teachers unite- Page 9

[adamgreer]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 10:29pm

About a week ago, I locked my keys in my car when I arrived at work. I was laughing at my stupidity, telling my first period class about it, and how thankful I was to have AAA, since they were going to come out to help me. My 8th graders all gave me these looks like, "You idiot. You can't figure out how break in to your car?" One of them, being the enterprising you fellow that he is, offered to go out and show me how to do it, "for future reference."

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 3/5/09 at 8:11pm

I'm teaching my first graders adjectives using the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

I found the majority of adjectives but there are 2 sentences I'm not sure about so I'm hoping some smart teachers can help me out.


"He started to look for some food."(Is SOME an adjective?)

"The caterpillar ate through one nice green leaf, and after that he felt much better." (I know that ONE, NICE, and GREEN are adjectives, but is the word MUCH an adjective?)

[Jess1483]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 7:08am

Yes, some is an adjective. It's an adjective of quantity (just like one). I'd almost say "much better" is an adverb to felt...I'm not sure, though. Hm... I don't know if that was helpful.

On a side note, I know you are teaching first grade now, but this site has saved my life teaching second, so you may want to check it out. http://secondgradeclub.ning.com/forum
You have to join, but it's free.

[nmartin]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 7:30am

Year 22: Worn out. Running away this weekend to Baton Rouge. It's that time of year, folks. LSU is having a book sale. Imagine being a 49 year old teacher and excited about driving 180 miles to Baton Rouge.

[nmartin]

Posted: 3/6/09 at 7:30am

Year 22: Worn out. Running away this weekend to Baton Rouge. It's that time of year, folks. LSU is having a book sale. Imagine being a 49 year old teacher and excited about driving 180 miles to Baton Rouge.

[violet72]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 1:41pm

Right now I am teaching and have state testing coming but I am also directing our production of Beauty and the Beast plus I am the indoor guard advisor...opening weekend and championship week are the same week....I am nuts

[TrekkieMonstah]

Posted: 3/8/09 at 6:57pm

SweetQ wrote: "The caterpillar ate through one nice green leaf, and after that he felt much better." (I know that ONE, NICE, and GREEN are adjectives, but is the word MUCH an adjective?)

"Better" is an adjective, modifying the linking verb "felt." "Much" is an adverb, modifying the adjective "better."

[KelRel]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 8:32pm

Well its that time of year. Part 1 of state testing for the Spring is over and its nuts between testing and Spring Break. When we get back from break it will be really nuts until summer and we go until June 12th. Things at our school are going crazy, we have had an administration switch and everything is up in the air and in flux. I'm just tired and need a break. Anyone else?

[singingwendy]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 9:46pm

Break? What is that?

We've had an awfully disjointed winter with snow days, conferences, and scheduled days off. This isn't good when you're trying to prepare for a concert in early March. The concert's tomorrow, and I'm just hoping everyone remembers everything they're supposed too!

Our testing starts next week and we're straight through until Easter break. And that's only Thursday, Friday and Monday. I have to say, although we're done in early June, sometimes I think I'd rather go later and have a real "spring break".

All in all, I think everyone's just ready for spring. I'm tired of winter jackets and waking up in the dark! Bring on the sun!

[jasonf]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 10:24pm

Trust me, you don't want to go later! We go till almost the end of June (I think our last day is like the 25th) and the kids are ITCHING to get out by then. The last month is so packed with extra stuff, that it's like that breathless last day of school lasts for weeks!

[singingwendy]

Posted: 3/10/09 at 10:26pm

Well...I'd go back to June 12th-14th like we used to do, rather than June 4th....

A few years ago they compacted our school year and took most of the inservice days and put them at the beginning and end of the year...which makes for a stressful schedule.

[Jess1483]

Posted: 3/11/09 at 7:26am

Last year we went until July 17th--talk about the kids (and teachers!) wanting to get out! Attendance was spotty at best after July 4. We took a lot of field trips.

This year we get out June 30, but we have a couple of nice breaks (3 weeks at Christmas and 2 for spring break) so I'm okay with it.

Our state testing was last week and this week, but 2nd graders don't test, so the only part that affected me was losing specials and not being able to take my kids out to "recess" (10 minutes in a courtyard) in the morning. Our school's so test-crazy that my kids were sad they didn't get to take it...

[jasonf]

Posted: 3/13/09 at 5:43pm

I had to bump this for this story.

I had told my classes that we're going to be doing A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare at the beginning of the year, and I referenced Shakespeare a few more times saying it's coming up.

We're finally starting it tomorrow.

An eighth grader - this is a FOURTEEN year old boy living in a fairly affluent suburb (and I know his family has money) said to me in study hall today "What's Shakespeare?"

Now, this kid has a reputation for joking - a lot - but he was completely serious.

I said, "Shakespeare, you know, the playwright."

"So we're writing plays?" he said.

"No, he wrote plays. We're reading one."

"Oh, we're reading? So we're reading a book?"

"Well, it's IN a book," I answered. "But it's a play."

"So what's a Shakespeare then?" (I couldn't make this up!)

"He's the guy who wrote the play."

"OOOOH!"

A fourteen year old boy, fairly well off, living in the suburbs - NEVER HEARD OF SHAKESPEARE! I still can't believe I had this conversation today - and even more that it was 100% serious!

[nmartin]

Posted: 3/13/09 at 5:49pm

Well, my 22nd spring break just started. Not too many years ago I would have been fired-up to take a trip to New Orleans. Now I'm fired-up to take a nap.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 3/17/09 at 8:27pm

The aide in my classroom let me borrow this book she was reading and it's short stories- life lesson from teaching. It is absolutely adorable!!!! Some the the stories are hysterical, some are scary and some are heartwarming but all are Oh so true and real!!

This is a MUST READ!!!!!

It's called: 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny.

Author: Phillip Done.

[SweetQintheLights]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 7:38pm

I went back to visit my 1st grade babes today (I was student teaching and finished 3 weeks ago).

It's sooo cute they all come running to hug me.

Anyway, we went to sit on the carrpet and the kids were asking me questions...(ex: Did you graduate? Are you going to teach us next year?) One of the kids asks if I'm working and I told them no, I am looking for a summer job. Of course, several of them offered me their suggestions (ex: Be a cop, sell cars, help the president...).

One student politely raises his hand and asks "Why do you need a job?"
So, told him that I need some money to pay my bills and I'd like to work. He looked at me and said "Oh. I thought you were rich. You have gold in your name." **My last name does have the word "Gold" in it.

That was absolutely adorable!


In the next room, the intern was also visiting (we went together). This was one of the conversations she said with one of her students. (It's 10X better knowing the kid and the way he talks when excited).

Student (S): Do you have phone number paper?

Intern (I): Phone number paper? I don't know what that is, sweetie.

S: Ya know! Phone number paper!

I: *name of student* I really don't know what that is, can you please explain?

S: Ms. __!! You know...phone number paper!!!

I: It seems you are getting frustrated. I'd like to help you but you need to explain what that is.

S: *runs to get paper and hands it to her* Here! Phone number paper!!!

I: Oh, you mean you want my phone number?

S: Yes! Phone number paper....so I don't miss you!

I: Awww...sweetie, I'm sorry, I'm not allowed to give you that. I will miss you too!

Updated On: 5/14/09 at 07:38 PM

[violet72]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 7:54pm

Finally done state testing...2 weeks of hell (I had 3rd 5th grade)....we are now on countdown mode now...20 days and counting....this year has been difficult...3 schools a day is killing me

[nmartin]

Posted: 5/14/09 at 7:54pm

7:45 this morning. Gunshots a few blocks away from my school. One 17 year old dead. One 15 year old critically injured.

[singingwendy]

Posted: 5/27/09 at 11:10pm

That's terrible. Were they students at your school?

We've only got a few more days, so the kids are starting to get really rammy. We've got the last few field trips and year ends parties to go, and then we're done (with students) on June 4th.

However, the specialist teachers are all going crazy because the district administration is completely reworking our schedules for next year, and we may end up at different buildings than we are now. This is something they should have been doing slowly for years, but are doing in one fell swoop now, so that everybody gets pissed off! Basically, everyone wants to know where they're going to be next year, and we still haven't been promised a date that we'll know.....