I love my job...most days.

It has been a crazy start this year. A few weeks ago there was a fire on the mountain behind our school. We had Monday off of school, because there was an evacuation order. We went back to school Tuesday, but the whole day we were on alert in case the winds picked up too much, because then we were going to have to evacuate. Luckily, that didn't happen. A lot of my kids couldn't get back to their houses until the end of the week. Kids came to school in their pjs even. It was a crazy week and really hard. Thank goodness none of their houses were burned even though the fire was in the backyard of some kid's houses. We also had the fireman come on that Friday to give them thank you notes, plus KSL 5 came to give our school an award for winning a reading contest. Quite the week. I have to say though, after all if it I realized what a great group of kids I have this year. Here are some of the things that they wrote to the firemen:

"You saved my school and I love you soooo much."



"Dear Firemens, you are special to me."



"We are happy you saved us."



"The fire was in my backyard and you stopped it. I was so scared. Thank you."



"You must have alot of coruge for going into fires and saving thosends of people and our school. You are a graet person and I wish I could meet you."



"Thank you for saving our school. I was really woried that the school was going to burn doun so that is a merickle that you got that hole fire out. You are really good people."



"You riskit your lives for us, thank you."



"You helped lots of frends and my family so much and now thay ar all ok. You always make shur we are all ok. I can't tell you how much I'm thankful. I amaz'd how much you can help us."



"Thank you so much for saveing us and the school!!! I wish I could be like you and help. "



"Thank you for saving Providence Hall. It about hit us. Thank you!!!!"



"Thank you so much for saving our school. I was worried that it would get burnt down. And thank you for helping the people neer the fire. You really cared about Providence Hall. Did you help any other schools?"



"I am very thankful to have such brave firemen like you. The fire would of burned our school down if it weren't for you brave fireman."



"Thank you for all you do for me and America"



"And Bles you that you will be safe putting out the rest of the fire."



"Without you the shun will no be shining."



"Firefighters are the best hero's and the best workers in our state. I won't ever forget what you did."

This type of thing reminds me there is good in the world. They have such big hearts!

ksl.com - Students rally to thank Herriman firefighters

It has calmed down since then and things have been going really well. This is a good time of the year, because I finally know all my kids pretty well and they know me. Now I can joke with them a lot more. I have been having a lot of fun with them and things have been completely under control until a few days ago. A few of my girls found out that I have a boyfriend. I didn't think it was any big deal, but they were so excited about it. Then a few days later I was on my phone and one of the girls said really loud, "Are you texting your boyfriend!?" The whole class freaked out about it and they all started asking me questions and teasing me about it. I was laughing so hard and I could not get control of the class. For like 20 minutes this went on. Finally, I decided I really needed to regain some sort of control. So, I told them I would answer questions and then be done with it. They asked about where we met and our first date and a million things. It was really funny. Then I had them write in their journals and of course they all wrote about me and the fact that I have a boyfriend. Haha! It was killing me. They still haven't dropped it, but they are fun! Here is a picture of one of the kid's journals. I was dying over it. And yes, I shared this with Bryant. :)




In other news, my little low girl, M is doing fantastic! I have no idea what her other school was doing for her, but it wasn't teaching. She is now staying in my class for math and slowly improving on her reading and social skills. She just has a lot of energy, but she is very smart. I cannot understand why they wanted to completely take her out of a normal class setting. She doesn't have great social skills and that is because she wasn't given the change to be with her peers. Just the other day she found, for the first time, on her own a partner to work with. I was so excited for her! Plus, she is very good at math. Even better than some of my other students, so I talked to the special education teacher and now she has been in my class for a week and has been so successful. She was so excited to stay for math and I could tell her confidence has gone up a lot. She is just great and she reminds me of my DC kids that I miss.

Life is just moving along! Bye!

And now begins year #3

Well I made it through the first week of school alive. The first week is hard, because you are getting to know the kids and they are getting to know you. The first day is pretty painful, because you have to explain every class rule and routine. My throat always hurts by the end of the day because I have to talk so much. I think I am really going to like my class this year. They are a chatty group for sure. The first day my aid and I looked at each other with worry because of how much they talked on the first day of school. It usually gets worse. But, that also means they have a lot of personality which is fun! Here are a few things that stick out from the first week.

I got a very low student this year. She is repeating 3rd grade (she was at a public school last year) and seems to work on about a first grade level. She is just a doll though. So happy and fun. She has the need to tell me everything she is thinking. She is a little different and the kids can pick up on it, but she is trying to make friends. The other day she got to go to the Birthday table for lunch. She was allowed to bring a friend, but didn't know who to ask. She came up to me worried about it. So, I asked her who had been nice to her. She finally decided on a specific girl to ask. I had to encourage her to get the guts to go up and ask, but she finally did. I could tell how nervous she was. She asked the other little girl in my class who politely denied. My heart broke for her. She had such a disappointed look on her face as she went back to her seat. I looked around my room trying to decide who would go with her and settled on another new student to the school that I had seen get along with M before. I figured he would at least be interested in what it was. So, I asked her who else she would like to ask and she said she didn't want to ask anyone. I told her she didn't have to, but to think about other students. Then a little while later I suggested this boy, A. She thought about it and finally decided to ask him. Again, she needed some encouragment. I felt like I was trying to get this 9 year old to go on a date or something. Haha. But, she did it and he went with her. It was a sweet moment and I was proud of her.

T asked for my phone number on the second day of school. :) He came over to me at the end of the day and said, "Miss Collett can I have your phone number?" I looked at him funny and asked him why. He said he wanted to take a picture of his dog and send it to me. Haha. I gave him my school email address. :)

J is one of my favorites already. He is a funny kid with a great personality. He makes me laugh and boy is he a ladies man! I got to go to his football game on Saturday which was a lot of fun. I had no idea that they played tackle football so young and I was impressed with how well they actually did. His face when he saw me at his game made it completely worth going. I have a good job.

My kids are starting to get use to my jokes and I think they will be great. I can't believe I have already started year 3. I am getting too old.

Happenings

We have been practicing for end of year testing and there was a question about building a snowman. The question had started to explain how to build a snowman. The kids in the story had already rolled two snowballs. The question asked what the kids would do next. Clearly, build a third snowball would be the correct answer, but I had one student start to argue with me about how not every snowman would have 3 snowballs. While I actually agree with him and that clearly shows why testing is ridiculous I tried to explain that when they take the test they need to keep in mind what would most likely happen. And then I asked, "How many balls does a snowman usually have?" Take a moment...yep. I think that if I could have kept my own composure nobody would have noticed, but apparently I am too immature to handle myself, because I completely started laughing. This then caused about 1/2 my class to laugh too. I am a terrible example...but it was funny!

For end of year review we have been doing Olympics. Each team got to pick a team and then I made a bulletin board with the countries flags. Then, we have Olympic events that review math and the winning teams get medals (paper ones that I tape under their flag). Well, I had been feeling kind of bad, because all of my ideas gave the boys an advantage since they were all sports. Like throwing a football through a hoop or getting a bouncy ball into a box. So, I decided to do a jump roping contest for one of the games. The kids needed to do 25 jumps in 20 seconds to earn the point. I didn't know the pure enjoyment I would get from this. Some of the boys could not handle it and it was hilarious to watch them try. I kept it to myself for the most part, but then one of my students, C, got up and was trying. He has a really high pitched voice which made this extra funny to me. He was trying so hard, but really just tripping all over the place, hitting himself in the face, and laughing. His high pitched laugh about kills me alone. With the added amusement of his attempts to jump rope I about died laughing. I had a serious laughing attack and could not stop. It was like when you are 10 and you are having a sleepover, but your parents want you to be quiet and become angry with you; which for some reason just makes you laugh harder. I knew I should stop, because I didn't want to make him feel bad and I also knew that it would get the kids all crazy, but I just couldn't stop. Afterward I pulled him over and made sure I didn't make him feel bad. I told him I just thought he was so cute. He is the type of kid who can totally handle something like that and laugh with you. I like that about him.

My kids were bad when I was out for surgery. When I got back I was not happy with them. But the funniest thing was that I got letters from them while I was still gone and one girl said that I needed to "hurry and get back, because the class was going crazy" I let them have it when I got back, but they have been pretty good after.

One of my students, R, is very sweet and caring. She would seem to be a "teacher's pet" but truly she is just so aware of other people. Anyway when I went back to school after surgery she came up to me and said, "Miss Collett I just feel so bad for you. I just can't even look at you. It makes me so sad." I just kind of laughed and told her she was sweet, but I was alright. She is always like that though. What a cutie!

For those of you who like Brian Regan this is for you. You would be amazed how many 3rd graders can quote Brian Regan. I don't know what it is, but it sure makes me laugh every time they repeat one of his jokes. The other day I said something about baseball and all of the sudden one of my students said, "whole game, half snow cone" I was dying. I kind of love it!

Lastly, one of my students from last year ice skates and I never got to watch her. She comes in my room after school or at recess to say hello and a few weeks ago she invited me to her ice skating performance. I told her I was there for sure. After that is was constantly coming in asking me if I was going to make it to her performance. So, when it came along I had to go. It was kind of hard to find a ride there, but I managed it and was able to go. I was really impressed with the program and she did a great job. It was so hard to get there that I kept wondering if it was really worth it especially since she isn't even one of my students anymore. But when she came running at me after the program was over and almost knock me over with a big hug I knew it was completely worth it. She had the biggest grin on her face and I loved it. I was so glad I went.

3 more weeks of school! I can do it, I can do it, I can do it. Can I?

Are we done yet?

Oh how I hate February and March. I am not sure what it is, but the kids all go crazy. They can't keep their mouths closed or sit in their seats. Recess is like a battlefield and all the teachers are on the verge of murder. But we are nearing the end so there is hope. I can't believe the end is in sight. So, I haven't written anything for a while, but I was looking at my other posts and I didn't remember half the stuff I wrote. Good memories, so I have to keep writing. Here are some stories I can remember...

I always create a slightly hostile environment in regards to BYU vs. UTAH. This year I really didn't try to, but I have some die hard UTAH fans and couldn't let them get away with the comments they were making. So, one of my students brought in a Utah poster for some reason. Another boy told him to show it to me and so he did. I grabbed it and pretended to rip it up. He screamed and said, "I told you she would take it and rip it up!" They know me too well.

I have a student whose mom is from Australia. She has the coolest accent. He was born here, so he doesn't have an accent, but every once in a while he says a phrase that I know comes from his mother. I always know what he is saying, but he just says it in a weird way. For example, he says "meant to" a lot. He will say something like, "Are we meant to do this page for homework?" Haha, I find it super adorable!

We had a dance festival where each 3rd grade class learned a dance from a different country. Our dance was a "couples" dance. When I told them that they all fell over from embarrassment. But I had them over it real soon. Except that every time I said the word "couple" they couldn't handle it. Another thing I found very funny about this was some of the kids inability to skip. At one point they had to link arms and skip with their partner. To me this seems like a fairly easy task, but apparently to 8 and 9 year olds it is not so easy. The first few times we practice I literally had kids trip and fall flat on their faces. I had one boy who honestly did not know how to skip at all. It was the funniest thing to watch. I about died laughing at their attempts to skip in sync.

A little while I had a substitute because I was gone for some reason. I came back to school after the weekend and one of my students, R, came up to me and said, "Miss Collett I am sure glad you are back. I sure like you better than the substitute." I kind of chuckled and asked her way. She proceeded to tell me that I was more fun and had a better voice. When I asked her about the better voice she explained to me that the subs voice was very monotone and quiet and I am more perky. You would have to know this girl, but it was very sweet and hysterical all at once. She uses a lot of words to explain herself, but very sincere and sweet. I love her.



I make 6th grade boys cry. Those of you who are around 12 year old boys would understand how great an accomplishment this is. I am not sure what it is, but they are scared of me. In our school we have "think time". This is where if a student is bad they can be sent to another teacher in the school. It is kind of like a step below going to the principals and mostly for the teacher to get a break before they kill the student. I really like it for the few kids who need it. Every teacher is paired with another teacher. I am paired with a 6th grade teacher. So, when they come in my room I just tell them to sit down and fill out the paper that they are suppose to. In all honestly I don't think I am mean, but I certainly don't act happy when they come into my room. Then when I feel like they have sat there for a while I talk to them about what they did and why they shouldn't have done it. I explain that I don't want to see them back in my room and send them to class. So, truly I don't do anything to them, but I think it must be the annoyance and disappointment I portray. Whatever it is it works, because they do not want to come to my class. I now have all the 6th graders come to my room for think time. A substitute tried to send one down and he claimed he didn't know where my room was. Lie. He had already been in my room a few times. Another one I am told cries when he has to come in my room. Some of them would rather see the principal. The 6th grade teachers love me for it though. I swear I don't bet them. I am just a tiny little person. :)

If you haven't ever read "Sideways Stories from Wayside School" then I strongly suggest you do. I didn't even know what the book was about, but another teacher suggested it as a good read-a-loud book for my class, so I bought it and we started reading it. About a page in I couldn't stop laughing. Granted I think it had to do with the mood I was in that day, but seriously, as I kept reading I kept laughing harder and harder. Eventually I literally couldn't even read anymore, because I was laughing so hard. I was trying to control myself because the kids were starting to get out of hand, but I couldn't. 5 minutes later I managed to pull myself together. My students thought it was the funniest thing they had ever seen. The next day they were so excited to read, but I assured them I wouldn't have a laughing attack again. Except I did. I don't know what it is about that book, but it sure makes me laugh.




Can I tell you how proud I am of some of my students? I have a few who I think are amazing writers. Their stories really read like a good book. It amazes me how creative they can be. I love writing. It is definitely one of my favorite subjects to teach, because you really get to know the kids personalities on a different level. Here are some examples of their writing:

"A dark creature was looming over his nest. You could hear the creature’s deep breathing, smell his horrible breath, and worst of all, hear the bloodcurdling scream it emitted when it was angry. The creature was stealing Camo’s nuts and fruit."

"What could have done this? But then he remembered the screaming. The Beast. No one knows what the Beast looks like, but the ones who do never live to tell the tale. "

"One day when she was in a field she heard crying. Cyrus looked in a nearby bush and saw a darling little girl. When the little girl got sight of Cyrus she said, “Horsy I am Cindy and I am lost. My family went up the mountain. Can you help me?” Cyrus whinnied. Together they headed for the mountain."

"Hi my name is Rylee. Yesterday I figured out how to make up good and bad excuses. Yesterday I forgot my homework, so you can probably guess that I was sitting at my desk sweating to death. Mrs. Riddel was coming around to check homework, but what would I say?"

"If you want to get out of writing class you have to put a chocolate carton of milk in your desk then chew up cheerios and fruit loops and finally spit it in your carton of chocolate milk. Mix all the chocolate milk, the cheerios, and the fruit loops together and put it in your mouth. Next, go up to your teacher and spit it out onto her desk, because then you will be sent home immediately!” I have to say that I’ve learned a lot from that boy. Try some of this stuff out. I have to go now, because I need to go get a package of ketchup from the lunch room."

The one thing I strongly believe with writing is to not ever give the students a topic. They are plenty creative. Forcing them to write about a certain topic just hinders their creativity. Besides how many of us write better when it is something we want to write about?

Well, I am really enjoying my second year of teaching. My class is really good and fun at the same time. They make me laugh all the time and they love to joke around. I feel less stressed this year for sure. Everyone said the first year of teaching was the hardest, but when I was in it I didn't feel too overwhelmed. Now that I am in my second year though I have noticed a big difference. I love the people I work with, my administration is amazing, and I really like 3rd grade. I am lucky to have a stable job.

Some stories that make my job all worth it.

Mr. H reminds me of Mr. T last year. He is a ball of energy and he always has a lot to say. Plus he has a mischievous look on his face and flaming red hair. So, naturally I love the kid. He is however, a toned down version and doesn't cause me near as much grief as T did last year. But, he still makes me laugh quite often. Just today he came up to me in the morning and asked, "Miss Collett do you ever have bad dreams, because I had one last night. I had a dream that I wrote my story on the wrong paper and so I had to re-write the whole thing again and my hand was hurting. It was a very bad dream." Ahh, the things 3rd graders stress over. It made me laugh a lot though. He was dead serious and he had such a funny expression on his face as he told me about his dream.

The other day I had a girl in my class ask me if I was a "tom boy or a girlie girl." I laughed and asked her what she thought. She responded with quite a surety, "a tom boy, because you like to be outdoors and you like sports." I think she knows me pretty well. :)

It made me so happy the other day when a student in my class came up to me and said, "Miss Collett, I used the word "stunned" in my story, because oh it was just the perfect word." Haha. To give you some background I put up vocabulary words on my whiteboard that come from the book I am reading to the class. I encourage them to use those words in their writing and to also look for the words when they read. He was so excited about it and I was so proud.

There is a girl in my class who struggles in math quite a bit, but sometimes it is hard for me to know, because she doesn't ask for help. Well I talked to her about it at parent/teacher conferences and she told me she would ask me more questions when she was confused. Well the other day she did asked me a question and I helped her. I didn't think anything of it, but then about 5 minutes later she came up to me and said, "You are right Miss Collett, it is really helpful to ask questions. It is so much easier." I was glad that she felt comfortable to ask me a question and I thought it was funny she wanted to tell me about it. I must be doing something right.

And finally, it is not just the kids that keep me smiling throughout the day. Now, you can't judge me for this, because it was a mixture of things. I was tired, when I am not suppose to laugh something inside of me can't stop, when others laugh I laugh, and when things are too cheesy I think they are funny. At our school we have a "anti-bully" program and my assistant principal sent us a link to a video we needed to show our students. I really had no idea what it was about. But I put it up on the projector for the students to watch. It ended up being a slide show of pictures and short video clips of people with disabilities along with a song "Don't Laugh at Me". I know it sounds awful, but about half way through the song I looked over at my amazing aid, Britteni and she had turned toward the wall because she was laughing and didn't want the kids to see. So, as soon as I saw her I couldn't stop myself from laughing either. I had been trying so hard to keep it in, but after I saw her it was over. Am I a terrible teacher or what!? But after the kids were all asking us why we were laughing and so I told them Britteni had told a funny joke. I think they bought it. I am evil.


Well life is moving right along!