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.
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