Week Two

Day Five: Today we prepared our sub-plans for tomorrow. I learned that it is important to have a template for sub-plans that have the schedule, discipline, and team member names. As well, when giving a student copies to make a teacher should check the copies. Mid-morning we got the call that we were in lock-down, meaning no one could leave or come into the classroom or school. After a little while we were in lockout meaning no one could enter or leave the school. And, this was not a drill! Today we started the Hero unit. Did you know that heroes look good in tights? haha. I taught the reading intervention class today, we read the book aloud, read about Wacky Races and the students had to make up their own races. Their ideas were clown car race, snowmobile race, and tractor race. After lunch, I taught 6th and 7th period. I introduced the hero unit to them and we wrote down traits of heroes on a poster. Today I realized one aspect of why I want to be a teacher. A little girl has gone through a huge tragedy and I feel I can help her get through this. I know that I am here for her, along with all the 6th graders. I can help her with being a better person and living her life being her sweet self. I'm excited to help her out along with the other students. :)

Day Six: So we were supposed to have a substitute, but she got her car stuck in a ditch. So I was the teacher today! During advisory we played 20 questions and the students got to ask me questions. Some of the funny questions were; what's your favorite bird? What's your favorite cow? If you could go anywhere for the next 20 seconds where would you go? In 1st period a girl sat under her desk in a sort of fetal position. That's a first for me. In 2nd period the students had a Reader's Theater and then they came up with their own film. In 3rd period one student called me, "Ms Otis." haha I had to discipline a few boys that weren't making good choices. For 4th, lunch and 5th periods I went to the English Team meeting and we got lunch and discussed grading to standards. No real issues happened in 6h or 7th. Today was so great and I was excited to teach all day. Teachers were come in and check on me through out the day but for the most part I was in charge! 

Day Seven: Ah such a crazy and busy morning. Some fun things that have happened today: during 3rd period a girl is writing a screenplay about SpongeBob SquarePants called Squidwards revenge. It's actually really funny and I can't wait to see her perform it. In Study hall we had Student Leadership Council (SLC), and they made posters for upcoming events. The girl I spoke of on Monday is in SLC and she didn't have a lunch and so, I bought her lunch for her. She was so happy and blessed. Another girl said, "We are going to Chicago to learn how to be gangsters." I laughed and so did the girls. I also took a survey today about what kind of Rock Star are you? Turns out I am a Hip Hop Honey! :)

Day Eight: We've been looking at some books that I think are really great: 

Energizers and Icebreakers by Elizabeth Sabrinsky Foster

The Core Six Essential Strategies for Achieving Excellence with the Common Core by Harvey F. Silver, R. Thomas Dewing, and Matthew J. Perini

During advisory two eighth graders came in to do team bonding. Today they played a penny game where they had to hold hands and wow they didn't want to do that, they thought they would get cooties or something. They also played heads up seven up. In 2nd period I tested the kids in AIMSWEB.com for their fluency. We will be doing this every Thursday and it is great practice to have. 6th graders tell me the funniest things: "Ms Oeding, I had the weirdest dream last night, my family and I were at the movie theater from 6 pm until 1 am and when we left we were so hungry but nothing was open and so, we went to Wal-Mart and it was actually open!" haha our Wal-Mart isn't 24 hours so this was a shock to him in his dream. haha. In Team meeting today we scheduled meetings for parent/teacher conferences where the team decided what they would say for certain students and which parents they absolutely needed to see. It's interesting to see this side of being a teacher and how we went through every 6th grader and talked about the ones that need help or that have improved. At the end of the day there is an Assembly period. Today we went to the gym and took a picture for the yearbook with the 8th 7th and 6th graders. Almost everyone had sunglasses on. And then we took the 6th graders outside and let them play. It was a really fun day. 

This week has been exciting. I was so happy to teach all day Tuesday! I've been tired but that is from working out every day. The 6th graders certainly keep me on my toes and they make me laugh about five times a day or more! I love this.