Ever so often I come across a book that I can just read over and over again. One of those books is 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny by Phillip Done. Anytime I am needing a pick-me-up for teaching, or just a good laugh, I pick up this book. With school starting (and because the topic of this post is school) I had to share this excerpt from the book:
I Am a Teacher
I read Charlotte’s Web and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory every year, and every year when Charlie finds the golden ticket and Charlotte dies, I cry.
I take slivers out of fingers and bad sports out of steal the bacon. I know when a child has gum in his mouth even when he is not chewing. I have sung “Happy Birthday” 657 times.
I hand over scissors with the handles up. My copies of “Velveteen Rabbit” and “Treasure Island” are falling apart. I can listen to one child talk about his birthday party and another talk about her sleepover and another talk about getting his stomach pumped last night – all at the same time.
I fix staplers that won’t staple and zippers that won’t zip, and I poke pins in the orange caps of glue bottles that will not pour. I hand out papers and pencils and stickers and envelopes for newly pulled teeth. I know the difference between Austria and Australia.
I plan lessons while shaving, showering, driving, eating, and sleeping. I plan lessons five minutes before the bell rings. I know what time it is when the big hand is on the twelve and the little hand is on the nine. I say the r in library. I do not say the w in sword.
I put on Band-Aids and winter coats and school plays. I know they will not understand the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you’re.’ I know they will write ‘to’ when it should be ‘too.’ I say “Cover your mouth,” after they have coughed on me.
I know when a child does not understand. I know when a child is not telling the truth. I know when a child was up too late last night. I know when a child needs help finding a friend.
I am a teacher.
-Done, Phillip (2005). 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny. New York: Touchstone Publisher.
I love back to school season. The name tags are not ripped, the markers still write, and the students are eager to learn.
I am so excited about my class this year. I have an all star team of students and I have some high expectations for them.
I will only have the pleasure of teaching them til December. One child asked if I would come back in February after I had the baby, but I have decided to take off the second half of the year. One really cannot beat the benefits Germany has to offer for new moms; they put the US to shame.
Let's take a look at my classroom this year....
I was smart and had my kiddos help me pack my boxes last year so the cleaning company would clean the shelves. However, what I didn't think about is unpacking the boxes which had no order to them :)
My students are superstars! Thank goodness for small class sizes; I only have 16 students which is an amazing number to work with.
Below you can see one of my bulletin boards that needs to be hung on the wall. I almost died when I saw the Hausmeister taking it off the wall so he could put up new (and not-yet-decorated) bulletin boards. Luckily, Craig was able to put it on the shelf for me for the time being.
Below the bulletin boards you can see I have started labeling my shelves for book genres.
Our wall-of-organization. I don't know what I would do without my class helpers.
The new and beautiful bulletin boards are up and ready to be covered in student work!
Desks are labeled and ready for kiddos.... here we go!
Mrs. Goodwin after the first day of school!
