Five for Friday, or maybe Saturday | Mentoring in the Middle

Five for Friday, or maybe Saturday

fiveforfriday
     It's Saturday, but I'm okay with that.  It's been that kind of week.  Reading other blogs, it seems like a lot of teachers feel that shorter weeks somehow take it out of you more than longer ones do.  Why is that?


(These cute numbers are from www.acupcakefortheteacher.blogspot.com)

It was hard to get up this week.  Plain and simple.  Just didn't feel like doing it.  I get up a couple of mornings a week and go for a run.  Didn't happen this week.  Not once.



While I'm whining....Do all of you have Spring breaks?  One teacher commented that they had a week off in February and now another one in April.  And I'm thinking, WHAAAAT?  Now, I might not feel so excited when June rolls around and I've got to teach well into it, but I could really use a break about now.  We were supposed to have six days off at Easter, but two of them were scheduled as snow make-up days, and although we didn't have much snow to speak of this year, we did have a hurricane blow through in the Fall.  But boy oh boy, I think all kids and teachers need a break around the end of winter.  All this napping that I'm reading about sounds good!


Yeah, I forgot to take the AFTER picture.  But this pile of dodecahedrons that was waiting to be graded got finished a few weeks ago, and they're all hanging up in the hallway.  It looks mighty cool!  Thank you Mr. Hughes for a fun way to get kids to respond to what they're reading.


Yesterday, my son came home from college so that he could run in a half-marathon this morning.  Now it makes me prouder than proud that this kid loves to run distances like that.  I'm always amazed at the number of people and generations that are represented at these races.  Now, lest you think running has been in my blood, forget that!  I started running in my twenties as a way to reduce stress.  I've never been very fast or very good.  But I enjoy it, and it keep me healthy, mentally and physically.  When I run, we're talking two miles.  Maybe three.  But this kid LIKES running mile after mile.  I'm impressed!  Enough to take a picture?  Nope!  Missed him leaving and coming back!  So here's one from his last year in high school.  Had to be pretty early in the Fall - look at those white legs where the sun didn't shine!


I have a student who's really been pushing my buttons.  He knows it and I do, too.  And I think he really enjoys it.  I can deal with lots of behaviors in my classroom, but passive-aggressive behavior really stumps me.  Any suggestions out there for a kid who stands when I tell the class to sit, goes to his locker when I tell kids to come in to homeroom, that kind of stuff?


Well, rereading this - this hasn't been the happiest posting.  But that's okay.  Teaching is learning, and in many ways, forgiving.  I know that when I come into school on Monday, there'll be a fresh slate to start on.  And maybe, just maybe, I'll remember to take a few pictures along the way!

Marion

10 comments

  1. Hey Marion, I found your blog via A Burst of First. I am so excited I found another middle school blog!! :) I am looking forward to reading your future blog posts.

    Katie
    Mind Sparks

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    1. Welcome to my blog, Katie. I just took a look at yours (thanks for the tip about kerpoof) and now I'm your newest follower! It's great to find other middle school bloggers - there are many early elementary folks out there, but we're gaining on them!
      Marion

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  2. Hi Marion
    Thanks for replying on my blog and I'm blushing that Katie found you through me! High fives to both of you for teaching middle school. It really takes someone special to take on all those hormones. No great suggestions for your troublesome tween. I do think planned ignoring works although I am terrible at it. Just don't give him the time of day and if you do need to speak to him do it quietly one on one or in a hall so he is not getting attention from the rest of the group. Some kids love attention, even negative. I know i should do all this stuff, but when the moment comes I never quite hold it together that well...As you said teaching is learning!
    Deirdre
    A Burst of First

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    1. Thanks for the suggestion, Deirdre. That's what I've been trying to do, and some days are better than others. But sometimes I get frustrated because by ignoring him, I allow him to do things I don't allow other kids to do. He's just a really, really interesting child. And the thing is, I truly like him - as much as he pushes me sometimes, it takes a quick and creative mind to come up with all the stuff he tries!
      Marion

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  3. Marion,

    I found your blog through the link up. I'm a sp.ed. teacher that works in K-5 and I deal with a lot of kids with behaviors like these. Being a resource teacher rather than a classroom teach means I've got a different perspective, but I'll tell you what I've done to work with kids like this in the past: Shower them with postive feedback.

    I'm guessing that you both know a game is being played and he is loving the attention (no matter good or bad because it is all the same to him). In many cases with kids like this ignoring can only take it so far because I've had a lot of kids that will escalate until it really becomes out of control behavior.

    With some students like these they crave attention because they're not getting it at home (or just enough in general). We also do mentoring and small lunch groups with a couple of students and teachers. This has helped a lot because the kids build stronger relationships too. I might also suggest a positive behavior chart (just between you and him) and have him work toward a goal/prize.

    Okay, enough of my soap-boxing

    thanks and I'm your newest follower too!
    matt
    Digital: Divide & Conquer

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    1. Thanks for those tips, Matt. You're right that we both know a game is being played; sometimes I forget that he's just asking for attention the only way he knows how. He may not know how to get attention in a healthy way, but it's a reminder that teaching is often way more than academic instruction.

      Thanks for the reminder.
      And don't every get off your soap-box. That's how we learn from each other!
      Marion

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  4. Hi Marion! I enjoyed this post, because right now I am feeling your pain! This week my husband asked me if I was feeling okay, because I've been so cranky, and my morning workout is down to less than half of what I usually shoot for. I'm calling it testing testiness. And I will take your excellent advice and forgive myself. Thank you for that! :)
    Darlene
    meatballsinthemiddle

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    1. It's been a much better week this week. And this was state testing week. I think we underestimate how much the pressure gets to us. And to the kids too, although we try to do everything we can to protect them.

      Good luck to you, whenever you're testing!
      Marion

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  5. Hi Manon! I hope you have a good weekend after that week :(
    Do you get extra holidays at a different point in the year? We don't have "spring break" now because I'm in New Zealand but we do have holidays starting tomorrow- we get two weeks break at the end of each 10/11 week term. We've just finished our first term. But every public school in New Zealand gets the same amount of holidays.
    I love the honesty in your post- we all feel like this at times! I found you through the linky and am your latest follower.

    x Serena x
    Magic Mistakes & Mayhem

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  6. Welcome, Serena!
    And thanks for following my blog. We do get a week off at Christmas, but that's it. We were supposed to get six days off at Easter, but two of those days were taken away because of a hurricane in the fall that caused us to miss school. But we've got nothing like two weeks every 10/11 week term. I would love that! Do you go to school year-round, or do you have a longer break at some point?
    Marion

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