63 days to go

Shout outs from yesterday:

• I would like to should out L because she helped me stop talking
• I would like to shout out S because she did such a good job reading Elephant and Piggie (Texas)
• I would like to shout out A because at recess I didn't know how to make a cookie [playdough] and she showed me (Ms. A)

Then X proceeded to have a mental breakdown because Texas forgot to shout him out. Shout outs are clearly a big deal. 

78 days to go

Vee approached me today to inform me that she had changed her name. A quiet, timid child, I figured that something very epic must have happened to cause such a sudden change of heart about her name. I inquired.

"I asked my mom if I could change my name to Shanaynay and she said yes. So I did."

Highlights from our shout-outs today:

• DuckDuck, "I would like to shout out Kyle because when I [reminded him not to talk in the hall], he listened. 
• Dee, "I would like to shout out M because I really wanted the pink one [marker] and she let me have it first."
• Texas, "I would like to shout out Jay because today in gym when I was crying she rubbed my back."
• And the BEST, Jamari, "I would like to shout out X because today at lunch I wasn't sure about the meatballs but then he tried them and he told me that they were ok."

celebrating brain growth

I told my kids if every single person grew in reading and math on the NWEA that we would have a party. Well, they did. So, we did.

First of all, we toasted red Kool-aid to all of their hard work. Then, while they were enjoying their pizza, cookies, and chips they spontaneously began a game of Cup (short for counting up, it is what it sounds like: someone shouts a number and then everyone calls out the next number). Without almost no facilitation from me, they took turns shouting numbers for the whole class, only occasionally making a number up ("80 one hundred thousand!"). As the game was winding down, and I was basking in the learning-related joy, someone asked me to please put on our math songs. We rocked out hard core to The Big Numbers Song, among others.

Finally, we sang the football chant, taught to me by the lovely Ms. Nash, my former grade-level partner and veteran teacher extraordinaire. Basically, everyone chants and then one person comes to the middle to dance. Texas did the robot, DuckDuck did the zombie, and I did the sprinkler. It was loud and blissful. At the end of the chant, we called N over from time out to "do your thing" and it was the only good moment of the day for him. I really needed to have such a good day with them.

eli the enigma

Everyone I work with knows Eli. He's smart, articulate, and a damn fool. He can already read a level D book with ease, knows more sight words than any Kindergartner I have ever met, and can order numbers like nobody's business.

But.he.is.so.awful. When someone mistakenly says a wrong answer, he makes fun of them. When someone gets in trouble he laughs behind their back. Last week, he scratched Sweet T on the face during recess and then proceeded to pummel him with his fists until another teacher pulled him off. He hits other children and shows no remorse. And frankly, it's that lack of remorse that really worries me. How do you, dear six-year-old, make another person bleed and not at least take pause? To say that he has ADHD would be an understatement, but of course I wouldn't say that because I am not professionally qualified to say such things.

He also has a lot of trouble with personal care. He is clumsy, constantly falling all over himself. For the first three months of school his fly was open more than it was closed, and he often comes out of the bathroom with his clothes in complete disarray. He has that a Pig-Pen air about him, exuding dirt that I can't quite see.

He's gotten in a lot of trouble with me, but the only time I have ever seen him cry was when I forgot to give him his personal note from his Third Grade Buddy. Even though his big, sad, innocent eyes humanized him, it was short-lived.

Well, today sweet Eli was a jerk, which caused a very wonderful thing to happen.

N was on red and really struggling in the morning, just two hours into our day. I was seriously concerned about the next four hours. Eli raised his hand and it went something like this:

N: I didn't do nothin... I didn't do nothin... I didn't do nothin... I didn't do nothin... I didn't do nothin...

ELI: N just pushed Texas.

MS HALEY: N, we do not push our friends. And you are talking in the hallway. You are already on red. I'm going to have to send you to the office.

[N hangs head]

TEXAS: Ms. Haley? N didn't push me. I think Eli might just be trying to get him in trouble.

MS HALEY: [visibly losing temper] Are you KIDDING me? We are all trying to help N be successful. We are family. Why on earth would you try to get him in trouble?! No, no, just go sit in the time out. I don't even want to talk to you.... [turn to N] N, I'm sorry. If that happens again and he's bothering you, please don't shout. Instead, ignore him and raise your hand. I will come and help you.
-------

Do you know where this is going yet?

In the afternoon, I was covertly watching the boys during bathroom break. I watched as Eli taunted N (clearly not his best day). But N, sweet boy, IGNORED HIM AND RAISED HIS HAND. I literally ran over to him to help because I was so afraid that he would just give up and push Eli.

Our Dean was nearby and when I brought N over to tell him what had happened, N cracked into the biggest smile I have ever seen from him. It changed his face -- it made him look like a little boy.

hitting a stride

Friday was perhaps the best day of the year, thus far.

While I was settling a dispute between two girls, my class took themselves to the bathroom and finished the girls in record time. All day, we maintained that rhythm and sense of purpose. They are really getting to the point where they don't need me for routines -- which is a big goal of mine for this year.

In the afternoon, we hosted a 3rd grade class for buddy reading. It was an absolute success. The 3rd graders were so patient and kind with our class -- helping students stretch out words they didn't know and gently showing them the way. Not only that, but every one of my kinders got specialized instruction for 15 minutes. Bam.

During shout-outs, DuckDuck shouted out Ms. A (who is literally never nice) because during the Honor Roll Assembly, when DuckDuck was crying for not getting an award, she said, "Sometimes we get awards and sometimes we don't." He then thanked her for making his heart feel better.

After shout-outs, Jay came up to me and asked if she could hug me. This caused a chain reaction in which everyone in the entire room attempted to hug me and then each other. It took me 5 minutes to break it up.

As we were leaving, Texas looked at me and said, "Ms. Haley, I don't want to leave. I want to stay here with you. Can we come to school tomorrow?" A chorus of ME TOO! followed.

When I told Ryan about my day, he looked at me and said, "There's the satisfaction that makes it all worth it."

parents

Excerpt from my texts with a parent:

"Thank you so much for volunteering."

"No problem. Anything for my [Texas]."

"He's a lucky little boy."

"I think we're the lucky ones."

day 13

Lucky number 13! I am having the best day.

• Someone from Donors Choose emailed to say that a partner is looking to fund my whole project. 
• Texas (nickname, of course) brought me a donut as a surprise.
• I facilitated at least two friendships.
• EVERYONE is smiling!

Now here's the part that I wish I didn't have to write: three children are absent today, including N. I plan to sit down tonight and think about what made today different and how I can replicate it.  However, having 20 children instead of 23 is magical -- there's no way around that.