Good Teacher, Bad Mom

Sometimes being a teacher makes you feel like a really bad mom.  At 4:15 this morning, I put my daughter on a bus to Toronto.  She is going on an overnight field trip with her 6th grade class.  Many of the moms I know from dance, soccer, church and baseball were there with clipboards ready to chaperone the trip.

My daughter was super excited about the trip and I'm excited for her to have this experience.  When we arrived at her school, I signed my daughter in, found her chaperone, snapped a picture of her and her friends and kissed her goodbye.  On my way out the door one of the moms who knows me said, "Kimberly, aren't you glad you don't have to do another field trip? Teachers probably dread field trips."  I said nothing.  Isn't that what you are supposed to do when you don't have anything nice to say?  I cried on the way home and sat in the dark on my front porch thinking about the truth.

The truth is that I have never been on a field trip for either of my own children.  Since I'm a teacher, I've taken hundreds of other children on field trips over the past 17 years.  I have only been able to go to 2 class parties for my own children.  As teacher, I've hosted several class parties each year for the students and families in my class.  My own kids don't ask me anymore if I can come on a field trip or to a special event that is hosted during the day, because I'm a teacher and they know I can't.

Since I am working as an instructional coach this year, I could have gone on this trip.  I have more leave days than I'll ever need to use.  My boss would certainly let me go since I am not directly responsible for students.  So, I volunteered when the chaperone forms came home.   I didn't get chosen.  The moms who held the clipboards this morning are the same moms who have been the volunteers on my daughter's field trips since Kindergarten.

Sometimes the chaperones send me pictures of my own kids on their field trips.  They almost always say something like, "Wish you were here"  or "Thought you might like this since you can never come".  While I'm grateful for the pictures that I can't take myself, it is still a reminder that being a good teacher sometimes makes me feel like a really bad mom.

My daughter won't know that I was upset on the way home today.  When my son wakes up I won't share it with him either.  I'll pretend I wasn't crying for an hour on the front porch and I will wait for my pictures.  I'll silently be the teacher mom who does not dread field trips with her students (for the record), but that wishes somehow I could enjoy all of these things with my own children too.

Why Do You Love Teaching?

Our state department of education is encouraging teachers to share what we love about teaching this week.  Please consider sharing what you love about teaching too!  If you have a blog you can post about it there, share it on Instagram, tweet it or post about it on Facebook.

The number one reason I love teaching is simple...kids!

When your day is filled with this kind of enthusiasm, it is hard not to love your job.

It is easy to feel lucky.

It is easy to feel loved.

It is easy to feel like you have a chance to make a difference.

Education is a gift.

We give and receive the gift of learning each day as teachers.

Since I started a new job as an instructional coach this year, 

I am able to collaborate with  teachers about instruction and student learning every single day.

working together = more brain power = increased learning for adults and kids

Not gonna lie. I also love organizing things, which is a constant process for this teacher.

As a teacher, my world is full of words.  Some people love numbers. I love words.

As a teacher, I can share my love of schedules with students (and now teachers).

 "Is that lady reading a book in her kayak in the middle of the lake?"

It's easy for my family to explain - "She's a teacher. She has a book with her everywhere she goes."

Another reason to love being a teacher...

you get to purchase a back to school outfit and an open house outfit.

(My personal stylist from Stitch Fix chose these for me.)

When you are a teacher, your days and your life (and your goal spreadsheet) are filled with...

This year, I am part of the Instructional Support Team in my Dexter.  

I love my new team!

I am learning so much from each of the talented members of our team.  

One is a data expert, one is a technology expert and one is the dynamic leader of our team.

I love teaching because now I have this opportunity to learn from my team.

Together we are excited, challenged in a positive way

 and on a mission to be as supportive as possible.

There is so much for teachers to celebrate at the end of each year!

And...still we feel like this when someone says that summer is almost over.

Then...the backpacks fill up. 

Buses arrive.

The bell rings.

We welcome back the little ones 

who count on us to LOVE teaching 

and LOVE each of them 

as we learn together.

#loveteaching

Seriously, folks...I don't even like vegetables!

Last year, my students did a research project about eating healthy foods.  

My students made these Fruits and Veggies in Your Bag Writing Craftivity.

Here are a few pictures of the writing,

 which we published on the back of grocery bags.

And...here is the truth.

I hate vegetables and leftovers.

So, why would I person who hates veggies and leftovers do the Whole30?

Because, sometimes we have to do things that we don't like.  

And...it turns out that it helps you button your pants!

When my co-workers see my lunch, they ask me what kind of diet I am on.

I tell them the same thing every single day.

The Whole30 is not a diet, it is a healthy lifestyle change.

There are tons of rules that go with the Whole30.

Basically it means for 30 days, you eat only meat, veggies and little bit of fruit.

No preservatives.

No sugar.

No Dt. Dew. (I'm still trying to get over that reality.)

You're also not allowed to weigh yourself during the 30 days.

I don't believe in that...so I weigh myself once a week.

It's working.

I am currently on day 23 of the Whole30.

I joined a support group of teacher bloggers 

and we are all doing Whole30 together this month.

The teacher support group has been super helpful!

Even more helpful is the fact that my husband (who is our resident chef) 

agreed to do the Whole30 with me.

Most people who do the Whole30 say they have a burst of energy a few days in.

Some folks claim they slay the "sugar dragon" within these 30 days.

Most people who do the Whole30 say they are inspired to learn to cook new things.

Most people who do the Whole30 say they have the best workouts ever.

People even claim to get "tiger blood" during the Whole30.

My reality is a little different.

I did not have a burst of energy.

But, do mom's who work full time, take grad classes, have a history of sleep issues,

 have kids in travel soccer, travel baseball and dance 

with a husband who is currently coaching basketball 

really have bursts of energy outside the month of July?

I like to bake.  I make great chocolate chip cookies, cakes and desserts. 

I still hate to cook - especially veggies.

And I feel like I might be the only one in the world who hates leftovers.

I also have not worked out once during my Whole30, 

unless you count my dog walks several times a week.

I have a gym membership, 

but I refuse to feel guilty about not using it this month because if

I have to choose between sleeping or waking up at 4:00 a.m. to fit it in...I choose sleep.

I don't know what tiger blood is...so I'm sure I don't have whatever that is. Ha!

I'll get back into my running routine when life settles down, 

but guess what?

The Whole30 is still working.

I sleep better.

I no longer have acid reflux.

My frequent headaches are gone.

I feel like I am in control...instead of chocolate controlling me.

And my favorite pants button!

I WILL NOT DRINK DIET DEW WHEN THIS IS OVER.

I wish I could.  But, I won't.

Being healthy makes me happy.

After the Whole30, I hope to continue my healthy eating adventure

with not so many rules and a whole lot more self control than I had before.

Gratitude is an Attitude

This morning at church, our pastor gave a sermon about living a life of gratitude.  He said gratitude is unselfishly appreciating what you have, instead of focusing on what you want.  I think it's easy to say that we are "grateful", but living a life of gratitude is really not that easy.  Or maybe it's just not very easy for me.

I know that I am lucky.  I thank God each day for the health and safety of my family, the nice life we have, our home, our friends and my amazing job.  But here's the problem...I am a goal oriented person.  I set goals for everything.  I set goals for how much sleep I will get, how many emails I will answer, how many minutes I will exercise for the day, how many loads of laundry I will do in a week, how many things I can add to and check off my to do list each day and how many people I can help. When you are the kind of person (like me) who constantly looks to the future to figure out how to improve myself and how to make the things I am involved in better it is easy to forget to live a true life of gratitude.

I am grateful for...

My children, who are generally kind to others.

My husband, who knows how to have fun everywhere we go.

My parents, who taught me to work hard and to care for others.

Friends, who listen, advise, trust, share and care for our family.

My home, which is simple and safe.

The leaders in my district, who trusted me to have a new position this year.

The teachers I work with who are curious and passionate about making a difference.

Nature, which is usually a peaceful gift and a sometimes a powerful reminder.

God, who reminds me that he is in control 

and that I should take time to enjoy the things on my "gratitude" list each day.

This week as we talk about the things we are grateful for in our lives, I realize that I need to work harder to show that I am grateful and make time to reflect and pray about the amazing things around me.

After all, gratitude is an attitude...not just a goal on my list.  Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving and lots of time to reflect about what you are grateful for in this crazy busy life!

Animal Research

My class is wrappin' up our animal research projects this week!  During the winter months, we spend some time researching penguins by using my Nonfiction Penguin Unit to model the process for researching an animal. Then each of my students chooses an animal to research.  It takes a few weeks for us to move from searching for informational texts, to taking notes, to writing the reports...but it is always a favorite project for my first graders!

My students write their reports in the form of an Animal Research Book.  

I actually did not use the cover that is included in my product this year.

 I asked my students illustrate their own cover this time. 

They also made paper plate pop-ups with the habitats of the animal they researched.

This week, we will finish some testing and start preparing for our zoo field trip and our grandparent tea party.  Love this time of the year!

Many Tpt sellers are having sales this week to show their appreciation for teachers!

You can visit my sale, by clicking on the image below. 

Don't forget to use the promo code at checkout!

May Currently!

How could it be that this seems like the longest year and the shortest year of my life all at the same time?

It's time for Currently, thanks to Farley from Oh Boy 4th Grade!

Listening - I'm listening to the rain hit our windows and wondering how I'm going to get 5 dance costumes in and out of the auditorium today without getting them wet.

Loving - Just a few minutes of peace and quiet.  I needed this more than I can explain.

Thinking - I love to watch my daughter dance.  It seems like yesterday that she went on stage with her first little teal tutu.  Today, she will dance her way on and off the stage 5 different times in each recital.  I am so very proud of her...my heart feels like it's gonna burst when she dances onto the stage.  

Wanting - I need to clean out my cabinets at school.  You could say I had a bad week last week.  My students are amazing and they worked so hard, while I was working hard to try not to let them notice that I was disappointed in a big way by adults. Cleaning always makes me feel better...so next week the cabinets will be cleaned out.  If I haven't used it this year...goodbye.

Needing - I do believe that God has a plan for each of us.  When you're feeling discouraged about something, it is so hard to have faith in his plan.  But, I need to.  Especially if I'm gonna keep walkin' around preachin' that to my own kids.

Surprise - My friend, Jennifer was one of the first bloggers I connected with when I first started blogging several years ago.  Jennifer's blog, Rowdy in First Grade, is one of the blogs that I always read, even if I'm too busy to read my whole list.  We live across the country from each other and I feel like we've met...but we haven't. Several times over the years I've wished we could be teammates.  I just can't figure out how to make that happen. Jennifer is so sweet and she always makes me laugh!  She is a beautiful person inside and out.  

I have about 50 pictures on my phone of things on my "to post about" list.  In between dance, travel baseball, travel soccer, piano and the obvious school commitments that come with two little kids with two teachers for parents...there has not been much time to work on my list.  I'll have more time to work on my list soon. And can I just say...I'm so proud of Farley!  If you follow her on a regular basis you'll know that she is working so hard, gettin' fit and lookin' good! Go girl! Head over to visit her to check out what is going on Currently with everyone.  

Product Swap Snapshot + Giveaway!

For the next few days, a few of my teacher/blogger friends are spotlighting some products we swapped.  We're also kickin' off our Product Swap Snapshot with a giveaway!  Starting today (4/12) and ending on Wednesday (4/16), you can enter for a chance to win a $50 gift card to The Vintage Pearl!  The Vintage Pearl makes beautiful hand stamped jewelry. I have several of their pieces and have given several more as gifts. You can enter for a chance to win a $50 gift card to The Vintage Pearl at the end of this post.

For our product swap, I had the pleasure of trying out a product from Jill from ABC's and Polka Dots.  Jill is a fellow Michigan blogger and a kindergarten teacher.  Jill and I have become friends during the past year and we're hoping to meet up sometime soon.

I was lucky enough to use Jill's short vowel (cvc) write the room activities with my struggling readers for the past few weeks.  Next year, I'll be able to use all of these with my 1st graders for the first half of the year.  At this time of the year, they were perfect for my struggling readers!

During the first week, I used the Short A Write the Room, Short E Write the Room and Short I Write the Room activities to work with my kiddos during small group instruction.  Then I was able to have a parent helper use the cards from Jill's product to work on word family sorts. Here are the some of the cards from the Short A Write the Room product.

My students were independently able to use ABC order and write the room pages.

My students loved searching for the short vowel word cards around the room for the Write the Room activities!  In fact, they begged me to do it three days in row.  I don't know about you, but I'm all for  any activity that has my struggling students begging me to let them do it practice it again.

Thank you, Jill, for these great resources to help my students!

Please stop by and visit Jill at ABC's and Polka Dots! 

And...over the next few days, please be sure to also visit my friends below 

who will be snapshotting other great products!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for the $50 gift card to The Vintage Pearl!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Voila...My New Design!

I'm in love!  But this time not with my husband, or my dogs, or new box of Mr. Sketch markers...

It's my new design that is making my heart flutter today!!!

The talented Kassie from Designs by Kassie deserves all the credit.

All I really did was choose my favorite colors and send her a million emails. Ha!

I loved working with Kassie! 

She is incredibly talented and patient.
 I truly appreciate her design expertise.

Tomorrow...

I'll be joining several of my teacher/blogger friends  for a Product Swap Snapshot and a giveaway!  

Please stop back tomorrow for the details! Oh, how I love my new design!  Thanks again, Kassie!  You are amazing!

5 Favors We Could Do for Our Kids

Do you ever wake up with your wheels turnin' in the middle of the night and everyone around you is snoring?  It's Sunday and it's too early to go to church...so I'll write my own sermon.  I do realize that those who read my posts are probably in the "choir".

I spend a lot of time at meetings where we discuss what is best for kids.  I am grateful to work in school where we are reminded by our leaders to focus on what is best for kids.

But, I think there are some really simple favors we could do for our children (as parents, teachers, coaches, care providers, counselors, etc).  I've worked with children in each of those roles (except my counseling experience only includes "camp" counselor...not a real counselor/therapist). I am absolutely not an expert...just a person who cares about kids (who is a little worried about the trends I'm seeing).

In my other life, I worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist...so most of my "sermon" is related to communication.

1. Make Eye Contact
When I first started teaching, students made eye contact (without being prompted to) unless they had certain special needs.  Now, I spend lots of time teaching all of my students to make eye contact at the beginning of the year.  It wasn't something I had to teach before. But now, it's necessary. Are ya with me?  I wish I knew how many times a day lower elementary teachers say the words... "Please look at me."  "Look at my eyes."  "I need you to look at me when you're talking.".  I don't know that number, but I know it's a lot more these days.  The favor we can do for kids...make eye contact.  We model.  We teach. They learn.

2.  Teach Children to Respond to Questions
When you've been teaching as long as I have, you notice trends.  In order to maintain basic conversational turn taking...you have to respond.  Basic turn taking is the equivalent of sharing while playing.  It takes two people to share and two people to have a conversation.  Otherwise it's just a "sermon" like this one. Funny! Question asked = answer. Wouldn't ya think?  If we teach it, they will answer.  I hope.

3. Read to Them
Families are overwhelmed by crazy busy schedules these days.  Turns out I am an expert on being overwhelmed by a crazy family schedule.  Please notice that I said "being"  not "handling".  As recently as 5 years ago, when I asked my students if their parents read a story to them the night the majority of them would say yes and happily tell me about the book they enjoyed together.  When I ask the same question now, less than 5 students each time report that their parents read to them.  I work in a place where we have very supportive parents.  I confess, even I am guilty of skipping story time on some of our super busy nights. The majority of my students practice reading at their independent level each night and return homework consistently.  Snuggling up to read to our kids fosters a love of reading, models good reading fluency, develops imagination, deepens comprehension and builds vocabulary.

4.  Encourage Them To Try
When I get old (older), I want our children (the ones I'm raising and teaching now) to be independent, thoughtful adult decision makers.  I think it's important to practice that now.  I was never a cheerleader...until I became a teacher and a parent.  Let's cheer for these kids as we encourage them to try, before they ask for help.  Let's show them that we are here for them.  Let's show them we expect them to try and know they can succeed eventually, without an adult doing the task for them.

When I was a child, my dad put index cards all over our house with the same words on them for my brother and I to read each day before school.  The index cards said, "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again."  If we expect them to, they will become independent, thoughtful little hard workers. When we see a proud smile on the face of a child who did something ALL BY HIMSELF that is our reward for encouraging him to try.

I went on a technology team visit to a school in another district last week.  I spotted this sign on their sidewalk in front of the building.  I love it!  To me, it screams "we trust you to walk in and put your own things in your locker".

5.  Let Them Struggle
When kids struggle, they learn to cope.  When kids don't ever have to struggle, they break down when faced with simple problems.  I see this in the classroom, on the soccer field, in the dance studio, at church, at birthday parties, in the grocery store and in my house.  It's ok for kids to do hard things.  I'm not talking about asking them to do things that are not possible for them.  I'm talking about reminding kids that you believe they can do challenging things.  Encouraging them by reinforcing that you want them to keep trying.  Helping them understand that life is not all roses and ice cream and that it's ok for someone else to win.  Back in the day, not everyone earned a trophy. Only the winner did and I'm ok with that because the rest of us learned to cope, congratulate and work harder to achieve our goals.

Sermon over. I'm now officially tired.  And my husband and my doodles are still officially snoring.

Dear Mom and Dad,
Thanks for doing these favors for me! I promise to keep trying my best to do them for my own kids and students.
Love,
Me

Dear "Choir",
Don't ya love that my mom reads my blog?  I sure do!
Thank you for listening...even though I know you're doing this and a whole lot more for kids each day!  Sometimes I just think it's important to throw out a public reminder about some of the favors we work so hard to do for kids...just because we care so much.

Amen goodnight!

Principal for the Day

For 3 days, 3 teachers took turns substituting for our principal 

while he was at a conference last week.

This is a true story, although I can really only share parts.
Thursday was my day.

I love teaching.
However, being the principal is a totally different experience
than my "normal" day.
Especially, when you are filling in the for the Principal of the Year!
Seriously, he is really the Principal of the Year
(the kind you get nominated for, voted in and awarded lots of awards for).
He's also superman (I mean - Zero the Hero).
He'll do just about anything for the kids.

So, last Thursday was my day to give it a try.
One of the kindergarten teachers tried it on Wednesday and she did a fine job.
Then came Thursday...

I started off the day by reading his substitute plans 7 times (good luck).
Then I bought flowers for the secretaries.
Let's face it, the whole place could start to crumble
and these two ladies could have it all back in order before anyone noticed
(and they would still be wearing those beautiful smiles).
We'll call them Wonder Women (WW).

Before school started, I considered whipping up some curtains to bring some color to his fancy office.

Suddenly, that seemed like a bad idea, since I had to gather all the gear for morning bus duty.

The WW didn't really think I needed the mega phone,
but since I'm so short and don't know every single kids name
(like Mr. Principal of the Year does - for real),
I decided to take the megaphone in case I needed to yell out something official.
The WW insisted that the pink vest was not an option,
 although I felt like a pig in a pink blanket in that dress/vest.

I can't tell you how I really spent my morning,
since the office work involves top secret confidential student kind of stuff (TSCSKS).
But, let me just tell you...I did not feel like a secret agent.

I did feel well prepared for lunch room duty though.
whistle to get their attention (check)
rubber gloves so I could avoid slimey trash (check)
windex because I take it everywhere (check)
giant trashcan to help me look official (check)
and
headphones to block out the thunder - which I think might be little people voices (check)

Pity...
Would you believe that I didn't actually have time to help in the lunchroom much on my big day?
Turns out I was busy with TSCSKS.
But, boy was I prepared - just in case.

And after spending my day doing TSCSKS I spent several minutes jumping before I went home.
Not jumping for joy that I was heading back to my normal life on Friday.
Jumping up and down to try to hang up the pink vest
after bus duty at dismissal.
Zero the Hero is much taller than I am
and so are the hooks in his office.

I'm happy to report that Mr. Principal of the Year is back in action this week.
Three cheers for principals everywhere
and an extra big one for Mr. Principal of the Year
and our Wonder Women!
Thanks for leading us!