My sister recently posted on her blog about Naysayers... "Nasayers are those who are constantly telling you "Oh things are great for you now BUT just wait until ....." and she went on to describe the people who always said-- your marriage may be great for now, but wait until the bills come in, you start having kids, just give it a few more years, things will change.
I don't know why, but I have been thinking about this over and over for the past several days. Maybe it's because I am a newlywed and I have those type of people in my life as well. Matt and I really do have such a wonderfuly fun marriage. We laugh every night before going to sleep and have never gone to sleep mad at each other. We text each other during the middle of the day just to say I love you and I love you more. My friends at work call it sappy, and say... just wait.
My parents are divorced (what an amazing transition!). I'm not traumatized or anything-- it happend when I was younger, and both have remarried amazing people. But neither of them really laugh a lot with each other. Though Tracy and Lee do. All three of these marriages are different, but Tracy's and Lee's is really the one that I think parallels us the most...laughter is so important I believe... thanks for laughing!
Friday, October 20, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Parent Conferences
This week we are having parent conferences and as a "connections" teacher, I do not have and parents scheduled to meet with, but I have to remain at school and sit at a post. Ironically, hey have stationed myself, a first year teacher, with another first year teacher at a high traffic area--and out of my comfort zone-- to direct people... I just sat there for an hour.
Though a parent did come up to me and ask to talk to me about her child's grade... which was an F. I said I would be glad to talk to her, so we did. "I thought, when you called, you said Jamie* had been improving in your class," she asked.
"Well, yes ma'am, she was, but she failed to complete one of the major projects and the two writen art criticisms, which were group activities, she failed."
I continued to explain that while her daughter had settled down in my class and her conduct had definately improved, she still put forth minimal effort with her work. I also told her that I sent a progress report home and asked the students to sign that they recieved it if they were failing. She looked at her daughter and said, "Now why didn't that make it home?" Jamie shrugged. I replied for her, "Jamie didn't want to sign that she recieved it, but I asure you she recied it." Her mom started in on her, "Why didn't you want to sign?" the answer was whinned back... "Cause, Mooooooooom, that was too bad of a gade next to my name!"
"But you did it!" Her mom bellowed back.
I even offered to take her down to my room and show her the directions and rubric for the art criticisms that her daughter had and the painting project she failed to finish. Once we were down there, she shook her head in disgust. She agreed with everything I had to say and while Jamie was offering up excuse after excuse, her mom agreed with me that there was no excuse for her grade and thanked me for my time.
(Stepping on my soapbox) I bet you anything Jamie's grades in her other classes will come up by the end of the term. Yes, she did fail PE and Art (since we are 9 week classes), but I bet anything she will have improved her grades ten fold be the end of the semester. Why, do I think this? Because her mom was seriously upset at what she was hearing from not just me, but all of her teachers.. Jamie is lazy and full of excuses.
When kids have parents at home that care about their education, are interested in their progress, and will support the teacher, that's when we have students improve and stay above the curve. Though, the students that have parents at home that will believe everything the student says and not a word of what the teacher says, knows they can get away with anything and there will not be major consequences. Those are the behavior students, those are the failing students, those are the red flagged students. Students that don't have parents at home that care, often know it and don't achieve anything. Students that have parents at home that work the state's special education allowances just so their LAZY son or daughter can skate by, know all the allowances themselves-- I have heard students- who are straight up behavior problems say to me, "they won't suspend me for as long as they suspend anyone else because I'm special ed." These students know how to work the system-- there are huge gapping holes in the system, yes...but regardless of those holes, I firmly believe that it is the parental support (or lack there of) that ultimately defines whether a student will succeed or not-- for the majority of kids in school that is-- there are always exceptions. (Stepping down from the soapbox)
*names have been changed
Though a parent did come up to me and ask to talk to me about her child's grade... which was an F. I said I would be glad to talk to her, so we did. "I thought, when you called, you said Jamie* had been improving in your class," she asked.
"Well, yes ma'am, she was, but she failed to complete one of the major projects and the two writen art criticisms, which were group activities, she failed."
I continued to explain that while her daughter had settled down in my class and her conduct had definately improved, she still put forth minimal effort with her work. I also told her that I sent a progress report home and asked the students to sign that they recieved it if they were failing. She looked at her daughter and said, "Now why didn't that make it home?" Jamie shrugged. I replied for her, "Jamie didn't want to sign that she recieved it, but I asure you she recied it." Her mom started in on her, "Why didn't you want to sign?" the answer was whinned back... "Cause, Mooooooooom, that was too bad of a gade next to my name!"
"But you did it!" Her mom bellowed back.
I even offered to take her down to my room and show her the directions and rubric for the art criticisms that her daughter had and the painting project she failed to finish. Once we were down there, she shook her head in disgust. She agreed with everything I had to say and while Jamie was offering up excuse after excuse, her mom agreed with me that there was no excuse for her grade and thanked me for my time.
(Stepping on my soapbox) I bet you anything Jamie's grades in her other classes will come up by the end of the term. Yes, she did fail PE and Art (since we are 9 week classes), but I bet anything she will have improved her grades ten fold be the end of the semester. Why, do I think this? Because her mom was seriously upset at what she was hearing from not just me, but all of her teachers.. Jamie is lazy and full of excuses.
When kids have parents at home that care about their education, are interested in their progress, and will support the teacher, that's when we have students improve and stay above the curve. Though, the students that have parents at home that will believe everything the student says and not a word of what the teacher says, knows they can get away with anything and there will not be major consequences. Those are the behavior students, those are the failing students, those are the red flagged students. Students that don't have parents at home that care, often know it and don't achieve anything. Students that have parents at home that work the state's special education allowances just so their LAZY son or daughter can skate by, know all the allowances themselves-- I have heard students- who are straight up behavior problems say to me, "they won't suspend me for as long as they suspend anyone else because I'm special ed." These students know how to work the system-- there are huge gapping holes in the system, yes...but regardless of those holes, I firmly believe that it is the parental support (or lack there of) that ultimately defines whether a student will succeed or not-- for the majority of kids in school that is-- there are always exceptions. (Stepping down from the soapbox)
*names have been changed
Sunday, October 15, 2006
For Tracy's Laughter
So my sister has this wonderful blog, that I can only hope to live up too, and I have decided to hop on the bandwagon!
I was talking to Tracy about what I should write about-- since I only knew I wanted to write, I didn't know what to write about... she told me that as a first year middle school teacher, I should have plenty to write about that would shock and amaze... and as an added bonus, open the window to the newlywed world.
So, Tracy, I was thinking about what story would be perfect for my FIRST blog, and after sifting through the fight stories, the name callings, and the story about grades, I decided to wait for those and tell you all about David* and Lauren* (the names have been changed to protect the innocent.. though neither are innocent).
I was cutting paper at one of the counters- not even ten feet away from my 6th grade class- when Lauren came up to me, "Mrs. Aurand, David BIT me!" I stood there dumb founded, David came up behind her, "Mrs. Aurand, Lauren slapped me." Instantly, I jerked into teacher mode again and called for them both to join me outside to figure out what really happend. I asked them what happend and as soon as they both started to talk at once, I stopped them and asked Lauren to tell me her side of the story... "Well, see, what happend was that in PE, David took a picture of me with his phone, but wouldn't show it to me, but when we got here, he showed it to Denise, so she gave it to me and then he bit me and then I slapped him!" Still dumb founded, I asked David what his side of the story was and he responded, "Um, well, what she said." I then punished them both accordingly- and emailed David's mom, who let me know that he would be punished, but informed me that he doesn't have a cell phone.
Tracy, I hoped you enjoyed the first of many teaching stories.
I was talking to Tracy about what I should write about-- since I only knew I wanted to write, I didn't know what to write about... she told me that as a first year middle school teacher, I should have plenty to write about that would shock and amaze... and as an added bonus, open the window to the newlywed world.
So, Tracy, I was thinking about what story would be perfect for my FIRST blog, and after sifting through the fight stories, the name callings, and the story about grades, I decided to wait for those and tell you all about David* and Lauren* (the names have been changed to protect the innocent.. though neither are innocent).
I was cutting paper at one of the counters- not even ten feet away from my 6th grade class- when Lauren came up to me, "Mrs. Aurand, David BIT me!" I stood there dumb founded, David came up behind her, "Mrs. Aurand, Lauren slapped me." Instantly, I jerked into teacher mode again and called for them both to join me outside to figure out what really happend. I asked them what happend and as soon as they both started to talk at once, I stopped them and asked Lauren to tell me her side of the story... "Well, see, what happend was that in PE, David took a picture of me with his phone, but wouldn't show it to me, but when we got here, he showed it to Denise, so she gave it to me and then he bit me and then I slapped him!" Still dumb founded, I asked David what his side of the story was and he responded, "Um, well, what she said." I then punished them both accordingly- and emailed David's mom, who let me know that he would be punished, but informed me that he doesn't have a cell phone.
Tracy, I hoped you enjoyed the first of many teaching stories.
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