I agree with the other posters. I am in a similar situation -- my
students say my class is their "favorite" because it is so "fun".
I teach the standards but I use a variety of methods that involve
movement, engagement, discussion, collaboration, etc. They are
never bored and will often beg me to play a certain "grammar" or
"vocabulary" game because they enjoyed it so much (on those rare
occasions we have a few minutes of class left). They also know I
don't accept excuses for turning in work late, and that my end of
unit tests can be brutal because I don't give them word banks,
multiple choice, T or F or Y or N questions. If they haven't
learned it by test time, they've got nobody else but themselves to
blame.

The truth lies in a couple of things you need to ask yourself:

Are the students showing evidence of learning the curriculum?
Are the students fully engaged in your class, the entire time?
Are the students willing to do their work when assigned?
Are the students' parents saying "Ms So and So is a valued,
teacher and I am honored she is teaching my child?"

It sounds like you are hitting all the LA subjects. It's tough
having 5 subsets of information to hit. I try to get writing and
reading in every day, and save grammar and vocabulary for twice a
week. But, I also RARELY use worksheets and I don't give a whole
lot of tests, because the proof of their learning is in what goes
on IN class, not as homework. Sticking a kid with a worksheet (or
5) day after day is just the teacher's way of saying "I'm too lazy
to actually teach, I'd rather sit and watch them work quietly."

Just my opinion.

On 10/24/09, Steve wrote:
>
> Work that is fun is not work. You are a great teacher and
> that's why they like your class. The fact that you are worried
> about it shows how good you are. If you gave five assignments,
> they would still like your class because it's fun and
> interesting. I would say it's a complement because you are
> seen by them as more appealing and interesting, not because of
> the assignments.
>
> Steve
>
>
> On 10/24/09, BethAnn wrote:
>> At the football game last night, I was talking to a couple
>> of my sixth grade students. They have me for language arts
>> and another teacher for math and science. They said that I
>> was their favorite because Ms. X. gives them at least five
>> math worksheets everyday. They said they don't really do
>> that much in my class. I just smiled and said that our
>> subjects are very different. I was horrified. I don't
>> want to be thought of as the "easy" teacher.
>>
>> We do one worksheet, or other assignment, for each subject
>> I have (reading, English, spelling). On top of that, we
>> usually do at least 40 minutes of reading. During that
>> time, we discuss what we are reading. I have a list of
>> higher-level thinking questions that I ask, and we talk
>> about our responses. Students are also required to read on
>> their own for about 20 minutes. They do a "bell ringer"
>> grammar activity and write in their journals. About every
>> other week, we have a complex writing assignment.
>>
>> Okay, so are they just not challenged enough? I am using
>> 6th grade curriculum, so I think it should be on their
>> level??!!!
>>
>> Am I putting too much weight in their remarks? Being a
>> beginning teacher really stinks. It's like all I do is
>> second guess myself. This is my second year teaching, and
>> my first year teaching these subjects.
>>
>> Thanks for helping - this is really bugging me.
>>
>> BethAnn
>>

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