Mid-year status report for Room 42

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Mid-year status report for Room 42

by judy5ca

Jan 15, 2011

Well, you've listened to me whine about this class. They're still a challenge BUT we seem to have crossed a bridge last week. Huge improvement. They still jump right into chatter if my attention is diverted (shameless they are: the principal came in week before last with some announcements and while she was giving me instructions they all start yacking loudly). I know this is hard to believe for January in 5th grade, but I'm still working on making them understand why this isn't acceptable.

Other than that, we're almost cruisin'. They help each other. They're honest. We're getting a long way on honesty and humor. They're (almost) fully engaged during lessons (seeing this one still surprises me after our rocky start). Most of them want to learn. My biggest, giganto behavior problem is one of my favorite kids. My 5 super-struggling (years below grade level) RS kids are learning their own responsibilities.

There are moments. One Muslim girl's dad is extremely protective ...See MoreWell, you've listened to me whine about this class. They're still a challenge BUT we seem to have crossed a bridge last week. Huge improvement. They still jump right into chatter if my attention is diverted (shameless they are: the principal came in week before last with some announcements and while she was giving me instructions they all start yacking loudly). I know this is hard to believe for January in 5th grade, but I'm still working on making them understand why this isn't acceptable.

Other than that, we're almost cruisin'. They help each other. They're honest. We're getting a long way on honesty and humor. They're (almost) fully engaged during lessons (seeing this one still surprises me after our rocky start). Most of them want to learn. My biggest, giganto behavior problem is one of my favorite kids. My 5 super-struggling (years below grade level) RS kids are learning their own responsibilities.

There are moments. One Muslim girl's dad is extremely protective and wouldn't sign the permission slip to visit the Superior Courthouse because he thought it was in an unsafe area. I asked her if she wanted to come (she did) and began to tell her what to say to her dad (there are cops all over the place), my autistic kid was chanting, "My mom did jury duty in Martinez, my mom did jury duty in Martinez, etc." Stereo in Room 42.

As we study early colonial days in America (and I struggle to tell stories of conflict a la Willingham) the class as a whole was clearly fascinated by stocks and butter churns. So I brought in cream and jars and baguettes (did you know Safeway will slice bread to your specification for free?). In these days of NCLB, this was a much bigger treat than I'd imagined. They were darling. And when I had to go flying out of the room because I'd forgotten yard duty, several kids said, "Don't worry, Mrs. M., we'll clean up." They did (and saved me a piece of nicely buttered bread).

Of course my favorite is how they're growing as learners. This clearly was the missing link. I have to be extremely organized for them, but they are now responding beautifully. I wish you could be a fly on the wall to hear our literature and writing discussions. They found meaning in Fly Away Home that I'd never considered (I've always thought the bird is a symbol of freedom for the boy, but they think the boy and bird are alike and give evidence). I read them a short lead I'd written to model realistic fiction and they politely told me several (big!) ways I could improve my piece (using lots of writerly language). So I spent another hour and a half and entirely rewrote the first few pages. They liked it much better, but noticed word choice I'd changed (from 'glossy' to 'heavy') that they did not like. What a crew!

Finally, I knew something was right when the Superintendent and Principal came around for their monthly walk-through (about 20 minutes?). That afternoon I received an email from the Superintendent's secretary saying she'd like to sub for me. All district admin are subbing 3 days a year to cut costs. I was dumbfounded and wondered (because she's VERY bright), "Didn't she see how difficult they are?" I went to the principal, who knows how tough this group is, and asked if the superintendent had a clue. I'm still thinking this through: do I let her sub and have a day that she'll always remember or do I just do my usual and come every day?

Thanks for listening to my tale of a REMARKABLY improved group. We still have many frustrating moments, but I now enjoy them most of the time. Judy

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Super Sub-Parker I'm so glad to hear that your students have turned a corner. I find this frequently happens with kids in our grade level after Christmas. Does anyone else notice this? I was explaing this to our 3rd grade teacher who was disparing over her students behavior right before Christmas. (Actually, I was encouraging her to bump up her expectations, too. S...See MoreI'm so glad to hear that your students have turned a corner. I find this frequently happens with kids in our grade level after Christmas. Does anyone else notice this? I was explaing this to our 3rd grade teacher who was disparing over her students behavior right before Christmas. (Actually, I was encouraging her to bump up her expectations, too. She was babying them too much and needed to gradually increase her expectations.) As far as the Super subbing, that is a dilemna. If I thought the Super still had the ability to be a great sub and follow lesson plans that were left, I'd do it in a heartbeat. If I thought the Super has been out of the classroom for too long and just wanted to have a "fun" day of their own design with the students, I would forgo the "honor". If the Super has never taught, I'd do it in a heartbeat, too, although I'd stick around to watch and provide "a helping hand". Frankly, I'd love to be a fly on the wall in all 3 scenarios. And then there is the side of me that says subbing for a day still isn't the same as teaching the day. There's no lesson planning or prep involved, all that hard work has already been done. I wonder why she wants to sub? What does she want from her day other than to save some money?

On 1/15/11, judy5ca wrote: > Well, you've listened to me whine about this class. They're > still a challenge BUT we seem to have crossed a bridge last > week. Huge improvement. They still jump right into chatter > if my attention is diverted (shameless they are: the > principal came in week before last with some announcements > and while she was giving me instructions they all start > yacking loudly). I know this is hard to believe for January > in 5th grade, but I'm still working on making them > understand why this isn't acceptable. > > Other than that, we're almost cruisin'. They help each > other. They're honest. We're getting a long way on honesty > and humor. They're (almost) fully engaged during lessons > (seeing this one still surprises me after our rocky start). > Most of them want to learn. My biggest, giganto behavior > problem is one of my favorite kids. My 5 super-struggling > (years below grade level) RS kids are learning their own > responsibilities. > > There are moments. One Muslim girl's dad is extremely > protective and wouldn't sign the permission slip to visit > the Superior Courthouse because he thought it was in an > unsafe area. I asked her if she wanted to come (she did) > and began to tell her what to say to her dad (there are cops > all over the place), my autistic kid was chanting, > "My mom did jury duty in Martinez, my mom did jury duty in > Martinez, etc." Stereo in Room 42. > > As we study early colonial days in America (and I struggle > to tell stories of conflict a la Willingham) the class as a > whole was clearly fascinated by stocks and butter churns. > So I brought in cream and jars and baguettes (did you know > Safeway will slice bread to your specification for free?). > In these days of NCLB, this was a much bigger treat than I'd > imagined. They were darling. And when I had to go flying > out of the room because I'd forgotten yard duty, several > kids said, "Don't worry, Mrs. M., we'll clean up." They did > (and saved me a piece of nicely buttered bread). > > Of course my favorite is how they're growing as learners. > This clearly was the missing link. I have to be extremely > organized for them, but they are now responding beautifully. > I wish you could be a fly on the wall to hear our > literature and writing discussions. They found meaning in > Fly Away Home that I'd never considered (I've always thought > the bird is a symbol of freedom for the boy, but they think > the boy and bird are alike and give evidence). I read them > a short lead I'd written to model realistic fiction and they > politely told me several (big!) ways I could improve my > piece (using lots of writerly language). So I spent another > hour and a half and entirely rewrote the first few pages. > They liked it much better, but noticed word choice I'd > changed (from 'glossy' to 'heavy') that they did not like. > What a crew! > > Finally, I knew something was right when the Superintendent > and Principal came around for their monthly walk-through > (about 20 minutes?). That afternoon I received an email > from the Superintendent's secretary saying she'd like to sub > for me. All district admin are subbing 3 days a year to cut > costs. I was dumbfounded and wondered (because she's VERY > bright), "Didn't she see how difficult they are?" > I went to the principal, who knows how tough this group is, > and asked if the superintendent had a clue. I'm still > thinking this through: do I let her sub and have a day that > she'll always remember or do I just do my usual and come > every day? > > Thanks for listening to my tale of a REMARKABLY improved > group. We still have many frustrating moments, but I now > enjoy them most of the time. > Judy

Jan 16, 2011

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