What Kind of Day Did You Have?

Some days at school are simply a blast - we learn a lot and have fun doing it. Like the other day, when in the middle of a great discussion about argumentative writing, a student decided it was vital to ask me my favorite food. I, in turn, felt it was also vital to let that student know that my favorite food is bean and cheese burritos - to which another student replied, "Burritos are the best." After some chitter chatter about whether each student liked burritos or didn't, I said, "How can you not be happy eating a burrito?" We all chuckled when another kid quickly replied in all seriousness, "I'm not happy when the burrito comes back for revenge" at which I immediately started laughing harder than I had in a long time. These types of days are good days....no, they are great days. These are the types of days that I really enjoy my job.

Then there are the days that leave me feeling angry and defeated, sitting at my desk wondering what I was thinking when I decided to be a teacher. The stacks of papers that need grading seem to endlessly continue to grow and the mess that never leaves my desk is infuriating and eats at my OCD. Lesson plans need creating, bulletin boards need updating, valentines need to be made, messy closets need rearranging, and the to-do list never ends. But instead of doing anything I walk out of my classroom, lock my door, go home, climb into my bed, and then say a little prayer that my students will be perfect tomorrow or that my attitude will do a 180 and I will be the cheerful, loving, happy teacher every child dreams of.

And somedays, not often, my day at school ends in a broken heart and a longing for understanding - understanding of why some kids face the problems they do, why some of them have to experience things they should never ever know anything about, and why some kids have heartbreaking lives that they never chose to have. Endless questions that can't be answered, and a heart that I don't think can handle the things that I have learned. Today was one of those days.

I live in Provo, Utah - a wonderful little city often referred to as "Happy Valley". It's a well deserved name that often has negative connotations associated with it. But Provo is a great place to live and "Happy Valley" should be said with pride. Not many other cities house the types of citizens we have - always willing to help, positive attitudes, extremely talented individuals, and overall just happy people. Because Provo is such a great place, it always seems to surprise me when I learn about the injustice that many of our students and kids face. Some situations are less traumatic and may not have life long lasting effects, while other stories I couldn't even imagine in my worst nightmare and are sure to leave that child feeling hopeless, alone, and lost as to where their life will lead.

As a teacher, I often ask myself, "What is my role in the life of this child?". I ask this question about all of my students and the answer always seems to be the same. Some students cause me to ask this question more frequently, but again, the answer doesn't change no matter who the student is or what situation they live in.

My role in a child's life is to provide them with a safe environment where they feel welcome and at home. To be available when they need help - whether that's after school math tutoring or a shoulder to cry on when their life comes crashing down. My role is to teach - not only providing them with an academic education which will prepare them for the years to come, but to also teach them to be contributing citizens both in our classroom as well as the real world. My role is to teach them the skills necessary to mature and grow into responsible adults who are capable of making educated and well thought out decisions. But my very most important role? To love.

It may seem inappropriate to say that my most important role is to love my students. But it's honestly how I feel. I tell my students every day how much I love them. I want there to be no doubt when they leave my room that they know someone in their life cares about them, wants them to succeed, and loves them unconditionally. And when they mess up, like all kids do, I let them know that I am disappointed. Sometimes I even let them know I am angry. But I always say, even if I am disappointed or angry, do I still love you? To which they reply, "Yes you always love us!". Somedays they can sense that I am frustrated and they respond to this without provocation, "Sorry we're making you frustrated. But you still love us right?" To which I always say, "Of course. I will always love you." It's cheesy and over the top, but it's how I feel about my students and they need to know it.

Which is why when those rare, heart breaking days occur and I feel helpless beyond belief wondering how I could possibly make a difference to this struggling child, one little word pops into my mind: LOVE. It's a fine line learning how to love wholeheartedly while realizing that there may be nothing I can do to improve the life of this child. I can't take them from their situation, "Men in Black" their memories, and provide them with the picture perfect family situation that seems like it would make everything better. I can't take away the pain or the anger or the heartache. I can't fix it and that's tough. But I can love. And on the days when nothing else could help that child, nothing could make it any better, I know my role is just to love.

Tonight as I fall asleep I will most likely be thinking of all the things I didn't get done, of all the things waiting for me when I get to school (most likely late and just a few minutes before the bell rings even though I try and try to be there earlier). I will think of each student and their specific needs and how I can meet those needs to better serve them academically. I'm going to wish I would have stayed up later to make my valentines but didn't because my eyes just couldn't stay open for one more second. But then I'll remember that I love my students - each and every one of them - and I'll let myself feel just fine about that. Because I know when it comes to my role as their teacher, there is something I can do right.

I can love.

Gettin' Sciency

On Monday, I spoke to the students about our upcoming science fair. We went over a packet of information about what they can and cannot do. Except for the token few, all that I heard form the students were moans and groans about hating this assignment. To be honest, I can relate. Science was never my thing growing up, and I don't even think that I competed in a science fair. But since having an incredible science class at UVU I have tried to change my ways and look at science in a more creative, interesting, and investigative learning experience.So...to get the students excited about their science projects, we decided to do a few in our class.

This is my "I love SCIENCE" face. I look a 

little scared right? That's because I am.

 First up on our experiment agenda was "Blazing Benjamins". It involved, 91% alcohol, water, a little salt, a dollar bill (or bigger bill if you want it to be more dramatic), tongs, and a lighter. Long story short, the bill doesn't burn. You can read more about it on the link I shared below. After we tried burning the bill, we then put it in a vase of water just to be safe. We noticed the bill looked kind of funny. The students remembered that this concept is called refraction. Success! They remembered a previous lesson!

Next up was the Glitter Volcano. It didn't work as well. It mini worked - but didn't actually explode over. The kids got the general idea of the experiment and we then discussed why it didn't work or what we could have done differently. Even though it didn't work, it was a great opportunity for learning and discussion. 

Secret Messages are always fun....especially when they work really well and you can actually read them! They did work, but it took way too long to get to the readable message. I think if we would have had a better heat source, it would have worked much better. But the kids still enjoyed it and hopefully will be interested in trying it again. 

The best part of our experiment day was definitely the Ooie Gooie Cornstarch Mixture. It's a simply mixture of cornstarch and water - and we added food coloring. The kids loved this stuff! The fact that it's both a liquid and a solid kind of blew their minds. When mixing up the powder mixture, it was really hard and felt like wet sand. But as soon as you just let it sit in your hand, it gooed and dripped back down your hand. It was so crazy awesome!!! It was worth the mess we had to clean up. 

Having some hands on science experiments was a fabulous way for the students to get more comfortable with their upcoming project. They were excited and realized that science can be super cool and really fun. We finished the last 15 minutes of the day watching Steve Spangler videos and the kids left my room talking about what they wanted to experiment and all of their ideas. 

Today I learned that even when you plan ahead for everything, it usually never works out just how you think it will. But sometimes it's for the best! If you want the directions or ideas, check out this website. If you have any questions about what we did, comment below. 

Hello 2014!

Well it's January 1, 2014 and I have officially been a teacher for just over 4 months. Kind of doesn't seem real! It's also been just over 4 months since I last posted anything on this blog - I guess time really just slipped away from me. 

These past few months have kind of been a whirlwind of successes, mistakes, learning curves, learning cliffs, smiles, tears, and so much more. Teaching is nothing like I thought it would be, yet everything I expected and wanted. I really feel like I am starting to find my groove and I am excited to see what the second half of the school year will bring. 

In an effort to recap the school year so far, I have created my top seven events since August (because I'm too tired to think of ten!). So here it goes in no particular order:

I graduated. YES! I actually graduated. It's pretty much a miracle that it actually happened considering that I told my mom years ago to punch me in the face if I ever decided to go back to school. Luckily she didn't punch me when I signed up for classes and was nothing less than completely supportive. I have actually grown to enjoy school and am even thinking I should get my masters....but that may take another 28 years. 

We got a class pet. Her name is Layla (we like to call her Lala) and she is a red-footed tortoise. The kids are in love with her and so am I! I didn't think I would love a silly little animal so much but I do. And the best part? Easiest pet to take care of!

Marshmallow Snowball Fight. I put together an advent calendar for our classroom and the kids were able to earn it each day. One of the days we had a snowball fight with mallows. When the kids were headed back to class, I had already gone back a few minutes earlier and prepared for their return. I had hidden a small bag of mini marshmallows in each student's desk and I had a bag of giant marshamallows. As soon as they walked in the room, I started throwing them at the students. To say they were shocked is an understatement. They loved it! They quickly discovered their own "ammo" in their desks and were dishing it back to me. It was maybe only 5 minutes out of the day, but they talked about it all month. Definitely doing that again next year!

We painted and stuffed mummies. We studied Ancient Egypt and learned all about how they mummified the pharoahs. So part of the unit we designed, painted, and stuffed our own mummies. It was a little crazy to get them all done, but the students did awesome and they turned out great!

We meditate. I read a study that said kids have a hard time processing stress and that mediation can help kids relax and destress. So now we mediate and the students love it. I really think it helps them! You can check out the article here. 

We flew a 50 foot trash bag and called it science. It was seriously the coolest thing ever! That Steven Spangler really knows how to make cool science projects. Click here to see just what we did!

Our class grew butterflies. We ordered teeny, tiny larva and watched them as they grew. Out of the five, three of them actually survived and were beautiful butterflies. Then one afternoon we released them and it was so cool! I highly recommend that any class do it! I think kids of all ages would enjoy it. 

I'm sure there were plenty of other amazing and fabulous things that happened, but my tired, holiday break brain can't remember anything else! So here's to another great few months in 6th grade!

Back to School Night QR Code Poster

Hey guys! Remember yesterday when I made that awesome QR Code with my contact information? Well I created a a poster to display on back to school night. I think it will be a perfect way for parents to get my information without having to even ask for it. I realize that not every parent has a smart phone, so of course I will have it available for those that don't. But I thought this would be a fun way to let parents know I'm hip with the technology! I downloaded a chalkboard background from Big Red Clifford. I then used PicMonkey (Have you tried it? It's amazing...and FREE!) to create the poster. Now I am just anxious for Back to School Night so I can meet some parents!

 

QR Codes for Teacher Contact Info

GUYS! I love finding new and innovative ways to reach out to students as well as their parents. While perusing Pinterest for Back to School Night, I came across an awesome idea! You can create your own personalized QR code with all of your contact information. Amazing, right?!?!?! So...I created my own and am planning on using it for when the parents and students come. I really think they will like it, and it shows them that I am new and open to what technology and options are available to me. Best part about this little code....it's FREE!

So...here are some simple steps in case you want to make one. You don't even need to be a teacher. It's for any type of contact information.

So to get started, go to the following link:

https://developers.google.com/chart/image/docs/chart_wizard?csw=1




This is going to pull up the google chart wizard where you will actually create your code. See below image. Your first step is to click on the "Editor" tab. 

Once in Editor, click on the drop down menu next to "Chart Type" and choose QrCode. See below image. Choosing QrCode will pull up what you need to fill out. 

Next, you change the information in the text box to show your contact information. If the box is empty, copy and paste the below paragraph into the box and then edit it to fit your information. 






MECARD:N:Joe Morales;ADR:2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego, CA 92101;TEL:6191029501;EMAIL:first.last@email.com;
URL:http://website.com;;

Voila! You are done! The QR code shows on the right hand side of your page. You can save it to your desktop to be used on fliers, business cards, emails, etc. If it doesn't let you save it, you can either use snipping tool on a PC under programs or on a mac you can hold down command+shift+4 until a little plus sign with tiny numbers pops up. Highlight the QR code and it will save it to your desktop. 

Below the QR code is a link you can email out, or an html code that can be used in blogs, websites etc. I am so happy to have found this and can't wait to try other things with it in my classroom. I'm in the process of creating a little sign for back to school night using the code so I will post it when finished. 

Night, ya'll!

Miss Jarvie

Things I Have Learned in the Last Week

1. Designing a classroom isn't as fun as I thought it would be.

Just so you know, I love being creative. I love planning parties and rearranging furniture. I like to scrapbook and make crafts and make things over. All of these things would help me create a classroom that is loving, warm, fun, cute, and well, perfect - like my own personal teaching dreamland! But disappointment quickly settled in when my grandiose plans weren't working out quite as well. You know when you have an image in your mind about what you want something to be? And then it doesn't quite work out? That's whatIi was going through times a million. All of my plans and products were not adding up to the perfectionist room I had dreamed of. Total bummer and not what I expected. Luckily it's turning around - check back for pictures of the finished product!

2. Teaching is expensive....like more expensive than I even could have imagined!  

Whether you are starting your own classroom or planning curriculum and activities, it adds up, QUICK. Yes - I do get a little money to start my classroom and buy supplies. No - it's not very much money. Let's just say that it wouldn't buy you a nice pair of shoes, but it might buy you a new skirt and a cheap shirt. So what to do? Spend my own money. I wanted my classroom to be a home for myself as well as for my students - somewhere they can come to feel safe, loved, welcome, and a part of something. I guess when you look at it that way then no amount of money would be wasted if spending it for a cause such as this. Oh by the way...I'm currently accepting donations. (haha)

3. You never feel ready!

No amount of planing and prepping can adequately prepare you for what lies ahead. I constantly am thinking about what I need to do next. Whether it's what bulletin board I need to finish or what lesson plan I need to write. From getting to know who my students will be to creating class lists and assigning desks. I'm even having nightmares er, I mean dreams about my class and everything that could go wrong! I am sure that even on the last day of school in my 30th year of teaching will I feel prepared even then. I will still feel unprepared, and still wish I had more time (and money!). 

4. There is nothing that makes me more happy. 

At the end of every day, I come home. I put on my Costco pajamas that are so comfortable I would wear them on the first day of school if that were acceptable, pull out my computer, and brainstorm ways that I can be the best teacher possible. I mean - the best teacher in the entire world! I have big goals peeps. I scour pinterest for the latest ideas, read news articles about technology in the classroom, and studies about students and how to help them be more successful. And right now I am going to start thinking about making my back to school night not only informative but fun got both teachers and students. Have an awesome ideas of what you have done as a teacher or what you have seen as a parent? Leave me a comment! I need all the help I can get. 

But just like the great hero Nelson Mandela said, "It always seems to be impossible until it's done." So here's to impossible!

Well Here It Goes

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I never thought I would be a teacher. In fact, I never thought I would graduate from college or ever even step foot on another campus again. To be honest, I loathed education and was fine with my 8-5 job that supported my life. But life has a funny way of making you do what you're supposed to and such is the case with me.

In May of 2010, I was laid off from my job unexpectadely. I was shocked! I mean, who would want me to go? But what may or may not have been best for the business was certainly best for me. After a trip to therapy, I left having my entire life planned. Oh wait, no that didn't happen. I left feeling confused, a little lost, frustrated, and wondering, "what next?". But luckily I had a smart counselor who just happened to mention that I should be a teacher. After a summer of pondering my life and what road I should take, I felt confident signing up for school and pursuing my education.

Well, its been three years and I have one more semester until I graduate. I never knew how passionate i would become or that my entire life would begin to revolve about I can best help the students in my classroom. I didn't know that I would actually be a teacher of a sixth grade class while finishing up my last semester and I never thought I could be so happy.

So like I said - Life has a funny way of making you do what you're supposed to do and I couldn't be happier with how it's turning out.