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end of year in first grade
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One of my co-teachers said her son has just been hired as a new teacher in Missouri and he was given a classroom key and a building key. She and I have taught for 30 years and we are not allowed to have a building key over the summer----not even allowed to sign for one and check it out. This seems to be a district-wide policy. We have a new reading series to start in the fall and new behavior lessons we need to teach each day. Now that we have relaxed a little and we're starting to think about getting things ready for the fall, we want to drop in to the classroom and pick up materials. There are too many books to bring home at one time. I live two blocks from the school. The principal said we could call him and he would let us in any time we want. (providing he is available.)
Is this common to other school districts? We have not had break-ins or problems with security that I know of. All the custodians have keys----even the young ones just starting out. Shouldn't veteran teachers who have proved to be reliable and trust-worthy be allowed to have building keys?
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I am not an early riser, so I purposely signed up for a 7 a.m. exercise class for three days a week to get me going in the mornings. I cannot believe how much better I feel. I still come home and drink my coffee, read, and relax, but I have more energy to do things around the house for the rest of the day.
If there was a 6 a.m. class during the school year could I make it out of bed and still get to school at 8:00? I don't know. I think teaching takes a lot of physical effort (first grade), so I did two nights a week of Pilates during the school year. This is much easier to do since I have no kids at home anymore and my husband is flexible about suppertime.
Two other teachers and I walk for 15 minutes each day at lunch. We go fast and get one mile in. Then we come back and eat in the 25 minutes we have left. We enjoy it, but it does push us for time to be ready for our afternoon teaching. A friend of mine in Missouri says her PTO has bought treadmills for the teachers to use on their breaks. I love that idea. We could destress a little while the kids are running around in p.e. class or are on the playground.
I used to pull my back out every once in a while when I bent over my first graders' desks. I don't do that any more! I'm an in-shape old lady! 
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Our last day of school was June 4. I had dreams of coming right home and starting to clean out closets and cabinets---things I have not gotten to all school year. Instead, I did what I do every year---collapsed on the couch and the next two nights I slept for 12 hours each. My body and mind were exhausted. I've taught many years and it seems to be this way every year. (The mind is willing, but the body is not.)
After a week and a half, I now feel rested and ready to get on with my life.
Part of my mental exhaustion came from having to retain FIVE of my first graders. For four of them it was a good decision, but for one of them it was very "iffy." He's an intelligent boy, but he lives with his brother and single dad and education has not been a priority in the past few years at his house. I knew (after teaching 2nd grade for 23 years) that he does not have the skills to be successful in 2nd grade next year. His dad was very kind and supportive of me, but it was still a difficult decision.
If you're wondering, "Why FIVE retainees?" you know why I was stressed. I figured after having them in my class a full year they should be able to read. I think they were just not ready. They came to first grade knowing few letters of the alphabet and their homes are filled with struggles. My class was 100% low income this year.
Two days after school was out, I woke up with a pain in my wrist and I figured I slept on it wrong. As the day went on, I could not write, peel vegetables, or pick up anything because of the pain along my arm and down through my little finger. That whole area became swollen and red. It scared me, especially since I couldn't write, and I went to the doctor. He figured it was tendinitus and the only thing I know it could have been was cleaning out my school room and carrying heavy books and things around. It is clearing up now. I believe our bodies say to us "Hey, you need to sit and do nothing for a while."
So, I have been drinking coffee, reading (and reading and reading), talking to old friends on the phone and email, and eating good food. I've also added a 7 a.m. exercise class with a wonderful drill sargeant-like instructor, so I will get up and get going instead of sleeping until 9:00.
After a little more of this good life I will be ready to tackle my house and get it in order. Until then, I am going to enjoy June!
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I was raised by a wonderful mother, but she couldn't keep house. I use that as my excuse for not knowing how to keep things neat. Yesterday I could not find my lunch bag so I could send the lunch count down to the office. The first graders saw me looking for it. One little red-head by my desk said, "Do you want me to look in the big piles while you look in the little piles?" (Now, isn't that sweet?)
Anyway, I got up an hour earlier today so I could go in and work on a few of those "piles" she was talking about. Sometimes when I'm the last one left in the building, I peek in other teachers' rooms to see if they're as messy as mine. They don't seem to be.
I feel like I want to be teaching every minute at this first grade level and I don't seem to get anything put away during the day. I see other teachers who also seem to be teaching continually, but yet have a sort-of neat room. Ideally, I should go to them and ask them how they do it, but I think I have a pride-thing when it comes to these teachers. (I really hate to admit that!)
Would any of you neatniks out there give me any pointers about what you are having the kids do when you get things straightened? I know you can be a good teacher and be fairly neat, but I don't know how to do both.
Sincerely, Eva
P. S. What are your thought patterns as you get ready to clean anything? (That line sounded really silly to me as I typed it!) What I mean is, I grew up in such a messy house that I don't know how to motivate myself or get my mind "in gear" to do it.
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I saw this on a t-shirt today. "No Child Lef.......Where's the chalk?" (of course, the first part is written on a chalkboard)
I came home last night with a big bag from Walmart. It was full of tape, extra underpants (for first grade "accidents"), and treats to help erase spring fever. I know we all do it. Wouldn't it be great if there was a closet somewhere in the building that held some of these things? Oh, well. I'm just thinking. Eva
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We are starting to get on each other's nerves in first grade! Too many indoor recesses. We discussed in the teachers' lounge that the kids usually start disliking each other in March and Boy! do they need to get out on the playground and get the wind in their fur!
We're trying to think of some fun new ways to present lessons to keep everyone happier. Yesterday we practiced writing our spelling words in shaving cream on our desks. We took a mini-chocolate-donut bread another day (cheese crackers for those who didn't want sweets). When the ground dries from the snow and rain we will be able to take a nature walk down the street and write about that.
Any other early elementary ideas out there to keep the days exciting? Eva
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Best way to have a good day in first grade (or any other grade)
1. Everyone has sharpened pencils (or any other needed supplies, which means I keep backups).
2. I am OVER-PREPARED with enough lesson activities, stories to read, etc.
3. I have a kind, loving, and firm attitude toward the students.
4. I EXPECT some interruptions and so I am not upset when they happen.
5. I remember that MOST parents are doing the best they know how and it my job to be kind and give them guidance if they desire it.
6. I tell the students EXACTLY what I want them to DO, not just tell them to stop what they are doing when they misbehave.
7. I expect (from the students), and then I inspect to see if it's done.
8. I remember some of the thoughts I had as a first grader and I explain, explain how things really are. (For example, potato chips with green edges have not been peed on by a frog, but are from green potatoes.)
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We were with her at inservice Friday afternoon. She was given her own classroom after subbing faithfully for two years. She was a delightful person---kind, friendly, the mother of two young children, and the wife of a firefighter. She went for a Saturday morning walk at 9:00 and did not come home. Her body was found in a wooded area nearby.
We are all in shock and cannot believe this happened in our small town. Please pray for us, her family, and the first graders she leaves behind.
Thank you all for being a caring, teaching community.
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I noticed one student has applauded for the past few weeks when he sees me walking outside with the class,whistle hanging around my neck, to do my weekly 20-minute playground duty for 160 first and second graders. He seems so happy about it, so today I said, "Are you glad when I'm outside with the class?" He said, "Yes, I'm glad that YOU'RE getting a break, too!"
Ha!---some day he'll know the truth, but for now I'll let him think it's a break for me too!
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Picture this--My first grade class, lined up at the classroom door, ready to go out for recess. The first boy in line tripped over his own feet, fell face forward, and was unable to break his fall with his hands. His nose took all the force of his fall. As soon as I helped the dear boy up I sensed that his nose was broken. There were dark red creases where his nose had flattened against the floor. We did what we needed to do--called the nurse, applied an ice pack, and called a parent to pick him up. Even though the father had been told what happened over the phone, by the time he arrived he had figured out that someone had probably pushed his child from behind and he was ANGRY. He told the secretary that he wanted to know who had done this----"I'm a cage fighter and if someone's messing around with my kid, I'm going to take care of it."
So, on Monday we will have a cage set up on our playground at recess and the man is going up against the classmate who several others have accused of doing the pushing. It is a relief to me that parents are finally getting more involved in education.
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Anyone else out there teaching in an un-air-conditioned classroom? It is almost unbearable at this time of the year in the midwest. If we mention that we're miserable, we are reminded---our classrooms were not air conditioned when we grew up. And I say---People did not live as long back then either!------ha! 
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Summer has been great so far---vacation to Panama City, the reading of as many books as I want, lots of cooking for family and visiting--all things that I love. As soon as July 1 comes I think, "This is all going to end soon." This will be the fall of my 30th year and there have always been butterflies and thoughts of "Can I do this again?" and as soon as school starts I'm back into it again and doing fine. But, this morning I've had a heaviness and a weariness just thinking of doing it again. Can I take the stress of children (1st grade) who seem to have never been disciplined in their 6 years of life? Can I take having administrators listening to me (and others) and then saying "It can't be that bad?" I worry for my health. I take good care of myself, but my blood pressure rises when I teach. (I do take medication and check myself often.) Am I just burnt out beyond help or is this normal for a 30-year veteran? I must teach 5 more years to get my full retirement and I'm continually taking classes so I can refresh myself and go up on the salary scale. Will I make it 5 more years?
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Are any of you lower-grade teachers using the Lindamood-Bell program for whole-class instruction? If so, I'd like to hear what you think of using it with a group of 20. We are required to start teaching it in our first grade classes beginning this fall. We have had a 3-day training and I can see it is a good program. I'm just trying to figure how it will work, since I've only seen it used in small groups with our LD students. Please give me your opinions or advice. Thanks!
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It's amazing what a few days off school will do for one's spirit! I wrote last week about how tired I was. As soon as we handed out report cards, most of us first grade teachers were told to head to a 3-day workshop on Lindamood-Bell training so we can teach it next year in our classroom. We did not want to go, since all the other teachers, 2nd-8th grade were off free for the summer. We were told we HAD to go. Several teachers decided it was against our contract and either said they were just not going or that they had a vacation planned (even tho they didn't). We were not compensated for this monetarily. The ones who did not go will have to get subs for 3 days in the fall and the district will pay for them to go. (I did not want to write 3 days of sub plans for 1st grade, so I opted to do the summer class.) Does this happen in other districts? Do you take summer workshops when you are to be trained for a new program and you are not compensated except for CPDU's?
I feel like an undedicated teacher writing this, but this workshop followed a horrendous year of having an emotionally disturbed student in my class for 8 months and then having him removed for the last month to finally be put in a special ed. class. (He had kicked and bruised at least 6 people here, ran away twice, cut and electrical cord and left sparks flying and then tried to touch the exposed wires before I unplugged, tried to remove a light bulb to shock himself, pulled my shirt down to expose my bra in front of my first graders and then bragged about it to the principal, called me and many other teachers f___'n b___tches, and more!) This is the 3rd year this has happened to me. It is not just me, but others are having these type of kids in their class and they are not being removed. We are having so many emotionally disturbed kids come in and our special ed percentages are going up. I don't know if the district is worried about it financially or how it looks on our records that we have so many special ed kids. Our poverty rate is 87% in our school, which translates to low parenting skills, high drug use, and general low morale. We teachers are doing the best we can. We truly care about the kids, but we are working with 20 kids per day with no in-class aids at all. My Title 1 aid pulls 3 kids a day for the Voyager program. The LD teacher pulled 6 kids out 1 hour per day. Are the rest of you bloggers finding your district leaves emotionally disturbed kids in your class?
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I have just finished the end of my 29th year. I truly enjoy teaching, but the demands of the job seem rougher as I get a bit older. I am ready to enjoy a relaxing summer---go on vacation with one of our daughters and two of her friends and get through the clutter of the house and straighten it up.
It is the emotional part of the teaching job that wears on me. Seeing so many children without one of their parents, physical and sexual abuse victims, poverty, growing numbers of special ed needs, and behavior problems I never dreamed I would see in a classroom. These things have all increased in the past 5 years. We are a small town, but have inner-city ghetto problems.
I will feel renewed some after I have had 3 months of rest (including 3 classes I will take to help inspire me). Are any of the rest of you overwhelmed with the problems your students face?
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