End of Year Awesomeness

We officially have 2 days of school left. I don't know if anyone thought we were actually going to make it here, but we have, and it's wonderful, despite the fact that Philadelphia keeps kids in school 2 weeks or so past the point when grades are due, so its been a struggle to get kids to do anything in my room. We've been playing a lot of Apples to Apples, which I like to play off as educational, even though my Program Director says it's not.

What's making the end of this year even better for me is the number of kids I teach who scored advanced or proficient on their PSSAs! It just goes to show what they can do when they really buckle down and try. Even though these kids have driven me crazy, and probably will continue to drive me crazy on Monday when we have their moving up ceremony, I will miss them- after all, I think all teachers probably think back with a mix of fondness and horror on their first class :)

It's the Final Countdown!

It's time. 2 (and kind of a half) weeks of school left. We can do this. We can so do this.

Grammar Mastery- Check!

Yesterday morning in my 7th grade class, as we were beginning our daily edit, one of my students announces:

'Guess what, Ms. D? Because of you and this daily edit thing, I got grammar master on the facebook grammar quiz! It was like, thirty questions!"

It's good to know I'm having an impact :)

Lunchtime at Duckrey

For the past couple of weeks, I've had a group of kids in my room at lunch rehearsing for their dance in our school's field day performances on June 12. They're currently teaching 2 new kids the dance, and I am continually amazed by how talented and quick to learn these students are when it comes to dancing. As a teacher, I think we often forget how talented our kids can be in ways outside the classroom, and it is nice to be reminded every once in awhile. It better be one of the better acts on field day, because they have worked damn hard on making it look good.

Its June!

And yet, life is still crazy! Grades went in yesterday, and the assistant principal made the mistake of announcing this over the loudspeaker during the end of day announcements yesterday. So of course, today:

"What happens if I don't do this project, Ms. D?"

"It hurts your grade."

"But grades are already turned in..."

And here, I had to fumble to lie (I'm not great at lying) that they could be changed at a later date, when in reality I know that only the assistant principal can change them, and she will only do that for a small number of students. And I very much doubt she will change them down.

I can only hope that I make it through the next 15 days alive and sane. Today was clearly not a great predictor of this, but I'm just going to keep the finish line in sight...