Class 5 WINS!

This past week in 6th grade math we taught the concept of recognizing equations from tables and graphs and vice versa. We had a class competition over STAAR questions on Wednesday and Thursday, and I was so impressed with my students! They nailed it! I am so proud of how far they have come to merge all the concepts they've learned this year and how they can now analyze and dissect those dreaded and tricky STAAR questions!

As awesome as their educational success was, I will forget how well they did. What I won't forget is the WINs I was so lucky to witness!!

Class 5 -
My lowest and smallest class.  They are usually the lowest scoring class when it comes to all averages.
This week? CLASS 5 won the class competition with a 91% average on the STAAR practice!! They so badly needed that win! The proud look of accomplishment was astonishing! - WIN

Class 5 -
G! Where do I begin? This kid is just the sweetest, most hard working, and kindest soul! He works so hard on his homework and classwork, but unfortunately he struggles with math. Thankfully, I was able to work one on one with G and another sweet and struggling student on the STAAR practice. We had some great practice and progress in understanding. On Friday, we had a quiz. They were so successful the days before, I was really nervous about this test.
He gets his quiz and immediately gets to work. He's the first to finish and my stomach is turning from nervousness as I check his grade. 8/9...eight out of nine...EIGHT out of NINE!!!! All on his own! But is that good enough for him? Of course not! He asks to take it back to review his work because he thinks he knows which one he had wrong. He quickly returns, and yup! G is the first perfect score in class 5! - WIN

Class 5 -
IAS quietly asked our sign language interpreter, Ms. D, if he could sit with her for one on one help. She didn't quickly respond and he started to act out. He has a hard time reading and hasn't been tested for special education yet, so school has been really frustrating for this poor kid and word problems are his vice! Ms. D loudly says, "get up and bring your paper over here!" He starts moaning and whining, "man, I don't want to sit there..." I, not knowing he had already quietly made the request, tell him to not be disrespectful but thankful that she is offering to help him. Ms. D lets out a BIG smile and our student is trying so hard to hide his. She says, "he wants to sit with me; he's already asked!" With her help, he scored a solid B on his STAAR practice and was so PROUD! - WIN

Class 5 -
One of our brightest and most charismatic students has not been the same since Christmas break. Prior to Christmas break, J was engaged and excited about math class! He's so great at math!
I haven't asked too many questions, but by seeing him in the hall and hearing what other kids say, he's a good kid who is just on the edge. He runs around with a crowd that could bring him down really quick. I'm not sure how his home-life is but he's mentioned a few things that make me think it may not be the best.
This week has been extremely tough. I've had to pull him aside several times to try and calm him and encourage him. On Friday, I literally had to walk him into my class from down the hall. I pass out the quiz and he starts drawing and coloring all over it and then drops it on the floor. He is not going to take the test.
One by one, the kids finish and they are killing this test! They had 4 perfect scores from the get-go and from the most unexpected students (including G). I walk over to J's desk. I ask him if something has happened since break; is he having a bad time in other classes, with other teachers; is he having a bad time at home in the morning or at night...that last question got him. He starts rubbing his eyes and shaking his head "no". I proceed to tell him that no matter what may be going on outside -  in my class, he is cared for, he is safe, and we are SO PROUD of who he is! I tell him that Ms. D is proud, I am proud, and his classmates are proud. I ask him to reconsider taking the test for his classmates. They all loved winning the day before and they would loose badly if one student got a 0 on the test. He says yes, and of course passes the test! - WIN

My first march #WomensMarch2017

'Being a woman doesn't adversely affect my life nearly as much as being a person of color.'

THIS is why I participated in the women's march yesterday. I'm not the nanny, I'm not the cleaning lady, and my grandpa was not a rapist or murderer - he dedicated his life in the US serving the public school system with his sweat, love, and soul! I appreciated seeing the diversity yesterday of people who may not understand what I feel because they don't have my experiences, but they were there because they acknowledge that my experiences are real. I do my best to laugh away those disheartening circumstances, but acknowledging the hurt of them is so freeing! I just want to make sure you all know that the march was not violent, was not angry, was not just pro-choice, anti-abortion, pro-LGBT, or anti-trump (& yes, I saw pro-life and pro-Christian signs, there were even men in maga hats). It was a unity march and pro-human, and it was beautiful. People were standing up for issues that PERSONALLY affect them - be that race, human-trafficking, education, abuse, their lifestyle, their choice, etc. If you've never felt the need to participate in something like this, then consider yourself blessed! This means you don't readily feel judged or uncomfortable in your skin, with your partner in life, with the religion you choose, or with your life choices; or you may just handle these situations differently as I have for so many years. It opened my eyes to see that what we all want is to acknowledge the wrong and make the change toward peace for all. I am thankful that my family was well, healthy, and prosperous under the last administration and my hope and prayer is that this next presidential term will be full of success as well. #American 🇺🇸

Sugar

So my 2 older boys, Derek & Dax, have Sam & I completely spoiled!! These boys, for the most part, have been so easy going.  They mind well, they are polite, they are pretty well mannered...the only problem we've really had is they do not care to do well in school.

Sugar/caffeine has never been an issue with Derek & Dax. As young children, we could give them soda, candy, heck even a sip of coffee here & there & there would be no side effects.  So of course, now that I have these two little ones, Duncan & Decklan, I don't think its a big deal to give them candy early evening or some soda for dinner.  Boy have we been slapped in the face!!

On Saturday night, I brought home some candy for the boys as a treat - they were up until midnight! Last night, I gave Decklan 1/3 cup of Coke - he was up until after 11!!!

So needless to say, lesson has been learned! No caffeine or sugar for these little boys, especially after 3pm!

Just getting started

So although I kind of feel like a stalker, I must admit I love reading blogs of friends. They are all my Facebook friends, so they are friends right?!?! Most of them don't even know I read them, but I do. So I decided, why not? I'll just make one for ME. By saying ME, I'm putting a disclaimer on here that all of the opinions on this blog are mine & not those of my family...meaning, I have some crazy, sometimes contradicting opinions - I know this & I own it. I also read a blog of a girl who actually makes money via her blog! Not sure how she does it, but I would love to learn (but honestly I don't see that happening, but I can dream). This is all very new to me & I'm still slowly learning how to work this, so it may be slow going at first. I'm also working off the iPad & so far it's been a lot more time consuming (typing every word with my pointer) & I haven't been able to upload any pictures. I am super excited though! There goes my clean house - but really, was it ever clean? I live with 5 boys!