I am worn out, and can't wait to rest up for next week.
Today I began "teaching." I have that in quotation marks because it still feels a little surreal that I'm so in charge of everything in that room. Although yesterday I really felt like a teacher, grading eighty papers in one night and reconfiguring my seating charts. Whee! Anyway, so I taught a mini lesson on the four-square method. The class I always have at the end of the day actually got through everything, and I had about ten extra minutes. I did a little more read-aloud. The students seem to enjoy it; some of them are very vocal and participatory when I ask questions about the story. That's exciting!
My big class is still a huge problem. I literally got in three minutes of instruction in a forty-five period. And it's really going to start hindering the children that ARE behaving; the loud ones are so loud that I have no choice but to interrupt class to "discipline." I've got to get some kind of chart set up. And a consequence list too, and then begin acting on it. Oh, and remind me to implement the bathroom signout log.
I kept one of the rowdy students after class; they had lunch so it was okay. I talked to him about needing respect. He is really disruptive, but he's always wanting to tell me that someone is doing something wrong (like talking about his mama, or shooting rubber bands). So I told him about turtle control, where he pulls a 'shell' up so that nothing can get to him. Also, I said, "if someone is bugging you, talk to me after class, or even write me a note. But I need you to focus on me so that you can learn. I'm here for you, I want to help you get out of my room to 7th grade, but you have to be ready to learn, to respect, and be prepared." He was very quiet and seemed, if not contrite, willing to agree to improvement. We'll see how tomorrow goes. But I was happy with the way it worked out, and plus that was the first 'teacher-student conference' I've done.
Please, if you'd all be so kind, cross your fingers and hope that I stay patient and see even a modicum of improvement in all my classes next week. In other words, think good/happy thoughts for me. Thanks. :)
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