Survived the First Week

I have resolved to blog a couple times a week this year.  The first week the kids are back is always hectic and exhausting and exilerating all at once.  I spent the entire week doing only processes and class/team building activities.  My goal for the first day of school is always to get all the names down, get them to lunch and specials on time, and get them home safetly and quickly.  I was successful at all but the lunch!

This year I am teaching fifth grade reading and science.  My partner teaches math, social studies, and writing.  There will be a lot of cross-over and integration in order to get everything in.  I'm new to departmentalizing and was nervous about the switch half way through the day and with good reason.  We switch at 11:45 and then lunch is at 11:51.  On the first day, though, the kids don't know what to do or how to come into my room yet.  It took 10 minutes to get them settled into their seats and answer some pointed questions about seating arrangements.  I looked up at the clock and asked for full attention, "Class, we are very late for lunch but we are not going to rush out of this room like starving maniacs. I will call you in ABC order to stand in line at the door.  You will walk facing forward at a 0 conversation level."  I was impressed with how quickly they followed these directions without questions.  So we were a little over five minutes late to lunch on the first day of school.  Those of you who are teachers know this really screws up the lunch ladies.  They were forgiving.

After lunch, I immediately went over how to come in after the switch.  Unpack, hand backpacks, grab lunch boxes, and line up for lunch.  During preschool, our staff watched the Ron Clark Story.  One of things we noticed was his ability to INSIST that students meet expectations.  We also studied being Warm Demanders.  Be straightforward, blunt, firm, but temper it with warmth.  I am attempting to embody this in how I interact with the kids. 

Both of my classes have done very well with the new school-wide Guidelines for Success that we've implemented.  I am following them to a T and insisting they follow them.  I have been more consistent this week than I ever have before.  The class developed rules and I explained our behavior management plan.  I conducted our first "Headquarters Meetings".  The kids seem to like these because we spent a lot of time getting to know each other.  They seemed excited when they realized they would have a voice in how the class operates but there was still a layer of , "Is this lady for real?"  I will earn their trust and respect in time.

I have a few kids from my class last year.  Four in my AM class and two in my PM class.  I rely on them but have not showed favoritism in a anyway.  Both classes are great and very diverse.  I even have a new to our school student from Greece.  He speaks very little English.  He's teaching me a word a day and I'm trying to get him a Greek to English dictionary.  He can read and write in his language so there will be some good transfer over time there.  His dad is an out of work Professor so he has a good support system.

I'm worried about four of my boys. They are exhibiting some strong impulse issues.  I will have to add some tools to my toolbox to deal with their behaviors.  They are nice enough kids...just some attention problems.    I think it's going to be an interesting year to say the least. 

I will post pics of my room next week since I forgot my camera there with the pics I took after I had everything set up and cleaned.