Life is full in ALL spectrums

Life is full in all spectrums.

This is the first week since the beginning of school that I have planned and photocopied everything I need for my week prior to the weekend. The plans always change, but I thought I’d give it a try to not drive myself crazy wondering what I need to do!

My students are fun and make me work really hard. My kids have a reputation for being low. I am tired of people referring to my students that way. I am determined to change their status. I was talking about California history to the students, and they asked me what other countries California was like. Another words, in their heads California is a country. I soon learned, my students have little to no background knowledge of history, geography, or science. Ahhhhh! So frustrating. Math and ELA is huge, I get that, but the other subjects are important too! So I am trying to give it all to my kids, and it is working, and I can measure an incredible growth of learning and it has only been a month. There is a long journey ahead, but I know it will end with positive results, but LOTS of work.

There are times when I have to remind myself that I am a teacher, for I feel that I am a parent, counselor, caretaker, etc. most of the time. Lots of crazy stories. Kids tell me everything. One girl told me that when she was 3 her parents divorced. Her mom would lock her in the bathroom when she would get mad at her. As a toddler, she would tell her dad that her mom would hurt her when he was gone. She had to go to court, before a judge to tell what her mom did to her for her dad to get full custody of her. Now it is the two of them. Really, she is a drug baby, and her mom is a drug addict. She is not allowed to see mom till she is 18. This student brought to school a wallet sized photo album that was obviously looked at a lot by this little one of her and her parents prior to the separation. She is a sweet little one, and usually greets me when I get to school between 6:50 and 7!

With another student I noticed dad was a little odd in his verbal communication and body language, as he daily dropped off and picked up his daughter. One day, the student came to me and said she was sad, and explained that the night prior, after she got out of the shower the cops were at her house, dad was in hand cuffs, and mom was on the floor holding onto her head, which was bruised. My student explained, she did not know what was going on. In the eyes of my student, the cops decided to let her dad go, but told him to never come back to her house. The next day, the cops stopped by and he was still there. She basically watched him again get hand cuffed and taken away. Apparently, he is now in prison in LA. Not quite sure all the details, but defiantly abusive father to her mother. She is a sweet little girl too, new to the school, and extremely talented in art, but unnoticed by her family at home!

This year’s “project” student is by far one of the hardest kids I have had to deal with. One of the most defiant, rude, and disrespectful kids, but that will change this year….it just takes every piece of patience I have, and it is hard. In the car on the way to school, I tell myself, “His mercies are new every morning!” Two different counselors come every week on different days to work with the student: one on how to interact with his family and two how to have the appropriate classroom behavior. Last year his teacher sent him to the office everyday, for he was uncontrollable. I disagree with that philosophy, for he needs to learn the appropriate Ms. McGee procedures! I have learned that students like this are crying out for love and healthy attention more than any other kid. I can act out what this kid does in my class better than explain it, but trust me, it is crazy! Daily I have a new strategy to control this student with consistency because what worked the day before typically does not work the next. The latest is to staple a blank paper together and have him deliver it to another teacher so he can get some fresh air and I can have a breather to think of what to do next! I just have to remind myself that with students like this by the end of the year I have always been successful to see huge leaps of growth only with baby steps….baby steps that’s what it will take. This dude lives in an apartment with his family. He shares a room with a sibling and uncle who sleeps on the floor. Many family members live in the apartment. Mom I guess is quite the woman, very vocal and argues with all. I have not encountered her yet, but I will very soon since conferences are in one week.

Here’s a funny story. My students are playing “Around the World” with multiplication flash cards. It is a game where the students are challenged to show what they know in a subject as they compete with other students. One girl was beating everyone. Another student in awe, shouted out, “Dammmmm she’s good.” Now, I know the appropriate talk that should go on in the classroom…but it was so funny to hear a true genuine reaction!

Another time I was chewing out my “Project Student” outside. When I came back in the classroom, in all seriousness, the students pointed to the smoke alarm in the middle of the classroom ceiling and asked, “Is that a surveillance camera, and did you hear us say…..” My response, “Why of course it is a surveillance camera, you are not supposed to know till 6th grade…. that’s why I went outside, I knew you were watched. And I heard what you said….” All the faces of the students were in amazement. Hilarious!

There are more crazy stories, but they’ll come out at another time. So much happens daily…it’s hard for me remember!

I’ve been writing grants like a madwoman to try to get some funds for my students. My students have never been on a field trip. I am happy to say that we have received the funding to pay for 111 4th and 5th grade students to go on two different field trips completely free. I think the total grant we got is around three thousand dollars. I am awed, humbled and thrilled! There are more grants I am waiting to hear from to see what else the kids can possible receive! So cool. People are incredible to have hearts for others when they do not know the benefiters!

This weekend I was able to go up north again and visit GFlo. She is weaker and weaker. The best way to describe what she is like is to compare her to Grant. What I do for Grant is pretty much what needs to be done for GFlo. She is a trooper, but there are effects of the tumor. She needs full help to walk, eat, go to the bathroom, and anything you can think of that would be considered automatic for you and me. Talking is minimal with GFlo, for it takes a great amount of energy from her. This weekend she did have conversations with me, which confirmed that she tracks with what is going on. While watching all the baseball and football games we discussed what my husband should look like. It was funny because her true opinions come out. When Jamie and Emma arrived the true good times happened. Between all the gals, we were good at making GFlo laugh. Her laugh consisted of no facial expressions or sounds, but her shoulders moving up and down. Tuesday she will begin radiation. She is scared, you can tell, but talks very little about the radiation. She wants to do radiation, although she will become even more weaker. Pray this week for her and mom as it will be another new step in this whole situation. Through it all, God has been good. The prayer of mine has been that she will not encounter pain or suffer. Whenever we ask GFlo if anything hurts, she says amazingly no. Absolutely incredible.

Now through December is really getting full. It seems like every year at this time I manage to fill up my weekends fast. Some upcoming action is college reunion in Oregon! Haller! That’s gonna be great. Love those gals, and Jim! I am also going to NYC with Nikki since Mike is deployed somewhere. I am looking forward to good times and of course hanging with the NCY crew of people! I get a chuckle just thinking about it! I think it will be good to get away and in a since be refreshed by the peeps!