BackToTheThemePark

I haven’t had a roller coaster of a week like this since my first year… Both kids and adults had some real low points this week, BUT there were a couple of redeeming times that ALMOST made up for them.

Let’s talk about the lows:
1. Rushing kids into the hallway before they were quiet/mentally ready and having them flip out which required and an administrator to step in to yell at them for me…
2. Experiencing EXTREME disrespect from children who fight/yell/run in the hallway and having no idea how to respond…
3. Advising a mother to have her child skip a field trip… causing her to cry and me to feel HORRIBLE
4. Having girls repeatedly skip, come late, or leave class early and not having an effective consequence…
5. Having one of my best boys who I LOVE get in a fist fight with one of my boys who can’t HELP but to get into conflicts because I wasn't monitoring them.
6. Prepping my kids for standardized tests… with more standardized tests

And now a couple of bright spots:
1. Visiting a KIPP charter school, getting to observe the teacher who I replaced AND actually being able to bring a lot of what I saw BACK to my own classroom : )
2. Being observed by my PD from last year and having her see that kids are actually learning (at least a little bit) in my class!
3. Finding to great ways to start math that my kids REALLY enjoy
4. Having kids that ROCK: They were able to take a state test, do a make-up test when they were done and THEN go to math class… incredible!

Coming soon: The solutions to all the above low points… hopefully : )

Love!
Ms. Newton