I Am Thankful

I am thankful for Jesus who died for me. I am thankful for my husband, children, family, friends,and job. I am thankful for having a roof over my head and having clothes to wear. I am thankful for having food to eat. I am thankful for people who love and pray for me. I am thankful for my students who do really care about me, as I do them. I am thankful for the instructors at BGSU and their knowledge they pass on to me. I am thankful. I am blessed.

Well, it happened! I crashed. No, not with my vehicle, but with my life. I was stressed to the max this past week. I guess I felt more like being caught up in a tree with no way to get down.

I love my family, my job, my new dog(yes, that's another story), and even my BGSU classes. However, everything just became too much at once. Every time I turned around, there was another deadline to meet. I couldn't get ahead, but was hoping to at least keep up. I finally realized that I'm not Wonder Woman.

Although, I wouldn't mind having a lasso of truth for my classroom. I needed a break. Today, before I wrote this blog, I went four-wheeling with my husband. I had rode on the back of his before, but I found myself just trying to hang on. He bought another one, only smaller ( yes, that's another story, too), and I rode it for the first time. I really enjoyed myself. It isn't the same feeling that I get when I ride my motorcycle, but it was fun nonetheless. So when you crash, find yourself up a tree, and realize you aren't that super hero you'd like to be, try riding a four-wheeler. It worked for me.

Patience is a virtue I have always been working on. My mother was pretty patient with my sisters, brother, and myself- four of us total. She would always remind me of the verse from the Bible-"A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense." (Proverbs 19:11)I am constantly learning this over and over again. My students are good overall, hardworking, wanting to please, kind, and usually do their best. However, like most children will do, they can try your patience, and if you have students who are ADHD, they can try your patience a lot. I have one such student who definitely has been trying my patience lately. However, I like this little motto on patience, and I realize my attitude needs a little adjustment. It's all about attitude.

Merry-Go-Round of Life My favorite ride at the fairs, carnivals, or amusement parks has always been the merry-go-round. I like the slow ride and the up and down of the ponies. However, some of the parks have a faster merry-go-round. I've been on those a couple of times but don't really enjoy them.Lately, I feel as though I am on one of those merry-go-rounds. It's going faster and faster and I am not enjoying it. I feel as though I am just hanging on or I'll be thrown from the ride. Am I getting too old to enjoy the ride anymore? Has it lost its glitter and appeal? I love teaching, but the ride is speeding up. I can't seem to keep up with the pace anymore. I'm going around and around and around. I'm not getting anywhere and I wonder if its time to get off the ride. I recently went to Ohio's Annual Statewide Education Conference. I went to the session on The Third Grade Reading Guarantee. It was very informative and yet, left us all with more questions. The problem is, the state is like the person who is running the merry-go-round. They keep speeding it up, just a little bit at first, and then slowly, and gradually they make it go a little faster until you don't realize it.If you don't strap in, you'll be thrown from the ride. They keep changing the rules like kids will do on a playground to ensure they are the winners. I don't know if I can keep up. I've only got 16 years invested in teaching. I figured I'd be 65 when I retired. However, I don't want to be one of those teachers that just hangs around for a job. I've always said that when I don't enjoy teaching, I hope I'll have the courage to stop. I still enjoy teaching, my students, and colleagues. I just get tired of the obstacles in the way. If the ride doesn't slow down soon, I'm going to have to jump.

I took this weekend off. We had Parent/Teacher conferences on Monday and Wednesday night. We had our BGSU class Tuesday night, and I stayed late Thursday doing lesson plans and making copies for this week. It was a long week. Saturday, my daughter came over with her boyfriend, his son, and their daughter- one of my beloved grand-babies. They were going to ride four-wheelers Saturday with my husband and I was watching Addy- 2 years old. I clearly had the best of the deal. We played, she napped, I did laundry, I picked out articles for my BGSU paper, we played some more, and then everybody came back. My husband had put on a pot of chilli before they left, and my son joined us for dinner. Then at 6:00 the fun continued- trick-or-treat. We sat on the front porch of the funeral home- my husband is a funeral director and we live in the apartment upstairs- and passed out candy. Addy was going trick-or-treating Wednesday. So, she helped pass out candy with us. Sometimes, you just have to take a break from the merry-go-round of life, and be a real person, and have fun. I had a lot of fun this weekend. I love my family and wouldn't trade them for the world- at least this past weekend.

I love to read. I have my favorite authors; some romance, but mostly mysteries. I have read science fiction type mysteries, humorous mysteries, and mysteries that make you think. I have also read other types of genres. I read a book that was fiction, but based upon one of the kings in the Bible. I have read poetry, biographies, but I really do love mysteries. I want my students to find that joy, too. This year's students seem to enjoy being read to, and I think they enjoy reading, too. My reading groups are broken up into three groups. I have one group meeting with me, one at the computers doing Read Naturally, and one sprawled out on the carpet reading from their baggie books. They must record the page they start and leave off on every day, as well as, the title of their book. When they finish reading their book, they write me a letter in their Reader's Notebook and tell me about their book, the genre, what they liked about their book, etc. I hope I am encouraging a love for reading. I am thinking about having them do something with the computer after they finish a book this quarter...perhaps a comic strip type book report, or maybe we could have a sit-in where we just discuss the book we are reading. Or perhaps they can write a blog and post it outside the room. I hope I am helping them to become lifelong readers, not readers who read to pass a test.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow We were driving home in the rain when we spotted this rainbow. The picture doesn't do it justice. It was a double rainbow, actually, and the colors were so vivid! I love rainbows. It reminds me of being a kid again and seeing them. I remember sharing them with my children, and one day, I know I'll share them with my grand-babies. I hope to be able to share the story behind the rainbow with them just like I did with my own children. Promises are what keeps us going in life. God made us a promise. Jesus made us a promise. And if I can hang in their and finish my classes, BGSU has made me a promise- I'll have a Master's degree. I just need to finish the race and keep my eyes on the prize. I was so stressed out, as I left my classroom for the weekend. I had so much to do, and my husband and I had plans of socializing with other couples. After seeing that rainbow, I relaxed and thought everything will work out. I just need to breathe and take time to enjoy the rainbows.

Help, I'm Drowning!

I am so overwhelmed with paper work. I have papers to grade and papers to pass back to students. I assessed all of my students over the past two weeks, and must put their assessments on a reading and math report for the parents at parent/teacher conferences. I must get my binder ready and all of my data to share with the parents. I need to post all of their grades. My book bags, desks- at school and home- overfloweth. On the bright side, as long as I don't go under for the third time, I guess I can look at it as job security.

Amelia Bedelia Trivia

OAA Blues

           I've got the OAA blues.
           My students don't want to see another test.
           They want to relax and just rest.

           Third grade is no fun.
           We just want to be done.
           We've got the OAA blues.

      What happened to making applesauce
       and doing experiments?
       Why aren't we making the books come alive?                
                                            
       Third grade is no fun.       
       We just want to be done.
       We've got the OAA blues.

                                                      

2nd Grade Diagnostic Screening Day

Today, my students came into a room that had desks scattered everywhere- spaced strategically to take their 2nd Grade Diagnostic Screening. They are filling out their planners with their homework assignments and getting breakfast in this picture. I use the whiteboard to  post their assignments every morning, as well as their morning reminders of what they are to do when they arrive. They arrive at 8:05, and move their clips to buying or packing, hand in assignments to the proper trays, get their breakfast, complete their planners, have me sign their planners and check if parents have signed them the night before, do their daily reading problem of the day, handwriting, spelling packet, and daily language. They also may SSR- silent, sustained, reading- if they finish early. We don't have handwriting and spelling packets every day, but I do try to keep them busy. At 8:30, we start reading - problem of the day, reading groups, seat work, and computer time.

We have a busy morning! Check out my created photo. How many differences can you spot?

Another Day

Friday, my students began sharing their insect reports. Some even brought in insects to share. We had a cricket, butterfly, and a banana spider. We had planned on letting them go during recess, but it rained. Luckily, we were able to give them their freedom right before school let out. The insects were the highlight of the day. Some asked if they could bring some more in next week. I guess I will continue to allow it as long as we are still sharing our reports.

I made it through the first half of the quarter. Interims went out Friday. My third graders didn't do to bad, either. I don't know what their parents will say or what grades they are used to seeing, but I wasn't surprised. The scores I saw reflected what they are actually doing.

I also was able to do 2 QRI's, Friday. Unfortunately, I have  to redo them because they scored frustrated at the levels tested. I was disappointed. However, I might have been surprised, too, had they scored instuctional or independent. I have 18 to do before the end of the month.

We are doing our second grade screening next week, too. There is no third grade screener. So the state wants us to use the second grade screener. We are doing an old OAA the following week. This will probably be a truer reflection on what the students can do. They will have to read the instructions for themselves. With the second grade screener, we read it to them. I will feel better when all of the assessing is finished this month.

A New Year

Third grade is a little more challenging this year. I have to assess my students before September 30th per the state. Last year, I only had 10 students. This year, I have eighteen. They seem to be a good bunch, have parental support, do their homework, and try hard. However, they are a chatty bunch. I am stressing myself out on implementing technology into our lessons. It is hard, but my students love doing it. My problem is mixing the traditional with the old. The state keeps changing the rules, and changes them as they go. How can one assess students with state screening measures if they haven't created them, yet for third grade? It is very frustrating.

On a lighter note, my class did their first graphic organizer on line using www.readwritethink.org. They loved it, and most have finished it. The report isn't where I want them to be, yet, but we'll get there.