New Book

I ordered this book back in October when I was doing a paper on multicultural education and I was really surprised when it arrived today because I had given up on it ever getting here. With my Amazon Prime account, I can get most books the day after I order them. Some books, however are more difficult to get through the amazon.de website and this was one of them. The delivery date kept getting pushed farther and farther back and I actually thought I had canceled the order anticipating that it was a text I would have to wait on until I am back in the U.S.

Now that this book has shown up, I am really excited to read it! I think it relates well to the research I plan to do for my dissertation. I am always looking for ways to be a more effective teacher for students whose backgrounds are different from my own. I am leaning towards researching the effectiveness of core reading programs for students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and I am going into with the belief that reading instruction needs to be more directly related to the particular students in a classroom, especially when students are learning English and come from cultures other than the mainstream. In my opinion, core programs don't do this since they are scripted, so I am interested in reading up on research that supports different methods for these populations of students.

***

I have been slacking on my reading this week. I was in the middle of The Borrowers, but I honestly was not digging it as much as some of the other books I have read from my list. I put it aside and started Island of the Blue Dolphins, which I have heard great things about. Neither book was bad, but I guess I overloaded the week before and now my brain just can't handle all the reading. The truth is I never just give myself a break, so it's probably time to do just that. I will try to finish those two books before school is out next week since I have to return them to the library. I have a few other teaching books I ordered waiting for me in California, so maybe it's time to switch back to PD books instead of children's novels....

Letting Go

I have a really hard time with goodbyes.

It was hard to leave my friends and family when I moved to Oregon.

It was hard to leave new friends and colleagues when I moved to Germany.

Now, again, I have to leave.

As the school year comes to a close, I will be seeing lots of students that I have worked with all year for the last time. This is really hard. When you work with kids that have special needs and challenges, whether they struggle academically, socially, physically, or cognitively, it is amazing how strong bonds can become. You put so much of yourself into helping them achieve and fit in and worry so much about how they are doing, it is really hard to let go.

I have been working with one high school student since November and I could cry just thinking about how much progress he has made. When I first met him, he barely talked to me because he was so shy and quiet. Now, because we have spent so much time in class together, he trusts me, smiles at me, and even kids around with me. He has a lot of room for growth in many areas, yet I am so proud of the progress he has made.

Last week his math teacher informed the class that they could do a short presentation on a famous mathematician "just for fun." I turned to my student, who has a lot of anxiety in social situations and doesn't exactly have a lot of confidence when interacting with peers, curious what he would think about this kind of presentation. Since he also has some trouble understanding language at times, I wanted to make sure he was clear on what the teacher had said.

Do you understand that you don't have to do this project?

Yes


And do you realize that if you do it, you will have to get up in front of the whole class and talk about your topic for ten minutes?


Yes.


And how do you feel about that?


I think I should give it a go.

Eight words that made my heart soar. This is no longer the same kid I met. Of course he was still nervous about the presentation, yet he still chose to "give it a go." I felt so proud of him!

Yesterday we got to see a few of his classmates present their projects then we worked on his during the last period of the day. I asked him which presentation he liked and he said that he preferred the one that used a power point presentation so that is what he wanted to do. He had selected to report on Stephen Hawking, which I think is filled with all kinds of irony because he also struggled in school when he was younger and he also has challenges with communicating. He was pretty good at putting together his slide show and after finishing up today, he had 9 slides ready to go. When it was time for math class, I realized there was a schedule change and the students who are normally in class with him were not there and other 8th graders were there instead. The kids he is used to taking class with would be joining for the second block.

I realized, either he could present this project in front of kids who he didn't know very well (which I anticipated would be pretty nerve-wracking for him) and have me there.

Or, he could wait and present it for the kids who are normally in his class, but I would not be able to stay because I had to sub for grade 5 math.

I cannot even tell you how pumped up I was to see him get up at the front of the room and present all by himself, but I knew that it wouldn't be fair to have him do it during the first period just so I could be there.I told him that he could make the choice between presenting to the kids he was more familiar with or having me there during his presentation.

He chose to present to the kids he knows better.

I didn't get to see it.

Although I was bummed out, I realized, he was comfortable enough to do this without me. That is the true mark of success in my area. When the student no longer needs you, you have done your job and it's truly cause for celebration even though it's hard to let go. I probably could have asked my HOD to switch places with me for the duration of his presentation so I could watch, but I felt like it was appropriate to let him have his independence.


Today was my last day working with this student because he will on a class trip all next week. Saying goodbye to a high school boy is not like saying goodbye to a room full of first graders with the tight squeezes and exuberant love. I decided that the best way to say goodbye was in a note. I wrote him a letter last night telling him how much I enjoyed working with him this year and how much improvement I have seen. I wished him well for next year. I feel corny having just left this note on the table in a flowery envelope with his name on it, but I have this raw emotion when it comes to my students and I am used to working with little kids who express themselves freely. From working with this student, I know he would not have been comfortable with a hug. Maybe a handshake, but that seems stiff and formal. So, I left a note.

I returned to his math classroom when I was done subbing and asked how his presentation went. He smiled and said it went great. I wish I could have seen it. I wish I could have witnessed it firsthand. I would have loved to be able to sit in the audience just in case he needed an encouraging smile, or some support, or some help getting back on track if he forgot what to say. I would have loved to be there if he needed me.

But he didn't...

He did great.

On his own.

and I guess that means I did good too...

Math Meltdown

 My two closest friends here in Germany are both third grade teachers. They are in the process of working on the 7 page report cards that need to be completed by Friday afternoon and that is really time consuming (to say the least). Because my schedule as a specialist is getting lighter (due to all of the special activities that take place at the end of the year interrupting regular class schedules that don't require support services), I thought it would be nice to offer to cover their math classes today so they could spend some additional time during the school day working on their reports. I have also been trying to help them correct timed math tests since it takes a lot of time to check the accuracy of 80 problems per kid because I feel bad that they are so stressed and I am straight chilling with my less than full schedule.

I LOVE having the chance to substitute, even if it's just for one period and I love the third grade kiddos, so it doesn't even feel like work to me.

One teacher left a lesson and I worked on teaching the kids about long division with remainders. The other teacher had me administer a math test. I prefer having the chance to actually teach, but if I can be the body in the room so that another teacher can have extra working time, I am definitely game.

I used to be the TA in both of these classrooms at the beginning of the year prior to joining the support services team, so I am familiar with all the kids. I have continued to spend a lot of time in one of these classrooms for my new role but I have not been in the other classroom much since early this year. I know the kids' personalities and quirks and I felt really lucky to have that background knowledge today because in the middle of the test there was a meltdown.

One of the kiddos raised his hand to ask for help because he didn't understand how to "check his work" which was part of the directions (they were supposed to multiply to check the division). I told him that if he wasn't sure he should go onto the next problem, but he quickly became upset and expressed concern over not being able to receive full marks for the part he didn't understand. He is really hard on himself and has a hard time moving forward when he is upset by something. I tried to put all of my freak out prevention skills into effect but crouching down to his level, speaking in a quiet matter of fact voice, and coaching him through the options/choices he could make did not help.

The tears welled up in his eyes.

His mouth quivered.

I continued to speak in a soothing voice trying to relay to him that it was important for him to continue on with the rest of the problems instead of giving up and worrying about this one part.

Well....he lost it.

 He basically crumpled over and let out a wail that caused all of the other kiddos to look up from their concentrated states in shock.

I knew from having worked in this classroom previously that his outbursts really escalate quickly and that he has a lot of trouble calming down, so I told him that he would need to come into the hallway with me. The other kids needed a quiet room and I needed to give him some privacy to talk through the difficulty he was having. He sat down in the hallway outside the door and continued to cry.

I crouched down at his level and told him that I could see he was very frustrated about this. I explained that there were two parts to the question and that he understood one, but was having trouble with the other and that it would be a good choice to continue working on the part that he understood even if that meant skipping part of some problems. I gave him the choice of coming back into the classroom to continue the test or to remain in the hallway until he was feeling better.

He stayed in the hallway.

I felt really bad that he got so upset, yet I thought that I did a good job handling the situation considering he is not a child that I really know very well. I know of his reactions, but I had never before truly been a part of one.

I returned to the classroom and continued to help the other kids with their questions.

After a few minutes, this kiddo came back into the room, took his seat and continued working on his test. I was really really happy that he was able to calm himself down and make this decision.

Since the kids were still taking the test, I didn't want to make a big fuss, so I wrote him a note on a yellow post it.

"I am really proud of you for making the good choice to come back inside and give the test another try."

I simply stuck the note on his desk next to his test paper and continued to the other side of the room, monitoring the rest of the group.

When I came back around to his table, I noticed that he had crumpled my note and shoved it in his desk. He looked at me with a part confused expression and part glare.

But he continued working on the test.

 I was really happy that his meltdown simmered down and did not end up being a complete disaster. Even though he didn't seem entirely thrilled with my attempt to sweetly compliment his choice, I do think that my tactics were a success!! Maybe it was a small success, but it could have ended worse.

What do you do when there is a meltdown in the classroom?

Reviews, Guest Posts, and Giveaways

Recently I have been contacted several times by people asking if I would be willing to have them write a guest post or if I would be willing to do a product review/giveaway. I find myself not really sure how to respond. I did a giveaway once before, but I after doing one, I was left feeling unsure about that whole aspect of blogging. I suppose it really has to do with the nature of the product I am being asked to review/giveaway, but I can't help but feel like it is just a way for certain companies/individuals to get business rather than a true reflection of their interest in my blog and those of you who read it. Are they really frequent readers or did they find my blog through a random search? Are they just using me? Did they send similar emails to many other bloggers as well? 

I feel like I know many of my readers, like I could sit down at a coffee shop and have a completely normal conversation with them as if we have been friends for years. I would welcome a guest post by someone who shares my interest in teaching and who knows me through my blog, yet these offers from strangers just leave me feeling uneasy.


I do like blogs that have giveaways, but when I see giveaways that ask people to follow the blogger on twitter and facebook in order to 'enter' I just feel like, for me personally, that is not what my blog is about. My blog is my writing and facebook and twitter are for different purposes. I love having followers and readers and hearing the opinions of others, but I do hope that my readers read my blog because they like what I write about and I wouldn't want to gain fans just because I am giving something away.

I review books and sometimes educational materials frequently, but there is something different about reviewing something specifically because I was asked to. I did accept the offer of a guest post because I thought why not try it out. Then I got another offer from someone wanting to do a guest post about any topic I wish for them to write about. I was left asking why? What is their angle? I don't really get it. I am just not sure how I feel about it. I question whether this is a direction I want my blog to go in--after all it is my blog so it should be my writing and my ideas. I know there are some very popular blogging communities that feature guest posts, but I love writing my posts and I want my blog to represent me. I am very interested to see the article that my guest blogger is putting together on the benefits of technology in education and instruction and I am interested to get feedback from you regarding whether it was a good choice to try out a guest post. Hopefully that post will be coming soon.

What are your thoughts on giveaways and guest bloggers? Would you let a 'stranger' post on your blog if they asked and you could review the post prior to putting it out there? Have you been asked to review products? When do you say yes and when do you say no?

If a legit educational supply company like Lakeshore asked me to do a review or course I would, but I am hesitant when I investigate the sites that are linked to these offers and they are less mainstream. Maybe I am too much of a worrier, but I am not looking to gain popularity by giving things away and I don't feel right reviewing something unless I am really using it or really believe in it. I also don't want to say negative things about a product that I have only used for the purpose of a review because I don't feel that is authentic either.

I would love to hear your opinions about this topic!!

Also, if you are a blogger that does giveaways or encourages people to follow you on facebook and twitter as well, please do not view this as an attack on how you choose to do things. I am just trying to figure out I feel about this topic and perhaps with some reader feedback I will get a better sense of things. This post is not meant to insult anyone, I am just really trying to think about this from different angles before I make my decision about the giveaway offers etc. Thanks for your help!

You know your husband loves you when....

He returns from a trip to the US, tells you he brought you something, reaches into his bag, and pulls out.....

Post-Its!

At least that is how I know Mr. Sneaker loves me because it takes a sweet husband to care and understand his wife's love of post-its. He told me when he went to CVS he saw them and thought of me and wanted to bring me some. I feel like it's already my birthday!

What does your husband/boyfriend/significant other do to show you he/she really cares?

***

A blog post I read this morning written by a teacher who will be changing positions and moving to a new school got me thinking about DonorsChoose. She commented that she is a bit bummed to leave behind the items she received from a fulfilled DC proposal and she hopes the teacher who takes over her classroom appreciates them. I honestly never even thought about the fact that DC items should remain in the classroom when I moved. I started to think about it and even searched on their site because I felt like a teacher who made the effort to obtain extra/supplemental materials should get to take those materials to use with future students. The site actually said that it depends on what the original proposal stated and the intended usage of the items. In certain circumstances items can go with the teacher but in certain circumstances they can't.

I feel bad if I took items with me that "belonged" to my previous classroom, however, given that I obtained math games and lots of books, I should be able to use those materials with future classes since I took the time to write the proposal. Is that wrong? Teaching materials can be very costly and therefore once I obtained them through the grant, I kind of felt like they were mine (to use as I noted in the proposal, but not necessarily with the same kids or in the same room...). I used them according to my proposal for two years and I will continue to use them with my Kindergarten class next year. Did I do the wrong thing? I honestly never considered that those materials could possibly belong to my school considering I applied for them as an individual. 

Teachers, what do you think? If you get materials that are for general classroom usage like books and games, do they stay with the classroom if you change grade levels or schools or do you take them because the idea was that they would benefit kids and they will still do that even if you are in a different place (given that it is still a public school as that is one of the requirements of applying?). 

Prague shopping

Hi bloggy buddies, did you miss me?  I had a great weekend in Prague with two of my friends celebrating Jill's birthday. We did a ton of walking and enjoyed some good shopping! I found the cutest dress and as soon as I saw it I knew it would be the dress I will wear on the first day of school this year. I also bought a cute necklace made of buttons...Is it crazy that I am now shopping to fit the part of a Kindergarten teacher? For some reason I feel like being a Kindergarten teacher goes along with being adorable and having license to wear corny (but cute) accessories! I also got myself a cute red tote bag that will be my new work bag.

My mom and I take pics like this all the time to email each other new purchases since we rarely get the chance to shop together. Just thought I would include it since I don't have much else to share today. The shoes are new too. Different store, but a perfect match to the dress. It's one of those tricky shades that is very dark navy (almost black) so I was really happy to find cute shoes to go perfectly.

Trust me, the first day of school will probably be the only day all year I dress this nice, but I always feel like the first day merits a special outfit! What do you think?

LOVE this bag and it was on sale for 5,999 (in Czech money!). It was only 23 Euros! What a steal. It's really big and will definitely fit binders & teacher manuals that I bring home from time to time. The store had it in a pretty yellow and khaki as well, but I only got the red. I got one for my mom in yellow and that is just about all I could carry!

How cute is this button necklace?? 

Doesn't it scream "Kindergarten teacher"?

I love shopping!