Best Time of the Year!

This is my favorite time of year, teaching first grade. The students understand my rules and expectations, so I can relax a little more and have more fun with them. Also, they are much more independent and mature so rapidly during the next couple of months. At the beginning of first grade, they are so needy and can barely read anything on their own. By this time, most of my students are not only able to read, but enjoy picking out new books to read on their own.

This year, I still have a fair number of students who are really struggling to read at the level that is expected of them. It's heart breaking to see them trying their best, but just not making enough progress. I'm trying as many strategies as I can and trying to make it fun in the process, but it's so frustrating to see them keep failing.

This past week, I held parent conferences and went over the latest report card. For most parents, I had good news and just a short list of things that they needed to work on with their child, but I also had to tell some parents that their child isn't making enough progress to go on to the next grade level. It's hard to break the news, but I try to let them down as easy as possible and stress that it really will be best for the child. And ultimately, the decision is up to the parents. I just see some students struggling in my class and don't want them to lose the little bit of confidence that they have if they get pushed on to a much more challenging grade level. I'm trying to spend more time with these students in small groups, but one teacher can only do so much with a classroom of 20 busy students.

And that brings me to the unfortunate part of this year, when teachers are unsure if they'll have a job next year. Each day is a different story, but this year it just seems far worse than it's been in the past three years. I, most likely, will go back to substitute teaching in a different class each day, never knowing where I'll be or if I'll even have work every day. It's so frustrating to want to do something so badly, but not be able to do it full-time or be making any progress. No pay raises for substitute teachers and I'm not building any seniority, so when teachers are hired back I'm still at the bottom of the list. At least I'm gaining experience and meeting new people and in some ways, I'm still making a difference.

 Instead of focusing on the changes that will come after June, I will enjoy the next three months with my students and give them the educational experience that they, and all other students, deserve.

Busy as a Bee!

The year is suddenly passing by so quickly, yet there is still so much to do.
We went our first and only field trip of the year last week. The kids had been so excited for weeks and I think that it met their expectations. In fact, a few students, this week, were telling me that they already miss the zoo. The weather was perfect, we didn't lose any students, and we saw almost all of the animals. I wish that we could have more field trips because the kids seemed to have so much fun and it brought our class even closer together, but blame it on the lack of money.
Speaking of which, it has been a bad couple of days for many teachers in my district. Pink slips were mailed out and teachers who have been teaching up to 9 years may lose their job. In any other business this just wouldn't happen. 9 years at one job is a long time and it's crazy to think that teachers aren't being recognized for their dedication, loyalty, and hard work.
In my grade level, this year, we have really been struggling with getting the students to read at the expected level. We are doing everything we can to work with them in small groups and creating lessons that push them to the expected level. It saddens me that we can't celebrate the little successes that our students are making. Yes, they are expected to read a certain number of words per minute, but if they came into first grade reading just 5 and now they are reading 15, that is an improvement.
Parent conferences are coming up in a couple of weeks and it's going to be difficult to tell some parents that their child is making progress, but it just isn't enough. I like to keep things positive and motivating, but there are just some students where retention is my best recommendation. And it's up to the parents to make that decision and hopefully they'll do what is right for their child. I just hate to see students moving on who are already struggling. The extra year can make such a difference, especially when it's first grade.
On to more positive news. My students are really surprising me. This is the time of year where light bulbs suddenly go off and they mature both physically and academically. All the things that I've been telling them since the beginning of the year are finally starting to sink in. For example, I rarely have to raise my voice anymore because other students do it for me. They try to quiet the class when other students are talking or they shout out that the teacher is talking and that everyone should listen. I really have a great group of students this year as far as behavior. The boys are learning to be gentlemen. I give each student hand sanitizer before lunch each day and I always call two students at a time. The boys have learned to let the girls go first. It started out with one or two boys and now it's about 50% of the boys who say, "ladies first." It's so cute!
Also, I've been pushing students to tell me why they think something is true in a story or, in math, how they got their answer. Most of the students can give reasons and the students who can't learn through what their peers are saying. Somehow they seem to listen better when another student is talking and I guess they are speaking at the same level.
Parent conferences, report cards, open house, and then before you know it, school is out. The stress levels are high right now, but hopefully I'm providing a good learning experience for my students. And this week, I'm doing something right because the students are telling me that I'm a great teacher this week. Not sure what I'm doing differently, but it's nice to know that I'm appreciated.

A Year in Review

As you may have imagined, it was a busy year and an even busier holiday season. I don't remember it being so crazy the first year that I taught, but maybe every year is different.
I'm two weeks into my vacation and so thankful that I have another one left. Time to start thinking about work again and getting ready to go back.
Before the break started, I told my class that my Christmas Wish was for them to become readers, so hopefully Santa delivered!
I don't usually do New Years resolutions, but there are a few goals that I'd like to accomplish during the second half of the school year: 1) I want to push my students even harder 2) I want to be more strict and 3) I want them to be stronger readers. Plus, I want to post blogs more often.

I thought that it would be fun to list some of my favorite things, in no particular order, that have happened since school started in September:

• Welcoming my class on the first day and having one student shout out that he was so excited and that he loves school. (He has continued to be an enthusiastic student)
• Dressing up for Halloween and seeing the kids get so excited about every costume that they saw.
• Learning about Thanksgiving through a poem that the students memorized (which has inspired me to find more poems for the students to learn)
• Watching the students create their own work space in the classroom library. One by one they moved their chairs next to the shelves and quietly worked. 
• Practicing for the Holiday Program was not my favorite part of the year, but watching the final result was worth all the headaches and stress.

As much as I enjoy the time off, I'm looking forward to seeing my students again!