One of the first things we did was a basic map test over some of the major physical features of the U.S. One of the features was the Great Lakes. We went over the acronym (HOMES for those of you who don't know or remember). I reminded them of the acronym 5 minutes before the test. One brilliant mind came up with this:
"da names of tha great lakes is lake ponchitrain, lake hearon, lak brujo, lak porjakeys and lake lime stone."
(Don't worry, he made sure to let me know that "lak porjakeys" was supposed to be "Lake Portuguese." He just couldn't remember how to spell it.)
Correct answer: Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, Lake Superior. Get it? HOMES?
Education: 0
Gangster Rap: 1 (It's one thing to say 'da' when you speak. It's another to write it on a test! By the way, I also teach them spelling. Apparently we need to spend some time reviewing the basics.)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Here it goes!
So this was the plan: We finish grad school, find amazing teaching jobs and blog about how fabulous our lives have become. And by blog, I mean bitch. About whatever happens to be going on in our oh-so fabulous lives. So this is my ode to that dream. And to the fun sponge.
Some parts of the plan have been successful. Grad school done, check. Teaching job, check. Amazing? That part is still up for grabs.
Until that amazing fabulous job comes along, this will be the place to vent, share stories and ridiculous anecdotes about my 87 students.
To give you an idea what I am dealing with...
I teach 5th grade social studies at a magnet school. 4 classes, 87 students total. Small town, small town, small town. I can't emphasize that enough. I'm teaching in a tiny town right outside of where I attended college. Five years ago I thought my college town was small. I also thought it would be charming to live in a small town. But really, what is charming about a town where everyone is in everyone's business and there is no Starbucks? (Or whatever your coffee shop of choice is.) McDonald's coffee does not make me a happy person.
Now social studies has long been the red-headed step child of the educational world. So for most of my students, 75 minutes a day, everyday, came as quite a shock. What shocked me was the lack of knowledge. And I mean basic knowledge. What country do you live in kind of knowledge. (Apparently, Louisiana is a country? Guess my Texas public school education forgot to tell me about that.) So here, on this very blog, I will share with you the lovely nuggets my students have taught me.
Enjoy!
Some parts of the plan have been successful. Grad school done, check. Teaching job, check. Amazing? That part is still up for grabs.
Until that amazing fabulous job comes along, this will be the place to vent, share stories and ridiculous anecdotes about my 87 students.
To give you an idea what I am dealing with...
I teach 5th grade social studies at a magnet school. 4 classes, 87 students total. Small town, small town, small town. I can't emphasize that enough. I'm teaching in a tiny town right outside of where I attended college. Five years ago I thought my college town was small. I also thought it would be charming to live in a small town. But really, what is charming about a town where everyone is in everyone's business and there is no Starbucks? (Or whatever your coffee shop of choice is.) McDonald's coffee does not make me a happy person.
Now social studies has long been the red-headed step child of the educational world. So for most of my students, 75 minutes a day, everyday, came as quite a shock. What shocked me was the lack of knowledge. And I mean basic knowledge. What country do you live in kind of knowledge. (Apparently, Louisiana is a country? Guess my Texas public school education forgot to tell me about that.) So here, on this very blog, I will share with you the lovely nuggets my students have taught me.
Enjoy!
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