screw something up unless I watch them like a hawk.

Testing Hangover

Testing spoils you, as a teacher, that is.  Your planning is already set for the morning – testing.  During most of the other times during the day, you’re doing test prep, or something fun to relax the students.  You just don’t do too much during the two weeks of testing.  And the homework load is light, as well.  You don’t want your class staying up late doing homework the night before the test.  So there is little homework to check.

But there is a problem.  What to do the rest of the year.  I can go back and cover the things I’ve skipped in math, but that isn’t much.  Everything important needed to be taught before the test.  I do have one more theme in language arts, but I’ve taught all the important concepts.  So I’ve got about 2 weeks worth of stuff to teach in math, and maybe 4 weeks worth of stuff in language arts.  And about 6 weeks left in school.

Well, our Gold Rush play is coming up, so we can spend lots of time learning that, and the square dance we’ll be doing.  And we just found out we’ll be having and upper grade Olympics towards the end of school, so we can spend lots of time getting ready for that.  Those two, plus lots of science and social studies.