the art of education

the feeling I have

2012-02-06T13:21:00.000-06:00

Walking back into my classroom after being in someone else's space is indescribable. These kids are my heart.

And, I just got some good (albeit bizarre) news. Javari is coming back! The school that they moved to didn't take him. He'll be back tomorrow.

My goodness.

observing

2012-02-05T22:29:00.001-06:00

I have been trying for months to schedule a trip to another classroom for an observation, and I was finally approved. My grade-level partner and I are heading to another Kindergarten class tomorrow to observe a math lesson on graphing. I am so excited!

quit playing games with my heart

2012-02-03T11:01:00.000-06:00

Another one of my students is gone.

Javari was absent yesterday - which was a little weird, but nothing so unusual that I did anything. Then, when he was absent again today I thought that maybe he was away for a long weekend. Nope. He's gone from my roster and I just confirmed it in the office.

He's got these adorable cheeks and a smile that lights up his whole face. I'm a little worried because he is one of my students that gets picked up by different family members all of the time. I know his mom just had a baby and I'm guessing they need more space.

He is a student that I have spent weekends strategizing about. Someone who keeps me up at night. I know that I'm never going to feel like any of my work is done, but why does the rug keep getting pulled out from under me?

free help

2012-02-02T17:02:00.001-06:00

I am working to expand my listening library in the classroom, now that I have some beautiful headphones from my last Donors Choose grant.

I am going to be posting volunteer challenges on a microvolunteering website through Donors Choose. These are going to be mostly read alouds of books I already have multiple copies of.

If you would like to be famous in my classroom, grab your smartphone and record yourself reading a children's book. See my post here.

First up is Clifford the Big Red Dog. Next is probably Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters.

day 99

2012-01-31T12:57:00.001-06:00

A new addition to our library, thanks to some window crayons. I don't think I'm technically allowed to draw on the windows, but I'm just going to do it and see what happens. It's much better than staring at that ugly building out the window.

two more balloons in the sky...

2012-01-30T12:23:00.002-06:00

I just passed two more babies up to Reading Level A. Before quiet time, they proudly hung their hot air balloons in the Land of I Can. A few weeks ago, both were struggling with one-to-one correspondence. I love the days when I can feel our momentum!

Reason #829: teacher attrition

2012-01-29T21:39:00.001-06:00

We have lost four teachers since we came back from the holiday break. Four teachers in less than one month, and that's not even counting all of the teachers we lost before the break. There is one class that is getting their FOURTH teacher on Monday, and that's not even counting the substitutes in-between each teacher that left.

The expected lifespan of a teacher within my district is three years maximum. In other words, they never expect to keep a teacher for more than three years. Apparently, we are notorious for losing teachers.

At a PD the other day my principal begged that no one else "jump ship. At least until June." After that, she is happy to write us a good recommendation and send us on our way. Without the few staff members who have stayed on since the opening of the school, I would not know the history. I would not be able to find out information about families. There would simply be no order, no culture.

For me, the worst part is my principal settling for such a high teacher attrition rate. She preaches that we need to have high expectations for our students, but at the same time has accepted as fact some very low expectations for her staff. I wish that she was willing to fight for us to stay.

little kids--powerful problem solvers

2012-01-29T14:04:00.000-06:00

Recently, another teacher offhandedly offered me a book on our way to class. I liked that it was specifically geared towards Kindergarten, and it was written long enough ago that it probably had some best-practices for hands-on math.

Let's just say that it was so interesting it took me all the way out of the city on one morning commute.

Having come to education in a non-traditional way, I haven't had much opportunity to observe other classrooms. Admittedly, I have been forced to trust my instincts and go with what works for me and my students -- which is probably a good thing. However, this book offers a quick glimpse into exemplary math lessons that are energizing, creative, and responsive to children's needs. Since reading this book, I have begun to re-think the way that I teach math, and I highly recommend it to other K teachers looking for a hands-on mindset.

poverty action campaign

2012-01-27T12:43:00.002-06:00

Students have to “cross dangerous gang boundaries, encountering all kinds of violence and often times when they get to the school outside of the community, there is no real learning taking place there.”

Leaders of the Poverty Action Campaign said they will confront the city’s Board of Education for a new state-of-the-art high school campus that would incorporate academics, a football, baseball and track field and a cultural arts and performing center.

Read more here.

music

2012-01-26T20:42:00.000-06:00

Who would have thought that music (even terrible children's music) could bring so much happiness into my classroom? As of today I am officially convinced that music is an important part of school. Every classroom needs it. If you are a first year teacher with no time to do this, tell me. I will make you a mixtape. For real. Right now, this is our daily playlist:

1. Rise and Shine (greeting song)
2. Days of the Week (to the tune of the Addams Family theme song)
3. Who Let the Letters Out?
4., 5., and 6. Tchaikovsky (for quiet time)
7. Counting by 10's
8. Big Numbers

Friends, don't even think about judging me. I promise that whatever I play is better than what I can sing.

day 96

2012-01-26T12:46:00.000-06:00

"Ms. Haley, in art N told me that I kissed C. I told him, that's nasty."

I actually had to turn away as I regained my composure.

just when I think I've heard it all

2012-01-26T11:41:00.004-06:00

Another absolutely insane something happens.

Ms. N asks, "What's next?"

I hope that nothing answers, but I know something will.

overheard in the hallway

2012-01-25T11:44:00.002-06:00

"Teron, get in line."

"[indignantly] I was moonwalking!"

"Are you supposed to be moonwalking right now?"

this woman is a bad ass

2012-01-24T22:07:00.001-06:00

Licia Ronzulli, an MEP from Italy, took her seven-week old daughter Victoria to work at the European parliament this week at Strasbourg. And this wasn’t even Take-Your-Child-to-Work day. She kept her baby carefully cradled against her in a sling and occasionally leant to kiss her on the forehead. Photographs of Ronzulli cradling her daughter in a sling as she voted on proposals to improve women's employment rights were broadcast around the world and published in newspapers from the US to Vietnam.

overheard today

2012-01-24T22:02:00.000-06:00

As I walked by a classroom filled with Kindergartners who were being supervised by a staff member:

"Ok, two plus three is...?

STOP USING YOUR HANDS. WE DON'T USE OUR FINGERS TO SOLVE MATH PROBLEMS!"

The fourth grader in me who struggled with math and used her hands wanted to physically harm this person. The developmental psychologist in me died a little inside.

pasketti day

2012-01-24T19:45:00.001-06:00

First we read Strega Nona, which just so happens to be one of the many books gifted to our classroom from friends far away.

Then, we had parents come to an open house and spaghetti dinner. I only had five parents come, but it was heartwarming. I watched as they exchanged ideas and phone numbers. And one mom was brave enough to ask, how should I read aloud to my child? What's the best way?

My students joked about the magic pot.

I got hugs from grandmas and sauce on my shirt. Altogether lovely.

its sunday night

2012-01-22T22:11:00.001-06:00

How is the weekend over already?

fun

2012-01-19T16:37:00.003-06:00

Today, I had fun teaching for the first time ...possibly ever.

I found a CD with a skip-counting song that my kids really like. It's a lot more fun to count by 10s when there's a tune. Clearly. Even though they are usually cranky after quiet time they were all smiles.

Then, in science we spent 20 minutes talking about where all the water in our cup had gone. Some of the predictions included:

Someone drank it
The wind blew it out
Rain came in through the window and got inside until it spilled (not sure if K was just being silly)
It turned to air
It melted

We were able to discount some theories, although JM was able to blow hard enough that it did spill. We decided that if we put the cup in a bag, we might be able to tell what happens to the water. If it spills, it will be on the bottom of the bag.

I had so much fun facilitating a discussion that all of my kids were interested in. Some of my kids who never talk were on the edge of their seat. And, I really loved hearing their explanations for where the water went.

AND, we had our 16th day of perfect attendance today, which means we earned a pizza party!

Now I have to do stupid administrative crap for the rest of the night.

when the teacher isn't looking

2012-01-18T12:51:00.002-06:00

My class is well managed. No one acts crazy, and generally speaking we are all pretty respectful... until I walk away. Today, the AP was attempting to bring my kids up from lunch and they acted crazy on the stairs. Jumping, turning around, talking, etc. Things that my kids NEVER do when they are with me. This is not the first time, so I'm feeling a little exasperated.

Someone once said, "You can tell a truly disciplined class by their consistent behavior, even when the teacher is not present."

Calling all teachers who read my blog: how do you teach five-year-olds to behave themselves when you are not looking? Guilt doesn't seem to be working.

taco tuesday

2012-01-17T16:11:00.003-06:00

Reasons why today was a good day:

Taco Tuesday, as stated
I feel refreshed by my new time-management plan
New storage tubs are making all the difference on the windowsill
I just mooched some Garrett popcorn from a fellow teacher
Tomorrow I get to see a hoopie!

a long road ahead

2012-01-16T19:04:00.000-06:00

With much reflection I have realized that I made a mistake in preparing myself to endure until the holiday break. I ignored the next leg of the journey. Everyone said it would get easier, so instead of listening to my own intuition, I waited for that eureka moment. It never came, and now I'm finally over it. I can see now that winter will be the hardest part for me.

Over the course of the next months, I am working towards the following:

getting better at teaching math
improving on and expanding my ability to differentiate (one child each day)
reaching out to parents more often (one parent each day)
creating clear goals for my kids as they move closer to their goals
imagining a spring full of growth and exploration
going to yoga at least twice a week
ending my work no later than 8pm every night

Theory of Change

2012-01-16T18:55:00.000-06:00

A nation or civilization that continues toproduce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installmentplan. -- MLK

Studying education in collegeall of the answers seemed so clear. If teachers just did this… If parents justdid that… I was energized by all of the possibilities. By four months into myTeach for America experience I thought I would have some answers, but instead Ionly have questions and disillusionment. Our system is so broken. We as acountry do not meet the needs of children and families living in poverty. Iknow now that the problems go far beyond the classroom. I know that educationshould be seen as an opportunity, not a requirement.

What is theachievement gap? The standard definition accounts for the academic differencesamong different groups of people in the U.S. The reality is that theachievement gap is just one symptom of a system of injustice. Instead offocusing on how we can “fix” the achievement gap, we should be focusing on whatis causing the achievement gap. Different people have different theories:schools, teachers, parents, curriculum, educational approaches. All of thesepossibilities are both the cause and the effect of the systemic inequalities inour country, but in reality our biggest challenge is racism. People of allcolors are still suffering because of systematic structures of inequality, andin education it becomes even more visible than in any other aspect of life.Until everyone in our country accepts the truth about racism in our country, wewill continue to ignore the biggest challenge that we face. Are we ready tocommit to quality education for everyone, regardless of race or socioeconomicbackground?

What can we doright now to help students living in poverty areas? On most days, thechallenges facing students today feel like too much to me. My students strugglewith violence, lack of food, poor sleeping conditions, and insufficient adultsupport. Their basic needs are not being met. On those days I crave a radicalnew system. A system that does not rely on test scores as a measure of studentachievement, but rather uses data to strategically plan for success. Aresponsive environment where schools in poverty areas are seen as socialequalizers, tasked with helping students overcome the daily challenges thatthey face. Schools that operate more like community centers, working withparents to help their children succeed. Are we ready, as a country, to investin all of our students?

Is education enough? Programs likeTeach for America show us that students can be lead to success within thecurrent educational system by an extraordinary teacher. Are those gainslasting? Is all of the hard work worth it? Instead of creating more programslike Teach for America, where inexperienced young adults exhaust themselves in servicefor two years and then leave, drained, why are we not looking to eradicate someof the bigger problems with education in the U.S.? Why are we not asking whatwould happen for that classroom, with that extraordinary teacher, in anextraordinary education system? Moreimportantly, what is our vision for children in America? How important are ourchildren? What do we want for them? The only thing scarier than radicallychanging education in the U.S. is the place our children are going to be in 20years if we continue on the same destructive path.

______________________________________
* Please forgive the long post. This is an assignment that I completed for TFA, and I thought it would be helpful to share.

imagine

2012-01-13T10:50:00.001-06:00

Imagine that you consistently sacrifice your own needs to meet the needs of a group of people.

Imagine that you pour all of your creativity, energy, and drive into a group of people.

Imagine that you rationalize all of your behavior with a "it will all pay off in the end" mentality.

Next, imagine that someone has designed a way to measure people's learning. Imagine that it is very important to some.

Imagine that you don't believe in this measure, but you do believe people who have learned and grown will perform well, regardless.

Imagine that your group of people is subjected to this measure.

Imagine that you say the words "we are so lucky" and "have lots of fun."

Imagine you hate yourself for it.

Then, imagine watching as your group of people fails.

snowsnowsnow

2012-01-12T11:58:00.000-06:00

Today is a great day (so far).

I kept N. with me during art so that we could spend some time together. I realized that she just turned five in September, which absolutely explains most of her behavior. She's a baby! We read a story together and then she asked me to read her another one. And another one. She told me about her older sister, who she lives with (her "aunt" from yesterday) and her niece.

And I'll tell you something, that mischievous glint in her eye is growing on me.

This morning JM made up a story about cooking himself a life-size gingerbread to play with and making it a boat so that no fox could get him. I encouraged him to write about it and he was so excited.

Right now the AP is playing Simon Says with my class in the hallway and they just beat second grade. I'm gleaming with pride.

Finally, it snowing cats and dogs. How could I ask for more?

a trick!

2012-01-11T22:30:00.001-06:00

I finally realized that lesson plans are much less daunting when you come up with all the objectives before you begin to write the actual lesson.

They did that part for us at institute. Why am I just realizing this now?

90%

2012-01-11T21:50:00.002-06:00

Of the children who fail the ISAT will drop out of school.

I hate standardized tests, but that statistic made me take a minute to consider why some administrators are so adamant about students passing.

Why are we still using a system that fails so many students?

worked late

2012-01-11T21:16:00.001-06:00

Because my stuff came in today!

and then there were 22 (again)

2012-01-11T12:34:00.000-06:00

I met N. this morning when her aunt and uncle brought her to school. She's small for her age, precocious, and impulsive. She's having a lot of trouble staying in her seat and raising her hand. However, she's not a crier and she's not defiant so I can't complain.

I tested her this morning and I was surprised and disappointed. She hasn't mastered letter names or sounds, she can read 3 sight words, and she can only count to 29. This in contrast to my kids who are essentially done with the alphabet, are reading about 30 sight words, and can count to 100. She seems bright and enthusiastic, but we have a lot of catching up to do.

She sits in Aaron's old seat.

rumor confirmed

2012-01-10T15:03:00.003-06:00

There is a new student. We need to increase enrollment. She is a girl. She will be here tomorrow.

That's all I know.

rumor has it

2012-01-09T20:39:00.002-06:00

I'm getting a new student this week.

first day back

2012-01-09T12:27:00.002-06:00

Things are running pretty smoothly. The ducklings transitioned back into all of our routines with relative ease and I haven't had any significant behavior issues (A cried once because someone stepped on his hand during blocks... I'll give it to him).

The best and worst part for me is that I feel like we never left, like I didn't have two weeks off. From the first day of school my goal was to "make it to Christmas." Today I'm asking, now what? Am I ever going to love this job?

for my next grant

2012-01-09T07:30:00.000-06:00

from DonorsChoose we are going to get some beautiful, Black baby dolls to take to The Food Restaurant.

train: missed by enough seconds that the conductor chose to ignore me

2012-01-09T06:19:00.001-06:00

Can I please just go back to bed? Shockingly, I'm not thrilled about starting back up on this cold Monday morning.

yardsticks

2012-01-08T20:39:00.001-06:00

I spent a great deal of my vacation watching tv and vegetating, but when I needed a break from that I also read some excellent books. Yardsticks was definitely at the top of the list of very useful resources.

Finally, I know why 5 of my students always stand up when they work... they're five! And J always rushes through her work because she is so developmentally advanced that she is more of a six going on seven.

Every teacher should read this book. It is carefully written, aimed at respecting the individuality of every student while helping teachers recognize developmental patterns that may or may not make you want to pull your hair out.

reason #801

2012-01-08T17:58:00.000-06:00

Children must play. I will continue to say it until I'm blue in the face. THE FINS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT!

reasons #700-800, see: finland

2012-01-08T17:48:00.000-06:00

An excellent article comparing the U.S. (and Norway) to Finland.

"There's no word for accountability in Finnish," he [Sahlberg] later told an audience at the Teachers College of Columbia University. "Accountability is something that is left when responsibility has been subtracted."

...Since the 1980s, the main driver of Finnish education policy has been the idea that every child should have exactly the same opportunity to learn, regardless of family background, income, or geographic location. Education has been seen first and foremost not as a way to produce star performers, but as an instrument to even out social inequality.

Ms. Haley's back

2012-01-08T14:29:00.000-06:00

The past two weeks have been restful and energizing, which I didn't fully realize until the third time someone said, "Wow! You are so... happy!"

I know that my energy isn't going to last long, but I am going to do everything I can to stay away from the "survival" place that I was in before the break. It's a dark, dark place and I don't want to go back. Talking to a 2010 TFA corps member today was really helpful. She reminded me that it's better to go home when school is finished and then get an hour of solid work done ...rather than work until 7 out of guilt. Best of all, she assured me that this year teaching will be my life. Next year, it will be my job.

I can't wait for next school year! More importantly though, here is to a productive, healthy new year.

feeling full and thankful

2011-12-25T11:57:00.000-06:00

thankful that I don't have to get up tomorrow morning
thankful for ski trips and scratch tickets
thankful for the cold that waited til christmas
thankful that it is going to take at least five days to see all my people
thankful for christmas dinner, and ricotta pie
thankful for the last two inches I have on my baby brother
thankful for long drives by myself so I can finally belt one out
thankful that my house smells like home
thankful for the darkness and the quiet

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

victory shrimp

2011-12-23T12:53:00.001-06:00

For months my grade-level partner and I have talked about how on the last day of school before break we would get ourselves some shrimp from Captain Somethingorother's to celebrate our survival. If we made it.

Now here I am. Eating my shrimp. Maybe it doesn't seem like that big of a deal -- for some people the first few months of teaching are a small fraction of the amount of time that they will spend in the classroom. Regardless, the past few months have easily been the most difficult thing I have ever done. Not because there have been massive everyday challenges, but because as a teacher you are expected to keep an even pace no matter what happens, and its exhausting.

At first, you're flying. High on adrenaline. Like this.

Then you start to wear down. Like this.

Next comes the anger. Pure bitterness. Like this.

But, finallyfinally you get here.

According to some, I have proved myself by lasting this long, but my goal in the new year is to stop just surviving. I have a classroom full of 21 beautiful little people, and we all need to enjoy that together. I want to make every day positive, not tolerable. I want to stop raising my voice. I want to cash in on the months and months of community building.

Before all that, though, I'm going to get some sleep.

Reason #699

2011-12-22T10:50:00.001-06:00

One teacher per room is not enough.

I realize that schools cannot always afford to put a full-time aide in every room, and that not all teachers want another person in their room. However, when two people understand each other and enter a room with the same goals, the same priorities, it is a beautiful thing.

Today I was lucky enough to have one of the best aides in the building in my room for the literacy block. She did two guided reading groups while I worked with students one-on-one. She cut things and stapled things (tasks I normally do at home or during my prep). I cannot say enough what an enormous difference it made in my room. Everyone was more on task. Everyone was more accountable. Sixteen children got specialized attention in just an hour.

The amount of learning that happened this morning, one day before the break -- Christmas Eve Eve Eve no less -- is a testament to the fact that every teacher should have help.

holiday breakfast

2011-12-21T12:50:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, we had a special holiday breakfast when everyone got to school. Students and teachers were asked to dress up, and we all ate salty bacon to our heart's content.

My favorite moment happened first thing. B raised her hand.

"Ms. Haley, who are you dressed as? Why are you wearing a tie?"

"I'm not dressed as anyone, B. These are my fancy clothes."

"For real?"

"Yes, for real."

2.5

2011-12-21T11:54:00.002-06:00

I am literally at the exact halfway point in my week.

I woke up this morning with an awful cold. Somebody literally had to coax me out of bed. Ms. R just came to check on me, because apparently I look sick from a distance..

The good news? We have staff team building in the form of a basketball game today, so I got to wear yoga pants to work.

outdoor recess

2011-12-19T11:36:00.000-06:00

I am not happy about global warming, but I am thankful that my kiddies are playing outside today while I sit quietly in my room.

can't sleep

2011-12-18T23:26:00.001-06:00

I'm too excited.

Only 20 bathroom breaks stand between me and vacation.

on the bus

2011-12-16T14:39:00.001-06:00

We're on our way back from our field trip, J is passed out behind me. A and I are playing "the silent game." I guess it's not really fair that I have a phone, but I am kicking his butt. Right now he's making funny faces while barely keeping his eyes open.

Winner gets a penny from my wallet.

field trip all morning

2011-12-16T06:03:00.001-06:00

And when it is over, I will be able to count the days on ONE hand.

our tiny tree

2011-12-15T22:36:00.001-06:00

in the words of a fellow teacher

2011-12-15T11:49:00.001-06:00

THIS WEEK MUST END.

If I were a poor black kid...

2011-12-15T07:38:00.001-06:00

An article posted by Forbes today, in which the white male author acknowledges his privilege and then goes on to say that that if you are poor and black, you just need to work harder.

Perhaps you caught me on the wrong day, perhaps I'm just procrastinating because I don't want to write my lesson plans, but excuse me? I appreciate that this man is thinking about poverty, and perhaps even feeling a little guilty about his privilege, but this isn't about you making yourself (and other people like you) feel better about the advantages you received.

First, before you say one word about what "poor black kids" should do, why don't you have a look at what some of them actually do. Not the collective, generalized "they," but the people who have actual challenges because they are minority children living in poverty in the U.S.

My children get up way before the sun every day to commute from all kinds of places because their families want them to have a better education and enrolled them in a charter school. My kids start their day, if they make it to school on time, eating a breakfast provided by the USDA (I'll let you use your imagination, but I can tell you it's nothing like what mom makes) in a noisy cafeteria. My kids spend 8 hours at school, where they are surrounded by the uneasy chaos that comes with an under-resourced, under-staffed school. School is not as stable, comforting, or structured as it should be. They get almost no time to grow emotionally, to play, or to feel supported because we are too worried about walking in straight lines and sitting in ready position. Some of them go to after school programs. And not the kind where you make crafts and have snack.

Many of my kids get picked up by different people every day because parents can't afford childcare. They tell me things that happen at home and my heart sinks. My uncle was shot... The other day I was riding a bus with my mommy and a man had a gun... Yesterday I was absent because we had to go to my baby sister's funeral... Never mind what the stress of poverty and poor nutrition does to a child's brain chemically and psychologically. Never mind that I am talking about 5-year-olds who still have twelve years of this to go before they are college-aged.

The last time I checked every poor black kid I know was working their tiny little self pretty hard just to stay afloat. They do the best they can every day, and no one has any right to tell them that they need to do more, that they are lazy.

day 75

2011-12-13T15:18:00.001-06:00

"So if the small hand is pointing to the 5 and the big hand is pointing to the 12, what time is it?"

"When I was a baby I used to think walls were made of gold. And I would stick magnets on my head."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, like a girl."

2011-12-13T12:30:00.002-06:00

"Ms. Haley, it's my nose. Whenever I try to smell... I can't."

single digits.

2011-12-13T07:30:00.002-06:00

There are 9 days left until break.

I need to start wrapping their presents!

spills

2011-12-12T12:01:00.002-06:00

Lately, I have been a magnet for all things dirty. The first grader who lost her breakfast. Chocolate milk in transit from the table to the trash. All kinds of blood.

How is it that I have been teaching for three months and now all of the sudden I can't wear my pants twice?

my first teacher gift

2011-12-11T19:37:00.001-06:00

Yes, that is a pile of construction paper with a red bow on top. If only K was old enough to understand the irony -- no one did provide construction paper at the beginning of the year.

Now, how to regift it to her so I keep getting colorful handwritten notes?

it's beginning to feel a lot like christmas

2011-12-09T12:36:00.001-06:00

Everyone said they would crazy before Christmas. I was warned.

But I just keep thinking to myself, WE STILL HAVE TWO WEEKS. If they are like this now, what are they going to be like on the 23rd?

Deep breath.

funded.

2011-12-08T12:04:00.001-06:00

We just evacuated the building for a potential gas leak. During my prep. Which means that I have not had one second to breathe since forever ago. I let them have a few minutes of extra recess so that I could actually breathe, and when I just checked my email:

I really needed that today. Thank you all, so very much.

SPARK

2011-12-07T21:15:00.001-06:00

This is exactly where you should enter the code to double your money. When you enter this code it triggers a matching donation from Donors Choose.

We are so close! Only $196 (or $98 if donors enter the code SPARK at checkout) left to raise!!

so close!

2011-12-07T10:55:00.001-06:00

We have $226 dollars left to go... or $113, if everyone enters the code to double their donation.

With $8 (and the SPARK doubling code at checkout), you could purchase an entire literacy center for us. Even if you can only give a little bit, we appreciate your help!

Let's do this.

only $525 to go!

2011-12-06T12:26:00.001-06:00

If we get roughly another $275 this week our project will be fully funded! Please help out if you can! We might even get the materials before Christmas.

Go to this link and enter SPARK.

And thank you Wellesley. I see you out there, supporting the literacy.

smells

2011-12-06T12:25:00.001-06:00

"Ms. Haley! Ms. Haley! Every time we come down to lunch, I smell something."

-Mr. J

off to an excellent start!

2011-12-05T17:13:00.001-06:00

We already have 3 donations! Thank you so much.

Please keep in mind that the matching offer is a limited time event. Don't wait! Help The Land of I Can today!

Yes We Can Read Like First Graders!

2011-12-05T10:09:00.000-06:00

Finally, here it is! Click on this link to go straight to my project and donate.

Important: During the checkout process, you must enter this code in order to double your money. The code is SPARK.

Don't wait!! DonorsChoose will only match up to $250k. If you are thinking of donating, the sooner the safer!

countdown is on...

2011-12-05T07:07:00.001-06:00

In just THREE short hours I will post both my DonorsChoose project and the code that you can enter to get double your money! For this week only they have agreed to match every donation from family and friends dollar for dollar.

Check back soon!

surprise visitor tomorrow

2011-12-01T12:38:00.001-06:00

We are having an extra special all-day visit tomorrow from Ms. J. I told them she is coming because they are the smartest Kindergartners in the whole city.

When a visitor came today, I told them the same thing. When I said, "you're practically famous," their eyes all lit up.

Five-year-olds are the best.

words

2011-12-01T12:24:00.001-06:00

It's quiet time, and I just looked over at A with his head down, eyes closed, and realized how far we have come.

A couple of months ago every single day was a face-off. During quiet time, he would instantly begin to cry -- loudly. Eventually, I could get him to sit in his seat quietly, but he refused to close his eyes. If I asked him to close them he would scream and wake everyone up. I could never decide if it was better for me to get him to follow the rules, or to have quiet during quiet time. He had absolutely no skills for expressing what he needed or wanted, so he would simply cry all day long.

Today, someone upset him and he began to cry. All I had to say was, "use your words." He stopped crying and told me what had happened. I'm so proud of him.

Something that amazes me about teaching is how dynamic some of my relationships are with my kids. I need to supply constant care and growth in order to for them to remain positive. Sometimes my children need all of the support, scaffolding, love, and nurturing I can muster. Sometimes they need very little. For A, it's a hug first thing in the morning, a thumbs up at some point in the afternoon, and a little tough love.

I like winter because..

2011-11-30T12:26:00.001-06:00

We are making a special writing project today. Everyone wrote "I like winter because.." and then filled it in. I am so please with how many children are inventive spelling. Some are still only hearing the beginning sound of a word (e.g., "M N M B P I D S" for "me and my brother play in the snow"), but others are working really hard to spell out whole words (e.g., "snou" for "snow").

That and the fact that 6 people had birthdays in November makes me feel like they are all growing up.

the first three months of teaching are like the first trimester of pregnancy

2011-11-27T19:25:00.001-06:00

Morning sickness
Extreme tiredness and fatigue
Mood swings
Weight gain/loss
The “Oh man oh man oh man is this really happening? Can I survive these 9 months THAT LEAD INTO A LIFETIME OF CHILDREN?” thoughts

via We've Got a Diem to Carpe

I have officially survived the first three months of teaching.

things I have done today

2011-11-25T22:31:00.001-06:00

- Slept until lunch time
- Ate a big breakfast (which I did not have to make)
- Laid in bed and read a book that was not required by anybody for anything
- Rode the holiday train around the loop
- Watched most of Season 4 of himym
- Ate apple pie

And I still have two days of vacation left.

so excited for my next project!

2011-11-25T22:29:00.003-06:00

Today I was reading a professional resource book on reading with children in small groups (guided reading) when I came across the sentence.. "Order the following supplies through your school in order to enhance your literacy centers." I loled.

However, I did just finish selecting the literacy materials for my next DonorsChoose grant. Just thinking about how I would use all of the supplies makes me so excited! A lot of these materials would take me hours and hours to create on my own. Others I simply could not reproduce.

Check back in just over one week to see what our classroom needs!

thankfulness

2011-11-23T16:11:00.001-06:00

This morning at creed meeting our AP invited some children to come up and share something they are thankful for.

"I am thankful for my school because a long long time ago black people weren't allowed to go to school."

-- Third Grade Student

I don't know who is more upset

2011-11-23T12:23:00.001-06:00

Me or my kids.

"Ms. Haley, all of your kids need their clips moved. They had a lot of trouble lining up [at the end of recess]."

"All of them?"

"Yes, all of them."

And if there is one thing I have learned, never say a promise you don't intend to keep. I stood in front of them and moved every damn clip down. Silently.

Now, it's one thing if my kids are bad and that's that. But then another teacher came and found me to tell me that they really weren't that bad (probably because my face was twitching). And now I'm mad because another adult just forced me to punish my kids, and they apparently didn't deserve it.

Thank goodness for quiet time. Hopefully when it's all over everyone will have forgotten and that will be that.

save the date!

2011-11-22T19:39:00.001-06:00

In two very short weeks, DonorsChoose is running a double your money event.

For every dollar you donate, they will match it! All you will need to do is enter a code, which I will happily supply to you.

Stay tuned for my latest project request. I'm going to hold off posting it until December 5th, when the Friends and Family Event begins.

This is basically a sale, and generosity is half off. Get ready.

one.

2011-11-22T16:49:00.001-06:00

Only one day stands between me and four day bliss. My longest vacation since September.

And, my administration cancelled PD for tomorrow. We get to leave when the kiddies leave at 1:50.

One has never felt so good.

9 day 9 leaf challenge

2011-11-22T12:37:00.000-06:00

We have 9 leaves to go on our tree. Nine students who are close but have not mastered letter recognition. So, I offered them a challenge. If we can help each other get all of the leaves up on the tree in 9 days, I am going to give them 5 marbles for their prize cup. They're pumped and we even made up a dance. I think we can do it!

word wall

2011-11-22T06:53:00.001-06:00

A lot of people have a lot to say about word walls: height, size, letter font and color, etc. (Clarification -- when I say word wall, I mean the enormous part of my classroom devoted to the display of alphabetized target high frequency words.)

When I first started I did not see what the fuss was about. I hung my alphabet traditionally, above the white board and added words above each letter.

However, I recently read that you can tell what a teacher prioritizes from the way their classroom is arranged. With a pretty strong foundational in the alphabet at this point, I'm beginning to rethink all of my priorities. We need to read!

I stayed late last night, erased my objectives and schedule off the whiteboard, and here we are.

shake shake shake

2011-11-21T20:16:00.001-06:00

And butter we did make!

butter

2011-11-21T12:18:00.001-06:00

Today for science we are making butter... like the pilgrims. Although as of last night I wasn't entirely sure that the pilgrims churned butter. What I do remember is that when I was in Kindergarten, Mrs. T let us shake cream to our hearts content. And that is exactly what we are going to do today.

I can't wait!

reason #693 education is messed up

2011-11-20T22:20:00.001-06:00

The people who make the rules are apparently ignorant of any actual classroom experience, and also have never spend a single hour with a child.

How is it that I never noticed the tension between standards and developmentally appropriate practices before? How is it that I have taught Kindergarten for nearly four months and I'm just now getting really angry?

And all almighty, I am angry.

You know when my kids are happiest? When they're playing. You know when I have the fewest behavior problems? When they're playing. You know when I see the most enthusiasm for learning? ~~When I'm lecturing at them while they sit still in their chairs.~~ When they're playing.

We as a country are falling behind fast because we are FAILING at educating. So how do combat it? More standards. More tests. More of the same. Quantity over quality, America. That's your specialty.

k under pressure

2011-11-20T22:14:00.001-06:00

Pressure? This is kindergarten, the happy land of building blocks and singalongs. But increasingly in schools across Massachusetts and the United States, little children are being asked to perform academic tasks, including test taking, that early childhood researchers agree are developmentally inappropriate, even potentially damaging. If children don’t meet certain requirements, they are deemed “not proficient.” Frequently, children are screened for “kindergarten readiness” even before school begins, and some are labeled inadequate before they walk through the door.

-- Boston Globe

mixed reviews

2011-11-19T17:01:00.001-06:00

Feedback on The Food Restaurant:

"I'm confused about what the objective is for the restaurant play. What is the purpose of the center?"

Feedback from my first teacher evaluation:

Good at building relationships with students and parents
Excellent managment
Holds students to high expectations

4 instructional days until thanksgiving

2011-11-18T06:34:00.001-06:00

I have dragged myself through this week. I have not once gone above and beyond for my kids. I do the bare minimum to prep for the following day and then I got home, eat dinner, and fall asleep on the couch while pretending to get more work done.

My desk is looking a little like a wasteland and I just want to crawl back into bed.

just keep swimming

2011-11-17T12:21:00.001-06:00

Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.

I've made a lot of fishy faces across the hall today.

a christening

2011-11-17T06:39:00.001-06:00

Everyone said it would happen, it was only a matter of time. And yesterday it finally did.

"Ms. Haley I really need to go to the..."

I knew it was already too late. She had never fully stood up from criss-cross applesauce and then she was frozen, legs sort of crossed, half standing.

And so S has officially left her mark on the ABC carpet.

my principal just observed

2011-11-16T12:28:00.001-06:00

She came in this morning and saw The Food Restaurant up and running for the first time. I haven't gotten any feedback yet, but I'm holding my breath.

I wouldn't say that she seemed very happy when she asked that group of children, "What are you supposed to be doing right now?"

technology and kindergarten

2011-11-15T16:11:00.001-06:00

What are your thoughts?

I feel very passionately that, at least my students, need a lot of human interaction and hands on learning to make up for the time they spend watching t.v. and going on the computer. Additionally, I think that students learn best when they have the chance to see how something works and to make sense of it in their own terms (before applying it). Finally, I see the value in hands on learning from a modeling perspective: they need to be able to watch someone else do something before they can do it.

Others would argue that because of the day and age (as they say) even Kindergartners should be learning through technology, e.g., see a story on the projector instead of from a book.

I'm sure there is no right answer, and this is an important debate, but I try to ground myself in the question "What do I need to do today so that children will learn?" From that mindset, I am struggling to fit in the enhancements of technology into my very limited prep time.

I really would like some weigh in on this, so if you know of research or have opinions please let me know.

sweet victory

2011-11-15T12:23:00.001-06:00

My principal just asked me to facilitate a professional development training on management.

This is coming from someone who said in my interview, "I know your type, and I know your management is going to be crap... Convince me I should hire you anyways."

remember field trip #2?

2011-11-14T15:00:00.001-06:00

Did I mention it was back on? Probably not because I just found out on Wednesday. We went today. It was nothing short of a miracle that we got every single form back in time, considering they went home Thursday afternoon.

It was cold and rainy at the Arboretum, but we had an excellent time playing, climbing, and searching for garden gnomes.

My favorite part of the day was seeing my misbehaving energizer bunnies happy and exhausted. J gave me a big toothy grin as she climbed all over everything, and I did not need to speak to her once all day.

and the winner is...

2011-11-14T14:52:00.001-06:00

The Food Restaurant!

Our restaurant is officially open for business. We are easing into all of the different things that you can do: wear an apron, take orders, serve food, eat food, read a menu, and write a menu.

The best was a couple days ago when J said, "I want a hamburger. Write that down. Hamburger. H-A-M-B. Hamburger."

naming

2011-11-09T12:34:00.001-06:00

Today I took suggestions for the name of the restaurant so we can vote. Some of my favorites:

Food Restaurant
Buffalo
Rainforest Cafe
Smashburger

reason #546 education is messed up

2011-11-08T19:26:00.001-06:00

It's never actually about the children.

In my experience thus far, teaching is about meeting deadlines and impressing adults. According to the teacher incentive program at my school I am a good teacher if:

I meet lesson plan deadlines
I meet unit plan deadlines
I take attendance everyday by 8:30am
I do not call in sick, ever.

The other day, grow-ups came into my room. Important grow-ups. And the feedback I got? Went something like this:

"You do not have enough charts on the wall."

"You're right, I could definitely create more charts. The challenges are 1.) They cannot read, so I struggle to make them really meaningful, and 2.) I don't have a lot of wall space and I worry about putting them up high because they can't see them and therefore don't actually use them."

"Well, it's important that you have them so that when observers are in the room they can look around and see what is happening in the class."

If they would like to know what is happening in the class so badly, we have an empty seat. They can join us.

p.s. who says bribery is a bad idea?

2011-11-08T12:33:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, a grandmother came up to me and said something like, "How do I get this prize that M keeps talking about? She literally has not given me a minute of peace in two days?"

M was behind her, smirking.

rearranging

2011-11-08T12:30:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, after a lot of agonizing with a manila folder, I threw caution to the wind and rearranged my room. Because I had planned everything out beforehand it only took about a half an hour.

On the far left side, you can see a table and some stools. That is the skeleton of my "applied literacy center," which will be fully up and running by the end of the week. Today, we will start by brainstorming what kinds of things are in a restaurant over the course of a read-aloud. I am so excited!

fluff

2011-11-06T15:00:00.001-06:00

We are going to start adding fluff to the LoIC on Monday, because 4 students can write their name like first graders! That means that students can:

write their first and last name
spell their full name correctly
use upper and lowercase appropriately in their name

I find it appropriate that the cloud is about to get more pronounced as we move into November.

my ducklings

2011-11-04T17:30:00.001-05:00

On Field Trip #1.

oh dear

2011-11-04T07:14:00.002-05:00

Based on how I feel right now, I think I'm dying.

2011-11-04T06:26:00.001-05:00

I woke up with a sore throat. Thank god its a half day.

19 out of 21 families came last night!

2011-11-03T21:05:00.003-05:00

Which means I just went to target and bought 19 prizes as per my promise/bribe.

Sweet child, one of my girls raised her hand and asked me, "Ms. Haley, what about the prid-es that you said we would get? My mama came."

Ms. Haley is not above bribing naive five-year-olds.

I can't wait for december

2011-11-03T21:02:00.001-05:00

and then there were 21

2011-11-02T16:53:00.000-05:00

Some say that in order to be a good teacher you must love all of your students. Others argue that love gets in the way. They say that what you really need is deep respect and a driving passion. I believe you need both. You need to love them to get out of bed at 5am. You need to respect them to patiently ask them FOR THE FOUR HUNDREDTH TIME to zip their lips in the hallway.

What separates teaching from everything but parenting is that you must love them deeply enough that you only want things for them, and nothing from them.

Today a social worker asked me if my baby, my boy who shares my birthday, my special helper, my sunshine every morning, my Aaron, had any personal belongings in my room. I paused as I processed. I lied and said yes. Then, I took him upstairs and told him to take any book that he wanted from my library. He chose Clifford's Tricks. Even though he can't read, it made sense. I smiled. I wrote him a note in it, with love. I told him in a whisper that he was the most special boy I had ever met, because I know that no one has ever said that to him before. Because I know that most teachers will label him a behavior problem and forget to drive him toward success. Because I knew why he was leaving. I told him that he was smart and strong. And his eyes began to water.

I never called his aunt to tell her when he misbehaved because I knew the situation was precarious, and now I wish that I had called her more to tell her what a special boy she had the opportunity of caring for.

Why are adults so insensitive to the most sensitive beings on earth?

Parent-teacher conference day!

2011-11-02T06:24:00.001-05:00