Pre K graduation

My last week of Pre-K teaching...

I was a little emotional; I'm embarrassed to admit it.  Part of it was saying goodbye to students for the first time in 8 yrs. I forgot how attached you get to your students. But a lot of it was saying goodbye to Robyn.  We really had a fun year together!

Check out these cupcakes for our end of year party...

Rolos and Hershey bar squares for the graduation cap. 

The  mom who made these always makes cute snacks.... and gives GREAT teacher gifts. :)

 

I know our kids will do so well in Kindergarten!!
Yay, Pre-K Grads 2013!!

Throwback Thursday

I have friends who do "Throwback Thursday" pics on fb, and I thought it might be fun to occasionally do that here. Mostly with old pics of the kids. But today I'm gonna kick it off with pics from my first job teaching.

This post won't be nearly as fun for you as it will be for me. The photos are dark because I took pictures of the pictures with my phone.

I was going through an old scrapbook and ran across these and started laughing.

First job teaching. January 2001. Me - 21 years old. Kids - 4th graders. Result- Me begging to be moved to down to any lower grade level. These kids ate me alive.  For crying out loud, one of them was as tall as me.

Ironically, I only had 16 kids so I'm not sure why it was so hard for me.

Also ironic-- I'd love to have a room full of 4th graders now.




First ever staff pic. 

In my experience in any picture, you don't want to be on the front row. But there I am.  I kinda want to pat little Julie on the head and say, "It's ok.  You suck now, but it'll get better."

Second year teaching (first full year) I was  moved to the next to the back row for staff pic.  Whew.  Always better to hide.

Can you find me?  Red shirt, middle, next to top row.

Sitting on the front row on the end was my teaching buddy and classroom next door pal, Sallye.  I really liked her.  We stayed friends for a while after I left Richardson.  She came to my baby shower for Sarah, and then we lost touch.  I should call her and catch up sometime.

Note to self: Call Sallye.

I left Richardson after a year and a half and went to Gunstream in Frisco.

Back to the front row.

There I am in the black dress sitting next to Robyn who is a wearing a floor-length floral skirt. [hee hee]

If you had told me then that I'd get married and have 3 babies and Robyn would have 3 kids of her own... then 10 years later we'd meet up again and teach preschool together, I'd have told you that you were NUTS.

Funny how life works out.

And this last pic is of Sydni. How cute is that smile?!

She was in my first second grade class at Gunstream.  She now babysits my kids and is graduating from high school in May.  :/

I showed this pic to Sarah and she loved seeing Sydni as a girl her age.  She said she looked like a second grader she'd be friends with. It's still strange to me that I have a child who's old enough to have been one of my students. 

Stranger still is how everyone else has gotten older, but I haven't aged at all. ;)

Really?!

Three scenarios. True stories. --

1. A friend of mine who teaches 5th grade at a private Christian school told me that she passed out a worksheet for homework and told the kids that it wouldn't take them long to complete because it was easy.

About an hour after school was over, she got an email from a mom that basically said, "I know you didn't mean to hurt my daughter's feelings when you told the class that the homework was easy, but you know how she struggles. Your careless words have made her feel stupid as this assignment is taking her a long time to finish. Please choose your words more carefully."

My friend told me she gets emails like that all the time from parents.



2. I have a friend who was a principal at an elementary school district in my area. She now stays home with her kids and really can't imagine going back. She said that, more than the ridiculous state mandated testing driving her away, it's the parents and the kids.

Kids who have never heard the word "no" and parents who don't want anyone to ever tell them "no".

She said that she has gotten a phone call from a mom in carpool line wanting her (the principal) to come outside and get a kindergartener out of the car because the precious little angel didn't feel like coming to school that day, and the mom didn't know how to make her child get out of the vehicle.

My principal friend also said that she has administrative friends who have received calls from parents wanting the principal to make house calls to get sleepy kids out of bed.


3. I know parents who owe more than $1500 in tuition to a private preschool and yet bring their kids day after day, promising to get around to paying eventually. Maybe. We'll see.


........

I'm sure if you work with parents (in nursing, a school setting, etc), you have stories of your own that make you shake your head and say, "Really?!"

It's ridiculous.

No wonder when you tell a child the assignment is due Monday, he thinks that it's ok to turn it in the following Friday. As long as he turns it in eventually, who cares, right? I mean, that's how his mom handles paying the bills, like tuition. Everything's a negotiation. Deadlines are suggestions.

A private preschool is a privilege, not a right. This is Caroline's first year in school because, quite frankly, we didn't feel we had the extra money to spend on Mom's Day Out programs. She's going for free at her school because I work there. If I didn't have the money, I'd keep her home.

Because that's how it works.

Pay your bills, or you don't get the service. Nothing personal. Just the way things go.

No wonder parents are stunned and angered when they finally encouter an authority figure (be it a teacher, a principal, the police) who will hold their child accountable for her choices. No one's EVER held her accountable at home.

Too many parents spend too much time lying to their kids, telling them they're perfect. I know as parents we need to be the ones in their corner and building them up, but thank God for the objective third party who can give us unbiased feedback that is often exactly what we need to hear... whether we want to or not.

......

OK. Rant over. Just one of those days. ;)

My life saver at work

I got this bag from my sister-in-law, Kim, for Christmas. She bought it for me knowing that I'd have a bunch of books and things to carry around for work/school/etc. It's a huge canvas bag from Lands End, and it is a life saver at work!

Why I love it:

~ It's big enough for everything! My books, my purse, my lunch, my jacket. I really can fit everything in it.

~ It zips. The school bag I was using before didn't zip. That's not good.

~ It has my monogram. This bag and a tshirt I wore on my honeymoon are the only things I own that have my monogram on it. Jason and I have towels that have JMJ on it, but I don't own many things with MY initials only.


It has already saved me:

Before I was given this, I was carrying a bag with my books, my lunch, a purse, Caroline's backpack, and any jackets that she and I might be wearing. I don't have 8 arms (in case you didn't know) so usually at the end of the day as I'm leaving my classroom, I pick everything up, gauge whether or not I've got everything by how heavy the things feel on my shoulder, and take a quick look around to make sure I'm not forgetting anything.

Even with double checking... Twice I've forgotten my purse. And I haven't realized it until I'm back home. It takes more than 30 mins round trip to drive to work to pick it up. And it costs $1.50 in tolls. So frustrating!

But I don't forget anything with this puppy.

At least not yet.

knock on wood

I took this pic...

... at lunch today.

Just as I was about to peel this banana for one of my little boys, I noticed this sticker.



When did they start putting nutrition labels on bananas?

ZERO FAT
ZERO SODIUM

Duh. It's a banana.

Get Well Soon

We had EIGHT kids out today. We only have 19 sutdents. EIGHT out. Percentage-wise... that's a lot!!

And it was wonderful. Not gonna lie.

But we have kids out with everything from pink eye to pneumonia. And that's not so wonderful.

One little boy is actually at Children's with pneumonia and RSV. He was admitted on Tuesday and will likely be there until Saturday at least. :(

I stopped by the hospital to let him know we're praying for him. On behalf of the class, I brought him some Legos, a Veggie Tales DVD, a balloon, and a card.

(Robyn and I considered bringing him a coloring book, but this little one does NOT like coloring. He's our "two scribbles, 'Is this good enough?'" kid.)

We asked the 11 students we had today to sign his get well card.

As we watched them write their names, Robyn and I couldn't stop laughing at our kids. (Not in front of them of course.) The ones who know how to write their names did crazy things when they signed the card. One wrote her name in a circle. One wrote every letter of her name in whatever order she wanted to.



Check out the name in green at the top. The one that looks like the number 1, followed by the Greek letter Gamma, then an F, B, E. That would be "Emily".

This card makes us look like the WORST teachers ever. Thanks to Dylan, Pierce and a few others for writing legibly. If it weren't for them, it would appear that we've taught nothing this year. ;)

Christmas program

Today my students put on a Christmas program for their parents. Robyn read the Christmas story as Mary and Joseph, shepherds and sheep, wisemen and narrators walked on stage.

There were speaking parts and songs. And rehearsals went well.

Today was a disaster.

1. Our director of the Christmas play had a sick child and stayed home today. Although Robyn and I had a copy of the script and knew the motions to each song, it's always good to have the person in charge of the play AT the play.

2. We had never practiced on stage. We are the only class who never practiced on stage. We've been meeting off campus this week because these programs are taking place in our classroom. So we got no dress rehearsal.

What does that mean?

No one knew where to go. That's what that means. Robyn was reading the story. I was telling the kids when to walk on stage, and the play director usually shows the kid where to stand. BUT, as I said, she was absent.

Robyn stopped the story to move kids around. And I left my post at the door to rearrange the shepherds and sheep.

3. The girl playing Mary was throwing up and couldn't be there. So at the last minute we borrowed a "Mary" from another PreK class.

4. Narrator #1 burst into tears as soon as Robyn pointed at him to say his line.

5. I was in charge of the CD player, turning the songs on when it was time. The CD was horribly scratched! "Feli-li-li-li-liz Navida-da-da-da-dad" I turned it off and we had to sing acapella.

Kids' costumes blocked their faces. Cotton balls kept falling off the sheep.

All we needed were the Herdman kids and we'd have had The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

But the parents loved it. And were grinning from ear to ear. And that's all that matters. :)



And it proves that love blinds you from seeing things as they really are. ;)

Things I've said today

"Please don't lick the table." (said to a boy licking the metal table legs during calendar time.)

"Stop! We don't sniff glue!" (said to the same boy earlier in the week. To which he said, "I just wanted to see what it smells like.")

"Please quit digging in your nose when I'm about to have to paint your hand. That's gross." (said to a girl during center time. I was painting their hands white so we could make handprint angels.)

"Um, we don't growl at our friends. That's not nice."

"Don't lay on the table."

"Don't stand in your chair."

"Please stop licking yourself."

"You can't eat your cookies until you've eaten all your cheetos." (said to a boy who only brought cheetos and cookies for lunch.)

"Sit up. We don't lay on our friends."

"Your pencil's not a light saber."



The first place I'm gonna need to botox is this deep crease in between my eyebrows, above the bridge of my nose. There's a permanent wrinkle there from giving the "What the heck are you doing??" look... nonstop.

I wonder if I can get reimbursed for the injections through workman's comp.

Making a plan and moving on

When I started my job, I was a little surprised that the people I worked with seemed to have no plans of moving on any time soon.  I work with college degreed, currently certified, smart teachers in their mid-30s.  And they seemed content with a preschool job making $9/hr.

I felt, at first, that I had to defend my choice to get my Master's and get some additional certifications.  I've been told that I don't want to go back to the classroom.  To which I said, "That's why I'm getting my Master's.  It gives me the option of NOT going back to the classroom." 

I said that, although I would LOVE to stay home for the rest of my life, I need to be supportive of my husband who has admitted that he would appreciate the financial help of an additional income.  We would like to pay off our house and be debt free.  That will take a lot longer if we only have one income. 

I also said that I can't wake up in 10 years and say, "Oh, I wish I had chosen to utilize my full earning potential when I was 35. Maybe I'll go back to work now."  In 10 years, Sarah will be a senior in high school.  The time to get busy is now.  The time to work hard and save money (in a coffee can buried in my back yard) ;) is now. I'm working towards that.

Well, flash forward 3 months and guess what.  Two of the four women I work with are seriously looking at adding certifications to their name, and one is applying to sub in Frisco so that she can hopefully make her move towards full time employment in the next 18 months.

:)  It's awesome to feel like I've got people around me who are working hard and looking ahead. It's like running.  It's the most fun to run with someone who runs as fast as you... or a little bit faster.  It pushes you to go faster and work harder. 

But it was lonely and made me sad and question whether I was doing the right thing when everyone else seemed content to work part time with crappy pay.

There's a fresh energy at work, I feel, now that the other girls are on board with moving forward.  It makes it exciting to go to work and talk about our plans.

Try as I might, I can't beat the system

I'm beating a dead horse at this point.  I know.  I've said it on fb.  I've said it on here.  Heck, I've probably complained to the cashier at Kroger.  Anyone who will listen has heard about how much I can't stand the certification system in Texas.

Here's what happened yesterday:

Since I passed my ESL test, I needed to add my certification to my account, so to speak.  So I logged in to the Texas Education Agency website and hit "Application for Additional Certification by Examination". 

I was prepared to pay my $77 to have them update my account. ($77.  Random figure, huh? I think they arbitrarily make up this crap.  Some big wig working for TEA: "Um, let's go with $77.  7 is my lucky number.")

Let's not forget that it was the TEA that emailed me my scores on the test.  They are the ones who graded my test. So they already have my scores.  But I have to pay them to type "ESL certified" under my name.

Back to yesterday...

My certification status was "Inactive".  My Early Childhood certification. My self contained 1st - 6th grade certification.   Inactive.

Cue the minor heart attack. 

I had already paid to have my certification renewed.  The reason I took that ESL course through A&M was so that I would have enough continuing education hours to renew my certification.  WHAT THE HECK?

So I called them.  And they said it was placed on "Inactive" status because I hadn't been fingerprinted yet.

I read that they wanted my fingerprints for $39.99 when I renewed my certifications.  (Renewing my certifications cost $20 by the way.)  But I thought it was optional for some reason.  I didn't know that, as of 2009, everyone has to be fingerprinted. 

Why? I don't know.  Are they worried that someone posing as me might try to teach my class?  Are they gonna periodically go in and fingerprint my desk like a CSI agent to make sure it is, in fact, me in my classroom?  Or is this just to make sure I don't have a criminal history.... which is what a BACKGROUND CHECK does.  I think I know why they want my prints.  Because I have to pay them $40 to do it.

"Once you get your fingerprints done, we'll take you off  'Inactive' status and make you 'valid' again.  Then you can pay the $77 to add your ESL certification."

The operator gave me instructions on where to go to get my fingerprints done. She also told me that the people who fingerprint me will charge a processing fee.

Yep.  I  have an appointment (because apparently you need an appointment) to be fingerprinted on November 12 at the Sylvan Learning Center in Frisco.  They will take my picture, electronically fingerprint me, and send the info to TEA via the computer.  Though they are using electronic devices, apparently there's a $10 processing fee that I owe Sylvan.

But, hey, at least Sylvan is doing something.  What is TEA doing?? Why did they want $39.99?  To upload the prints Sylvan is sending them? 

It's ridiculous!!!! They make me crazy!

Add it up... To be a currently certified teacher with a valid status and all of the certifications that I worked hard for and EARNED.... cost me...

$20
$120
$40
$10
$77

$267.  And all I need them to do is push buttons on their keyboard and click a few links with their mouse.

How many hoops do I have to jump through? Testing centers. Waiting for scores.  Applying after receiving scores.  Appointments for fingerprints.  And  5 separate charges on my credit card.

Think you can get away with skipping a step? Ha! They will freeze your account which technically makes you unable to work-- because you technically can't work with an "inactive" status--- until you pay them every last dime.

Government crooks.  Inefficient in every way... except when it comes to collecting payments.

Bible time at school

Robyn usually does calendar time, and I usually teach and review the Bible story each week at school.  I always read it out of the Kids' Bible and stop and explain as I need to.

I'm no Bible scholar but I would consider myself very familiar with all of the stories that preschoolers would learn from the Bible.  The popular Bible characters, so to speak.  But it's really not until I've been telling these stories to a room full of 4 year olds that part of me started to think, "Is this appropriate for kids?"

I don't mean that seriously.  Of course, the Bible is appropriate for kids.

~But we've learned that the wicked world was destroyed by a flood. 
~Joseph was thrown into a well and sold into slavery by his brothers.  (The video we watched-- but failed to preview-- was animated... seems kid-friendly, right?... but showed the part where the brothers covered Joseph's coat in blood to make Jacob think he was dead.  And then it showed Potipher's wife trying to seduce him.  Awesome.)
~Baby Moses was in the basket last week because Pharoah wanted to kill all the baby boys.
~And while teaching the Ten Commandments this week, I got tongue-tied when I realized I had to explain adultery.

I said something eloquent like, "That just means that moms and dads should... uh.. anyway... What's the next one?"

I'm relieved that next week is the story of Ruth.  I was telling Jason, "At least nothing traumatic happened to Ruth.  She loves Boaz.  She has a great mother-in-law.  Whew." 

Jason said, "Yeah, nothing traumatic.  Except her husband dies and most of Naomi's family dies. That's kind of a major part of the story.  Ruth stays with her because Naomi basically has no one else."

Oh yeah.  Great.  Hopefully the Kids' Bible won't go into all of that.

One thing's for sure... The Bible isn't boring.  I only hope that I'm not giving the kids nightmares about being sold into slavery or killed by a Pharoah.

Maybe during Bible time next week we can just sing "This Little Light of Mine" and call it a day. ;)

...................................

BTW-- In case you were thinking to yourself, "You've never taught a class full of preschoolers these stories? Didn't you teach preschool Sunday school last year?", let me answer that.

Yes, I did teach them last year.  But I taught the second hour. The "I've already learned my Bible story, sat still, had my snack, and prayed.  I just want to run around and play now" hour. 

There was no actual teaching from me when I worked last year.

Red Rover, Red Rover

For those of you who know "sweet" Karen Fishero, I'm gonna let you in on a shameful secret from her past.

We used to live in Mobile, AL on a cul-de-sac filled with children. Mom liked MOST of the kids. ;) But there was a certain neighbor named Brad that she struggled with. He was my sister's age... so 2 (maybe 3) years older than me. That would mean he was anywhere from 5 - 7 yrs old at the time of the incident.

One day my mom was playing "Red Rover" with the neighborhood kids. And when the chant went, "Red Rover, Red Rover let Brad come over," he ran towards my mom and whomever she was holding hands with. (My sister, I guess?)

If you're not familiar at all with the game, you form two lines... which basically makes 2 teams. Those two lines face each other and teammates hold hands. When you call someone from the other team over, they run and try to break through the line. If they can break through your hands, then they get to take someone from your team over to their team. If they can't break through your hands, they become part of your team. The team with the most players at the end wins.

When Brad ran towards my mom and (my sister, I think), my mom grabbed Hilary's hand TIGHT and wouldn't let go. Intentionally clothes-lining Brad. I can't be sure of this... but I imagine Brad fell on the ground. And sometimes I pretend he was out cold.

It's a move so uncharacteristic of my mother that the story has become almost legendary in my family.

So if anyone in my family is reading this, they will understand what I mean when I say....

After my day in Pre-K, there are 3 kids I'd give just about anything to play "Red Rover" with. ;)

well,

Life in Pre K is cruising along.

I've literally wiped 3 bottoms, changed 2 I-peed-my-pants accidents, and had 1 kid pee out on the playground. Not on accident. Dropped his pants, faced his friends, and peed.

I refill water bottles, open juice boxes, baggies, cups of Ranch dressing for little carrots, bags of chips, gogurts, and drain fruit cups. (Why do parents send mandarin oranges or diced peaches?)

There is no janitor so Robyn and I vacuum and scrub tables.

Oh... and we teach some too. ;)

I'm so tired when I get home, but then I think of that hefty $600 paycheck waiting for me at the first of every month and remember that I can do this!! :)

I needed a laugh

Robyn called me to discuss the letter that we're gonna send home to the parents before school starts.

She's typing the "Welcome to Pre-K" letter.

She wanted to know my information so she could fill in the paragraph that would introduce me to the class.

..........

Robyn: So I put "Hi, my name is Julie. I taught in Frisco for"... how many years?

Me: 3

Robyn: And Richardson for... how many years?

Me: 2

Robyn: I've been married to Jason for... how long?

Me: 8 yrs

Robyn: That's what I thought. And your kids are how old?

Me: 7, 5 and 3

Robyn: Ok, I put... "I enjoy"... what?

Me: Drinking.

Robyn: You can't put that.

Me: Oh, Then put "running, reading, and traveling".

Robyn: Traveling? Where have you been recently?

Me: Nowhere. But I'd enjoy it if I ever want anywhere.

Robyn: How do you want to end it? At the end of my paragraph, I put "I'm looking forward to all that this year has in store."

Me: Um... What about "I'm excited to be back in the classroom again, touching kids."

Robyn: [laughing] Touching kids' LIVES, you mean.

Me: Sure. If you think that sounds better.

.......

After a frustrating day, it's great to have a reminder that if you're working with people that you can joke and laugh with, then work doesn't ever completely suck.

:)

In my best Billy Madison voice, I was singing...

Back to school, back to school
To prove to Dad I'm not a fool.
I got my lunch packed up, my boots tied tight.
I hope I don't get in a fight.

...as I was cutting out the things that I laminated.

I'm so excited about being back in the classroom!! Even if it is 3 days a week. And at a preschool.

Buying classroom stuff. Using the laminating machine again. I made bulletin boards. Got the butcher paper out. So great! :)

It's amazing how fun a job can seem when you take a seven year break from it. Talk to me in a couple of months, and I'm sure my enthusiasm will be drastically less than it is now. ;)

Letter-Sound recognition

So today I was subbing as I've said. And there was a little girl that I did End of Year Assessments with. Keep in mind-- these are kids going into KINDERGARTEN next year.

I pointed to the letters first to see if she could tell me what the letters were.

I pointed to "A" and she said, "Well. It starts Avery's name."

And I said, "YES. It starts A-very's name. What's this letter?"

"I'm not sure."

Then later I pointed to "J". She said, "It starts Jacob's name."

"Right!! JAY-cob's name. What is this letter?"

"Don't know."

Aaghhh!

The only letters she got were R, O, and X. "R" because her name starts with R. She could identify 3 out of 26 uppercase letters. 2 out of 26 lowercase letters. And there are 6 letters in her name. Think about that. Can't even pick out the letters in her own name.

Then I asked her about letter sounds. What sound does an A make? Things like that.

So I pointed to a "C".

"What sound does this make?"

"Vroom."

"No. Not 'make a sound'. What sound does the letter 'C' make? You know 'B' says 'buh'. What does 'C' say?"

"Whoosh".

I also got "honk", "beep", and a clucking sound.

And she's going to kindergarten next year.

Keep in mind that I also tested a little girl who could read and, when it was time to count, counted in Spanish. Unsolicited. Gave all of her answers in Spanish.

THAT is what Kindergarten teachers deal with so give them a break!! They have reeeealllly low students and really high students. Can't leave the low one behind. Can't bore the high one.

So cut your child's teacher some slack. And work with your kid. "C" does not make the "Vroom" sound.

Subbing

Subbed yesterday. Subbing today.
No childcare for Jack so I brought him with me. :)