2nd Grade Writing

I wish I had made a copy of this writing Work Sample a student in my class wrote. He has such a great voice in writing, and his writing is always hilarious! I took a picture of part of his writing, but wish I had the whole story to share. The writing prompt was to write about what makes one animal special. He wrote about 3 different animals: birds, snails and "spiters". Here is verbatim what he wrote about snails: "A snall can moov like a slow frog, iksept that it is a snall not a frog. It uses its boogers to moov. Yuck!" When writing about "spiters" he said that spiders catch their dinner in their webs, and that is gross, but its dinner for the spider, so "Yay for the spiter!" Every time I read that, I just laugh so hard! Love it! ~Ms. J

Unemployed.... Again!

I'm unemployed again! And I'm really happy about it! This school year was crazy, and I'm glad to be out for a breather!

This summer, I am tutoring, teaching a 5 year old how to read, and helping a friend who is pregnant with twins out with the summer program she runs!

Plus, it's vacay time - which means I am outta here for a few days in July. Woot woot!

And I'm applying for several jobs - some of which are in OCSD, which is by far my favorite school district. I hope I get a job there someday!

-J

Last day!

Today was the last day of school. It was a very weird day. We did some writing, and reading, then set out for a party. I misjudged time (majorly) and ended the party fifteen minutes earlier than I should have. So we ended up playing Silent Ball (their fave) for the last few minutes.

I said goodbyes, and cried a little. They cried a little. There were lots of hugs. And then they left.

I'm still amazed it's over. 6 weeks ago, I walked into the room thinking 6 weeks was a long time, and that we would get a lot done. I left today wishing I had had more time with them... And yet at the same time, so happy it was the last day, and way proud of what we accomplished.

Here are a few things we accomplished:

- our quiet record was 24 minutes, 46 seconds. That's working silently, no talking, etc.
- walking in the halls (ok, simple skill, but they needed a lot of work on that)
- classroom compliments (when other staff members would compliment them): 38
- speeches. They all wrote a speech and gave it.
- behavior improved
- we logged almost 150 hours on IXL (a math practice website) - that includes class time and at home

We have a teacher work day tomorrow. I'll go in, finish up report cards, etc, and then turn my keys in. I'll miss it there...

And now I'm going home and going to bed. I am sooo tired!

- Ms. J

Countdown!

7 days of school left!

Report cards!
Placement stuff!
Grades!
End of the year party!
I can't take it! I am so tired, and I have a million things to do and grade and take care of...

Summer cannot get here fast enough

Aww, they're really great kids

My class cracks me up so much sometimes. Lately, they walk right up to me while I am teaching, and interrupt me. I keep telling them to stop, but they don't. So today, I said "I need a big sign that I can hold up that says 'don't talk to me.'"
I got a ton of signs, handmade by students. One says "don't talk to me." Another says "go away, techer werking." And yet another says "be qiet please."

Ahhh second graders. Gotta love em.

I caught myself going old school yesterday. I was asking a boy why he did something, and he said that someone told him to. Guess what I said?? "if he told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it??" my teaching partner happened to stick his head in the room right then, and said, "yes, he would." I cracked up - there went the discipline-minded moment there!

My students already have me figured out... A girl saw my coffee on my desk today, and said "oh good, you have coffee today - you'll be happy today!"

-Ms. J

Whatever happened to the bathroom pass?

When I first took my class, they did not have bathroom passes, so I made some out of CDs and yarn.

Yesterday, one of the boys took the boys bathroom pass and went to the bathroom with his bathroom buddy (I cannot trust half the boys in my class to go the bathroom by themselves, so they have to have buddies). They came back and his buddy said "Ms. J, he dumped the pass into the toilet."

He had dumped the pass into the toilet, then dried it off and brought it back to class... Like he expected anyone else to use it after that! I had him throw it away.

My new motto is "expect the unexpected." nothing is ever a typical day in 2nd grade!

-Ms. J

2nd grade-isms

Ok, so I totally love my class, even though they are little stinkers sometimes. However, hooray! I am seeing some major progress - on Tuesday, when I started teaching them, they could only sit still and work for about 7 minutes. Today, they did DEAR/Read to Self/SSR (silent reading) for 20 minutes! They are also walking in the hallways so much better now, and we have gotten some classroom routines established. They still have their crazy moments, where I hope and pray no one will walk in and see what they are doing, but it's getting better.

I told one of my colleagues that it seems like when they are having a terrible time, and going crazy, and I'm having to raise my voice... That is when I have a parent in the classroom... But when they are being little angels, that's when the principal walks in to see how things are going. Such is life...

Some things that have happened so far this week:

1- I got tired of a boy leaving his seat, so I told him "Superglue yourself to that chair!" Guess what he did? He got a glue stick and glued his chair, and was about to sit on it when I saw what he was doing. It was so hilarious, but I managed to keep from laughing.

2- one of the other teachers thought I was "like 12" my first day.

3- a parent witnessed a dogpile by the backpacks... That was one of those "raising my voice, trying to get their attention" moments.

4- a boy came back from the bathroom, 10 minutes after he left. I asked him "What were you doing in the bathroom, besides going to the bathroom?" his response: "blowing bubbles..." it's amazing what kids can do with soap and no supervision.

5- yesterday, I walked next door during clean up time, and asked the other 2nd grade teacher, Mr. H., to make a random clean group check with licorice. Then I walked back into class, and said "wow, look at these desks that aren't clean... I wonder what Mr. H would say if he came in and saw this classroom." right as I said that, he came in the door. The kids were totally freaked out by that lol.

If anyone wants to come help me clean up my classroom and get ready for the rest of the year, let me know! I will put you to work!

-Ms. J, 2nd grade teacher