I had a sad moment today with a student. I noticed he had many pages of work in his desk. As I took them out and started to hand them to him, I asked him why he hadn't been completing them. He said, "I don't want to." Now before you huff and puff, reader, I thanked him for his honesty. When I asked why he didn't want to do them, he replied with, "I don't like school." My heart breaks...
I pulled him to my desk to have a more private conversation and because I know he struggles in school, I asked if it was because he doesn't understand it. He nodded. I told him that as he did only two pages tonight (rather than make him do all), whatever he didn't understand to circle and we'd do it together.
My heart hurts for a second grader who tonight doesn't enjoy school. I've been praying this year for God to work on my heart with some of these students (simply because there are so many who need extra support and I'm running out of hands) and tonight, God has answered another prayer. My heart is soft towards this child, not hard. I hope to give this child a love for learning, not just school.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
They got it!!!
I only have five girls this year in my classroom. Which makes the little fights and disagreements that girls get into even more dramatic. They don't have many girls to choose from to partner up with or to even chat with (because apparently the boys are still kind of icky to them) if they have a problem with another. Knowing that some of them were upset with others, I took matters into my own hands and delivered special invitations for lunch in the room with me.
After letting them talk a bit, I finally brought up that with having so few girls and knowing our feelings can often get hurt, I helped explain how they could apologize to each other and accept each other's apologies. One of the girls took it upon herself to apologize for rolling her eyes at another. She accepted her apology.
Another girl looked at me and said, "Miss Cathy, do you remember those mean looks I gave you at the beginning of the year?" Uh, yeah, I did. I simply nodded and said, "Yes." She then proceeded to say, "I'm sorry." I told her I accepted her apology. So sweet! I never expected an apology from the girl, but am so very blessed that she understood enough of her actions to be grown up enough to say she was sorry. It was such a sweet moment that I will not forget for a long time!
They continued with a few more apologies and acceptances. I am hoping that this will spark better understanding among them as the year progresses.
I am inviting the boys next week...to get their ideas on how to get them to work harder. What can I do that will help them? They might have some great ideas!
After letting them talk a bit, I finally brought up that with having so few girls and knowing our feelings can often get hurt, I helped explain how they could apologize to each other and accept each other's apologies. One of the girls took it upon herself to apologize for rolling her eyes at another. She accepted her apology.
Another girl looked at me and said, "Miss Cathy, do you remember those mean looks I gave you at the beginning of the year?" Uh, yeah, I did. I simply nodded and said, "Yes." She then proceeded to say, "I'm sorry." I told her I accepted her apology. So sweet! I never expected an apology from the girl, but am so very blessed that she understood enough of her actions to be grown up enough to say she was sorry. It was such a sweet moment that I will not forget for a long time!
They continued with a few more apologies and acceptances. I am hoping that this will spark better understanding among them as the year progresses.
I am inviting the boys next week...to get their ideas on how to get them to work harder. What can I do that will help them? They might have some great ideas!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Shoulder to shoulder
Tonight I realized that our past does truly impact our present. I never really knew why I didn't like standing shoulder to shoulder with people at church until tonight. I adored both people on each side of me. It was me. When we began singing, I just kept wondering, "What are they thinking of my singing voice? Am I on-key?" Where does this anticipation come?
Journey with me to middle school. I was in choir (cause it was cooler than band) and we were doing a 50s medley for a concert and I loved the songs! So much in fact, that I recorded myself singing them at my dad's...because there wasn't much else to do there on the weekend.
Fast forward to college - we were playing old mixed tapes that we had made and I stuck in one of my tapes...yep, you guessed it. It was playing and ended up turning into me singing (I honestly didn't remember that was on there - I thought I had recorded over it.) Well, my roommates (although they didn't mean to) had a great laugh to my dismay. I was mortified.
And now we are to present day. I think some part of me still is nervous that the person next to me will be laughing as I am belting out in pure adoration of my Creator. There are just some songs you have to belt...you can't hold it in. I just don't want to be known as the person people don't want to sit by at church because of the way they sing.
Journey with me to middle school. I was in choir (cause it was cooler than band) and we were doing a 50s medley for a concert and I loved the songs! So much in fact, that I recorded myself singing them at my dad's...because there wasn't much else to do there on the weekend.
Fast forward to college - we were playing old mixed tapes that we had made and I stuck in one of my tapes...yep, you guessed it. It was playing and ended up turning into me singing (I honestly didn't remember that was on there - I thought I had recorded over it.) Well, my roommates (although they didn't mean to) had a great laugh to my dismay. I was mortified.
And now we are to present day. I think some part of me still is nervous that the person next to me will be laughing as I am belting out in pure adoration of my Creator. There are just some songs you have to belt...you can't hold it in. I just don't want to be known as the person people don't want to sit by at church because of the way they sing.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
The ins and outs of Fall Break
I recently had Fall Break...not only was it wonderful, it was relaxing! I checked out some books, watched some movies, took naps...it was great!
On Saturday, I went to Chicago with a friend. It started off with a stop at a VERY nice McDonald's near I-65. As I was going to the bathroom (sorry...), I heard a voice, "Mommy? Mommy's gone." I knew it was going to happen. I just waited for it. Sure enough, here comes a head popping under my stall door. All the time, I was saying, "Not your mom." This didn't stop the young boy. He came all the way into my stall! All the way. I, AGAIN, said, "Not your mommy." After he left the stall, I told him to wait and I'd help him find his mom. Turns out, mom was at the counter ordering food. I guess her little boy has walked off before by the look on her face as she dragged him over to the table with his siblings.
But this wasn't the end of the fun. As we parked the car, I noted we were on parking level 3. We realized that as we entered the stairwell that you cannot exit through another level. Only the bottom level. Duly noted for the future. After a great time shopping and spending time with my friend's friend, we made our way back to the parking garage. Thank goodness we had brought our ticket from the garage. We paid at the terminal and were short three dollars. As we called the intercom for help, the lady kept repeating the same question to us. Turns out we weren't waiting long enough for silence to respond back. We made our way into the elevator, I pressed the level three button and we walk out. Walking down the stretch to the opposite side where we parked, we noticed that the car wasn't there. We were on level 4. Knowing the stairwell locks you in, we walked around on the floor of the garage. We come to the next floor of small compact cars and now we are on level 2. Where's level 3? It was like Harry Potter and the invisible train station.
We had seen a man pop his head around the corner and as we made our way to where we thought the car was the man disappeared. I made sure my friend had her keys out (I know that I have watched way too many Law and Order shows.) and the guy popped around the corner again. Turns out he worked there (thank goodness) and he asked us if we were missing our car. The thought did cross my mind that the car had been stolen. He had us go in the stairwell (he had keys) and took us to level 3 (which I still don't know how we missed it) and to our car.
Does the adventure end there? No...
We pulled up to the cashier to get our extra three dollars. The lady wasn't there. We pressed the help button again. She came out and after filling out some paperwork, we finally got the three dollars. We pull up to the mechanical arm and NOTHING. After backing up and pulling forward, it still wasn't working. We put in the ticket showing that we've paid and since we have now gone over the 15 minute grade period, we owe another 6 dollars...thankfully, we didn't have to pay that. The lady tried again to raise the mechanical arm and still NOTHING. By this time, another car has pulled up behind us. She had to back up. Our car moved over another aisle to see if that arm worked and of course it didn't. Another lady pulled up and said to the lady, "I didn't get all of my change back from the machine." Ha ha...welcome to our world! At this time, five other cars are now there and to inform them, I decide to get out of the car to let them know what's going on. Chicago people are not nice. I thought they would have been thankful to know why we had been sitting there and not moving...but not many people smiled and no one said thank you.
Twenty-three minutes later, the parking garage attendant had to use her keys to manually raise the arms...why did this not happen 15 minutes ago? The five cars that had pulled up were now going to be able to leave. Our parking garage moment was finally over. I guess I could go on about how we then got lost in downtown Chicago trying to find our way back home (we didn't have the directions in reverse to get back), but that wasn't as funny as the other events. I mean, how many people get stuck in a parking garage for 23 minutes???
My friend and I had a good laugh and promised to write the story...we both teach and know that this small moment will be great to share with our classes.
On Saturday, I went to Chicago with a friend. It started off with a stop at a VERY nice McDonald's near I-65. As I was going to the bathroom (sorry...), I heard a voice, "Mommy? Mommy's gone." I knew it was going to happen. I just waited for it. Sure enough, here comes a head popping under my stall door. All the time, I was saying, "Not your mom." This didn't stop the young boy. He came all the way into my stall! All the way. I, AGAIN, said, "Not your mommy." After he left the stall, I told him to wait and I'd help him find his mom. Turns out, mom was at the counter ordering food. I guess her little boy has walked off before by the look on her face as she dragged him over to the table with his siblings.
But this wasn't the end of the fun. As we parked the car, I noted we were on parking level 3. We realized that as we entered the stairwell that you cannot exit through another level. Only the bottom level. Duly noted for the future. After a great time shopping and spending time with my friend's friend, we made our way back to the parking garage. Thank goodness we had brought our ticket from the garage. We paid at the terminal and were short three dollars. As we called the intercom for help, the lady kept repeating the same question to us. Turns out we weren't waiting long enough for silence to respond back. We made our way into the elevator, I pressed the level three button and we walk out. Walking down the stretch to the opposite side where we parked, we noticed that the car wasn't there. We were on level 4. Knowing the stairwell locks you in, we walked around on the floor of the garage. We come to the next floor of small compact cars and now we are on level 2. Where's level 3? It was like Harry Potter and the invisible train station.
We had seen a man pop his head around the corner and as we made our way to where we thought the car was the man disappeared. I made sure my friend had her keys out (I know that I have watched way too many Law and Order shows.) and the guy popped around the corner again. Turns out he worked there (thank goodness) and he asked us if we were missing our car. The thought did cross my mind that the car had been stolen. He had us go in the stairwell (he had keys) and took us to level 3 (which I still don't know how we missed it) and to our car.
Does the adventure end there? No...
We pulled up to the cashier to get our extra three dollars. The lady wasn't there. We pressed the help button again. She came out and after filling out some paperwork, we finally got the three dollars. We pull up to the mechanical arm and NOTHING. After backing up and pulling forward, it still wasn't working. We put in the ticket showing that we've paid and since we have now gone over the 15 minute grade period, we owe another 6 dollars...thankfully, we didn't have to pay that. The lady tried again to raise the mechanical arm and still NOTHING. By this time, another car has pulled up behind us. She had to back up. Our car moved over another aisle to see if that arm worked and of course it didn't. Another lady pulled up and said to the lady, "I didn't get all of my change back from the machine." Ha ha...welcome to our world! At this time, five other cars are now there and to inform them, I decide to get out of the car to let them know what's going on. Chicago people are not nice. I thought they would have been thankful to know why we had been sitting there and not moving...but not many people smiled and no one said thank you.
Twenty-three minutes later, the parking garage attendant had to use her keys to manually raise the arms...why did this not happen 15 minutes ago? The five cars that had pulled up were now going to be able to leave. Our parking garage moment was finally over. I guess I could go on about how we then got lost in downtown Chicago trying to find our way back home (we didn't have the directions in reverse to get back), but that wasn't as funny as the other events. I mean, how many people get stuck in a parking garage for 23 minutes???
My friend and I had a good laugh and promised to write the story...we both teach and know that this small moment will be great to share with our classes.
Necklaces...
I received in the mail on Friday some necklaces I ordered. I love them! Some of them I ordered for my small group girls and others I ordered for myself. They are beautiful!!! And cheap! If you want to support a cause and order some great jewelry, check out www.rpsetc.com. By typing in Makenna when you check out, part of the money you spend goes to support my friend's daughter who lost her life after only six short weeks. Her story is here.
This is the necklace I wore today.
Please, take some time and look through the website. Any pendant you buy can go towards Makenna's research fund! And if you buy any, please let me know. I'd love to pass on to my friend that her daughter is still making a difference!!!
This is the necklace I wore today.
Please, take some time and look through the website. Any pendant you buy can go towards Makenna's research fund! And if you buy any, please let me know. I'd love to pass on to my friend that her daughter is still making a difference!!!
Friday, October 30, 2009
What is happening?
On Wednesday, we had a sharing circle so three students could share what they did in their reading that others can do. After talking with another teacher, I asked the students to first ask themselves what the speaker was teaching them before they ask what they were teaching the readers. One of the students wasn't quite getting his idea across about being deliberate in stopping and asking questions as they read (our new strategy) so a student did ask what they were teaching.
He explained (after a little help with me) and another reader asked him a question. One of my girls popped in as he was sharing the answer and asked why he was only looking at that student. (Woo hoo...she was getting the point of eye contact with everyone.) He explained that he was looking at the person that asked him the question. (He understood that you look at people when you answer their questions). Another girl pops in and tells the group that we shouldn't interrupt his teaching. (She understands that people need to wait their turn to talk.)
It was amazing!!! So glad I was paying attention as they were sharing.
He explained (after a little help with me) and another reader asked him a question. One of my girls popped in as he was sharing the answer and asked why he was only looking at that student. (Woo hoo...she was getting the point of eye contact with everyone.) He explained that he was looking at the person that asked him the question. (He understood that you look at people when you answer their questions). Another girl pops in and tells the group that we shouldn't interrupt his teaching. (She understands that people need to wait their turn to talk.)
It was amazing!!! So glad I was paying attention as they were sharing.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Truth
I am in a Bible study about Esther through LifeWay with Beth Moore as the leader. Once again, God has drawn together my reading of the OT to match His perfect timing. I am currently in 1 Samuel and with reading through the OT so far, I can see where the history of meanness resonated with the Jews and Amalekites. It was amazing as she was talking how all of the pieces came together and made sense. And knowing this, I can rest in Him and what He has planned for me.
Tonight's lesson was mostly about the history of meanness between these two groups of people, but asked some very relevant questions that I am posing to you...I pray that as you read these words, God opens your eyes and begins a revolution of kindness where you are.
One of the points was that meanness perceives a threat and that woman are often the worst critics of our own kind. So, when you (and I mean you) perceive a threat, what are you measuring yourself against? What are you comparing yourself to? Who is your rival and how much time and energy are you wasting on it? What is at the root of it? Insecurity is at the heart of rivalry.
As Beth was speaking, sitting there and listening to it, I know many of the answers in my head and heart. Now the hard part will be to identify it and hold to the Truth that I know is real.
Thanks for joining me on this entry...And if you're game, what are your answers to these questions? I'm sure I'll be posting some of my own answers very shortly!
Tonight's lesson was mostly about the history of meanness between these two groups of people, but asked some very relevant questions that I am posing to you...I pray that as you read these words, God opens your eyes and begins a revolution of kindness where you are.
One of the points was that meanness perceives a threat and that woman are often the worst critics of our own kind. So, when you (and I mean you) perceive a threat, what are you measuring yourself against? What are you comparing yourself to? Who is your rival and how much time and energy are you wasting on it? What is at the root of it? Insecurity is at the heart of rivalry.
As Beth was speaking, sitting there and listening to it, I know many of the answers in my head and heart. Now the hard part will be to identify it and hold to the Truth that I know is real.
Thanks for joining me on this entry...And if you're game, what are your answers to these questions? I'm sure I'll be posting some of my own answers very shortly!
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