Are You the Annoying One?

It was almost time for Thanksgiving dinner.  We sat watching football, anxiously awaiting the turkey, mashed potatoes, and dressing.  Unfortunately we were having trouble concentrating because my 17 year old niece and 14 year old nephew were wrestling around on the couch.  Finally, their mom couldn't stand it anymore.

She yelled  Cut it out, both of you!

Luke whined: But mom

Leah whined: But mom

Luke whined:  But mom, she's so annoying.

Leah responded:  Get off of me!

Do you get the picture?  Leah had been sitting on the couch minding her own business when Luke came over and sat on top of her.  He started pestering her until it ended in the screaming match that got their mom involved.  But in his mind, she was soooo annoying.

Naturally this situation made me start to think about the students in Reading Workshop.  I know that their teacher is never annoying :) , but what about them.  Do they ever blame someone else, before looking in the mirror?

What do you think?  Are you the annoying one?

Image from http://www.vrkmphoto.com/sister/brother-and-sister-love/

A Smile Spreader

Each morning Madison walks into the room, passing out smiles and hellos to everyone in her path.  She greets each student like a long lost friend, and lets them know she is glad to see them.  There are no rainy days in her world, and she wants every person she sees to join her in the sunshine.

This upbeat attitude has infected the whole class.  You cannot be around her without giving some of the smile back.  The next thing you know, even if  you are real careful, and try to prevent it, you give a smile to someone else, and on and on.  It's almost ridiculous how this epidemic spreads each morning.  

I started thinking about this as I was reading the We Teach, We Learn blog and found this link to research at Harvard and the University of California at San Diego by Dr. Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler.  They found that "happiness spreads through social networks like an emotional contagion."  

I don't need research to prove it to me.  I have to watch or I get caught up in it every morning. If this kid doesn't get to seventh grade before long, I may end up smiling all the time.  Naahhhh, probably not.

Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/joellecleveland/2581227771/sizes/s/

Why Test Prep is Like Running into a Brick Wall

Boy are students in Reading Workshop about to be surprised.  They may not be crash dummies, but they are headed for a wreck.  After six months of reading and writing, of discussion and learning, of  thinking and blogging, things are about to change.  Woohoo, it is time to get ready for the Ohio Achievement Assessment (this used to be the OAT until they decided we needed a new acronym).

Let's see, we start with pull out for intervention.  Then we add pull out for test taking skills.  Next is pull out students with IEP's so they know what they have to do for the test.  Then, it is my turn to go to the office and run off about 73,000 copies of old test passages about engaging stuff like what makes a dummy crash, with thought-provoking questions for students to answer.

Don't get me wrong.  I think I believe that the test is important.  When I go to grade level meetings next year, they will determine if I am a hero, or a zero.  Students will be placed in seventh grade based on the ability  they show on the test.  So they must do well.  Our school will be evaluated based on students showing they are better test takers than last year. So obviously the test is important.

Why will students feel like they hit a wall next week?  Stay tuned as we discover the answers to these questions and find out why dummies keep running into brick walls, or something like that.

Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/jodigreen/1674032402/sizes/s/

Let it Snow

Today is the first day back from winter break.  Well, today was supposed to be the first day back.  Instead, we get one more day.  Fourteen degrees out and snowing hard, so school was canceled.

Oh well, tomorrow is the first day back from winter break.

As a trucker stops for a red light, a blonde catches up.  She jumps out of her car, runs up to his truck and knocks on the door.

The trucker lowers the window and she says, "Hi, my name is Heather and you are losing some of your load."  The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street.

When the truck stops for another red light, the blonde catches up again.  She jumps out of her car, runs up and knocks on the door.  Again the trucker lowers the window.  As if they've never spoken, the blonde says brightly, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load."

Shaking his head, the trucker ignores her again and continues down the street.  At the third red light, the same thing happens again.  All out of breath, the blonde gets out of her car, runs up, and knocks on the truck door.  Again she says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load."

When the light turns green, the trucker races to the next light.  When he stops this time he hurriedly gets out of his truck and runs back to the blonde.  He knocks on her window, and after she lowers it, he says.....

"Hi, my name is Mark, it's winter and I'm driving  a salt truck!"

Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/fhashemi/72545435/sizes/s/

Who Else is a Little Crazy Around Here?

The word for today is sanity. Statistics say that one of four persons is suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your three best friends. If they're okay, it's you.

And what brings up the word for the day?  Tomorrow is the start of a five day break.  We may all be a little crazy, but I am sure when we return on Monday, after a little R & R, we will be rejuvinated, and chomping at the bit to get back in the educational saddle.

Don't eat too much at the Pumpkin Show and enjoy the break!

Conferences, Who's to Blame?

Probably from reading his teacher's blog!

Top 10 Overused Awards Assembly Comments

According to Doug Johnson, on the Blue Skunk Blog most of us would prefer shallow wit to deep intelligence in our writers and speakers. Thank goodness. Granted, this is taken from his biases, but I read it on the internet, so I know it is true.

I guess that justifies publishing much of what we read on blogs. Using this line of reasoning, I can write many a post that veers on the edge of smartalecky. I can throw it out there and justify it by saying that I am just trying to share a little humor.

Oh well, here it goes--my top 10 tired and overused comments at an awards assembly.

1. I am so proud . . .

2. She is doing sooooo much better . . .

3. I never get an award.

4. He gets all the awards.

5. This is boring.

6. SSSSSHHHHHH

7. This is the best class . . .

8. I knew I wouldn't get an award because he doesn't like me.

9. She is a teacher's pet.

10. Keep trying and you will get an award next time (when pigs can fly). Oh sorry, somehow my thoughts snuck in here.

Can guess which are the teachers' comments and which are the students? By the way, have you figured out that we had an awards assembly yesterday?

Congrats to all of the award winners!