First Day of School.
First Day of School.
Wore a cute little dress from Target on clearance and felt very comfortable in it, which was perfect!
I really feel I have made a wonderful group of friends/coworkers. I feel so lucky.
Lots of support this morning and in the past days as we settled back into the routine.
Arrived at 615, worked on my classroom until it was...ok. Still missing a whiteboard and have a broken table. That broken table would come back to haunt me...
My homeroom students arrived, lots of girls; less boys. Opposite of last year. Kids seem sweet. I really like middle schoolers. There is no guise, no veil. WYSIWYG.
While all students were filing this morning to HR I spotted a boy walking toward me.
me:Where are you headed?
him : I don't know. (grim-faced)
You ok?
My heart is pounding in my chest.
I don't blame you, today is a big day.
Yeah.
did you like 5th grade?
yeah. (brightening) I did.
I think you're going to like 6th grade even better.
(looks right at me for the first time) Yeah?
Yeah.
Thanks.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Cha-cha-cha-changes.
I thought my first year of school was the hardest year ever. My second got a little easier, as did my third, fourth. My fifth, last year, was my best year yet, my most confident year yet.
I am terrified of this upcoming year. Leaving the most precious being in the world for 8+ hours a day is all I can think about. How will I cope?! How will I be able to provide for him emotionally and physically when I am 20 miles away from him 5 days a week? What kind of mother am I to leave him. When he needs me most. I can't answer these questions now. I hope I can answer them in a few weeks.
While I am at work, my one concern is pumping. I originally hoped to breastfeed Zeke to 6 months. We've both become quite good at it, I am proud to report! Now, I'd like to go for a year. That means I must pump 2x a day to replace the milk he is consuming while I'm gone. Our 10 day rotating schedule will make that complicated, and I hope I can come up with some sort of reasonable solution.
There are so many changes afoot at the Irving. They are exciting, but the width and breadth of these changes are so grand, and I want them to go grandly. I will be the 7th grade ELA teacher again, and am adding Theatre Arts back into my ingredient list. I am so lucky to get to combine the best of both my worlds, and I look forward to what it brings.
My room is wonderful. Big, on the cooler side of the building, and surround by my friends and biggest supporters: the 7th grade cluster. I am so grateful I get to continue working with them. I have become so close with many of them so quickly. For the first time in my life I feel like I can be totally honest and open with a group of people knowing that we can share a difference of opinion like adults! It is so refreshing and freeing!
So. Here's to SY 2010-2011.
Gulp.
I am terrified of this upcoming year. Leaving the most precious being in the world for 8+ hours a day is all I can think about. How will I cope?! How will I be able to provide for him emotionally and physically when I am 20 miles away from him 5 days a week? What kind of mother am I to leave him. When he needs me most. I can't answer these questions now. I hope I can answer them in a few weeks.
While I am at work, my one concern is pumping. I originally hoped to breastfeed Zeke to 6 months. We've both become quite good at it, I am proud to report! Now, I'd like to go for a year. That means I must pump 2x a day to replace the milk he is consuming while I'm gone. Our 10 day rotating schedule will make that complicated, and I hope I can come up with some sort of reasonable solution.
There are so many changes afoot at the Irving. They are exciting, but the width and breadth of these changes are so grand, and I want them to go grandly. I will be the 7th grade ELA teacher again, and am adding Theatre Arts back into my ingredient list. I am so lucky to get to combine the best of both my worlds, and I look forward to what it brings.
My room is wonderful. Big, on the cooler side of the building, and surround by my friends and biggest supporters: the 7th grade cluster. I am so grateful I get to continue working with them. I have become so close with many of them so quickly. For the first time in my life I feel like I can be totally honest and open with a group of people knowing that we can share a difference of opinion like adults! It is so refreshing and freeing!
So. Here's to SY 2010-2011.
Gulp.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Read more...
I did not include where I gained my information on the Irving's upcoming status change to a feeder school:
http://www.wickedlocal.com/west-roxbury/news/education/x313362061/Roslindale-gets-a-K-8-feeder-school-option
and more...
http://www.wickedlocal.com/roslindale/news/x427966107/Menino-applauds-Pathway-Program-for-Roslindale-students
http://www.wickedlocal.com/west-roxbury/news/education/x313362061/Roslindale-gets-a-K-8-feeder-school-option
and more...
http://www.wickedlocal.com/roslindale/news/x427966107/Menino-applauds-Pathway-Program-for-Roslindale-students
Irving is a feeder school.
In a unanimous vote Wednesday, the BPS school committee passed Supt. Johnson's proposal to "bring" a k-8 school to Roslindale. She is doing this by making the Irving a feeder school for Roslindale elementary schools. Essentially, the vote "will give fifth graders who attend the Bates, Conley, Haley, Mozart, Philbrick, and Sumner elementary schools priority admission to the Washington Irving Middle School."
I have mixed feelings about making the Irving a feeder school for students from Roslindale elementary schools.
While I am well aware of the benefits and drawbacks, I still haven't come to my own conclusion about the situation.
Well, the School Committee will immerse me and my fellow teachers in a bit of "reality teaching." The faculty and staff of the Irving will open its doors next school year first to 5th graders attending Roslindale schools, then to siblings of those elementary school students (of middle school age I'm guessing), and third "would go to those students who don’t attend the six elementary schools, but live in walking distance of the Irving."
I am sad because many of my favorite students are not Roslindale residents, and this may seem like a trivial reason to dislike the change, it is, nonetheless, true for me.
Also, while Roslindale is an increasingly diverse neighborhood, it is far less diverse than the city of Boston, which is where all of my students come from now. I even have students traveling from East Boston---ah, perhaps no longer with the new proposal.
What I am hoping will come out of this is 2 things: increased enrollment and increased funding. Simply, our numbers are down, and perhaps those parents who were wary of the Irving's reputation will see this as a reason to send their kids to our school.
What I said above, about our numbers being down, is in fact a bit ironic. While the school numbers ARE down, my classroom sizes are UP. The fact of the matter is, when school numbers go down, Administration cuts positions. When positions are cut, classroom numbers go up because there is one less teacher for each subject area. Last year I had about 22-23 students in a class. This year I have 27-28 in each class. While 5 students may not sound like a lot, it is!
Just one year of this "experiment" may be too little to tell its repercussions. I only hope they are positive for all our students.
I have mixed feelings about making the Irving a feeder school for students from Roslindale elementary schools.
While I am well aware of the benefits and drawbacks, I still haven't come to my own conclusion about the situation.
Well, the School Committee will immerse me and my fellow teachers in a bit of "reality teaching." The faculty and staff of the Irving will open its doors next school year first to 5th graders attending Roslindale schools, then to siblings of those elementary school students (of middle school age I'm guessing), and third "would go to those students who don’t attend the six elementary schools, but live in walking distance of the Irving."
I am sad because many of my favorite students are not Roslindale residents, and this may seem like a trivial reason to dislike the change, it is, nonetheless, true for me.
Also, while Roslindale is an increasingly diverse neighborhood, it is far less diverse than the city of Boston, which is where all of my students come from now. I even have students traveling from East Boston---ah, perhaps no longer with the new proposal.
What I am hoping will come out of this is 2 things: increased enrollment and increased funding. Simply, our numbers are down, and perhaps those parents who were wary of the Irving's reputation will see this as a reason to send their kids to our school.
What I said above, about our numbers being down, is in fact a bit ironic. While the school numbers ARE down, my classroom sizes are UP. The fact of the matter is, when school numbers go down, Administration cuts positions. When positions are cut, classroom numbers go up because there is one less teacher for each subject area. Last year I had about 22-23 students in a class. This year I have 27-28 in each class. While 5 students may not sound like a lot, it is!
Just one year of this "experiment" may be too little to tell its repercussions. I only hope they are positive for all our students.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Go Irving Warriors!
Had the pleasure of stopping by the girls basketball game today. I was really impressed with how aggressive and focused the girls are! I have a couple of the players on my team, and they were AWESOME. Nadia and Irene had some impressive moves. Basketball was never my sport...so I was a basketball cheerleader instead. Needless to say, I know the game as a spectator and I like it that way.
It's really a shame that no students or parents can come watch the games. What was Boston thinking when it built a school with a gymnasium with no room for spectators?!
Some of my fondest middle school moments were spent at basketball games, gymnastic meets, and wrestling meets, all of which took place in the gym.
Before the game, my very own student Cassidy Gorash sang the National Anthem. What a beautiful, clear voice she has. I envy her natural talent and look forward to hearing her grow as a singer. One of my best friends from high school is a professional opera singer now. Once upon a time she was just like Cassidy singing the National Anthem in our middle school.
The staff had a baby shower for me yesterday, and it was just perfect! I was so overwhelmed by the large gathering of people. It gave me such a sense of gratitude and thanks for the community of teachers I work with. Lots of adorable little outfits for our little guy, gift cards and cash to buy those essential breastfeeding devices I've been putting off buying, and a photo album by one of my coworkers with pictures from the shower---so thoughtful!
Hard to believe, but only 12 days of school left before I go on maternity leave---unless my little rock start decides to come early! According to the school nurse, Ms. Brunson, and all the wonderfully wise ladies I work with, "Zeppelin" hasn't even dropped yet...so I have a little while. Hopefully not more than 3 weeks, ok Zep?
It's really a shame that no students or parents can come watch the games. What was Boston thinking when it built a school with a gymnasium with no room for spectators?!
Some of my fondest middle school moments were spent at basketball games, gymnastic meets, and wrestling meets, all of which took place in the gym.
Before the game, my very own student Cassidy Gorash sang the National Anthem. What a beautiful, clear voice she has. I envy her natural talent and look forward to hearing her grow as a singer. One of my best friends from high school is a professional opera singer now. Once upon a time she was just like Cassidy singing the National Anthem in our middle school.
The staff had a baby shower for me yesterday, and it was just perfect! I was so overwhelmed by the large gathering of people. It gave me such a sense of gratitude and thanks for the community of teachers I work with. Lots of adorable little outfits for our little guy, gift cards and cash to buy those essential breastfeeding devices I've been putting off buying, and a photo album by one of my coworkers with pictures from the shower---so thoughtful!
Hard to believe, but only 12 days of school left before I go on maternity leave---unless my little rock start decides to come early! According to the school nurse, Ms. Brunson, and all the wonderfully wise ladies I work with, "Zeppelin" hasn't even dropped yet...so I have a little while. Hopefully not more than 3 weeks, ok Zep?
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