What Have I Been Doing?

Hmmm.... where do I start? I really haven't done much of anything exciting. Unless you find my occupation with these unpredictable angels exciting. I have enjoyed some down time from a lot of planning since our lesson plans were only "skeletal plans" this week. You see, it's district testing time. And, state writing test time. And, state science test time. So, as you can see...we've been testing.

There have been a few exciting moments...

Well, you may find them humorous. I just find them annoying and frustrating sometimes, but I know that I will look back on these moments and laugh.

Maybe. I'll throw in some good-times pictures just in case I never find the humor in this!

This week, one of my angels refused to complete his district reading test. I had to take it up and turn in an empty test to the test administrator for him to finish later.

Another angel screamed bad language at another angel in the midst of her fit of throwing things from her desk and slamming books and stomping the floor. While this was going on (PRE-bad language), I was sitting silently across the room on top of a table watching it all transpire and allowing her to make a complete spectacle of herself before I calmly and ever so slowly walked over to her desk and informed her that unfortunately, she would not be leaving my room until every single thing was picked up and placed nicely where it should go. This caused her further frustration as a few students laughed at the scene, which I suppose caused the outburst. I, however, gave absolutely no reaction from my perch on the table across the room. I simply motioned for the class to remain as quiet as possible while buses were being called. So, visualize with me, twenty-four fourth grade students silently watching this temper tantrum smack dab in the middle of the classroom. Still, I remained completely calm, walked over to said child, ever-so-slowly pulled out a piece of notebook paper. I asked her to add to the homework assignments an apology letter to the class for her disruption and bad language. As she began snatching things and slamming again, I slowly pulled the things from her hand and placed them very softly on her desk so as to remain calm and hopefully transfer calmness by osmosis. Eventually, she had picked up all the thrown materials and her own belongings only to storm toward the door. Her ride had been there for the last 15 minutes waiting outside. I, however, was not about to allow her to exit my room having made such a mess and scene. I slowly and calmly placed my hand in front of her motioning to hold her hand. Since, at this point, most of the students had left on their buses, I walked this child to her ride. A very slow and calm walk. I informed her ride of the incident. I slowly and calmly walked back into the building and told the office staff how I hoped her ride would practice some breathing exercises with her. I, on the other hand, was completely drained from practicing breathing exercises myself during the 20 minute tantrum!

Thursday, we took our reading district test. We started around 8:30 and finished the test around 11:30. Yes, it was great fun! What 10 year old child doesn't want to sit still and fill in a bubble sheet for three hours?


Today, we took our language test. This test only took two hours. So, much less taxing on the system. Still...a long time for me to walk the room and a child to sit still and focused. But, I am very proud of how hard our students work. They wrote pages and pages of notes on scratch paper. Anything they could remember from charts that once hung on our bare walls. We have to cover EVERYTHING during testing.

I began the first testing day telling my students how smart they are (I mean, everyone knows that Mrs. Johnson's class is the smartest and best in the school! At least, that's what her students have been told by the non-biased teacher). I told them that I thought of them when I went shopping this week. So...(as I pulled out the bag) "I brought some Nerds for my nerds!" It was a great chance to relax and have fun before we opened our test booklets. I passed out the Nerds for a little "nerd power," followed shortly by cinnamon peppermints for a little "spark" later. It was a "sweet" moment in the midst of the not-so-sweet testing week.

After testing, we began to prepare for our math district test that will take place on Monday. Yes, more testing. We all had a "gram of grapes." Because everyone knows that one grape is about the same as one gram. So we all had one grape. We reviewed measurement, went to lunch, raced outside, and came back in for more review time. This time, it was partner competition with Jolly Rancher prizes. Sweet angel from across the room threw a fit because he didn't win. Why didn't he win you might ask? Well, apparently, in his words, "Dumb Jordan gave him the wrong answer." Really? Hmmm. I quickly informed him that if Jordan (I never use the words 'stupid' or 'dumb' in my room. Not in any connotation.) gave him all the wrong answers that would mean that said tantrum boy would have received a zero because he didn't answer anything himself. Well, this made him all the more mad. So, he slammed around and spoke in tongues or something, because I have no idea what he was saying, while he packed up. Lawsy! Give me a break kiddos!

We did not get to take our library time because we stopped so much during our measurement lesson for talkers. You know the ones...like I was one of those in school. And, I want to go back to every single teacher I ever had and apologize! By the end of the day, there were at least ten hormonal girls AND boys sulking at one point or another throughout the day. I'm tired!


The more unpredictable and frustrating moments I have, the more I realize how much I'm going to miss these children. As much as I hate all that comes along with public school teaching (paperwork, paperwork, and - oh yeah! - paperwork), I love working in the public school system. There is such a mix of students. All on different levels. All from different backgrounds. All depending on me to teach them something new. Depending on me to get them from point A (fourth grade) to point B (fifth grade). Such a responsibility and such a joy! At the end of the year, when all the testing is over and all my students have moved on, I will look back on this year as humurous, challenging, and fun. It's an honor to be nurse, mama, teacher, police, bodyguard, lawyer, judge, friend, mentor, and enemy at times. These angels are our future. And, I'm the one helping to get them there. Scary. But awesome!

It's usually not until AFTER a bad moment that I remember what our principal always reminds us.

These parents are sending us the best they have. These children are someone's babies. These children deserve everything your baby deserves. Because they are the best. No, they may not be treated like your babies at home, but they are someone's babies.

So, I try to do the best for the best that these parents have. I try to teach them things they need to know for school and things they should have learned at home. I try. I don't always succeed. But, I try.

And, it is an honor.