Systems

Every day I am amazed at exactly how much I learn in my classroom...what to teach, how to teach, what to say, what not to say (a big one), how things work, what doesn't work...the list is never ending. This past Friday I spent a much needed day away from my classroom and instead I was with approximately 50 new teachers at a "training day". The amount of information that I learned in a few hours was overwhelming yet extremely helpful in making me become a better teacher. After the training I swung by my old school (I miss Peter Kirk so much) and was able to spend some quality time with an impressive 6th grade team. I can't find any words to describe how thankful I am in the time they offered to share valuable information.

The most important thing I pulled away from my full day of training and advice from veteraned 6th grade teachers is to implement systems for EVERYTHING. In thinking about this, it's crazy just how many systems are/could/should be in place in a classroom. There needs to be a system for everything and I've learned that there needs to be systems in place that will make my life easier as a teacher. Here's a list to name a few...

• how the kids enter the room
• how the kids take attendance
• where they put their personal belongings
• how and when they can talk in class
• how and when they can get out of their seat
• how and when they can use the restroom
• how they line up to go to p.e., music, library
• how papers get to and from home
• how communication is created to and from home
• how the garbage is taken out
• how the floors get cleaned
• how the class library gets organized
• how papers get passed out and collected
• where class work and homework is turned in
• how desks get cleaned
• how the sink area gets cleaned
• how the community supplies are shared, in place and restocked
• when someone is absent how they find the work that they missed
• when I need their attention, what I do and how the kids respond
• how the students walk through the hallway
• the noise level expectations for class work (independently, in partners, in small groups)
• how information gets relayed to the office or other areas within the school
• expectations for grading and how the students should grade honestly and independently
• ...the list is never ending and I know I'm missing 1,000 things!

There are so many systems that I can do to make my life easier as a teacher. Especially when teaching 6th graders...they can be responsible for almost everything in the classroom. Now the trick is, figuring out how to do that!

Hormones, Oh My!

Since the winter break, my 6th graders have changed. They aren't my little 6th graders that they were 4 months ago. They are physically, emotionally and intellecutally changing...and they have no idea what is about to hit them.

Friday afternoon, about 15 minutes into their 30 minute lunch recess, two girls came sobbing (I mean SOBBING) into the classroom. One of the girls tried to get out through sniffles, tears and uncontrollable gasps that she was crying and she didn't know why. Just as she was saying "why" she burst into tears (again) and tried to tell me what she thought was going on, but I could barely understand her through the sniffles. Then the second girl chimed in that whenever any of her friends started crying she would just start crying and couldn't stop.

So there I sat, with two 6th grade girls squirting alligator tears, and me trying not to laugh at them. (I know, completely heartless, but still funny.) Then the first girl said (through sobs), "Mrs. MacDonald, don't laugh at us. That isn't very nice." I then sat down with them and asked them if they would like me to explain what was going on. (Insert awkward moment of silence.) And as I began to share with them that unfortunately their bodies are changing, their hormones are going nuts.... One said, "No, please don't say it."...then I continued you are probably getting ready to start your...And as I was about to say "period", the first girl WAILED, "OH, she said it." (And, yes, burst into tears again.)

This 3-minute scenario turned into 12 more minutes when 3 more girls arrived to the classroom crying, sad, upset and no clue as to why or what was going on with them. Those 12 minutes were filled with questions, concerns and comments all about being a young woman. Oh, my poor 6th grade girls...it's almost unfair watching them go through the emotional and physical changes without any control. Odd to say, but I enjoyed the moment shared with the girls. Maybe I'm the one they feel comfortable talking to...and I think that's okay.

Every now and again...

...I get waves of emotion. My life will be going along just fine and something will hit and I will completely lose it and break down. I suppose that is expected. I never can quite figure out what causes the flow of emotions, when like I said, life is going along in it's perfectly happy way, but it does...and I can't stop. All day today I have been emotional...thinking about what our life would be like if we had our two angels running around...my babies to hold and love with every ounce of my being. I have dear friends who keep telling me one day it's going to happen. One day Chad and I are going to be the best parents ever. One day I am going to be a mom. One day...

I'm thankful for those friends who share those things with me, love me, tell me it's okay to feel the way I feel, and let me hold and love their children with every ounce of my being. Thank you dear friends...you mean the world to me.

Funny Moment of the Day

As I sit at my desk extremely focused on the planning of a Shackleton Exploration/Antarctica Unit, the students are working very quietly (almost too quietly) at their desks. Out of the corner of my eye I see one of my students, who is a consistent class clown and most of the time absolutely hilarious, coming up towards my desk.

I do not raise my head to look up, but rather question, "(Student), what do you need?"

The student responds with, "I need help with my zipper...it's stuck."

All so quickly, the class goes into a roar of laugther and I'm thinking, dear God, he's in the 6th grade, I can't do this...but then I look up and see my "class clown" standing there in a panic and he repeats himself, "My zipper's stuck. Can you help me?"

I look up at him and try not to laugh, but the entire class is in an absolute uproar. (Insert awkward-teacher-moment/panic-stricken-6th-grade boy). The student then starts laughing, realzing what he just asked of me and can barely get out, "Not this zipper (pointing to his jeans), this one here on my binder."

The class starts laughing even harder and I begin to cry I am laughing so hard. A few seconds pass, although it seems like 5 minutes, and then the class calms down. My student is still standing at my desk and then says (trying not to laugh half way through), "No seriously, can you help me with my zipper...on my binder."

The sound of laughter from the class rises and I replay laughing, "Of course."

Student then returns to his desk...somewhat sheepishly, while everyone is still snickering.

The teacher in me pipes up, again trying not to laugh, and says, "Okay, back to work."

Note to self: I need to remember these funny teacher moments when faced with more challenging times.