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!

Suck up?

My students write in their journals everyday after lunch. Then I collect 5 a day and read them to make sure they are writing and it helps me get to know them a little bit better. Plus it is often hysterical. So the other day I was reading one of the journals and this is what it said, “Today is Miss Collett's birthday. I think she’s having the worst one yet. Today is probly (his spelling) my worst day too. Well I hope you read this on Monday but I'm sorry for what hapened today. I'm sure you had a bad day. I hope tomorrow's better. It's just I think your the best teacher I ever had.” Come on! I about died. He is one of my favorites, can you tell? The best thing is that he is totally sincere. I have a few who try and let’s say “butter me up”, but it doesn’t fly with me. M here though is just so sweet it is hard not to love him. Also, I honestly have no idea what he is referring to.

I am excited for the school year to end. The kids are getting wild, so my patience is running thin. I will miss them I am sure, but right about now I want to hurt a few.:) Testing is next week so we will find out if I taught anyone anything. I am crossing my fingers!

So Proud!

The other day we put together "skimmers" which are boats made out of card stock. The idea was they had to make their own sail and then they would race them by blowing them across the gym floor. We decided to make it a contest within the entire 3rd grade. I jokingly told my kids that they had better win the race or else! However, they really did awesome. We split the grade into 5 rounds and 4 of my kids won out of the 5! Then we had a final race and the first, second, and third places went to kids in my class! Those of you who know me well enough know I can be competitive and apparently it has transferred a little bit. :) It made me love my class even more though!

I made it through parent teacher conferences! All I have to say is I am glad they are only twice a year!