Time is fleeting...IMPACT

I can't believe we're in 3Q already. My kiddos this past week drove me crazy...it was an every other day sort of thing. One day they were near perfect, the next day I had 22 little eye-bulging, mouth foaming, wiggle-worming, volcano-mouthing, 6 year old monsters in my class. Then they'd be perfect, then nutso again. I can't keep up with that kind of change, I'm too old! lol So, Friday at 4:35pm I did what any nearly driven insane teacher would do, hit Lola's for some adult beverages (aka Sangria - thank you Leslie for my new FAVORITE drink) and good conversation. I may have to make that an every payday sort of thing.

No reallllly funny stories this week, I mean there were little ones, but unless I had an audio recording system in my classroom running all day long, I would NEVER remember all the little, funny things they say. Occasionally, I'm able to write them down throughout the day, but this wasn't one of those weeks. The funniest thing that I remember was said by a boy named "W"...he said, "Ms. Eklund, you're so funny, you make me want to slap my knee (and he slaps his knee)." hahahaha

Other than that, I'm really tired, moreso this year than last year at this same time in the school year. The extra 70 minutes a day our school board implemented is killing teachers spirits, energy as well as the same for our students. My fear is that at the end of this school year, the growth they so desperately wanted these extra 70 minutes to achieve, will not be there. Who knows what they'll do then?? I teach all the core subjects in the morning, because if I had ANY in the late afternoon, my students would fail miserably. They're tired and cranky and restless and want to go home. I was actually asked this week if I wanted to teach extended day (as in an additional 60 minutes on top of the 70)...I laughed in the person's face, literally thinking she was kidding, then quickly apologized when I saw that she wasn't. I explained myself, that I thought she was joking, and we both laughed about it. My answer was "No." But you probably guessed that already. Now we have a three day weekend and I would LOVE three day weekends every weekend. If the extra 70 minutes per day would have meant three day weekends every week, I'd love it. =) My kids would be stoked beyond measure as well...at least we'd have something positive to look forward to and I might actually get a 2 day weekend instead of a one day weekend, knowing that my entire Sunday is spent lesson planning and grading anyway.

So - my goal this weekend is to recharge...to rest, relax and go into next week with a more positive attitude about things. =) I had a pleasant conversation with my HR person this week which helped me realize that I am at least appreciated and valued. I hope all the teachers in our district feel this way...but I doubt it. I think I have it better than most. I have a principal I love (and who goes above and beyond to help insulate my school and teachers from a lot of district "stuff", which she probably gets the flack for doing), a school I adore and three years worth of kiddos I've taught that I absolutely, without question, lovvvve to pieces. When I see their bright, shining faces every day, they are what reaffirms me, what keeps me going, and what fills my heart with joy and love for my job. When they walk by me and give me the sign language sign for "I love you" that I teach all my classes, I know that I made an impact. When they jump out of line, at the risk of getting in trouble, to come give me a hug and share some new nugget of learning with me, I know I made an impact. THEY are the reason and when I remember this...when I remember the TRUE reason I'm a teacher, the rest of this bullsh** fades away and I'm able to teach again with the passion that I started with.

Sounds like I'm already recharging...ahhhhhh

Brain wrinkles and poop...

"Ms. Eklund...my brain just got a new wrinkle!! I learned something, I LOVE IT when my brain gets wrinkles!!!"

"Ms. Eklund, I was stuck in the bathroom...I mean, I had poopy stuck between my legs. I didn't know what to do, it wouldn't come off at all!! So the nurse came to help me. I think I pooped on the floor too. She said she was glad it wasn't diarrhea!" (said by Princess, as she recounted her bathroom trauma to me.)

December 8th...

Benchmarks, 9 days left until winter break and rain do NOT make for a nice, calm, settled and sweetly studying class of 23 first graders.

I love rain, but my kids FREAK out over it. I have to remind myself it's the desert here...and that no one is used to the rain...and that 6 year olds, especially, are not used to it. Unlike Oregon where kids FREAK out over sunshine.

hahahaha

December 15th...Ms. Eklund..you're the best teacher, EVERRR!

I LOVE this time of year. A little holiday music plays in the background, students quietly working on fun projects and the sound of little voices excitedly saying, "Wow! Ms. Eklund, you're like the best teacher EVERRR!!" Little do they know I've mixed LEARNING within all these fun projects! hee hee

From Dec. 17th

My students think I'm insane...they pretty much told me so as I was looking through a filing cabinet for something I had JUST filed the day before, "I know I put it here, I JUST filed it...where could it be??"

One of my students says, "Um, Ms. Eklund...who are you talking to? Yourself? You know that makes you crazy, right??"

Yes, dear...I KNOW!! =)

I'm going to play catch up...so be ready...

With facebook now being an excellent way to disseminate information, I often times forget to update my blog, so I'm now going to play catch up and fill you in on a few stories from the end of this past quarter.

Another one of my students move within the past couple of weeks. Her dad is in prison, her older brother a total handful in middle school (always in trouble, "cutting" himself, and etc) and the mom has been really struggling with how to deal with everything. She's been absent at every parent / teacher event, including conferences; basically ignores all notes home in "L's" homework packet and clearly has been unable to cope. So, she made the decision to move her family back to the reservation to grandma's house. It was heartbreaking, because we never even got to say goodbye to "L". She'd been absent SO much that all I got was a note from the front office saying it looked like she wasn't coming back, even THEY hadn't gotten an official withdrawl notice from the mom yet. So, that's that...she's gone. My class was devastated that they didn't get to say goodbye. I am hoping to get an address for her so we can write her letters.

I'm not Jewish...

"I'm Hanukkahn!!"

So said one of my Jewish students as I asked him a question about Hanukkah. In the month of December, I always teach about the three main celebrations that take place; Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. The students get a kick out of learning about each one and it normally sparks some pretty serious (for 6 year olds) debate about which celebration is the best. With a class normally always full of Christians of some sort, everyone pretty much thinks Christmas ROCKS. However, I remind my students that it's important to take into account everyone's beliefs and not exclude someone just because they might not believe what you believe. So this year, I have a little Jewish boy and he's talked incessantly about Hanukkah and how excited he was for it. But when I asked him about it, he defiantly said, "Ms. Eklund...I'm NOT Jewish, I'm Hanukkan!!" I tried to maintain my composure, but instead went over and gave him a hug and gently told him that he was in fact Jewish and that Hanukkah was what he celebrates during December.

Later I sent his Dad an email telling him about the funny story and asking if he would like to come in and share with the class about Hanukkah. Later that week my student's grandmother came instead and when she arrived told me that the "Hanukkan" story had been added to "S's" memory book.

Oh so cute!!