A Blog By Nate

So lately my cousin has been sending me lists of "Things that Must Go," via text message. I decided I would put one of his items on my blog because I thought it was funny...

"Things that need to go part two...I'm driving down the road and I see a license plate that said "2kwl4u," basically saying, "Too cool for you." I could understand this on a Bentley, but on a KIA with cheap decals of flames on the side and a tribal skull license plate cover that was purchased at an Auto Zone. C'mon, people! I see this all the time...personalized plates on piece of crap cars. LOL. I don't know though, maybe it shouldn't go because it makes me laugh every time. I saw an El Camino once with a license plate that said "paid4" on it. I was surprised at this because I never thought anyone paid for those. I always looked at them as more or less a curse that somebody had given to you as a last resort so you wouldn't need to ride the bus. Hmmmm...anyway...things that need to go." -By Nathan

Happy Lent

I am aware that I am not Catholic, but that doesn't mean that I can't participate in a little tradition now and then. I am talking about the Season of Lent. Lent is a forty-day period of fast, prayer, reflection and sacrifice before Easter. Traditionally you skip Sundays when you count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection, so technically Lent begins on the 25th of February, Ash Wednesday, and ends on 11 April 2009, which is the day before Easter. In the Roman Catholic Church, Lent officially ends at sundown on 9 April (Holy Thursday), with the beginning of the mass of the Lord’s Supper. I honestly don't know all the details about this holiday, but it doesn't keep me from participating. I think it is good to sacrifice something now and then, so that you are aware of going without. Even though in the past I have given up silly things (like french fries, or eating at Arbys) I have also made some pretty big commitments, like the year I did absolutely no shopping unless it was a necessity. This was really difficult for me. I couldn't buy cd's, or i-tunes songs, or clothes, or anything that didn't involve food and shelter items.

This year Casey and I decided we are giving up eating out for Lent. No breakfast, no lunch, no brunch, no dinners, no nothing for 40 days. Just home cooked meals. I am determined to make it the for the entire long haul, but I think it is going to be difficult, but isn't that the point.

I want to be a 1st grader again!

Today was my second experience at first grade and I must say that it went much better this time around. I am now known as Mr. Chen to my students. Don't ask me why? They just thought it was hysterical when a student called me Mr. Chen, instead of Mr. C, by mistake. It was actually the Asian boy in the class that pointed it out, saying, "ha ha ha Mr. Chen, that is so funny!" The students continued to call me Mr. Chen no matter how much I protested. I am hoping by next week they will no longer remember this new nick name, but I highly doubt it.

This class is a lot of fun I must admit, but I am still having severe classroom management malfunction. They all seem to have the attention span of a nat, and cannot stay quiet for longer than 30 seconds of instruction. They are intelligent kids and seem to understand what I am teaching, even with the surrounding chaos, but they make me nervous and seem really unruly in my eyes. I guess they are all used to it and I am the one who will need to adjust to the way they do things.

These kids crack me up! They do and say some outrageous things. Today, during their bag pipe lesson (yes, these kids learn about bag pipes), the guest speaker was explaining kilts to the students and he said, "Now the most important thing to remember is that this is not a dress." One of the boys from my class (who is slowly becoming my new favorite) shouted out, "But it's a man skirt!" The entire first grade (all three classrooms) erupted into an uncontrollable fit of laughter! I couldn't even keep a straight face after hearing this zinger and busted out laughing myself.

The school that I am at is amazing. Today I was shown my classes's science fair project and it is the same work I spent last semester teaching to fourth graders at a completely opposite school. My school is so far from Title One I was shocked walking into it's prestigious surroundings. It is strange how blatantly obvious it is that funding effects education so dramatically. The fourth graders I worked with had nothing, and the science project we did with them was completely over most of their heads. My first graders are reading and writing at a higher level already and we aren't even half-way through the school year yet. Their classroom is full of manipulatives, they have constant parent volunteers and support, there are tons of books for them to choose from, and that type of accessibility to learning in our school systems really pays off.

The reason I say that I want to go back to first grade is because I experienced a Friday in the life of my students. They came to school at 8:30 and spent the first 15-20 minutes learning about their art project for the day...then it was another 20 minutes of free reading and being read to...next was singing practice for their big program, followed by centers (where they actually had to work on some math), recess, bag pipe lessons, brunch (not lunch, BRUNCH, because today was their early out day), another recess, probably more art (I'm not sure as I had to leave for class) and then they get to go home at 12:45 OR they get to load up on a bus and hit the ski slopes for their school provided lessons.

Oh what a life. I guess if I can't be a first grader again I will just have to try to get a job teaching in a school with this sweet of a set up!

Fingers Crossed!

I think I'm starting to like first grade afterall. I still have a lot of work to get done though, so we'll see how it goes.

It's Official...

I'm fat!

No. Really. I must be because I met my first grade class yesterday and after spending a good 25 minutes distributing a make-up math test to a student whom I thought I was building a rapport with, he decided to shout out to the entire class, while turning in his completed test, "What are you lookin' at Chubby?" (Picture a really mean 7 year old with a Bronx accent as you read that line in your head, cause that's what he sounded like).

Yes, I know children can be brutally honest at times, and in the past their remarks about my bald head, or the occasional acne, or the fact that boys are not supposed to have earrings, have stung a little, but this was a brand new blow to my ego that I was NOT expecting! I guess it's a good thing he used the word "chubby" instead of "fatty" since fatty would obviously mean I am having a problem with Obesity, whereas Chubby infers I merely have a few pounds to lose.

Needless to say I was completely thrown off guard by this remark and had absolutely no response back to this child whom had just verbally assaulted me on my first day. Thank goodness my mentor teacher gave him a stern, "What did you just say? We do not talk like that in this classroom. He is a teacher in this class and you had better show some respect. Now go apologize." (ha ha ha Vengeance!)

So, first grade is not off to the best start. I knew it was going to be different from my last experience of having a class full of, what I now look back upon and realize were perfect third grade students, but I had no idea it was going to be this different. I'm not sure if it is the age group, or the school I'm at, or my mentor's teaching style, but these kids sort of frighten me. I have never seen such a rambunctious class before. They talk all day long, they do not stay in their seats, they are constantly leaving the classroom at whim, and they just seem to be all over the place. My mentor did warn me that they were "highly unruly" today, but I am worried my classroom management skills may not be up to par. I'm going to have to start looking into ways of keeping 24 seven year olds in check at all times. Any suggestions are highly encouraged.

Even though the kids were a bit of a shock I can tell that there are some definite good eggs in the bunch. I may have been thrown by my first day experience, but I still have hope. There are quite a few bright students whom I'm really looking forward to working with, and getting to know better. It's funny how you seem to gravitate to the two polar opposites when you first meet a class. You instantly learn the names of those students who are going to make your life difficult, and also those who are going to help you to remember why you got into teaching in the first place. But don't worry, that doesn't mean I leave out the kids in the middle. In fact, it is the kids in the middle that usually impress me the most.

My last blog said "Watch out 1st grade, here I come," but now that I've experienced my first day I'm going to have to change that motto to, "Better watch out for those crazy first graders." Wish me luck!

1st Grade Watch Out!

Well, I got my new placement for the semester and this time I am moving down. From 3rd to 1st grade that is. I am super excited for the change since 1st grade is one of the areas I am highly interested in teaching. I had such a great experience in my 3rd grade class last semester that I have been leaning towards that, but it is such a difficult curriculum. Cursive, multiplication, division, Native American studies...Holy Cow it's a lot to learn/teach. Who knows, maybe I'll end up in the middle like my friend Jessie and I'll teach the 2nd grade. Only time will tell.