Every year it seems, late February and early March are especially trying times at school. I am not exactly sure what leads to the gloom... the weather... exhaustion... stress.... It's hard to say.
The glamor of a new year has long since worn off. The time when you can blame behavior issues on unknown routines is past. The tests that we work so hard to pass are upon us... accompanied by a nagging fear that we are not yet ready for them. We haven't gone outside for recess since before Christmas. Saturday school has begun as one more effort to pass all the tests so both staff and studnets are working 6 days a week. As I have said - it is a tough time of year.
I haven't found too much I can to to ward this feeling off, so I look for cures. Part of it is simply relying on past experience to know that it will get better. The test will get done, the snow will melt and, if all else fails, come August we get to start all over. Some of it is turning to friends and family - venting my frustrations seems to make them a little less. Misery loves company so fellow teachers are also a great source of strength for me - fellow teachers can understand my stress with very little explanation - they just get it.
Spring is coming - the gloom of winter never lasts as long as it seems it is going to. So on these last days of winter I need to focus on the coming spring. And if all else fails, Starburst jellybeans always reappear in stores at this time of year in preparation for Easter.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Candy
My top left desk drawer has become a bit of a school legend. I keep it well stocked with candy and am happy to share with anyone who is in need. It is a community effort really - anytime the supply gets low, someone gladly restocks.
Sometimes word spreads and the drawer gets a fist time visitor. A teacher will come to my room with a slightly panicked look in their eyes caused by a bit too much stress. They will whisper to me that they hear I have candy. I assure them that what they have head is true and open the drawer to reveal the choices. It really is impressive, I must admit (as the drawer has grown in fame, I have moved virtually everything else out of it. It currently holds some lotion, my toothbrush and candy). When the stock is t its fullest I have to squash it down a bit to make the drawer close and it all pops back up when the drawer is open. There is always chocolate - peanut MandMs being the favorite of most of us. Usually their are a few fruity choices also.
I have recently noticed that you can read the stress of the building by how fast the Peanut MandMs are consumed. In the stress free days of late August a single bag of MandMs might last for 3 or more weeks. But come February (with snow, and tests... meetings and deadlines) a bag is lucky to last a week.
We do have a stressful job - that is unlikely to change any time soon- but is is amazing what a little chocolate can do for your mood!
Sometimes word spreads and the drawer gets a fist time visitor. A teacher will come to my room with a slightly panicked look in their eyes caused by a bit too much stress. They will whisper to me that they hear I have candy. I assure them that what they have head is true and open the drawer to reveal the choices. It really is impressive, I must admit (as the drawer has grown in fame, I have moved virtually everything else out of it. It currently holds some lotion, my toothbrush and candy). When the stock is t its fullest I have to squash it down a bit to make the drawer close and it all pops back up when the drawer is open. There is always chocolate - peanut MandMs being the favorite of most of us. Usually their are a few fruity choices also.
I have recently noticed that you can read the stress of the building by how fast the Peanut MandMs are consumed. In the stress free days of late August a single bag of MandMs might last for 3 or more weeks. But come February (with snow, and tests... meetings and deadlines) a bag is lucky to last a week.
We do have a stressful job - that is unlikely to change any time soon- but is is amazing what a little chocolate can do for your mood!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Fun Quotes
Some fun things I read in my students writing papers:
"Next we put our pants on" (The previous paragraph describes how he was playing on a water slide - FYI)
"They din nint find me" (That is "didn't" spelled as two words... the student was consistent in his spelling of the word - it showed up 3 more times in the same paragraph..!)
"I didn't want to walk because it was 100% outside"
Overall I think the kids did a great job...! Hopefully the people who score their papers agree!
"Next we put our pants on" (The previous paragraph describes how he was playing on a water slide - FYI)
"They din nint find me" (That is "didn't" spelled as two words... the student was consistent in his spelling of the word - it showed up 3 more times in the same paragraph..!)
"I didn't want to walk because it was 100% outside"
Overall I think the kids did a great job...! Hopefully the people who score their papers agree!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
High Stakes
Our 4th graders started a high stakes writing test today. On the surface it seems like a very simple test. The students each write a personal narrative story on a given topic. We collect their papers, send them to the state to be scored and wait anxiously for the results.
The tricky part... we have to have at least 63% of our kids score above the state cut score (which will not be determined until all the papers have been scored). If we don't reach that magic number, than the whole school automatically fails to pass AYP.
Knowing the stakes of this test we have been practicing for more than a year. Every day for 45 min. our 4th graders practice writing to a prompt. We teacher them exactly what to do. They learn how to fill in a story frame. They practice starting with a hook, including words from the prompt in their first paragraph, and looking up the spelling of unknown words. After so much practice, they know EXACTLY what to do.
But just in case that isn't enough - we add some lucky charms. We play Motzart while they write and provide them with an endless supply of "smart mints" (peppermint has been shown to stimulate brain growth).
Never the less, I was pretty nervous as I read the prompt to my students and watched them get to work. With the winter Olympics looming, I started to think of how a coach must feel as they watch their athlete preform. Months or years of practice, all for one moment in time. One chance. One performance. You do everything in your power to ensure that they are prepared but when the moment comes it is just them. You have to stand back and watch.
The test will continue tomorrow (they have 40 min. on 2 consecutive days to complete their story). Since I have snuck a peek at their work thus far, I will likely be slightly less nervous tomorrow but I am sure it will still be stressful to watch.
And if it is stressful for me to watch, I have to wonder what it is like for my students to actually be preforming.
The tricky part... we have to have at least 63% of our kids score above the state cut score (which will not be determined until all the papers have been scored). If we don't reach that magic number, than the whole school automatically fails to pass AYP.
Knowing the stakes of this test we have been practicing for more than a year. Every day for 45 min. our 4th graders practice writing to a prompt. We teacher them exactly what to do. They learn how to fill in a story frame. They practice starting with a hook, including words from the prompt in their first paragraph, and looking up the spelling of unknown words. After so much practice, they know EXACTLY what to do.
But just in case that isn't enough - we add some lucky charms. We play Motzart while they write and provide them with an endless supply of "smart mints" (peppermint has been shown to stimulate brain growth).
Never the less, I was pretty nervous as I read the prompt to my students and watched them get to work. With the winter Olympics looming, I started to think of how a coach must feel as they watch their athlete preform. Months or years of practice, all for one moment in time. One chance. One performance. You do everything in your power to ensure that they are prepared but when the moment comes it is just them. You have to stand back and watch.
The test will continue tomorrow (they have 40 min. on 2 consecutive days to complete their story). Since I have snuck a peek at their work thus far, I will likely be slightly less nervous tomorrow but I am sure it will still be stressful to watch.
And if it is stressful for me to watch, I have to wonder what it is like for my students to actually be preforming.
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