Royally screwed is how I can describe myself over the past hour and a half. Whatever the deal is, I can honestly say that this must be my little taste of karma. Good news is that so far, everything has been pretty minor.
finished blog and left work by 3:05...not bad so far
pretty clear drive on North Ave from Grand-Damen
stuck behind slowest driver in the world
large truck blocked both lanes on North through the Western intersection
lots of horn and blockage happening...me in the middle...
park in lot to get security tag taken off gift
pay $6.25 for 15 minutes ($0.41/min)
head to Borders to get book club book (Gang Leader for a Day)
park in free lot
pay full price because my teacher card has magically disappeared
Again, nothing too bad...just a lot at once after a little while of only wonderful things.
3.3.10
somebody's hero and other small surprises
Life continues to unfold and each and every day brings something new or renewed.
ISATs (this wonderful testing...no child left behind b.s.) started yesterday and with the start of the test, as with the start of anything one is nervous/anxious about, all of the jitters have, as they say, left the building. This week is quite nerve-racking for the kids so I did my best on Monday to be their (each and every student's) personal test-taking cheerleader. Going room to room before students left school on Monday (why to get their good nights' sleep of course) reassuring students that they already have all of the tools they need to be successful and to do their best was a difficult job!
Many of the students, even though they have taken the ISATs before, definitely felt the pressure to do well. This concept seemed a little strange to me seeing that when I was in elementary school, I recall no pressure at all. In fact, I experienced the exact opposite of that. For me, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills just happened to appear on my desk once a year as a surprise. Yes, not a very good surprise but a surprise nonetheless. Now, with No Child Left Behind and the threat to close schools and fire teachers, students pretty much know the testing dates as soon as they walk through the doors in August. So much time is spent emphasizing the importance of the test that it's of no wonder why students are stressing out.
This positive burst of excitement and enthusiasm about the tests definitely helped boost their spirits...at least I'd like to think so. After the first day of testing, I made sure to go back to each of the classrooms that I had so generously pumped up to get feedback on the tests. Most students told me that they did really well on the tests and that they weren't as bad as they had previously thought. One boy in particular who had expressed his concerns of testing on Monday let me know that he was nervous at the beginning of the test but then realized that he completely understood what was going on in the test and in turn "rocked" the test. (As a teacher those words are music to my ears :)
Walking through the halls this morning, I was stopped by one of my favorite fourth graders with a "good morning Ms. Bell!" After the casual good morning response the conversation went as such:
Me: I know you did an awesome job yesterday...are you gonna rock the test again today!?!
Students: Yeah! It was easy and I'm ready!
Me: That's awesome (insert high five)! You're a rock star...actually you're my little rock star!
Student: You're my hero.
Me: (taken aback) Wow! Thank you. That's a big job, I sure hope I can make you proud.
Student: You already do.
Usually it's the teachers and parents who are expected to pass out the positives like candy in order to boost the confidence of our youth...but after sometime contemplating...who does this for the adults?
It's rare. It's unusual. It's magical. It's worth it.
It's the tiny reminders, like the hero comment, that remind me of the why...the why am I doing all of this? the Why do I care so much? It's the reminder that I'm touching lives and making a difference.
Thanks Neyda ;)
ISATs (this wonderful testing...no child left behind b.s.) started yesterday and with the start of the test, as with the start of anything one is nervous/anxious about, all of the jitters have, as they say, left the building. This week is quite nerve-racking for the kids so I did my best on Monday to be their (each and every student's) personal test-taking cheerleader. Going room to room before students left school on Monday (why to get their good nights' sleep of course) reassuring students that they already have all of the tools they need to be successful and to do their best was a difficult job!
Many of the students, even though they have taken the ISATs before, definitely felt the pressure to do well. This concept seemed a little strange to me seeing that when I was in elementary school, I recall no pressure at all. In fact, I experienced the exact opposite of that. For me, the Iowa Test of Basic Skills just happened to appear on my desk once a year as a surprise. Yes, not a very good surprise but a surprise nonetheless. Now, with No Child Left Behind and the threat to close schools and fire teachers, students pretty much know the testing dates as soon as they walk through the doors in August. So much time is spent emphasizing the importance of the test that it's of no wonder why students are stressing out.
This positive burst of excitement and enthusiasm about the tests definitely helped boost their spirits...at least I'd like to think so. After the first day of testing, I made sure to go back to each of the classrooms that I had so generously pumped up to get feedback on the tests. Most students told me that they did really well on the tests and that they weren't as bad as they had previously thought. One boy in particular who had expressed his concerns of testing on Monday let me know that he was nervous at the beginning of the test but then realized that he completely understood what was going on in the test and in turn "rocked" the test. (As a teacher those words are music to my ears :)
Walking through the halls this morning, I was stopped by one of my favorite fourth graders with a "good morning Ms. Bell!" After the casual good morning response the conversation went as such:
Me: I know you did an awesome job yesterday...are you gonna rock the test again today!?!
Students: Yeah! It was easy and I'm ready!
Me: That's awesome (insert high five)! You're a rock star...actually you're my little rock star!
Student: You're my hero.
Me: (taken aback) Wow! Thank you. That's a big job, I sure hope I can make you proud.
Student: You already do.
Usually it's the teachers and parents who are expected to pass out the positives like candy in order to boost the confidence of our youth...but after sometime contemplating...who does this for the adults?
It's rare. It's unusual. It's magical. It's worth it.
It's the tiny reminders, like the hero comment, that remind me of the why...the why am I doing all of this? the Why do I care so much? It's the reminder that I'm touching lives and making a difference.
Thanks Neyda ;)
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