2 Quarters Down

2 Quarters: Successfully survived. Here are the memorables from the last few months:

Top of my unforgettable moments may have to be the unexpected class pets I acquired and quickly tried to un-acquire. Mouse stats: 1 died, 1 trapped, 2 escaped.

Incident #1: Around Halloween time, I was working with a group of 2 of the second graders. One of the littles says, "That trash can is moving." Okay, right. "No really, it's moving....it's a RAT!" Attempting to be the adult in the situation, I evacuate the room and form my action plan: seek help. Kids, stay here and watch the trash can. But if it jumps out, don't touch it. I manage to have the janitor sent on his way, while we watch the rattling mini trash can. Before the janitor arrives, the mouse creeps up the side of the trash can, appears on the edge, and leaps down across the room and under a bookshelf. The maintenance man politely tells me there's nothing that can be done and to just to deal. I left the door open with the hopes that it would run out on it's own and luckily I think it did just that.

Incident #2: Professional development day to kicks off the new year.

Mouse #1. Working at my desk, I see a little creature creeping by my feet. As soon as I jump, he disappears. Janitor comes down but he's no where to be found. Back to work and on guard, I see him creep out again so the janitor is re-summoned. Janitor takes a broom to the little guy, injuring him beyond repair. Warrior wounds that was left uncleaned for 2 days.

I spy red stains in the corner. Yuck.

Back to work until Mouse #2 appears. I strategically move the trap over to the wall to make sure he's captured. The mouse luckily scurries in and I am pretty confident he was trapped and cover up the trap with a trash can. Phew, crisis averted.

Back to work. Mouse #3 appears - or is it still Mouse #2 that wasn't actually caught like I thought? Trash can in hand ready to trap it, he narrowly escapes out the door of my room. I check back on Mouse #2 and turns out he's tragically stuck in a sticky trap, squeaking his last squeeks of desperation.

Back to work to the sounds of squeaking beneath the trash can.

*I've had criers in the speech room. Little Edward got frustrated making his Halloween treat bag and when I offered help, he wasn't havin' it. Tears start flowing and the sobs grow louder. The other kinder kids are sent back to class and Edward is havin' a rough go. I have him sit in the corner until he's ready to go back to class.

10 minutes later...

My next group shows up. Edward is still sobbing. I start working with the new group and about 10 minutes later the sobs finally start to subside. He finally is convinced to come over and get help with his treat bag and we had a follow up conversation on how to handle you frustration.

*The kids have new speech folders to send home extra practice. A few that were nicely decorated...

*I attempted a Guesstimation jar around Halloween time. The kids had about 3 weeks to look at the jar and submit a guess as to how many candy corn pieces were in the jar. Two days before the answer was revealed, I came in to find the candy corn jar 3/4 empty. Candy Corn Culprit was on the loose.

*I've gotten a few nice gifts and notes of encouragement.

A bearded dragon sculpture

*Prizes must be earned, not deserved. My New Year's Resolution was to stop getting worked over by the kids. Half the stress of my job came from refilling my prize box when the kids earned 5 attendance stamps in their Speech Passports - rewarding substandard behavior with the right to prizes. New plan: Good behavior earns a shine ticket. A shine ticket earns you a chance to win a raffle for prizes. Lots of shine tickets earn better chances of winning prizes.

Shine tickets drawn are posted on the bulletin board

*I've professionally developed by rearranging my speech room. A little less cramped and a little more organized.

Before

After

Kid Quotables

"Miss Ellis, it would be cool if you were married. You're going to be a good wife and a good mom." - 8th grader

"I'm sorry for taking your marker, but your shirt is on backwards." - Kindergartner exchange

*When another teacher asked one of my students if he could spend more time with one person in the whole school, his answer was Miss Ellis. Feel-good moment.

*Talking about social pragmatics, my fourth-grader lets me know his excuse, "You know I have autism, right?"

*Brought me a little stuffed animal. Thanks! "I gave you something, now you have to give me something." Ohh, that's not how this works buddy. So my gift to him were some worksheets to take home for extra practice. Consider yourself gifted.

*Around Thanksgiving time, the first graders were thankful for their dads being out of jail.

I'm continuing to learn and continued to be challenged. Each week gets a little easier and a little more under control. I'm slowly sorting through the mess of what I came into and slowly trying to change it for the better and make it my own It's been a memorable start and looking forward to springing into spring!

Thanks for reading!