st. patrick's day

Puzzles from this story, also referred to here as Jay, when to reading enrichment yesterday. The activity was to make a shamrock and then write three things they wished for on it. Jay's three wishes:

• I wish for a mom
• I wish for [a toy]
• I wish for a dad

And she read it to me all proud of the fact that she was sounding things out on her own. 

61 days to go

Today was one of those days where nothing crazy happened except me. By the end of the day, I was shouting at a child because he was crying and wouldn't tell me what was wrong, "I'm frustrated because I'm trying to help you and you won't tell me what you need!". A very effective and socially appropriate way to respond to a problem. Turns out he had left an illegal toy in his locker and wanted to get it. This was X, aka Crocodile Tears because that's what he responds to everything with.

In other news, Eli smothered a blue dry erase marker all over his mouth today in math. Then, he started tugging on the marker tip harder and harder until it bled all over his hands and shirt. He couldn't tell me what he was doing or why.

The last straw was at dismissal. Two days ago N was sent home for smacking Jay (Puzzles) to the floor. Another teacher saw it and wrote a referral. When N's mom arrived she asked if she could talk to the little girl. I assumed that she wanted N to apologize. Instead it went like this:

[N's mom]: "Did N hit you?"

"No."

"So N didn't hit you. Ms. Haley..."

[me]: "Not today Jay, earlier this week."

"Ohhh, yes. He did."

"Do you think he did it on purpose or by accident?"

--------

I realize that his mom handles a lot of stuff. And she should stick up for her baby. BUT are you kidding me?!

Oh, wait. There was one more straw. Today at our "professional development" I was scolded for being on my computer (even though I was participating) while the rest of the room graded papers and had side conversations with their team members. Perfect.

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."

sad hamburger

All morning Jay was a little off. Usually her smile lights up her whole face, and I look forward to it every morning. Today, I couldn't tease her into a smile and before 10am, she was crying. She said something about her heart hurting so I assumed someone had teased her and sent her to the cool down corner.

At lunch, she was crying again. When I came over I saw that she hadn't taken a single bite. Instead, she had made a sad face on her hamburger in ketchup. I had to stifle a laugh.

Turns out she has a bad cold and when she coughs her heart hurts. Her auntie just came to get her.

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."

hi/lo

Hi:

Attempting to explain a lunchtime fiasco in which N apparently took off his shirt, covered it in mustard, and threw it on the floor, to N's mother with two colleagues in the car. I literally almost lost it -- the first time today I had laughed at one of N's antics.

And a close second: spending recess with Puzzles (nickname). She hasn't been happy at school yet and she certainly won't talk to me. Today, she asked to stay in with me so I let her. We did a puzzle while I ate my lunch and she quickly explained that she is good at puzzles because she practiced with "the lady at the police office where they take you to take care of you and that's why [she] lives with her aunt." We really got to bond today and it was beautiful.

Lo:

N crying on the floor (not an uncommon occurrence) before 10am. I cannot even begin to describe how destructive his behavior is. I almost followed suit.