Surplus-ed.

I basically got laid off today. School doesn't have enough money for me next year, so I'll be finding a new place of work hopefully before I go home for the summer. I thought they were supposed to give me a pink slip or something. Instead, I asked what I would be doing next year, and I got, "Oh, I meant to tell you..."

Oh well. Maybe it'll be nice to get a new start. I'm just trying to get through the day. And the week. And the year.

Back from Break.

Walked into the classroom today, and felt like I was in a different world.

Anyway, I got a lot of hugs from the kids when I got back. It was nice. And they were really excited that they are really getting how to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. It's cool that a lot of them are proud of what they know.

Spring is Here.

Not much positive to say about class today. But the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. So that's nice.

The Genius Dance.

One of my students is in special education for reading but is with me for math. He's a little slower, but when it comes to numbers especially, he really understands what's happening. He's allowed extra time for tests and assignments, and I'm also allowed to read things for him. I was sitting with him yesterday, reading the end-of-unit test, and watching him as he worked. We've been doing 5th grade math, and the past couple of weeks we've been working on least common multiples, equivalent fractions, and adding and subtracting unlike denominators - all of which are really tough concepts.

As he worked, I encouraged him to keep going because he was doing really well. Halfway through the test, he found an answer and said, "I got it! I am such a GENIUS!" I couldn't help but laugh. "Yes, yes you are. I tell you that every day." By the end of the test we had made up a genius song and a genius dance and we were singing and dancing through the halls on the way back to the classroom.

New Student.

We have a new student from El Salvador. He speaks no English, so in the mornings I work with him one on one to read, have conversations, and "frontload" the vocabulary for the afternoon's math and science lessons. He's a good kid. I really like spending time working with him, but it's tough communicating because I don't know any Spanish. I use my phone to translate words and phrases and have him read them.

There's a lot of research that says students who are learning English take one year to develop social vocabulary, but that they need five to develop academic vocabulary. So, it's actually much better to instruct them in their native language when it comes to subjects like math, science, and social, studies, which happen to be what I teach. I've been trying to translate as much as I can, but it's really tiring. But, seeing him succeed for part of the day is very rewarding.

On a related note, I am going to learn Spanish. For reals this time.

UPDATE: I saw this video, and it made me really want to go the extra mile for my student. I don't want someone to lose out on an opportunity to learn or feel successful because I couldn't find a way to meet his needs.

Math on the Phone.

There's a bout of pink eye going around the school. One of my students has been out all week, and so he's missed all the lessons on adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators (a really tricky skill). I didn't want him to come in and start from scratch, so I called the house today and gave him the lesson over the phone. He seems to understand what's going on, and tomorrow when he comes in, I'll be able to work with him some more to make sure he gets it.

The whole call, including talking to his dad, took 21 minutes. Seriously. If I could get through a lesson like this in 20 minutes with the whole class, I would be so happy. But hearing him work through the steps and talk me through his work over the phone was really great.

He's Back. Yay?

The kid that drives me insane and cusses everyone out etc. is back after a two-day suspension that no one bothered to tell me about.

I love this kid to death, but I've tried everything in the book and I'm at my wit's end trying to keep this kid on task and acting appropriately in class. I am very tired because he was back. Maybe you can guess how he decided to behave.

But, he's back in class now, so maybe that means he can actually get caught up. That's the positive from today, I suppose.