RB

Today the kids were on about me posters and these little posters had like five or so different boxes of apples and each apple had a question like describe what you look like, whats your fav. place, what's one with you have, etc...

So I was working with RB (not real name) and he is the child with autism who just moved here from the Philippines and doesn't have an IEP or anything of that sort yet, meaning he doesn't even have an aid yet when he really needs one. So I was helping him on his poster and I was describing what a wish was and asking him if he could have anything in this world what would it be, etc... and I said so if you have one wish, anything you want, what would it be? His response, "H1N1 Virus" in his robotic voice. Then he wrote one of his favorite places to be was the hospital and he wants to be a doctor, nurse, judge, and school bus driver. 

During art he was drawing and drew a helicopter, a launch pad, and even an emergency exit with the cross sign on it. Then he drew an airplane with the delta logo and said it was the delta airplane, and drew an airport, and he's just so incredibly gifted which makes it hard because he won't be getting help for a while. 

I hate the school system in that sense. It's taking forever to get someone to begin testing him and giving him the help he truly needs and deserves.

Jager Bomb

The 3rd graders are working on reports about anything they want
and this one kid is doing Jaguars
so he googled jaguar and u know how google has the drop down menu with options like jaguar pictures, jaguar eating habits, or anything related to jaguars pretty much. Well i was walking around and he goes "oh wow
jaguar bombs!" Then excitedly tells his friends and the kids at his table and I walk over
and hes still all excited because he thinks he can write a paragraph about jaguar bombs. But really he spelled jaguar wrong and typed in jager....so it was jager bombs

Assassinate

The students are writing about Martin Luther King Jr. and two boys called me over to help them spell the word assassinate. I spelled it for them and then they typed it out and then I walked away...

Ten minutes later I walk back over there and still see the same sentence minus the work assassinate and asked them why they only had two words down and deleted the assassinate. Then one boy points a finger at a kid from another group and said "he deleted the word assassinate!" and I asked why, and that other boy goes they were deleting the -inate part so it would just be ass ass (but he spelled it out of course :). So then he was like I had to delete it because the people are watching! There are people inside our computers or people monitoring them and I saved you from getting into a lot trouble! Then the boy just looked at him in a simple, oh thanks... I understand. 

Love is in the air... In the third grade

I have been really bad about posting on here, I tried once, but felt that my post was unfair because I was judging my first few days in a new classroom too quickly.

Now, two weeks have gone by and I'm adjusting and liking it more. I work in a third grade classroom in a great elementary school. I've never worked with third graders before and had a hard time adjusting at first, but now am slowly beginning to enjoy it.

Any who, today the third graders had their Valentine's Day party since they have tomorrow off, and boy was it chaotic!

The cutest statement I heard was, during recess I was playing with wedgits with this girl and then this boy comes running over, I just gave _______ my phone number!!!!!!!!!! And he's really excited and it was pretty cute. Then two minutes later.... you hear ________ "why did you give me your phone number?" Ugh... awkward pause, so you can call me sometime if you want. Then the girl just goes away. It was pretty adorable.

Then that boy was talking about his snow days and what he did with me and the other girl playing with the wedgits and he's like yeah my friend came over but not my girlfriend. Then the girl was like wait, you have a girlfriend?? Then he said yeah.. and she asked who, and then she was like oh is ____ (girl he just gave number to) your girlfriend?? and he said yes. That is very un-true, but a cute story none the less.

Last Day Aiding in the Second Grade

Today was my last day aiding for the second grade classroom. The kids made me a book called "What Miss RJ Needs to Know..." It has a bunch of advice for when I have my own classroom, and some of the advice was just hilarious.

One student wrote "Make sure you know what to do during a fire drill."

Another student wrote "... and make sure you have a lot of money." <--- Right, cause we all know how much money teachers make! :)

Most of the others wrote about how I should decorate the classroom pretty and have a lot of books.


Some of the kids even made me cards, read me stories, and Mrs. M had to run out for a few minutes so I got to read a book to all of them.


It was a great last day, and I hope my future class is as wonderful as they all were.

Teacher First, Friend Second

I personally feel that I am a very patient person and can tolerate a lot. However, last Wednesday when I went into the second grade classroom, I almost snapped.

The main classroom teacher, Mrs. M was teaching the children how to properly write a letter (Indent paragraphs, proper heading, date, and ending). She must have been explaining for at least twenty minutes, showing examples, and even laying out a format on the markerboard. She answered some questions then let the kids go create proper letters.

As I was walking around, I was shocked that only one child actually did everything correct. The others forgot the date, would not indent, didn’t write Dear, began writing on the top of the paper, placed the date randomly somewhere on the paper, didn’t write anything, etc… It was a disaster.

I was surprised with how understanding and calm Mrs. M remained, I was truly frustrated. I just didn’t get how they couldn’t follow these simple tasks, look at the board, and then I remembered how many times Mrs. M told them to stop talking, be respectful, etc… I guess, I didn’t get how important it is to truly show feeling to students until that moment. I realized you must discipline your class and they will be your students first and friends second, because in the end you really want whats best for them.

The End

I was working with one of my second graders, who has poor reading skills, and she's beginning to improve and even got a 98% on her read aloud.

The main teacher in charge, asked me to work with her on reading a level 14 book. She was doing a great job, and only missed a few words.

After she finished, I asked her if she liked the book, and she said yes. Then I asked her what her favorite part of the book was, and she paused, so I asked, why did you like the book?

Her reply, "It has an end."

Classroom Hugs

This year, it is my first time working with second graders, and I enjoy it way more than I originally thought I would.

I used to only want to teach upper elementary school, but my senior year of High School, I got placed for my education internship in a developmentally delayed early childhood classroom. My first couple of weeks there I didn't really enjoy it, but as I got to know the kids more, and spend more time with them, I began to love it. That's when I realized I don't care what grade I teach, as long as I teach.

Till then though, I have only been working with sixth graders, and now, finally, I'm working with second, and I love it.

My favorite thing about second graders is they still love teachers. I always walk in and get hugs from at least one student, and before I leave, I always have a few who try to pull me back in, or ask me questions they know the answers to, show me something, hug me, etc...

It really is a confidence booster. Obviously, my goal is not for my students to love me, it's to educate them, but it sure does feel good to be doing both.

Little Battles

Currently I student aide for a second grade classroom. It's my first time working with second graders and I love it. They are a lot smarter, older, taller, and wiser than I remembered. They also have a lot more emotion than I imagined.

In grade school bullying, teasing, name calling, etc... is common. Kids feelings are hurt regularly, it's a sad statement, but a pretty true statement.

A few weeks ago, I was walking around, monitoring centers and this little boy we'll call Cam didn't have a partner. So I said okay work with Kat, her partner is absent today. Then Cam said can I work with some other student instead, and Kat began crying saying "my mom said everyone would like me."

Right away I told Cam to apologize and be Kat's partner, and to not treat other people this way and what he said and did just now, really hurt Kat's feelings. Cam instantly apologized and actually looked a bit worried and nervous. Then he proceeded to say, "i'm sorry, your baby brother was so cute when he came to visit the class last week." Instantly they made up and she forgave him and stopped crying.

After that day, I walked in a week later, and when they were to choose partners they chose each other.

I was really happy with how I handled the situation. My original thought was, oh crap, get the teacher, this little girl is crying. Instead, I handled it properly and didn't have to disturb the busy teacher in the process.

It probably won't always work out so wonderfully, but I was glad it did this time!