The Longest Day of the Week

I’m so sorry my loyal bloggers! Tuesdays are the longest days of the week. Not really because of school because we do have music and 45 minutes of library and computer. But no, after school is what makes things impossibly long. Our student teaching night class is held on Tuesday nights from 4:30 to 5:30, which means that I miss practice. So after class, I get to go lift solo (with another team). Today that team was boys basketball. I love their sound track, but it’s hard to lift with all of them around, plus I don’t want to show them off by out lifting some ;). Kidding! (Mostly.) Anyway after working out I took a nice nap and then headed to the NFC for wrestle offs. (I love wrestling.) In all the crazy, I totally (almost) forgot to blog! Luckily I had already written down a few funny journal entries from today. The kids were supposed to write about their favorite book… here is the aftermath from two of my favorite writers, Breakfast Boy and The Ranter.

“My favorite boob is Green Eggs an Ham. It is funy. I wont to eat Greer eggs. Sam I am is funy!” (Careless, careless spelling. Hilarious ideas.)

“My favorite book is Click Clack moo Cows that tpye. I dont know how cows know how too spell and tpye? It was funny when they wrote a letter too farmer brown. Saying were closed no milk too day and it said to eggs too.” (I just love the way that he writes.)

Since it’s late o’clock, I’m going to keep this short and sweet and head off to bed!

Goodnight until tomorrow…

Peace, love, and (almost) hump day,

Jayna

Right On Time

… or a couple of minutes late. That’s about how my Monday has been. We were a couple of minutes late starting math, a few minutes late to lunch, right on time for art, and a few minutes late getting ready to go home. Sheesh. I’ve been trying to watch the clock, but I also (sometimes) forget that it takes a long time (sometimes a very long time) for us as a class of 2^nd graders to get anywhere.

Monday has been a pretty typical day, with the exception of a few students being stubborn and difficult. About 7 students got the privilege (misfortune?) of staying in for some of their recess to finish or correct their work. And we did have one with water works. They are so stinking cute, and you really want to feel sorry for them, but some of my students are just plain stubborn and stinkers. I can’t let myself pity them too much…. However…

After a long discussion with my rockstar teacher today, I have spent a lot of time reflecting on families. Each student comes from a unique family situation. I really believe that the core of each person, the heart, the root of their being comes from the family. Parents need to cherish, encourage, and challenge their children to grow everyday. Not just to become better students, but better people. I don’t know, I suppose I could rant on and on about the importance of parents and siblings and a positive, loving, attentive but disciplined family, but there’s no point. I just sympathize for some of my students who seem to be lacking somewhere in the family or personal life. I realize that in my school, familial issues are less common, but I still just feel so bad for the sweet little kids who sometimes don’t have a choice or know better because of their family and background.

I suppose, as my teachers often say, “That’s just the way it is.”

Deep sigh.

The only good news about today (other than that it is Monday and I love Mondays) is that I have all of this week planned out so I don’t have anything to do! The bad part is that with my lesson planning done, I should be working on my electronic portfolio. Which I (REALLY) don’t want to. But I suppose “that’s just the way it is.”

Until tomorrow,

Peace, love, and homework,

Jayna

Busy

Hello All! Happy Weekend! I'm sorry that this post is late (kinda cool, ya'll get some Saturday insight) but as you can probably infer (2nd grade skill) from the title of this post, I have been very busy. All that being unmotivated coupled with the busy-ness of being an active college student really took a toll on me. I was so behind that I stayed at school until 6pm yesterday. 6 pm ON A FRIDAY PEOPLE. Gah, here's to a lesson learned and to never doing that again.... At least not until I'm a real, certified teacher lady.

Other than staying ridiculously late, school yesterday was great. The kids were well behaved, I was planned out (at least 1/2 a step ahead haha), and it was nice to get Friday wrapped up. Of course with next week being Halloween and our All Saint's Day Mass, it's bound to be pure madness. Typical. Good thing I've already got everything planned out!

Oh well, I will save Monday's troubles for Monday. (Matthew 6:34)

On to this weekend! Last night Boyfriend came down to visit. We had a great time watch the vb team sweep CU in three, then headed over for some free ice skating at IBP. We laughed (a lot) and had (a lot of) fun. It was a great way to end my busy Friday just by hanging out with him and some other BC friends. 

Tonight I'm off again to watch some BC home volleyball! It's senior night, and beyond crazy to think that it should be my senior night too. I miss volleyball and I miss my teammates. I'm proud of them and everything they have done and accomplished both on and off the court throughout these past 4 years. And even though I'm not a part of the team anymore, I'm proud of what I've done too both with them on the court and campus, and without them on the track and in the classroom. For me, there will always be a special place in my heart for the 6 BC recruits from the class of 2010, soon to be the graduating class of 2014. 

A picture is worth a thousand words... here's a few thousand. 

My volleyball girls as Sophomores. Love, love, love you all. 

 A couple of ice skating freaks :) 

And hopefully this loads as a funny video of me and Boyfriend spinning on ice last night. He is obviously very graceful. 

Until Monday...

Peace, love, and relaxation,

Jayna

The Ugly Truth

 SPOILER ALERT: Student teaching is not all fun and games. Definitely not. At all. It’s hard. You have to jump through a lot of hoops. You are still a guest in someone else’s classroom although you are technically in control of it. Student teaching is full of trials, tribulations, and triumphs. It’s expected that we, as teacher candidates, struggle. It’s also expected that we thrive, even if some nights we cry over lessons gone wrong or overwhelming stress. Such is the norm in the life and future career we are preparing to embrace. And such are the feelings reflected in my blog. So there’s that.

Today, was one of those “overwhelming stress” days that I was referring to. It’s ten o’clock at night (aka late o’clock) and I am just finally sitting down to relax for the day. I’ve been running from school, to education department meetings, to coaches, to off campus parties (not the fun, 21 year old kind), to the Y, to pick up dinner, and now I’m home. Needless to say, it’s been a rough day. (Insert deep breath here.) Tomorrow I will plan for next week. All of it. Even if it means skipping track practice, which I really don’t want to. But I will.

Growing up sucks.

But teaching does have its perks. Like reading hilarious journals that literally make me laugh out loud and other entries that melt my heart.

“I like to play football with Sean, Jonny, and Jake. Teams are normaly me and Jake agianst. Sean and Jonny. Sometimes its me and Jonny on a team. Agianst Sean and Jake. One time we played me and Sean aginst Jake and Jonny. That wasnt fair at all.” (Alright Mr. Athleticism, I see you working. :))

“I like to play with Nora. She is my best friend. Do you have a best friend at coleg. I hope you have friends. Do you have 10 or 1 best friend?” (What a sweetie. She’s worried that I don’t have friends… with good reason maybe. Teaching doesn’t leave much time for friends at the moment!)

Alright friends (wait, I do have friends! My readers!) , I’m out. It’s time to write out the full plan for tomorrow and to fill in the details of a (hopefully) super cool Spanish lesson. Let’s do thissssss!!

Until tomorrow,

Peace, love, and reality checks,

Jayna

Ps- Sorry Mom. 

Turn Up The Heat

But seriously, it’s freezing in my school. On Monday, the janitor turned the heat OFF at 9:30 because “he was hot.” Yes, probably because you are a 43 year old man who is working while my seven and eight year olds are shivering in their seats. Not to mention the poor student teacher (that’s me) who is also shivering despite her socks, shoes, and sweater.  It has been three days and it’s not even that outside cold yet. At some point, the heat is going to have to be turned up. That or I will be sitting on the windowsill/countertop/heater during class. Crazy to think that just a few weeks ago we had early outs of HEAT. Darn this crazy Midwestern weather.

Today was yet another hilarious day in 2^nd grade. (In case you couldn’t already tell, I’m feeling much more optimistic and motivated today. Thank the LORD!) Here are some journal entries from the kids (because I know you've missed them). The prompt was to write about what might happen if you spent a school day with your hands tied together.

“You would fall over and Skin your Knee and cry.” (The capitalized words were obviously very important!)

“I couldint be abe to do anything with my hands tied together.  I could only play soccer. If I only new how to play iny other gomes for your feet. I can’t play baskitball and for sqwaere.” (Soccer. Clutch.)

“It would be hard to write because we have to sit backwords. Do you like to write backword. I would be bizzy. Do you like to do it.” (Do I like what? Like do I regulary tie my hands together and sit backwards? Uhh…)

“I might have trouble writing. And I might not be able to grab my pencil. And I might not be able to write. And I would not be able to read.” (Because having your hands tied definitely effects your eyesight. Naturally.)

“If I had my hands tied together I could not pikc up a cop or I could not eat food I could not do my homework. I could not play baseball. I could not do inethg. I could not rite in my notebook.” (I’m so proud of how much this little guy’s writing has improved so far this year!)

“ If my hand’s were together I can’t eat in the Luchroom. And I can’t pick up a rock. And I could not turn on the TV. And I could not hug my friends.” (I would miss hugging my friends too, you little heart-melter.)

“I would eat. But it would be hard. It would be hard to get on the bus. How would I write?” (This is my breakfast boy for those of you devoted blog readers. Of course he’s worried about how he will eat… typical :))

In addition to hilarious things written in class today, other hilarious things were said.

The secretary came on over the PA to relay a message, and I thanked her by saying, “Thanks Kelly!” This is what I heard next from two students partner reading by the door...

(Whispering) “Who’s Kelly?” “That’s Mrs. S’s real name….” (I really did laugh out loud at that.)

While the kids were still partner reading I was attempting to finish reading their journals. One of my students (who is ADHD and just started medication this week) was sitting next to my desk reading with his partner. This kid (besides for being adorable) is very smart. And now that he’s medicated, he can actually focus (not that I’m an advocate for medicating kids, but this one really needed it). This kid continually impresses me by spreading his learning across all of the disciplines. Here was our conversation while he was partner reading…

“Miss Specht! I found different. That’s an –er word. And I wrote it on my –er, -ur chart.”

“That’s great! Keep reading!”

“Other seeds stick to the fur….Hey, fur! One of our spelling words!”

Honestly, the kid is impressive. He spent his whole recess making two charts for our spelling patterns this week –ir, -er, -ur, and –ar. He’s been filling in words as he comes across them. I’m so proud. Slightly annoyed that he wants to tell me every. single. time. that he finds a word, but mostly just proud.

Well folks after all this ranting, it’s time to set sail off the procrastination nation of blogging and back to real life lesson planning (yuck, I know).

Until tomorrow,

Peace, love, and hump dayyyyee,

Jayna

Unmotivated. Part Two.

Happy Tuesday friends! Today was nothing special from the student teaching end. Nothing too awful, nothing too great, just one student who drove me a little (okay, a lotta) bit CRAY. It's strange how one person (even a little eight year old person) can put a damper on your whole day. And let me just say for the record and I, Jayna Lu, HATE taking away recess. It's no fun for the kids, it's no fun for me. Honestly, I am running out of things for some of my students to do. I'm on the verge of reverting to dictionary copying (using children's dictionaries of course). It astounds me how some kids still aren't getting it. You're not going to get away with blurting out in class. You're just not. Hopefully a few of my students experience some sort of epiphany about this soon. Before I'm totally loca. 

Bonus things. My timing in the classroom has really improved and is coming along nicely! Today I met with all of my reading groups (4) and did such in a timely manner. Like perfectly timed. Even my rockstar teacher commented on it (pre- neat!). In addition, my students took a chapter math test today. It was rough for me to correct. I know that the kids know the information and I literally watched some of them answer their questions without reading them or change correct answers to incorrect ones. I taught them this stuff! (Place value, predicting, estimating, and writing numbers in words.) It's a lot, it's a hard concept, but it's their curriculum. They have to learn it. So we will be doing some reteaching, reinforcing, reviewing and hoping for the best :). 

I love teaching, but it can be so frustrating. (Let me clarify, it can be abundantly rewarding too!) And on that note, I'm off to enjoy some Hunchback of Notre Dame with my roommates. 

Until tomorrow, 

Peace, love, and Disney movies, 

Jayna

Unmotivated.

There is no other word to describe my mood. I just don’t want to do anything (for school... I did go on a 40 minute run tonight. I *heart* exercise). It doesn’t make sense, but when it comes to school…. I don’t know. I love my kids, I love teaching, but I just don’t want to. Like at all. Blahh.

So here’s the synopsis of my day… Monday’s are great. They are (conveniently) especially great days to be unmotivated because 1. we have early outs and 2. my class has art, which means that I get to pawn them off on another teacher for an hour. It’s glorious. Today was very helpful in getting me caught up on planning (I forgot my laptop last Friday).  And let’s be honest, I do as little as possible on the weekends. I’m too tired and attempting to have a social life. C’mon people.

As a matter of fact, I think I would much rather talk about the weekend than about school. This weekend (for most of my college friends) started on Thursday night because classes were cancelled Friday for mid-term break. Awesome for them, less awesome for those of us student teaching. Also, remember that I had a bonus visitor on Thursday. :) After school on Friday, I left school and trucked up to visit Thursday’s surprise visitor. (I’m sorry this is all so vague, but I’ve done a pretty decent job of not name dropping thus far in the blog. You can bet your little butt I’m not going to start now.) Let’s just say that Thurday’s surprise visitor happens to be a boy. Who was a friend. And is now (officially) Boyfriend. Big news! Surprise!

Well, now that I have dropped a very vague bomb (haha) let’s move on to Saturday. I went home!! <3. I spent Saturday afternoon with my fam bam watching some good old highschool volleyball games (OGAG). I really miss playing. Saturday night I headed back to school. I spent the night bonding with my roommate Monica (I guess I didn’t do a very good job with not name dropping in her case…) and another friend over some silly movie with James Franco and a questionable love story.

Still undecided on how I feel about it... probably because I talked through the whole movie and was super confused. Typical.

Sunday, I was up early to cantor at a local parish before heading to the mall on a quest for new cute, winter, teachery shoes. I didn’t find anything I liked, so naturally I spent a ton of money at Bath and Body Works. Let’s just say I won’t need to buy lotion again for a while… Like months. Anyway, Sunday night was pretty uneventful except for one event, an education club meeting. I’m still talking up the new peer mentoring program so we hosted a panel meeting for all ed majors to come and ask questions and discuss educationy things. The most popular topics were observation hours, professionalism, and Praxis II. It was a fun time to get everyone together and to hear their perspectives on teaching, education, and all sorts of other things. I’m excited that things seem to be working out and that people are legitimately showing interest!

That summary of the weekend leads us back to today, where I am currently sitting in the campus atrium sipping hot chocolate with a hint of caramel (because I will be up forever if I have caffeine) and typing the blog out for all you lovely folks, random passer-byers, and loyal readers. Here’s a funny couple of stories to wrap up Monday with giggles…

While on lunch duty today, one of the first graders (who has a very traditional Mexican name) raised his hand and stuttered (he has a cute little speech impediment), “Miss Specht. Guess what?” Me, “What?” Him, “I found out this weekend that I’m Mexican! Know how I know….? Cause my brother is!”

I just about lost it laughing.

Later in the afternoon, the same student’s teacher was dying laughing in the hall and preceeded to tell me this story... She had been quizzing our little Mexican friend on his address, and he was holding his head in his hands saying, “Mrs. F, my brain hurts. My head is on fire, do you know why?” To which another little boy responded, “Is it because you’re Mexican?”

I love elementary school.

Goodnight readers!

Peace, love, and semi-racial jokes,

Jayna