Classroom Pet!

Thanks to my apartment mate we now have a classroom pet - he is a teal beta fish with bright purple rocks and fantastic little bubbling tank I keep on the counter. I got him yesterday - when I went in on my snowday to get things done. Because you know ... I think I'm still a teacher even though this is yet another 4 day weekend thanks to snow! I am going to let the kids vote to name him ... talk about how voting can help you decide things - like who is going to be president and what the name of our fish is going to be....that is of course if he lives to Monday. It would be awful if he was floating when we got there.

The kids are working hard - lots of Letter ID and Letter Sound scores to celebrate, Oral Language scores to wonder at .... (not good), and boring Concepts About Print Tests to still give...the DRA is the best part of the 3 I've given, I had a level 3, a level 2, and a level 1 - all appropriate gains, in fact a 3 is higher than I might expect except given the little girl who did it....she is something else. I love to place a book in front of them and let them shine - they have grown SO much in 84 days of school and I love them even more today than I did on day 1 when I was still in awe of being a real live teacher. Sometimes I still feel that awe - mostly when I unlock my classroom, before the lights turn on as I walk in the room and I look around at all the clean little tables, fat tri-hold pencils, and decorations for Valentine's Day and Winter. Like yesterday - 2 solid hours to myself in my room - reorganizing, doing things I have wanted to do since day 1 but haven't had time to do....makes me enjoy the fact that I am finally a teacher. It's nice to have those little refreshing moments because though I love the job and the kids and the school - there are moments when "MISS STOWE" makes me want to run out of the room straight to my car. I need to remember that they aren't trying to annoy - and that each child is asking for the first time, it's just that there are 21 first times in a given work period! I am "needed" I suppose but I need to work on finding joy in them asking for my attention.

I anticipate Monday being difficult....but I will be ready to see them for sure!
More to come ... I have been slacking in writing and I don't want to miss details.

Quotes This Week:

"Miss how did your hair get so red?"

"Your cat is on the naughty list!"

D: "My Mom won't let me go outside in the snow cuz she says not to throw snow at cats..."
Me: "Do you usually throw snow at cats?"
D: "My Cat isn't scared of snow but other cats is."

(hmm).

"Miss I'm going to be a nurse when I grow up"
"Will you take care of me when I'm sick?"
"yessssss!"

"I has ringworms - they jumped on me!" - gross.

"The thermometer was green - says I can go to school today so I didn't take no medicine." What? (she had been in school all week....unclear what the issue was here)

D: (now my calendar helper for 2 weeks) "The month is October! The Year is 2010"
Oh dear - where have you been for 3 months my friend?

I have more written down on random post-its in my bag... have to write them down - it's great!