What Teachers Make

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"

Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make?" (She paused for a second, then began...) "Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor. I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental."

"You want to know what I make?" (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.) ''I make kids wonder. I make them question. I make them apologize and mean it. I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions. I teach them to write and then I make them write."

"Keyboarding isn't everything. I make them read, read, read. I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator."

"I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity. I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe. I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America."
"Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life."(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.)

"Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant... You want to know what I make? I MAKE A DIFFERENCE"

"What do you make Mr. CEO?" His jaw dropped, he went silent.

Back to School

It's that time again!  Tomorrow I head back to school for another year.  My favorite part of back to school is always buying new supplies.  I get excited when Target and WalMart start setting up in July.  Even if I don't need it, I always buy a new box of crayons and a pack of markers.   I love the smell and the sound the crayons make when the hit the top of the box.  I also love to rearrange them into ROY G BIV order.  I'm such a nerd.  The other day while I was cruising the school supply isle, I overhead a mother asking her son (obviously a brand new kindergartner) what color scissors he wanted.  His astonished reply tickled me, "I get to have scissors?"

So, off to bubble bath and bed I go with a song in my head... courtesy of Billy Madison.

Brownie Points

This one is for the teachers and moms!  

Here's a cute incentive craft I borrowed from another teacher.  You need an aluminum baking pan, sheet of brown fun foam and velcro. I think magnet tape might work as well.  Cut the fun foam sheet to fit in the pan and divide into little brownie squares.  Put velcro on the back to hold the "brownies" in place.   And Voila!  You have a brownie point motivator.  I used it with my first graders last year and they loved earning brownie points.  We started with an empty tray, and put a brownie in each time they received a compliment.  Once it was full they had earned a reward.  
  

Job done a little too well...

After teaching fourth grade for five years, I was ready for a little change. Moving from east of Nashville to west of Nashville provided me with the perfect excuse for a little change of scenery. I landed a first grade position. What fun... while it lasted! I found out yesterday that I'm being moved back to fourth grade. It appears I did my job a little too well last year. My principal asked me earlier in the week how I felt about teaching the older kids and I expressed my enjoyment of the change of pace and wanted to teach first for at least another year. About half an hour later he delivered my teacher value added scores from my fourth graders TCAP scores last year. They did awesome in math and social studies and right on target for reading and science. It all made sense... he saw that I was a "highly effective" teacher and wanted to move me to where I can "best serve the needs of the school." So with a little sadness I say, bye bye babies and hello again pre-pre-teenies. Let the Mrs. Hollis show continue.