A large part of being a teacher is motivating others to do the right thing. I started to think about my group of silly boys. I realized that I had to change my behavior management system. I told them that starting Monday each person will get a behavior report that will go home. Normally I do not have to do this in middle school, but these boys act like they are in kindergarten. Once I mentioned this, they started to behave better.
Usually when I want the class quiet, I would just say "can I have your attention" or stand up front.
Not this year. When I did that they would keep talking and I had to
repeat myself. So I had to bring back the"give me five". I raise my hand and they have to raise theirs. This way I can see who is with me and who is not. I can see if they are paying attention. Any group who holds up the class with get marked off on the behavior report. After doing this a few times, I saw that most kids watched me walk up front and they were ready to go before me. =)
I also decided that I need to step up my rewards. I usually keep a prize box, but now I needed to get prizes better suited to silly little boys such as noise putty, sticky squishy frogs, etc. I went to oriental trading and they are having a special, free shipping and ten dollars off if you spend 75. I was able to get a ton of stuff for $70. I did get a few items for the girls like jelly bracelets. Students earn raffle tickets and we draw prizes on Friday.
I got special 100 dollar bill magnetic bookmarks for those who get 100% on their times tables.They should have mastered their times tables in 3rd grade. By 6th grade they are so important, but most of them do not know them. I found a computer program to test them and drill them. Since school started I have 6 kids who got 100%. Most of them still have a failing grade, so I am hoping that the extra incentive of the special bookmark will get them going. I also told them that the first class to get 5 100% gets a prize. One class got the five. Now I have to get the other class motivated to beat the first class.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Not much going on
School has been back in session for about 3 weeks now. I have not had any time to blog. I also have not had anything exciting to write about. I am having trouble getting back into my routine. I work constantly and feel like I am juggling. It amazes me that I did this all last year. I guess that is why we need the summer off to relax and unwind.
This year is tough bc there is a new evaluation system and a new math curriculum which are both giving me anxiety. My class sizes are large this year and the boy girl ratio is almost two to one. They are very silly and immature. I know that boys are like that, but the girls usually even things out. Half of my new class failed last year's math test. They are having a hard time in math. It is hard to teach them something new when they don't have the foundation skills. I have quite the challenge ahead of me. I love teaching and I love the challenge. It is just hard to do while ttc.
Since school started, I have been so exhausted that I started sleeping through the night. This is now the start of my 3rd month on LDN. I took some immune tests last week. I am waiting for the results to come in.
Last month was a bust I am now on CD8. I am so done with all of this. I did not even go to the clinic last month for US. I don't see the point anymore. I know that I am ovulating etc. It saves me about 100 dollars and the stress of having to take time off. I promised DH that I would try LDN for 4 months. UGH so two more to go.
I have been making lots of sales from my TPT store. That makes me very happy. I also discovered weebly. I made a webpage for my class. I love that site and it is easy to use.
Sorry this post is so boring, but I thought I should do an update.
This year is tough bc there is a new evaluation system and a new math curriculum which are both giving me anxiety. My class sizes are large this year and the boy girl ratio is almost two to one. They are very silly and immature. I know that boys are like that, but the girls usually even things out. Half of my new class failed last year's math test. They are having a hard time in math. It is hard to teach them something new when they don't have the foundation skills. I have quite the challenge ahead of me. I love teaching and I love the challenge. It is just hard to do while ttc.
Since school started, I have been so exhausted that I started sleeping through the night. This is now the start of my 3rd month on LDN. I took some immune tests last week. I am waiting for the results to come in.
Last month was a bust I am now on CD8. I am so done with all of this. I did not even go to the clinic last month for US. I don't see the point anymore. I know that I am ovulating etc. It saves me about 100 dollars and the stress of having to take time off. I promised DH that I would try LDN for 4 months. UGH so two more to go.
I have been making lots of sales from my TPT store. That makes me very happy. I also discovered weebly. I made a webpage for my class. I love that site and it is easy to use.
Sorry this post is so boring, but I thought I should do an update.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Back to School
Today was the first day with my new students. Since 6th graders are new to the building, they come in half day for orientation. It was really hot but time flew by. They are all so cute and small. You forget how much they grow in one year. They are also helpless at first. They do not know where anything is and they cannot open their locker. They are also so polite at first. This lasts a short while.
It was great to be back even though it was a busy day. After the kids left, we had two hours of meetings to learn about new government regulations. One was our new teacher evaluation system and the other has to do with reporting bullies.
Then right after school I had a phone apt with my napro dr. I speak to him every few months now. At this point, he is out of ideas. It's not his fault. I'm just special. He gives me support and helps me with medications, tests etc that I want to try. He is wonderful is that way. He told me he would help me until I am ready to stop. I am going to get some more immune tests run to see if the LDN is affecting my NK or my cytokines.
I have been on the LDN for a month and a half. I am still having trouble sleeping. It is not the worst thing ever, but it does affect my whole day. I am hoping that the test results either show that I shouldn't bother with LDN or that it is helping me. I don't want the gray area. My goal was to try it for total of four months. I am almost half way. It is weird that I feel tired from not sleeping, but I am not crabby at all. Just zombie like. My DH said that this has mellowed out my mood. Well I am usually mellow over the summer. We have to see if I am still mellow now that school has started and I have a billion things to do and keep track of.
It was great to be back even though it was a busy day. After the kids left, we had two hours of meetings to learn about new government regulations. One was our new teacher evaluation system and the other has to do with reporting bullies.
Then right after school I had a phone apt with my napro dr. I speak to him every few months now. At this point, he is out of ideas. It's not his fault. I'm just special. He gives me support and helps me with medications, tests etc that I want to try. He is wonderful is that way. He told me he would help me until I am ready to stop. I am going to get some more immune tests run to see if the LDN is affecting my NK or my cytokines.
I have been on the LDN for a month and a half. I am still having trouble sleeping. It is not the worst thing ever, but it does affect my whole day. I am hoping that the test results either show that I shouldn't bother with LDN or that it is helping me. I don't want the gray area. My goal was to try it for total of four months. I am almost half way. It is weird that I feel tired from not sleeping, but I am not crabby at all. Just zombie like. My DH said that this has mellowed out my mood. Well I am usually mellow over the summer. We have to see if I am still mellow now that school has started and I have a billion things to do and keep track of.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Visiting a Friend for the First Time After She Had Her Baby
Last summer I made a new friend and we were both struggling with IF. Then she had her surgery with the same dr as me and then a few months later she got her bfp. I was truly happy for her, but it was a major sting to me that my surgery did not give me the same result. She was very compassionate about telling me and I was ok with it. I went to her baby shower.
We went to visit them for the first time since she had the baby. He is now 6 months old. I cannot believe how time flies. He was a very mellow baby which helped. We were able to carry on a conversation. I interacted with him. I held him and felt good about it.
Later on she asked me how things were going. All of a sudden I felt extremely shy about it. I did not want to discuss it with her any more. It is amazing bc last summer we were talking all about napro, our surgeries etc. Now I wanted to avoid this topic like the plague. It was awkward that she was sitting there with her baby on her lap while I have no chance of ever having my own.
I have no hope and talking about it would make me cry, so I just told her ya know the same old situation. Then she asked me about adopting. UGH I was just so uncomfortable. I don't even know what I said. She got the hint eventually and changed the subject. I know that she was trying to be good. She has been very sensitive towards me, but now she is on the other side.
She mentioned getting AF even though she is nursing. She said it is bc her baby sleeps though the night. She is not going back to work.
School starts back up in a few days.We have a new teacher evaluation system starting so I have a lot of meetings during the first two days to learn all about it. I have a lot to do to get ready. My dh said I will feel better once I get back into my classroom with my students. I don't want to get a big head, but I do have some more confidence now that I got that excellent rating. Last year started with a lot of drama. I had a major meltdown. This year, I hope to have a solid calm start.
We went to visit them for the first time since she had the baby. He is now 6 months old. I cannot believe how time flies. He was a very mellow baby which helped. We were able to carry on a conversation. I interacted with him. I held him and felt good about it.
Later on she asked me how things were going. All of a sudden I felt extremely shy about it. I did not want to discuss it with her any more. It is amazing bc last summer we were talking all about napro, our surgeries etc. Now I wanted to avoid this topic like the plague. It was awkward that she was sitting there with her baby on her lap while I have no chance of ever having my own.
I have no hope and talking about it would make me cry, so I just told her ya know the same old situation. Then she asked me about adopting. UGH I was just so uncomfortable. I don't even know what I said. She got the hint eventually and changed the subject. I know that she was trying to be good. She has been very sensitive towards me, but now she is on the other side.
She mentioned getting AF even though she is nursing. She said it is bc her baby sleeps though the night. She is not going back to work.
School starts back up in a few days.We have a new teacher evaluation system starting so I have a lot of meetings during the first two days to learn all about it. I have a lot to do to get ready. My dh said I will feel better once I get back into my classroom with my students. I don't want to get a big head, but I do have some more confidence now that I got that excellent rating. Last year started with a lot of drama. I had a major meltdown. This year, I hope to have a solid calm start.