I began the week with finally implementing a seating chart. I'm convinced it is a gift from Heaven. Since I let them sit wherever they wanted last week, they, of course, all sat with their friends. Little did they know that this was my plan all along. You sit with your friends, you chat it up all week, and then I know who you shouldn't be sitting next to when I make a seating chart. It's one of my many teacher tricks ;) Therefore, I separated that back table of 4 boys who wouldn't stop talking and they now sit at different tables at the four opposite corners of the classroom. I do this to help you, not to hurt you. Anddd to maybe keep my sanity levels at a much lower level.
Highlights of the Week:
1. On Tuesday when we got back to school after a heavenly 3-day weekend, some students were acting as if they were still experiencing the weekend in my class. I felt like I was more stern than ever on that morning but was still trying to remain cheerful because we all need some cheer on the first day of the week, right? After saying things such as "everyone needs to be in their OWN seat," "You need to be writing your assignment in your planner," and "Writing in your planner does NOT require talking" about 10x each, a sweet sweet girl turned to me as I was walking by her table and said, "Ms. Crabtree, do you like being a teacher?" I immediately thought oh gosh, I hope I come off as a teacher who likes spending my days with kids, because I truly do! I then responded, "I really, really do!" and then she responded with the sweetest smile I've ever seen and said, "Because you really do seem like you enjoy it," and I about wanted to melt because of all her sweetness on a day when I could've possibly pulled the majority of my hairs straight out of my head.
2. Also on Tuesday, I introduced a new project to my students which require me handing out a rubric. Before handing out the rubrics, I asked my students, "Who can tell me what a rubric is?" A precious boy then shot his hand up and said, "It's like a square where you move all the little squares to line up all the colors!" He thought I meant Rubik's Cube. Bless his little heart.
3. Wednesday was my birthday and since telling people it is your birthday after saying "Good Morning" to someone is a slightly awkward thing to do, I just didn't tell anyone haha. My two morning classes came and went and then Specials time (PE,Art,Music,) came and I got a call from the office saying I had some deliveries. I immediately got pretty excited and walked swiftly to the front office. I was welcomed by some birthday fun, see below:
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| Tiff's Treats delivery from my best girl, Hannah! |
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| The CUTEST flower cupcake arrangement I've ever laid eyes on from my other best girl, Suz! |
Walking back from the office with some pretty goodies sure turns some heads so my co-teachers then found out it was my birthday and soon all my students knew too. They were all in shock and ran up to me saying, "Ms. Crabtree!! Why didn't you tell us it was your birthday?!" I then proceeded to explain to them that I would've felt weird telling them! If that makes me weird, then so be it haha. When I went to pick my students up from lunch, one of my boys came up to me and said, "I just saw your sister!" I must have looked at him like he had horn growing out of his head because he quickly said, "She just dropped off flowers for you in the office. I was in the nurse's office and saw her!" Unknowingly, my sister, Heather, had self-delivered flowers to my school so that they wouldn't be messed up in shipping. She is kind of the best.
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| SO pretty, right? |
4. The next day (Thursday) seemed like a continuation of my birthday, especially with my morning classes who didn't know it was my birthday until the end of the day on my actual birthday. The day continued on normally until I walked my class back inside after recess was over. I was then greeted by balloons stuck to all the most random things in my classroom, like so:
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| Balloons attached to my media cart (picture taken next morning when I was at school way too early for my liking) |
Three precious girls had snuck into my room during their recess to decorate and then had a gift of Hershey kisses (cookies and cream edition) wrapped up for me to open. When I told them that those were my favorite type of Hershey kisses, they smiled from ear to ear and high-fived each other. My heart melted again.
At the end of the day, a girl from my homeroom class handed me a Happy Birthday card that had been signed by all 78 of my 5th graders. It truly made my day.
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| One student signed, "You have been a great teacher so far. I might flunk 5th grade for you. (Just kidding)." |
5. On Friday we did some Social Studies fun by labeling the 50 states on a map worksheet so I just KNEW I had to share with them the "Fifty Nifty United States" song which sings the 50 states in alphabetical order. I had to learn it in 5th grade so I just wanted to pass on my knowledge to them. I asked them if they wanted me to sing it to them and they immediately started laughing when I started singing it and began yelling "Stop Ms. Crabtree! No more, no more!" so apparently I should never be a Music teacher in my teaching career. Ouch.
Yes, I get frustrated with my students. Yes, they drive me crazy a lot of the time. But would I want my life to look any differently than it does right in this moment? Nope. My students bring me joy each day and I hope I can always bring some to theirs. And that, right there, is why I do what I do.
Teacher out,
Ms. Crabtree
**student's names have been changed**
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