Crack is whack

Take it how you want to. This morning I went to my car at 6:20 a.m. and realized I had a huge crack in my windshield. Like 8 inches huge...and it wasn't there two days ago when I drove up to Helena Ark. and back. wtf. So, I call dad and complain...I mean what else would I do when something is wrong with my car? Anyway, by the time I had gotten to school it had grown probably 4 inches...with promise by dad that it would probably go all the way across. BLAHHHHH.

Anyway, I don't know what else is new in my life. School is sort of exciting right now because the majority of my kids have caught on to both beginning sounds and ending sounds. So now I am giving them sounds and they are starting to blend them together. We have JUST started to take a word and segment each of its sounds. It's exciting to think that they are starting to catch on to a crucial aspect necessary for reading.

I had to send home mid-quarter progress reports today. Some parents should be REAL mad. But I doubt I will hear any reaction from those parents. I have one student who has a 14% in reading, 17% in language, and like a 50% in math. He RARELY speaks. He knows 4 of 15 letters. He knows 3 of 25 sight words. Even without knowing our letters, we can still attempt to learn beginning/ending sounds...the kicker, is that when asked to identify a beginning or ending sounds, he refuses to talk. And sometimes cries. Arg...I have to admit, he's the littlest, cutest one...he was still 4 when we started school so he really is baby-baby. Anywho....he makes school difficult because he just doesn't catch on to anything. He goes for tutoring in the afternoons. During centers he works with an adult who comes in my room to do interventions with kids who are behind. And yet, I still run out of ideas to help him catch on to learn even a single letter a week. But boyyyy is he cuteeeee. One warning, don't move his clip or he'll throw a temper tantrum. He is so used to being on blue and silver and one day at the end of the day I had to take him out to his waiting aunt while he wanted with his face covered by his backpack because he was on blue. She's like, "I thought blue was good?" I'm like, "yeah, it is!" Oh kindergarten.

I'm trying to do a ton of observations this week to make myself better. My principal was in watching me last Friday...she watched a pretty typical class and by typical I mean most of them were out of control. Sweet, thanks guys. Everyday for the last two weeks we have talked about how we act when we have "guests" in our room. I don't care if these are people who work at school and are in our room everyday, if it's the principal, if it's someones momma, or especially if it is my program director....if we have guests in our room we need to cut the crap and do what we are supposed to! I don't even beg them to behave when it's just me....but I really NEED them to behave when other people are in the room...trying to make baby steps.

Speaking of baby steps....we have given up our mid-morning playtime to practice walking in the hallways everyday for the last two weeks or so. It's November and they still don't know how to stand in a line or walk in the hallway the way we are supposed to...so instead of playing with blocks on the rug, we practice walking. Trust me, this usually makes at least one of them cry each day because they don't want to, but tough...I'm tired of having the worst line in the ENTIRE school. And don't even think I'm exaggerating about that, it's fa real.

Have you heard the news? There will be no Ward-family Christmas letter this year. Jeannie begged but I told her I'm too busy widening the achievement gap to write one and should not be expected to make it a priority when the academic success of 22 students depends solely on me.

....okay, okay, just kidding mom. I guess I'll need something to do sitting in the airport.

Oh, breaking news....last week, Monday, November 3 was the first day in many, MANY weeks that my little lovely stayed in school ALLLLLL day. I didn't know what I was going to do with myself. My assistant was gone that day, I had no idea who I was going to have watch my class when he started acting out (because to be honest, he did it each and everyday, so you can't help but expect it). But, to my astonished surprise...he made it the entire day. I gave him more praise that you would training a dog...but he did it. The mystery has to be that he is on medicine. There is no way he could have gone from being kicked out of class and school each day for WEEKS and then suddenly make it all day with no problems....PLUS this was after a weekend of halloween candy = sugar. And at this point, the only time since then that he has been sent home was one day last week his momma was called because he had a nasty cold and probably shouldn't be around other kids. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't act perfect...but he is NOTHING like he used to be...I mean, he actually sits in his chair instead of throwing it. Today however, he went into the other kindergarten room for a little while (he had that teacher last year so she took him for a bit) and while he was there he found a staple on the floor and shoved it into the pad of his finger so far that he was turning his finger white. Then I had to pull it out which obviously hurt and it was bleeding. Good grief, was that a good choice?

So, it is week 14 and I just got a new student. She started last Thursday...only missing 1.5 quarters of school. Don't worry, she was going to school elsewhere, but I think it must have been more of a pre-K class because she didn't learn anything there. Her vocabulary test was the lowest of all kids in kindergarten. She is severely "at-risk" which means drastic interventions need to be done with her and she is tested monthly whereas the other kids are tested annually. I don't really get it either, because she is bright, she always has a TON to say and she pays attention. I guess it's another child who cuts my work out for me.

Minnesota in 12 days, WHAT?!?!??!! EEEEEEEEEEKKKKK! I REFUSE to let myself get too excited because there are still 9 days of school to get through and a lot of work will have to happen in those 9 days. But you better believe that Friday I'll be as giddy as the kids for a long break :) K, gotta get some work done...I love how these posts end up the longest when I feel like I've got nothing to say. Don't expect much for the rest of the week, I've exhausted my stories. Have a great week...and if you don't...just think of what life is like in Kindergarten, that should make you feel better! Safe travels Erik...thanks for leaving forever, ya punk ;) Just kidding. Peace, love and germ-x.