Kids...It's the last week of school.  I'm stoked.  I'm so ready to be done and stay home with the babes.  

Oh, summer...hurry up!

First Day of School--Year 4

Today was our first day of school.  This summer flew by...more than any other I've had as a teacher.  It was probably because I was busy/tired/pregnant/dreading the first day/decorating the entire time I was off.

Compared to last year's class, these littles are angels.  I'm hoping they stay that way.  Forever.  And ever.

Summertime!

Today was my last day of school.  

I'm relieved to be done.  I'm excited to sleep in.  I'm hopeful that my feet won't hurt for at least the next 6 weeks.  I'm stoked to get the baby's room finished up. 

But mostly, I'm grateful I had an amazing, supportive team and principal that helped me get through this year.

Teacher Appreciation Treats & a Dodge Ball to the Face

Last week was teacher appreciation.  My kids like to feed me.  On the list of teacher appreciation gifts: Many bottles of Coke, chocolate...lots of chocolate and a fresh pineapple (which was delicious).

Today I received another gift from a very sweet girl.

More Coke and chocolate...my favorite!

Not an hour after she gave me this gift, she threw a dodge ball at my face.  I couldn't see for a while.  I wanted to cry (but I held it in...that's a pretty good accomplishment for a pregnant lady).

I'm thinking of wearing a patch to school on Tuesday and telling them the doctor doesn't know if my eye is going to live...just to torment her a little.  Husband says my idea is mean but funny.  We'll see if I really go through with it.

Class Baby Shower

My room mom threw a baby shower for me today.  I didn't expect much but was blown away by the generosity of my students and families.

For one of the activities, the kids wrote notes to the baby.  Some were silly, some were sweet, some were funny and some were just weird.  Got to love 6th graders.  These are a few of my favorites:

"Dear ? baby boy, You gonna have the greatest mother ever.  I hope you don't give her a hard time like we do.  I know you'll give her a harder time but your Mamma is the best ever yet.  She going to be the best Mommy ever to be.  When you are older you will be able to say you have an amazing smart nice teacher/mother and role model in your life!"

That your/you're thing is really difficult for my class to master.  We're working on it though!

"I hope you are as talented as your mom.  P.S. Lil dude don't fart a lot.  Make sure your first word is Mommy!"

 

Single Digits

My school year count down is officially in the single digits today.  Woot!!

26 Days with 26 Students

I only have 26 more school days.  The rest of my year fits on one calendar.  It's paper chain time, people!

Perks of Having 26 Twelve Year Olds

My students know I am pregnant now.  They're stoked.  I actually told them I was pregnant yesterday.  Here's how it went:

Me: "Hey, you guys wanna hear a secret?"

Every single student in the room with wide, excited eyes: "YES!"
As I'm opening my mouth, A.M. interrupts with: "You're pregnant!" then snickers like he's made a funny joke.

Me: "Well, actually, yes.  I am pregnant."

Blank stares.  Confused choruses of, "Wait.  What?  Really?"

Me: "Yes, I'm really pregnant."

Still blank stares.  

I told my husband about this when I got home yesterday. 
Husband: "Don't worry.  They'll go home and tell their moms and be really excited tomorrow."

Turns out husbands know everything.  That's exactly what happened.  Except he forgot to mention the pissed off part.  They're excited and pissed.  Excited for the baby but pissed I didn't tell them immediately.  I had to explain that pregnant ladies don't usually tell people until later.  That was a new concept for them.  They still think they should have known right after I told husband.  Sorry, guys...maybe next time.

Here's where the perks are coming in.

Now that they know I'm pregnant they don't give me a hard time about eating in front of them or resting my legs on their desks or making them walk to me because "my feet hurt."

I may see if they'll push me around in my wheely chair all day tomorrow.  Perks.

Back to Work

I'd love to say this is not going to turn into a baby blog but we all know it will so let's just face the facts now:

1) I will be blogging about the baby about 90% of the time
2) You will enjoy reading about it
3) If you don't, you must hate babies or me or happiness...OR you hate all three and you're a monster

That being said, today was my first day back at school after my three weeks off track. No, I still haven't told my students (I was going to but 2 of my students were absent and when I was in 5th grade my teacher told the class she was pregnant on a day I wasn't there and it obviously is still bothering me so I want to make sure I have 100% attendance before I tell them.  Hopefully that happens soon because it's getting more and more difficult to hide the baby gut.).

The one thing I miss about being home is being able to eat any time I get hungry and eat anything I want.  Teaching for the next 9 weeks may keep me from gaining ridiculous amounts of baby weight but it also makes me super sick.  I felt horrible by the time I finally made it home. 

Tip for tomorrow: PACK MORE SNACKS!

Love Month 2012, My First Class

I love...

when students from previous years remind me that I really am a good teacher and I do a lot of good in the lives of these kids.

This made my day!

If you haven't noticed, I have a really difficult class this year.  Before this year, teaching was my passion.  I loved every minute of it, even the horrible minutes.  But this year...  This year is different.

We had our first day of parent teacher conferences yesterday.  I finished quite early with mine and left.  When I came in today this awesomeness was on my white board.  "You will always be my favorite teacher. Your class was the BEST!! I love you tons!  You are amazing"  I left it up for two whole days so that I could be reminded that I am a good teacher and I am a good person even though none of my current students feel that way.  I also left it up to show my current students how much normal students like me. 

Even teachers are people and we have feelings too.

Make Out Hair

I curled my hair today.  It doesn't happen often so when I do curl it the students always react.  Most reactions sound something like this, "Oh, Mrs. H.  I like your hair."  "Mrs. H., your hair looks different today."  "What happened to your hair?" 

But the most classic 6th grader of 2011-2012 reaction was by A.M.  He said "Mrs. H.!  Your hair looks like you've been making out with your husband."

What?!  How do you react to that?  I decided on walking away.

Algebra and Eleven Year Olds

In case you didn't know, the core (what your children are supposed to be taught in each grade level) is/will be changing.  In my school, 6th grade adopted the new math core this year.  All other elementary grades in my school district will follow suit next year.

As I've gone through this year, learning the new core and amazing ways to teach it, I've been astounded at the things 6th graders (eleven and twelve year olds, people!!!!) are supposed to learn.

We're beginning our expressions and equations unit (a.k.a. algebra) tomorrow.  As I've been looking through the core and the end of unit test I'm noticing words like dependent and independent variable, greater than or equal to, equivalent expression, coeffecient.  Wowza!  I didn't even come close to hearing those words until the middle of 7th grade (and I was in the highest math class possible for a 7th grader).  And now all 6th graders are supposed to learn it this year?

I am amazed at what is expected of my students.  I will be even more amazed in three weeks when my students understand what all of those words and symbols mean.

This is Halloween

I'm really cheap when it comes to Halloween costumes and I think homemade is way better than store bought.

The first year I taught school, Halloween came about a month after I cut off all my hair, dyed it red and realized I had a cowlick that liked to make me somewhat resemble a bird.

Instant costume idea!  Bird!

So I went to work in 2009 in this costume...

 I was trying for a generic bird.  What my students thought was that I was a devil...with yellow legs.  I confused the crap out of them.

This year, still being cheap and sporting the same-ish hair, I decided to reuse the costume but add some more bird qualities.  Enter the painted on beak.

Everyone understood I was a bird but they were convinced I was the red Angry Bird.

Do you see any angry eyebrows people?  No?  Oh, that's right...I'm just a bird...that's it.  At least the three-year old that lives across from me understood. 

Next year, full on bird makeup like this:

Vocabulary According to 6th Graders

Veterinarian: a person who does not eat meat
Dictator: a person who listens to evidence and decides if a defendant is guilty or innocent
Octogenarian: a person who believes in different religions
Dictator: a person who knows how to cure different sicknesses
Governor: a person who is taking over the USA
Translator:

 My favorite part of this picture is how angry the translator looks.

Plane Crash

A plane crashed into the parking lot of my school this afternoon. 

I took the day off so I don't have any first hand details. 

Luckily, UDOT has taken away our front playground so no students were even close to the crash site.  I never thought we'd be thankful for the construction at our school.

 

Being Productive Would be Nice, But...

...Husband isn't home and I have no desire to do anything remotely beneficial.

So instead of cleaning the bathroom, doing laundry, writing a speech for Ryan and Jaynee's wedding luncheon, exercising, going grocery shopping, and writing lesson plans I've spent the night eating Campbell's  Chicken Noodle straight from the pan and contemplating joining Pinterest.

Awesome day?  The awesomest. 

Did I mention I only had 17 students today?  Like I said, the awesomest.

Mrs. H! Don't Leave Us!

I had an all day training at my school today.  I also had to run into my room a few times to get things for the training.  Every time I went in my students were stoked to see me.

Last time I checked, you all hated me.

My training ended about 5 minutes before school ended.  I needed to get some things ready for tomorrow so instead of heading home I decided to stay in the 6th grade hall while students left for the day.

I've never had so many hugs and "I missed yous!" from 6th graders in one day. 

Weirdos.

Angry Students are Better Than Mean Students

After yesterday (and the 5 weeks preceding it), we cracked down hard on the 6th graders today. 

The day began with me picking the kids up from outside.  I told them they were to walk in silently and remain silent until their teacher told them otherwise.  If they chose to not do this they would be missing all recess for that day.

Three students began the day by having their recess taken away for the day. 

Whining, complaining and being disrespectful led to pulled cards and Think Times.  I had a kid in Think Time within 5 minutes of the day starting.  This same kid spent about 90% of his time in Think Time today. 

The rest of my students were terrified.  No one spoke in more than a stifled whisper until lunch.  We got a lot done. 

Hopefully tomorrow we won't have to be as crazy Nazi as today.

But...I'm sure we probably will. 

I miss last year's class.  Today was a truly horrible day.  

Tomorrow will be better.

Those Resource Room Walls Just Jump Out of Nowhere

I ran into a wall today...in front of my students.

Defiantly not my proudest moment.