#WelcomeBackMrWhitaker

A day in the life

So I have this huge crate with papers to sort and arrange. The Teacher of the Week, Jason said "carry this stuff home and tackle this pile." The Dad of the Year, Jason said, "my foot. This work has been here and will be here whenever I decide to tackle it. I'm going to spend time with my family this weekend" Dad of the Year wins again. 

Went in and bought my students the audio book "Nate the Great". Don't think that qualifies for teacher of the week, but certainly Teach of the Friday. The kids loved the reader and his inflections. 

Saw this on Pinterest (aka Teacher crack dealer). My kids love that I tell them to tell The Tattle Toolbox, but now it's got personality. My unique kiddo now goes to the corner and has full out right conversations with the toolbox. Not sure if I should be happy he's found someone to listen to him or worried. 

Didn't have any Starbucks today so that's either a good thing or a very bad thing. Hahahaha

Just realized that Dr. Seuss's birthday is next week. Can't wait! I really like Seuss books! 

 

What do you have to prove?

 

I like, no I really, really like UFC. This weekend I had the chance to watch a classic fight. During the interview one fighter said "I'm going to prove to myself that I'm the best fighter there is." What a powerful statement. I don't have to prove anything to anyone except to myself. And I'm pretty much convinced that I'm the best thing going. I have a vision of myself being a spectacular teacher. This week I'm going to prove to myself what I already know, that I'm really brilliant. Here...we...Go!  

Besides I want to knock out a crossfit WOD this week. I did great yesterday pulling my first #425 deadlift. By the summer I plan on pulling the first 500 lbs deadlift. Not sure anyone in the gym has picked that up yet. Even if they have I'm going to prove to myself that I can. 

Resting and prepping for a long haul

Getting some well needed rest over the next couple of days. Spending some needed relax time with the wife. In the mean time this image is for those that think that "Teachers get enough breaks". I grabbed this from Pinterest. 

One part I'd like to specially address is that Teachers spend A LOT of their time working off the clock. It's really amazing how much time we do off the clock. Anyway, enjoy your rest time!

I also want to point out that I left initially at my 5th year. However after taking some time reflecting and finding the REASON I was teaching and coming to grips with that, I'M BACK!

It was one of those weeks

 We either rocked like Rock stars or we looked mighty odd.  I choose to believe that we rocked like Rock stars. 

This week was interesting. My class did A LOT of projects and class work I'd hoped to be able to display. The issue is that what the kids gave me wasn't remotely what I was envisioning. Not to say it wasn't good. It just wasn't what I had expected at all. Take the project below. 

I wanted the kids to draw a Fact Family of the basic addition facts. The plan was to use these to compile into a book for them to reference every now and then. (At least until they got the facts down like second nature.) So I put this up on the Promethean board for them to look at. 

I also did an example and passed it along around the room. 

What the kids gave me was less than what I expected. Such that I didn't even take pictures of them. On Monday I'm going to have them redo this project as well as a writing assignment they did. Thanks to a good friend making the recommendation, I'm going to post two rubrics one for each project and have the kiddos reference back to them as they do the work. All I can think of is that since I didn't have a rubric for them to reference I didn't give them a clear idea of what I wanted. 

 

I've done rubrics before. Not certain why I stopped, but I'll be doing these more often for sure. 

Class vs. Shaving cream (Round 1)

I get tired of watching my students go through ream upon ream of paper just wasting it. So I got this idea from another blog to use shaving cream as an assignment. It's not cheaper per say, but it's sure a lot more fun. 

*Mind you I did notice that this student has the "+" symbol in the wrong place and an "=" sign where it's not needed. My hands were covered in shave cream and I was good to get one picture. 

We were working on inverse operations to see/prove that subtraction can help us better understand addition. The kids loved it. Since I did a lot to prep the lesson this really hit home. They did this for about 20 minutes, cleaned up and and journaled what they found. Only one had cream all the way up to his elbows. None got any on the floor. Most surprisingly none got any on their classmates. 

It cost me $1.16 for a can of cream. Not bad. Tomorrow we may pull out the shave cream again and work with forms of energy. Might save this for the next time I'm being observed to either a) hit a home room or b) crash and burn in a blaze of glory. 

*Points to remember if you use this method

• Tell the class they're icing cakes. That will keep them from rubbing the shaving cream so much that it evaporates.
• I'd think that whipped cream would work, but it's sticky, the kids will try to eat it, and it might attarach bugs. 
• They don't need a big space. The size and shape of a legal sheet of paper is fine. 
• One can of shave cream goes a LONG way. Thought I was going to need like two, but ended up using 3/4 of one. That's with me re-upping many kids work areas. 
• Take your time wrapping up. As you're talking and going back over the steps, the shaving cream dries. This makes it very easy to clean up. 
• Have baby wipes on hand unless you want to send them to the rest room to wash their hands. 
• Don't sweat cleaning the table/desks until after school. Shave cream is soap and doesn't hurt anything. It just leaves a film on the desk, but it washes off quickly. 

The bet that my class could get 150 class Dojo points has been less than spectacular. As of today they've earned 80, but also have lost 79. That's not good. Going to do something special for those who are on track with 5 or more points tomorrow. Maybe they'll get extra center time or get to go as a small group to the media center. Can't focus to much and to long on those who won't do right. I have some Prince and Princess students who want to learn and are making the most of each day. Can't let a few ogre's ruin it. 

Off to Crossfit South Cobb. 

and another week is here

This week is going to be fun. I have some spectacular (so says I) lessons planned. I'm stoked, and rested. My sabbath day of rest was fantastic. So the kiddos better get ready cause I'm going to be bringing it this week. 

Not sure how many people really unplug on the weekends, but I've been making it my habit to relax on Saturday. Actually from Friday night to Saturday night. I feel guilty cause I'm so well rested. My mind is focused and I feel great. I can't honestly laze around relax EVERY Saturday, but I am committed to do so one Saturday a month for sure. 

I have a LONG list of stuff to teach my students this week, but it doesn't matter. I can do it and I will. Going to bring the kids a wagon load of patience and strong teaching.  I sure hope them little darlings are well rested cause I'm going to bring it this week. 3,2,1...GO!

Ready for a good Crossfit WOD this evening as well. Restarted our 5 week eating challenge, cause I just didn't eat well at all. Got to take care of my body since I won't be getting a new one anytime soon. 

Update on Whitaker's Workshop

So far the kids have really taken a liking to the room decor. Nothing is broken. I took my wooden caddies home this weekend to paint. The kids immediately had to touch and play with the newly painted distractions on their tables. The Home Depot aprons with the classroom job on them are a hit. 
I just never expect the kids to be able to rip, tear and ruin them like they have. I need to wash them every so often, too.  The classroom jobs, however I tough for my kids. You couple having a responsibility, with ClassDojo and the everyday off-taskness of 2nd grade and you understand why I'm re posting a job every week. 

I've received some big compliments from my peers about my room. 

What's been the biggest challenge is to get them to appreciate it and realize this isn't for my health. That's what Crossfit's for. They're really sweet kids and they've just not met a person like me before. I don't yell. I'm stern and as tough as a rattle snake. I don't care if little Johnny hit you. I don't care who's talking about your mom. I don't care whatever your problem is. Your biggest issue is that you're in a 2nd grade chair and I have to prepare you to get out of that chair and be able to hold down a 3rd grade chair next year.  Oh yeah, not having a pencil isn't going to cut it. 

I'm also getting much better at organization and planning. These have to be my bottom tier skills. Under any other circumstances I'd preach the Gospel of "focusing on what you can be a 10 in". Not sure how much I will improve in this area, but I have to improve on it. I'm so not good at it that any change can only make me look like some kind of hero.

One more area I need to step my game up in is reading everything I can related to what I'm expected to teach. Not sure if I'll ever be able to spout lessons off the top of my head like our coaches do, but I could at least sound better intuned with what's going on.

Notice I don't blame the kiddos. They're not my problem. They're doing exactly what kids should do. They're scream at the top of their actions, "Mr. Whitaker, you must keep me engaged! You can't give up on me!" The better i get at asking good questions the better I wll be at finding the solution to these little ones needs.

Alright enough of that. Let me go swing a kettlebell.   

 

My blog isn't like the others

and that's a good thing. 

There are so many top notch idea focused teacher blogs out there. I can spend entirely to much time surfing them, gaining ideas and letting the bloggers know that they're really appreciated. My own blog is different.  I can't be like them and I won't even attempt. What I can do is be Jason and put out what I think people would like to read about me and my return to teaching. 

I like to talk about what I do. I love my students even though my beard is starting to look like it needs a little touch up, because of said students. I like to vent that sometimes, more times than I'll admit I'm at my whit's end. I adore my co workers. We have the best group of rough and tumble, trench slogging, never quit teachers I've seen. I like to free myself for a few minutes and just say..."I'm a teacher and I make a difference". It feels good and that's why my blog isn't like most others out there. 

What I'm learning today is that I have to teach "children" to think for themselves. To often we've taught them to come to a wall, obstacle, challenge and sit down until you're told what to do next. That's a BIG hassle when one has a class of 20 who all seem to run into roadblocks at the same time. I almost think that my biggest goal is to get them to think past the immediate issue and think long term. It's a tough row to turn, but I see results daily. 

Thanks for checking up on Whitaker's Workshop

Facts vs Opinions

Earlier this week I set my kids up to listen to some unique songs, Bob Marley and some Shawn Brown. They had to listen to the 3-4 minute songs and write three facts and opinions about  them. It was a lot of fun. Listening to the kids explain and defend their thoughts was refreshing. One song has become our Official Unoffical after lunch song. It kind of cute listening to them sing it throughout the day. Ok, back to lesson plans for next week.  

Centers audit

Had my students audit my centers. They were supposed to play a center game and tell me what they learned. They thought they were telling me something, but little did they realize they were learning.

Fact family drill

Letter madness Center

Another Letter Madness Center

Word Game Center