Classroom 2012

In the past, I haven't been one to do a theme in my classroom.  This year though, I was inspired by Melanie at Schoolgirl Style and her adorable owl collection.  There is just something about these cutie patutie owls that grabbed me, and so, my first classroom theme was born.

 When I posted this picture of my window bunting on Facebook, one of my friends from high school wrote to me and said she had just done an owl theme for her daughters 1st birthday party.  She just happened to be coming into Omaha (she lives in the Chicago area), and wanted to know if I could use some of the decorations she had made.  I am so thankful for her kindness, because her adorable decorations added the finishing touch!

 Star of the Week board.  Margie made the adorable hanging green owl.

 My helpers board. Owl name tags by Schoolgirl Style, blue owl by Margie.

 Margie made these cute owls perched on my ActivBoard.  I love how they look like birds perched on a wire outside. 

 Word wall above from School girl Style, and cute pink owl by Margie.

 Another shot of the Cozy Corner (reading corner).  I found this fabric owl online.

 Schoolgirl Style suggested these cute lamps at Target, and I was thrilled to be able to find them at our local Target store.  I love the faux fur trim!  This purple lamp sits next to my Associate's desk.

 This pink lamp sits in the corner of my desk.

 I rarely use my chalkboard for writing anything now that I have my ActivBoard.  I usually hang anchor charts and things here instead.  This year I also added some liquid neon chalk.  I love the way it looks!

 Another shot of the Cozy Corner.

 My desk

Small group area

I love the way it turned out!  I hope the students will like it as much as I do.  When my classroom can be my happy place, I can be the happy teacher my students need me to be.

School Stuff

I have been away from this blog for way too long...but school this is year is making SO.DARN.TIRED!!!

I don't know if it is the added responsibility of having two in school this year, or if I was just way too lazy this summer, but every night has seen me ready for sleep by 9:00.

Charlie, for the most part, is loving Kindergarten.

Here he is with his new teacher this year.  I think he is learning a lot already!  He loves art class, library, and math, but was horrified to discover he has to go to music classes.  After he went to music the first time, he told me "Mom, can you believe this school wants to teach me how to sing?!!"  He is also not a fan of the After School Care program that he goes to for about half an hour after school until I can pick him up.  Hopefully as he gets used to the routine, this will get better.  Evan was a good big brother and went with him to After School Care the whole second week of school just so Charlie could feel more comfortable.  I love it when they love each other!!

My class is awesome this year!  They are already so well behaved and eager to learn that it has been fun to go to work everyday.  I also have a student teacher for the first time, and that has been so much fun!  She is already an outstanding teacher, and I am learning a lot from her.

Evan is not loving Junior High, which makes me sad, but when I think back on it, I don't know many people who do.  I can't think of one person who says "I would do anything to go back to Junior High!"  It is such an awkward stage of life.  I suppose it is something we all just have to get through.  Having him be a grump everyday after school has been a little tiring.

I became an Aunt again this week when my sister had her 4th...little Leo John.  It was exciting to meet him last night.  One of my favorite friends at school had her baby not even 24 hours after my sister, so it has been raining babies this week!  Unfortunately for Jeff, I now have some major baby fever.  Sadly, we are done adding to our family, so I am concentrating on my three awesome boys who keep me hopping...such as when Sammy threw a major fit before school yesterday when he didn't like the clothes I picked out for him for school pictures.  He told me "Mom, you just don't know ANYTHING about good clothes!"  Holy cow!  From my 4 year old BOY!  He is such a fashionista!!  I don't know what we'll do when he has to wear a uniform to school next year!

My Classroom

My awesome husband took Monday and Tuesday off from work so that I could go up to school for two days without the kids to put my classroom back together.  This task is the worst of the whole school year for many teachers.

At the end of every school year, you are required to take everything off the walls and pile the furniture into a ginormous pile at one end of the room.  Why?  Supposedly so that the custodial staff can clean carpets and do repairs.  All of this means that when I first enter my classroom at the beginning of the year, it looks like this:

Most people assume that teachers are given ample time to put their room together during the week teachers are back but students haven't yet returned to school.  WRONG WRONG WRONG!  That week is so packed full of meetings you can hardly remember your own name as you run around from one thing to another.  I always go up to school for two days the first week in August to get things started.

Lucky me...on Monday when I was there to move this furniture mess the outside temp was 105 degrees...AND THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS BROKEN AT SCHOOL.  Fun times!!  I knew since Jeff had taken the day off I couldn't give up and go home.  So, I shoved and pushed and hauled (and sweated my brains out) until the room looked like this:

Let me tell you...moving filing cabinets and a teachers desk are not easy.  I have no idea how I will do this job when I am 60.

I worked all day on Monday and Tuesday, and am so relieved that my classroom now looks like this:

The math calendar/class meeting area.

This is my desk area.  To the left is the desk my student teacher will use this semester

On the right (with the big table) is my small group area, where I will meet with reading and math groups.  On the left is our cozy book corner, where kids will spend time curled up with a good book.

This is a view of the front of the room.  The thing with the pink sheet over it is our computerized chalkboard called an ActivBoard.  I don't ever use chalk anymore!!

A view of the student desks.  I always have 30 kids in my room, so the desks take up a lot of space.  I am going to start the year with this horse shoe formation, but later I will group them into groups of 5 desks in a pod.

Back to School Crazies

We have been busy this week.  Busy as in the back to school crazies.  This week we got Charlie and Evan squared away on uniforms and school supplies.  Having two kids to get ready for school this year was a LOT more work that just one.  Charlie is super excited about Kindergarten though, so it was fun to see all of the preparations through his eyes.  He just shone with excitement when he saw himself in his uniform for the first time.  He had a blast picking out every green school supply he could find.  (Apparently green is his new favorite color).

It never fails that every summer around this time I start my back to school nightmares.  Dreams where I am trying to set up my classroom, and my class suddenly appears out of nowhere and the room is a disaster.  Or sometimes I dream I get lost on the way to school the first day.  Or that I make it to school but can't seem to find my classroom.  I think I have anxiety dreams about going back to school because I have such a hard time saying good bye to summer.  I absolutely love being home with my kids.  I love having the time I need to focus on our home and daily chores.  I love not having a frantic schedule.  Besides our financial need for me to work, teaching for me is more than a job.  I truly feel like it is a calling from God.  I know I wouldn't be fulfilling my mission here on earth if I wasn't teaching kids to read.

Monday and Tuesday I will be setting up my classroom, and I know I will feel better after that.  Having that monumental task under my belt always makes me feel better.  I wonder if the students and parents realize that most teachers are just as nervous as the kids on the first day of school ? :)

Sadness

I am filled with sadness and worry this morning.

For the past seven years, I have been ever so blessed to teach with one of my dearest friends, Linda my Teacher's Assistant. She filled my day with camaraderie and humor, patience and love. She made coming to work each day something to look forward to.

Linda called me this morning to tell me that she will not be returning to school this year. Her mother is very ill, and Linda will now be caring for her Mom and her mentally challenged brother. I feel so awful for Linda, who has a tough road ahead. I am praying hard for Linda and her family. I wish there was something I could do to make this time easier for her.

Change and I? We're not good friends. Knowing change is on the horizon sends me into a worried tizzy. I hate this about myself. I wish I were better about meeting new challenges and changes like an adventure, excited for what lies ahead. I am filled with knots when I think about teaching this year without my friend at my side.

I am going to do my best and turn this worry over to God. I know that His plans are always better than mine, and I need to remind myself of this. What the Lord has planned for both Linda and I on our now divergent paths is better than anything I could ever dream up. I am going to shoot for a positive outlook on this.

Still, I am going to miss Linda so very, very much. My heart aches for her.

Kiss Your Brain!

I am just so excited today-I have really and truly been on cloud nine for the last 14 hours. At 8:30 this morning, I found out that I passed all of my requirements, and I am now officially a Nationally Board Certified teacher. It took me 18 months of blood, sweat, tears, and more tears, but I did it. I was so convinced I would fail. I found out on Wednesday that the board would be releasing the scores on Friday morning, and I didn't tell one single soul that I would be finding out, because I was dreading telling everyone I didn't make it.

So, when it popped up on my computer at school this morning, I screamed in surprise and happiness, and scared the ever living daylights out of my quietly working students. When they asked what the matter was, I told them all about it, and one of my little girls said, "Mrs. Kleffman, you are so smart, and we are so proud of you! You need to Kiss Your Brain!" (This is what I make them do when they have a particularly fabulous answer or solve a problem). Which was so sweet, and I was so emotional, I burst into tears. To have my students be proud of me? What could be better?

I have been teary on and off all day. Mostly because I did this whole thing to prove to myself that I could, to walk outside of my comfort zone, and to show myself that even though I am now a wife and mother I am also still Christy the girl who loves to teach. To have those things reaffirmed to me was awesome. I have been saying prayers of thanksgiving all day long. Thanking God for my gifts, because without him, I would not be a teacher. I am thankful for the mission God gave me in life. To help kids, whether they are my own or mine through my classroom.

THANK YOU GOD!

I am going to spend the rest of the weekend Kissing My Brain, because darn it, I am PROUD OF ME!

First Day of School

Today was the first day of 5th grade for this handsome guy:



What amazes me is that when I look into his face, the snippets of his baby and toddler self are slowly melting away, and I can now see glimpses of the man he will become. It makes me proud and heartbroken all at once. Being a mother is super hard, isn't it?

Evan had a great day at school, despite being a nervous wreck before hand, and his dire prediction that his teacher would surely hate him. They weren't given any homework, so this definitely helped cement it as a good first day, in Evan's opinion.

And here is a picture of me on my first day. Evan was tickled to turn the camera on me, and make me go through the dreaded first day of school ritual. I am wearing my rockin' new skirt I ordered on Etsy the other day.



I love how the bright yellow and orange colors make me feel light and cheery. And two of my new students today told me that they knew when to line up because they saw my yellow skirt. I was like a lighthouse beacon, y'all! But best of all, it was super comfy. When you teach primary students and get in and out of tiny chairs and up and down off the floor all day, comfy is essential.

And now that the first day is over, the worst part is over. Now we now a little of what to expect, and hopefully everyone will sleep a little more soundly tonight!

Nervous Nellie

Guess what I did today?

I did 7 loads of laundry. And I mean washed, dried, folded, and put away.
I helped Evan with his home eye therapy.
I cooked a down home, Sunday dinner with all the fixins. Even gravy!
I cleaned up the kitchen, and scrubbed it down twice. Once after lunch, once after dinner.
I made and frosted cupcakes.
I labeled all of Evan's school supplies and stashed them in his backpack.
I mowed the lawn. After a recent fertilizer application and 20 million inches of rain this weekend, I managed to fill the entire 96 gallon yard waste container.
I gave 4 haircuts-one to each of my handsome guys. One of the best things my mom ever taught me was how to give a boy haircut. I think we save about $50 with each round I do at home.
I made sun tea.
I scrubbed the floors, and I vacuumed.

Don't get the wrong idea-this is WAY more than I accomplish in a regular day. So why in the world did I treat myself like a work horse today? Because...I AM A NERVOUS WRECK! And when I am nervous, I clean and organize to make myself feel better. Lucky for my neuroses, living in a house with four boys provides me with ample cleaning and organizational opportunities.

Why am I nervous? Because school starts on Tuesday. I don't care how many times I go through the first day of school, I am always, always nervous. I wonder if my students are half as nervous as I am. Or if they know I am nervous too, just like they are! It's always fine, but I always worry ahead of time, and I want it to be a great day for all of my kiddos. Worrying is something I am very talented at. I'll probably give myself an ulcer, but at least my house will be clean.

School Days

This past Monday marked the end of the summer for us, as I went back to work. No students this week, just meetings and getting my classroom ready to roll for another year. Evan just went to after school care, as his first day of 5TH GRADE!!! won't be until Tuesday. It amazes me that he is just weeks away from 11, and now in the upper grades at school. Just yesterday I was walking the floor with him in the middle of the night, singing lullabies, and trying to croon my colicky baby back to sleep.

It was the first day of preschool for these two cuties though.



Charlie has moved up to the pre-k group, aka "the Busy Bees". Sammy had his first day with the big kids, as he moved out of the toddler room, and into the 3 year old preschool group, aka "the Lucky Ladybugs". Both were excited about their new and improved status at school. When Jeff asked Charlie how his first day of school went, Charlie replied, "It was so super! I was the busiest bee in the WHOLE WORLD Daddy!" It doesn't get much better than that.

It was hard to get back in the swing of things for me, much more so than the kids. I have always been a person who needs a LOT of sleep. In the summer I get a good 9 hours a night, plus a 2 hour nap every day. Not getting more than 7 hours anyday this week made for a lot of headaches. Today I got out at noon, and Sammy and I crashed together, and we all had a loooong 2 1/2 hour nap. I felt SOOOO much better! Maybe I can convince my first graders to nap with me every day.

I've been missing my kids like crazy all day every day this week, but I've also been reflecting on how much good that comes out of the kids going to preschool. We are very blessed that my school has an on site daycare for the children of staff members. The teachers there are outstanding, there is very little turn over in staffing, and it is a small environment for the kids at the daycare. There are under 30 kids in the entire center this year, which is birth to 5 years. The boys learn so much while they are there, they love interacting with the other kids, and seeing their friends. They get to visit the residents of a nursing home across the street once a week (they affectionately call them "the Grandmas") and they have various special events every single month. So while I ache sometimes to not be the one to tuck them in for nap or fix their lunch, I have to admit that they are gaining a lot, and it is a good experience for them.

The real deal starts Tuesday, and I get to meet my 29 new first graders. I am excited to get to know the people who will be my family for the next 17o school days. It's always an adventure, and I am antsy to get started.

Getting Motivated

When I was 5, and three months into my stint in Kindergarten, I was so filled with my love for Mrs. Fee (my teacher), the smell of school, new crayons, and learning how to read, that I decided I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up. The next year, instead of changing my mind as many children do, my love for my teachers and school only intensified, and my desire to become a teacher someday grew. All through elementary school I studied my teachers closely, observed how they set up their classrooms, and watched how they treated me and my classmates.

I set up a school room in a corner of my parent's garage, complete with old textbooks I had begged my teachers for at the end of each school year. I subjected my siblings and friends to hours and hours of being my first students. I gleefully created lesson plans, and pretend grade books. I was obsessed.

When I entered college, there was no doubt as to my major. Everyone within a 10 mile radius knew I wanted to teach. When I finally became a student teacher, my instructors commented on how natural it seemed for me to be in front of a group of students, and how well I managed "tough" students. I knew it was because this was the mission and talent God had gifted me, but also because I had been practicing my whole life.

In January 2001, as I stood in front of my first group of 17 3rd graders in a classroom I could finally call my own, I was filled with a fire that was my love for teaching. Everything sparkled with awesomeness for me, from the little things like organizing learning activities to the big things like teaching someone to read.

Now, in 2009, I am preparing for my 10th class of students. It is my 7th year of teaching 1st grade. I am not sure why, but much of that fire has settled into a dull warm feeling. I am feeling pretty unmotivated. Maybe it is because I am in my 10 year slump, or maybe because I have been teaching the same grade level for too long. Maybe it is because my focus has changed to my own children, family, and husband. Or it might be that the demands of these things have made it harder for me to focus as much as I used to on teaching and my classroom. Maybe it is because in my effort to be supportive of my husband and his career (and lets face it, he is bringing home the big bucks, not me so I feel this is pretty important) and I am for the most part solely responsible for the kids during the week, I just don't have the time or the energy to focus on teaching. And a funny thing has happened as I got more disconnected from my desire to teach this past year and over the summer. I have a strange feeling of emptiness, and that I don't really recognize myself too much anymore. My spirit has been defined for so long by my teaching that to have it go missing makes me feel like I am missing a limb. And when I am very honest with myself, I know that a big reason God put me on this Earth is to work with kids. (Did you notice the teacher just started that sentence with the word "and"?!)

So I am on a mission to find my inspiration again. I called up my oldest friend Katy who ironically also teaches 1st grade and asked her to tell me about her favorite things she does in her classroom. (We have a phone date tomorrow to strategize!) I have been poring over 1st grade teachers websites looking for some new ideas I can use to revamp things with this year, to put some pizazz into my room. I ordered two new books from B & N to help me rethink my classroom layout and how I teach reading groups. This morning I woke up thinking about how to reorganize my classroom, and I felt a zing of excitement in my stomach. I can't wait to get started, and I think I may have found a way to light the fire again.

Watch out kids, Mrs. Kleffman is on her way BACK!

Sick at Heart

I began teaching in the year 2000, with a class of 17 3rd graders in an inner city school. Most of my students spoke English as a second language. They came from good homes, albeit poor homes. Many of "my" kids had parents that had come as immigrants from Mexico, and while they didn't have many physical goods in their homes, they did have a lot of love and parents who supported education. All of my students that I have taught will always hold a special place in my heart, but especially those students in my first class.

Which is why my stomach dropped like a rock this morning when I opened the front page of the Saturday morning paper. Pictured on the front page was a picture of one "my" boys. The students in my first class are all now 17 and 18, about to enter their senior year of high school in the fall. This student probably won't be joining his classmates, as he was arrested and charged with robbery, murder, and attempted murder. He is a gang member.

When I knew him at 8, he was sweet, loving, and always smiling. He had a lot of trouble learning the language and learning to read English, but he had such determination. He always had a hug for me when he walked in the door. I can still hear him saying "Hola, Miss Micek! How you today?" with a huge grin plastered over his face, his brown eyes dancing.

What in the world happened between now and then? The pull that gangs have over young people in poor areas makes me sick. This boy had such potential, could have done so much. Instead, he will be spending his time in jail. He won't have the chance to share that beautiful smile.

I wish I could go back to his time in my classroom, and protect him somehow. I wish there was more I could have done to cement his path in life. My prayers are with the victims affected by his actions, but I will also be praying for the 8 year old little boy that must surely be locked away somewhere in his heart. I will be praying that even if he is in prison, that he will be able to turn his life in the direction it should have gone.

I am BONE TIRED.

This was the week from heck. Two nights this week I had to go back to school for evening activities. I hate not getting to spend the evening with my family. I know it's part of the job, but sometimes I feel like as a teacher people expect me to be available all the time, and that my classroom should come before my own family. Argh.

My students had their music program at school this week, which was adorable. They did a GREAT job. But, it mean that we had three different performances during the school day, so our schedule was totally screwed up. When you mess with the structure of a 6 year old's day, it causes kids with TOO MUCH ENERGY. Which mean their teacher has NO ENERGY.

We have tons of end of the year (only 29 days to go!!!) deadlines looming and no time to accomplish everything in.

So. I'm pooped. I am looking forward to a weekend with my kids, hubby, and my couch. And my bed and sleep. And that's it. The end.

Farmers Rock

Today I took my class on one of the most interesting field trips I have ever been on. And that is saying something. I have been teaching in daycares, public schools, and private schools since 1995. That's 14 years of field trips.

We attended the Triumph of Agriculture Expo today in downtown Omaha. It was a HUGE show of farm equipment, tractors, seeds, and everything farm related. That alone was amazing and so wonderful for my "city kids" to see. I was so very touched though by the MANY MANY farmers who were there who stopped to talk to my kids. They were so friendly, all took time to speak with the kids, and teach them about the equipment and farming. Every blessed one shook my hand and thanked me for exposing them to the profession of farming, to showing them how important agriculture is, and for encouraging them to work with the land. It was a blessing for the students and I to meet them, talk to them, and tell them we appreciate what they do and the sacrifices they make.

My group was lucky enough to be paired with Matt and Dylan, two 16 year old Future Farmers of America members, as our tour guides. These two young men patiently explained every bit of farm equipment we saw to my kids. They kneeled down on the floor with them, pointed out the underbellies of augers and what each part was for, answered all of their 6 year old questions with good humor, and shared what it was like to grow up on a farm. We came away with a new understanding of how incredibly expensive it is to be a farmer, that it is truly a science/business all rolled into one, and that it is a lot more complicated than we thought.

And a side benefit for me? (Don't tell my kiddos!) FARMERS ARE SO ADORABLE!!! I don't know what it is about a man in work boots, faded jeans, and a baseball cap, but good gravy they are kind on the eyes. Put all that next to a tractor, and I have trouble not fainting. Reminded me of that country song where the lyrics say something about "she thinks my tractor's sexy!" Totally true. Those farmer's wives are pretty lucky ladies!

It's All Worth It

This morning one of my favorite students from last year came in to give me a hug before the school day started. She then proceeded to make my day with the following comment. "Mrs. Kleffman, I have been praying for my brother to get you as a teacher next year. He's not a very good reader, and I know you will make reading easy for him just like you did for me. You taught me how to love words."

I will admit here and now that I melted into a puddle of goo and started to cry. So much of teaching goes unnoticed by other people. You don't always get to see the fruits of your labor. But those kind words? Made all 9 years worth it for me. Reminded me that what I do everyday makes a difference.

I gave her a hug, told her she made my day, heck-my whole year, and sent her off to 2nd grade with a smile on my face. If I have made learning, reading, or life more enjoyable or accessible for even one person, it is worth all of the stress, time, and effort.