Stick A Fork In Me...

...because I'm done.

What a bittersweet day. I'm so glad to be done with college and to graduate on Friday, but sad to leave my second graders. It's true that you really don't appreciate what you have until you don't have it anymore. I had a great class that I never fully appreciated until I had to say goodbye. It's impossible to not get sucked into the daily grind of teaching, and while you're in that grind you don't always see how great your students are. I can't count the number of hugs I got today. The number easily surpasses 100. I literally had to pry them off of me at the end of the day. That's a good feeling, prying kids off of your legs. Makes me think that maybe I did something right.

They all wrote me a letter which my teacher laminated and they gave to me. They also gave me a really nice photo scrapbook with pics from the entire semester. I'm not a touchy, feely kind of guy, so I don't cry much. But, I had to check myself when I was reading their letters out loud. I almost, ALMOST teared up. But, I didn't. I'm a man. But, those letters mean a heck of a lot to me. Those are the kinds of things you keep forever.

Anyway, I guess it's time to find a job. It's so strange, being done with college. I feel like I finished high school last May. Time flies.

Maybe I'll start a first-year teacher blog next Fall.

This picture is the most accurate representation of the last three months.

Thanks for reading.

Ryan

Week 10: Coasting

Well, maybe not coasting, more like winding down.

I had my LAST observation today, and it was killer. Everything seemed to go right. My students were off the chain in the best way. I was in the zone like Kobe.

Graduating in three weeks. Am I an adult yet? It doesn't feel like it. I need a job. If anyone has any leads within a 30 minute driving radius of south Denton, please let me know.

Thanksgiving is FINALLY here. I love this holiday so much. Family, food, football. It's all there.

Anecdotal Records

- We were working on blends this week and I asked the class for "cr-" words. You know: cramp, cricket, crash. One student suggests crappie, like the fish. Apparently it's pronounced crAWpie, not crappy. I didn't know that. I said CRAPPY, loudly several times before being corrected by my supervising teacher. I then wallowed in my ignorance while trying to discourage them from repeating my mistake. I don't fish.

- "No, you do not have a broken foot. I'm sorry you kicked the wall, but I'm not sending you to the nurse. Also, I will not tell the gym teacher that you broke your foot and can't participate."

- Fifth grade pirate program? Awesome.

Short week, short blog.

I leave you with this gem.





Happy Thanksgiving!

Weeks 8 & 9?: I don't know, I'm losing count...

It's been two weeks since my last post and for that I apologize. The late October/early November lazy blues got a hold of me and haven't let go.

These past several days have been good. I hate to say it, but I feel like I'm starting to wear down. I hate to say it because real teachers do this from August to May, and I've only been in here a couple of months. I'm weak. Surely, I'll build up the necessary stamina to teach year round. Right? Anyway, for those of you who think teaching is a "soft" profession because we get summers off, YOU, ARE, WRONG. (I recognize that improper use of commas.) Teachers EARN those three months. And even then, they're still attending seminars, conferences, training, etc. Plus, try corralling a room full of seven year-olds 6+ hours a day. This is tough stuff.

Graduation is so close, I can smell it. It smells like tassels and hope. I hope they don't play "Raiders of the Lost Ark" again. And I hope that people throw their hats and do other traditional graduation stuff. Hey people, I'm throwing my cap. Join the party.

I was observed again today. I always think I do horribly, but then find out, "Hey, I didn't do so bad." Thanks Mrs. Bridges.

As I was leaving the education job fair at SAGU on Wednesday, I jokingly mentioned that I want a job in Hawaii to Beverly Robinson, the Career Services director. Without missing a beat, she said, "I have a contact in Maui. I'll send you the information." Teaching in Maui? Hmmm...

Anecdotal Records

I've had so many hilarious things happen in the past two weeks, that I don't have room to share it all. I've also told and retold a few of these, so if you've heard them, sorry.

- Highlight/Lowlight of the week: So, I've more or less started playing kickball with the second graders. I love kickball, and I love feeling good at something. So, I play kickball with seven year-olds. Anyway, one day last week this kid kicks the ball into the outfield. It was a low-liner, so I didn't really have a shot at catching it, but I caught it on a couple of bounces. I knew this kid was headed home, so I whirl around and HEAVE this ball towards home plate, hoping to get him out. It was a perfect throw. I don't know if I have ever thrown a more perfect kickball in my life. It was perfectly online with the plate and I KNEW this kid was toast. Then, this innocent little girl walked between home plate and the path that kickball was hastily making toward home. She didn't even see it coming. I caught her square in the back of the head with the hardest throw I could manage. At first, I was worried that I hurt her. Then, I got mad that she walked in front of my throw. I mean, C'MON! That was a once in a lifetime throw and she blocked with her head! Anyway, I checked to make sure she was okay. She was, except I bruised her dignity a little. But, man, that was a great throw...

- One more kickball story. Earlier this week, a kid was kicking and lined a shot right into the face of this other kid standing about 10 feet away on the foul line. The first thing out of the kicker's mouth was, "So, is that foul....or what?" I cracked up.

- Early Tuesday morning, Student J comes up to me and says, "Mr. Puffer, I love your hair. Like, no really, I really like your hair." Strange, I don't usually get hair compliments. Later in the day, while standing in line, he said,"I just can't get over your hair!" Funniest kid in the class. Makes me laugh on a daily basis.

That's it for this week. There will only be a few more entries since the semester is winding down.

Disclaimer: I didn't proofread this. It's late.

Week 7: Drug Free is the Way to Be on Halloween

Confession: I don't like Halloween.

It's kind of a weird day. If you remove yourself from the American culture and look at it objectively, adults dressing up in costumes is pretty lame. It's not quite so weird if you're a kid because I mean, c'mon, you get candy. But, adults? Mmmm, I don't know. I mean, I'm definitely guilty of dressing up as a poor man's Bill Nye the Science Guy and a pirate in the last two years, don't get me wrong. But, I was just trying to be cool. I think this is one of those things I hate when other people do, but I still do it. Like talking on your cell phone and driving. Or typing sentence fragments.

Most of the teachers are dressing up tomorrow. Partly because it's Halloween, partly because it's the last day of "Kick Drugs Butt" week. (That's what I call it. I would call it "Hugs, Not Drugs" week, but unsolicited hugging is frowned upon.) Anyway, I went to the Halloween store to see if they had any good, cheap costumes. No. How about $40? I'm going to wear that lame Luke Skywalker costume how many times? Once. $40 per wear is a horrible cost per wear ratio. If I bought a $10,000 watch and wore it for a year, it would be a better cost per wear ratio. So, I decided if anyone asks, I'm the "Awesomest Teacher Ever" for Halloween. I mean, I wear that costume every day! Plus, Halloween stores smell like cheap rubber masks and failed dreams.

For my observed lesson on Wednesday, I taught about solids, liquids, and gases. At the end, the students had to draw several different example of each. This was one students example of a gas.


Needless to say, he got a 100.

Anecdotal Records

- I have a student who likes to read the thesaurus for silent reading time. I know, awesome. He likes to try out words on me to see if he can use them correctly and to see if I know what they mean. On Monday, he calls me over and says, "Mr. Puffer, me and you are very intellectual." To which I reply, "Yes, Student R, we are. I'm glad you recognize that."

- During indoor recess on Tuesday, some of the students were playing a board game version of Hangman. I was helping out one of the teams when they lost. As I'm walking away, Students T says, "Mr. Puffer, sometimes you stink at this." I thought that was hilarious.

- On Wednesday, the class was working on descriptive writing, specifically showing what someone looks like when they're sad. While brainstorming ideas, Student R (same as above) says, "When I'm sad, I drink a lot. I don't know why." Clearly, he meant juice or something.

- On Wednesday, I was walking the bus riders to the gym, when a little girl from another class turns to me and says, "You be lookin' handsome, today!" To which I replied, "Well, thank you, but I'm dressed the same as I normally am. What's different?" She said, "I don't know, you combed your hair." Oh. Okay. Thanks?

- About once a week or so, one of my students who is Jewish will start debates about which is better, Hanukkah or Christmas. One went like this: "Well, Hanukkah has eight days. They say that there's twelve days of Christmas, but there's really only one." Point, Judaism.

- I got an awesome picture, yesterday. Here it is:


It's Halo. Plus, he wrote sentences about it. He basically did a writing assignment without me even having to make him.

- Here's my jack o' lantern.


Get it? :-/

Week 6: What? It's week six already!?!

This week's blog won't be as long.

Two awesome things happened this week.

1) They gave me ten free book fair bucks. CHA-CHING.
2) I was booed. (Like a Halloween Secret Santa, sorta)
2b) My sister ate the candy from my boo bag as soon as I got home. (Not so awesome.)

Oh. One thing I'm starting to learn: (probably an improper use of a colon) We don't grade for the sake of grading, we grade to assess. I know that's drilled into us from our first education course, but it just clicked with me. During the independent practice in math today, I came to a realization. No, I will not walk you through this assignment step-by-step (day-by-day) because I want to know what YOU know. /epiphany And you know what I found out? There are a bunch of them that can't order numbers. So, guess who gets some extra help with that? They do!

Next week is 'Don't Do Drugs Week.' Also known to teachers as 'Wear Jeans All Week' Week.

I start full-time teaching next week. I'm a little nervous, but much less than I was at the beginning of the semester. It sort of feels like my dad's taking the training wheels off of my bike and pushing me into the street. Or the time my mom was teaching me to drive a stick and I killed the engine in the middle of an intersection.

Anecdotal Records

- Student hands me his monster drawing.
Me: "I like it. I like the color. That's a nice blue."
Student: "It's cerulean."
Me: "It's what?"
Student: "Cerulean."
Me: "Isn't that blue?"
Student: "It's lighter than blue."
Me: "OK."
(I don't know. It was hilarious to me. Maybe it's the way he said it.)

- Another thing that second graders do that I did when I was their age:
"Tic tac toe/three in a row
Barney got shot by a GI Joe
Took him to the doctor and the doctor said
Whoop, Barney's dead.
That's a horrible, horrible thing to type. Where did this chant/song originate? And why is it so popular with second grade boys?

- Introducing contractions today, I asked, "Who likes to use contractions?" To which Student T (who always responds contrarily) says, "I don't!"

- Note: A Google image search of the word "contractions" yields numerous photos of women in labor pains.



But, I was able to find an interesting picture anyway. Take that Google!
_________________


P.S. I'm going to have the best jack o' lantern on the block. I'll post a picture of it in the next couple weeks.

Weeks 4 & 5: Okay, I'm starting to get used to this...

Well, there goes having a weekly blog. I guess I'll just have to double up.

I've been fighting writing another one lately because I have been lacking inspiration. I'm really settling into the routine of being around second graders all day. Their seemingly endless supply of unintentional witticisms has run dry. Or maybe I'm just not noticing them as much anymore.

My Last Two Weeks in Three Words (or more. probably more.)

"Move your clip." I added that to my arsenal last week. Did the text size just change? Yes.

I was observed for the first time last Wednesday. It went alright. The lesson was off the chain; the students were their usual selves. Student G does this thing in the middle of meeting area time where he/she'll just get up and walk off. It's kind of like sleepwalking, but not. Daywalking? Maybe. You have to say her (oops I gave it away, she's a she. I'm too lazy to go back and change all the pronouns) name to snap her out of it then remind her to stay seated. It would be funny if she didn't do it ALL THE TIME. I sympathize (empathize?) though, because that was me in elementary school. I remember taking the "scenic route" to sharpen my pencil countless times. Not ADD, just ... constantly interested in things happening around the room. And maybe a little ADD. Undiagnosed, of course.

They're awesome in PE. They've won the citizenship award three weeks straight. Too bad that doesn't translate to walking in the hall. They refuse to walk in a straight line without talking. It drives me crazy. We're working on it, though.

Parent teacher conferences were enlightening.

In the last four weeks, we have spent at least sixteen days doing indoor recess.

Maybe I'm just weird, but I think faculty meetings are kind of fun. I mean, free candy? And I get to learn about Facebook privacy settings? Save some for Christmas! (I'm only kidding a little. They aren't that bad.)

I went to a PTO meeting/4th grade program. Ratio of meeting:program? 1:30. The meeting was literally less than a minute long and consisted of one announcement. So, professors, can I cross that off my To-Do List?

Anecdotal Records

- Walking down the hallway, one student said to another, "I'm not ACTUALLY a vampire..." That was the only snippet of the convo I heard, and I spent the rest of the day imagining what the rest of it was.

- Student G (same as above) likes doing cheers in class. Upon clapping her hands together, throwing them in the air, jumping into the air and landing, she proclaimed, "That felt good."

- Student J was quietly singing a country song to himself one day. I couldn't tell what it was, but I know it had the word 'whiskey' in it. This student also cannot believe that I have never been on a hog hunt.

- Whenever students come to me and try to talk about something they shouldn't really know anything about, I play dumb. Example:

Student: "Mr. Puffer, do you know Jason from Friday the 13th?"
Me: "Where's Jason going to be on the 13th?"
Student: "No. Jason. From the movie Friday the 13th."
Me: "You're going to see a movie with Jason on Friday?"

At this point, they usually walk off.

- My look is getting better.

(The text editor for blogger is so wack. I know the text changed sizes a couple times. Sorry, I tried to fix it.)

Week 3: Intention

Intention is a word that's been stuck in my head the past few weeks. It's something that's been continually impressed upon me in church the last couple of years. Life is too precious, and our calling is too high to waste away in front of the television or on the Internet (guilty). As a Christ-follower, I want to be sure that I approach life and the relationships in it with intention. When people look at me, I want them to see the same grace, mercy, and love that was extended to me at the cross. As teachers, we're forced to take this intention a step further than most. We need to be intentional with the way we approach our students.

Recently, I was talking with my cooperating/master teacher about some of the students' home situations. These situations cover the entire spectrum from two-parent households to situations where the child isn't living with either biological parent. There are more, but some just break my heart. Talking about these kids' living situations sparked two things in my mind:

1) I'm extremely thankful for my family (specifically parents). Through an incredibly difficult situation came one of the most beautiful pictures of God's sovereignty I've seen. My family is the most perfectly blended family you'll ever meet. Ask me about it sometime.

2) There are kids in my class that aren't loved on nearly as much as they need to be. It's my responsibility then to love on them and speak life into them. So, I've picked out students in my class who I know receive very little encouraging words at home, and I intentionally encourage them throughout the day. Whether I just smile at them once in a while, or praise their efforts a little more, or talk to them about everyday things, I am intentional with the way I approach them. I encourage everyone to pick out a couple of kids that you know aren't loved on enough, and love on them.

______________________


We recently started a unit on pirates. The class started brainstorming things they knew about pirates. These were things like, "They wear eyepatches." "They have parrots." "They make you walk the plank." "They search for treasure." You know, typical Disney things. I started thinking, if you asked people 300 years ago if they liked pirates, they'd think you were insane. Pirates were some of the most evil people in the world. They raped and pillaged and murdered. Somehow, we've managed to romanticize and glorify them. Pirates are the terrorists of 300 years ago. If this is true:

• Will kids dress as terrorists for Halloween 300 years from now?
• Will there be professional sports teams named The Al' Qaeda?
• Will Disney start a popular movie franchise about suicide bombers?

Just a few musings. Sorry if I offended anyone.

Anecdotal Records

- While walking car-riders out the front door at the end of the day, one of the girls in my class wasn't paying attention and went face-first into the metal post in the double doors. She bruised her dignity.

Things That I Did in Second Grade That They Still Do

- Read Goosebumps

- "Read" I Spy's

- Sharpen their pencil all the way down to the eraser. (I hate this so much.)

_________________________


That's it for this week. Oh, and I think I found "The Look." It looks like this:





See you next week!