I don't want to go!

Last Friday was Victor's last day...the only problem was that he didn't know. I found out on Tuesday from his mom that Friday would be his last day due to a family situation and him needing to go out of town and spend time with his grandparents. Missing the last 7 days of school was not a concern. Victor passed all of his TAKS tests and had done very well this year!

I couldn't allow him to leave for the summer without some sort of mini-celebration for him. After all, we will have one on the last day of school for the entire class. I bought him his own cupcake, made his end of the year present early, and told the kids so that we everyone would be sure to send him off to summer positively.

The afternoon was ticking by. I knew that I would eventually have to tell Victor that today was his last day at school for the year. 2:15 finally arrived. Ms. H, another teacher and myself called Victor over to my desk. If I remember correctly, this is a little how the conversation went:

Me: "Victor...
Teacher 1: "Victor, well...
Me: "Victor...well...today...is...your last day at school for the summer."
Victor: "WHAT?!?!"
Me: "You are going on vacation with your grandparents tomorrow."
Victor: "I DON'T WANT TO GO! I'M NOT GOING! NO!!!!!"
Me: "It's not a choice."
Victor: "WHO TOLD YOU THIS?"
Me: "Your mom."
Victor: "WHY? I don't want to go. I need to stay at school and learn more. I have more to learn. I can't miss school. I can't go. I don't want to go." (begins pacing around the room)
Me: "Victor, can you tell me how you are feeling?"
Victor: "I...I...I am...I am feeling...upset!"
Me: "Why are you feeling upset?"
Victor: "Because I don't want to go. I have more to learn."
Me: "Victor...you have my permission to go. You passed all of your TAKS tests and you have learned everything you need to in 4th grade. You passed 4th grade with flying colors and you deserve to start your vacation early."
Victor: "But other kids don't miss the end of the year. Is _____ going to be here the rest of the year?"
Me: "_____ will be on vacation this summer. Lots of kids go on vacation this summer. (speaking to the class) "Raise your hand if you are going on vacation this summer."
Class: (every child raises their hand)
Me: "See, it will be okay...everyone goes on vacation."
Victor: (goes around asking kids how long they will be on vacation and if they will miss any school and still pacing the classroom and beginning to accept the reality that this is his last day...or last afternoon in the classroom)

IN THE MEANTIME...the entire class is being ridiculous. By ridiculous, I mean that they are in tears. 75% of the class has tears rolling down their faces. I don't understand this because it's not like this was Victor's last day at our school forever and most of them will see him again next year. In fact, there were kids crying that didn't even seem to be very good friends with Victor this year. Now, this class was amazingly supportive of Victor at all times, but there is a difference between being friends with him and helping him in the classroom when he needed. I was glad that they all cared enough for Victor that they would miss him over the summer, but I felt that only a few kids really had the right to be so dramatic. I had kids rolling on the floor crying, others crying audibly anytime we looked over, and others with Kleenexes wet with tears. FOR REAL??

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The classroom has been quite a bit different since Victor's last day on Friday. Mainly that we are in the last 5 days of school and report cards have been verified. I can honestly say that having Victor in my class taught me so much. I loved that little boy and miss him. The growth he showed this year was impressive...so much so that everyone in the school has noticed. Knowing that a child can grow that much in one year gives me hope for every student in my class now and in the future.

Look...A SQUIRREL!

Everyday is interesting in my class and today's field trip was no different. We were off to see the Symphony of Austin. I'll skip through all the boring stuff and get to the "interesting" part of the trip that took place at Zilker Park when we went for lunch.

You should all be aware of Richard by now...
Richard: "Look, a squirrel!" (and he began chasing it)
Ms. H: "Richard, STOP CHASING THE SQUIRREL! Would you like if someone suddenly yelled, 'Look, a Richard!' and started chasing you?!?!"

Ms. H and I took some kids to the "outhouse" at Zilker because they were in desperate need of the bathroom, until they saw it...it was a circular structure that had a hut-type roof that didn't cover the entire opening. I did not go in myself because of the shrilling that the kids did when they went in...
"Ewwwww! My mom wouldn't let me go in there!"
"There are banana peels on the ground!"
"There's a potato on the ground too...it's just laying there!"
"Where's the hand sanitizer????????"
"I'd rather use a bush!"

It's a bright, sunshining day!

If you've been reading my blog since around this time last year, you would know that the title was quite different. In fact, the whole tone of the blog was quite different. Things weren't good. TAKS scores had come in and I was very disappointed with my class last year. I didn't know how to react. It was my first year teaching and I hadn't even taught the entire year. I had mixed emotions, that yes, they were my class and those were the result, but I also didn't feel responsibility for those results seeing as how I only became their teacher halfway through the year.

Anyway...this year was different. I needed to prove myself, and prove myself is what I did. This day has been one of the best teaching days ever. Receiving the good scores was a high moment, but telling the kids how well they did made me feel even better. One kid after another,

Me: "How do you think you did?"

Kid: "I think I did okay."

Me: "Do you think you passed all three tests?"

Kid: "I think so." (This is when I usually tell them the results, unless it's one of those kids with a sense of humor that I like to tease.)

Me: "Are you sure? You are 100% sure that you passed the writing, math, AND reading test?"

Kid: "Well, I hope so. I don't know now."

Me: "So which one do you think you failed?"

Kid: (says a test)

Me: "Well, I'm sorry to tell you...that you are wrong. You passed (or were commended)!"

Kid Responses: a smile forms...tears formed in one child's eyes...sometimes squeals accompany the smile...jumping up and down...heads back to the classroom to share their excitement and happiness and success

I felt like the TAKS Santa today. I only had to give bad news to two kids and that was very difficult, because those students have worked incredibly hard and improved tremendously this year. The good news that I gave to 20 students over shadowed those 2. This doesn't mean I don't care about those, because I almost wanted to cry when I had to tell one of them. It was disappointing and we are all trying to figure out how it happened.

I need to go and start planning the pizza party and baking a cake that I promised would happen if 90% of them passed...the price to pay when they do well...I think I will manage!

The tingle in her arms...

During School:
"Ms. L, we need Ms. H to come fix our maps. They are pulled out to far and she's the only one that can fix them."

After School:
Me: "Ms. H, can you please fix our maps. The kids requested that you do it because you are a professional."
Ms. H: "I don't know if I can, the maps are pulled out way too far!"
Me: "My kids are relying on you!"
Ms. H: "I'll try."
Me: "Come on, you can do better than that."
Ms. H: "I feel a tingle in my arms. I'm sure it will work this time....WAAAAAAALLLLLLAAAAA!"

And what do you know? Ms. H saved the day again with her skills specifically designed to release maps and overhead screens after they've been pulled out too far for any normal person to fix.

The "I Don't Understand" Kid

I have a student who I like to call the "I Don't Understand" kid. I know there are many more of these out there. Let me explain. These are examples of typical conversations with the "I Don't Understand" kid.

Me: "Please follow along as I explain the directions."
IDUK: "But I don't understand."
Me: "Please listen to the directions before you start saying that you don't understand."

Me: "When we are working on a multiplication problem, we first need to multiply up."
IDUK: "But I don't understand."
Me: "Please watch as I do it before you start saying that you don't understand."

Me: "I need everyone to have their paper out and follow along with us as _____ works through the problem on the board."
IDUK: "But I don't understand."
Me: "Please follow along with their work and tell me which part you don't understand."

Me: "I need everyone to pull out their writing spiral and continue working on the piece you started yesterday."
IDUK: "I don't know what to write."
Me: "We talked about this yesterday and started our pieces yesterday. What did you work on yesterday?"

I have plenty more examples, but I think you all understand which kid in your class or past classes this may be.

Richard, Richard, Richard!

Richard: "Ms. L, can I go spit phlegm out?"

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Me: "Richard, what planet do you live on?"
Brandy: "Planet Twice."
Me: "What?"
Brandy: "Planet Twice because he always asks everything twice."

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Me: "Connor, have you been visiting Richard?"
Karen: "That's mean!"
Me: "How do you think that's mean?"
Karen: "Cause you say Richard lives on Planet Twice."
Me: "I didn't say that, Brandy did!"
Karen: "But that's still mean to Connor."
Me: "Connor, I asked if you were visiting Richard because you haven't been 'in class' today."
Karen: "I knew it!"
Richard: "I heard my name!"
Me: "Yes, I asked Connor if he was visiting you on another planet earlier. Do you remember that Brandy said you live on Planet Twice?"
Richard: "Huh?"
Me: "Brandy said you live on Planet Twice because you ask everything twice. Isn't that true?"
Richard: "I don't know."
Me: "Don't you ask everything twice? Cause you forget a lot?"
Richard: "Oh yeah I do!"
Me: "See, that's what we were talking about."
Richard: "hahaha, okay!"

What did you say?

True story borrowed from my portable-mate and told from her perspective:

So I was working at my desk and I hear the word testicles. I look over and of course it's coming from the same student who's said "he went to take a dump" and the same one who chuckles anytime he hears the word "balls". Oh and the kid who laughs out loud every time he passes gas?! That's him too. So I hear the word testicles and I listen in for a few seconds just to see how this word was brought up.

Here's what was said "Testicles. Is that what you said? Dude, do you know what that means? Testicles are..." I immediately call this student over before he can do anymore damage. He knows right away why he's being called over and starts to apologize before I even have a chance to say anything. I told him that if he didn't understand the other student then he should ask what he said instead of assuming that he said a word that is inappropriate in school. He nods and I tell him to go back and ask what the other student said. He goes back, asks, and the other student has no idea what he's talking about. They continue to work without testicle conversation. Success? I think so.

Thanks for the great story, Ms. H!!!!

Eat!

Victor: "How many calories is someone supposed to eat in a day?"
Me: "You should eat at least 5,000." (Keep in mind that I once called this boy toothpicks because of his skinny little legs.)
Victor: "But will I be overweight if I eat that much?"
Me: "You? No way! Me? I'd be overweight by lunch."
Victor: "Will you be overweight if you eat that much for a long time?"
Me: "You, no. You would take a long time to catch up. You need to keep eating."
Victor: "What if I drink 5 Boosts a day? Will I be overweight then?"
Me: "Don't worry about it. You will not become overweight."

That's not how you do it!

The music teacher was speaking to me last week about an upcoming field trip. He felt the need to snap his fingers all over the place with attitude while explaining something to me. Karen was eaves dropping and said, "Mr. C, that's not how you do it. It's 1! 2! 3!" As she snapped her fingers like you see in the movies when girls are "snapping" at each other.

No he didn't!

Jasmine: Do you still like Chris Brown?
Karen: "Yeah! Have you seen him, he's cute!"
Jasmine: "Didn't you hear? He beat up Rhianna?"
Karen: "Nah-uh! Rhianna just put make-up on!"
Jasmine: "Yeah, he hit her with an umbrella!"
Karen: "Under my umbrella, ella, ella, a..."

She's a teacher!

Lauren: "Ms. L, you got a tan this weekend!"
Me: "Thanks for noticing."
Karen: "Did you wear your bikini to the pool?"
Lauren: "She doesn't wear a bikini...she's a teacher!"