Disneyland!

Our Trip:

He finally agreed to pose with a character (but only this once)

Our arrival night, we headed straight into the park>

Ready to ride, and annoyed that I asked him to pose for the photo. Notice the absence of a line here one hour after opening on Sunday Morning at TMR. Crazy.

It rained a bit on Sunday night, just long enough to clear out the afternoon crowd :) Here he awaits his turn on the elevator in the Tower of Terror.

And now we'll get to what the very expensive vacation was really about...playing with Bionicles and visiting the Lego store in downtown Disney (many times) to purchase the newest Bionicles as they had just been released.

We're Off!!

So, he was basically confused first thing this morning when he found out. It was pretty cute. He didn't understand how we could suddenly afford to go...worried about the money because I've told him it's very expensive (Once we get there, can we afford gas and McDonalds?). Now he is just plain excited.

Earlier -

Me: "Is this the best present you've ever gotten?"

Dec: "No. The best present I ever had was the day I got you."

Could you ask for your kid to say anything better :)

Does he look ready for Disneyland or what...all decked out in the appropriate attire (an internet tip I learned, buy them clothes before they go, much cheaper than anything at the park).

I'll report in 8 days!

Does He Know?

Lying in bed last night, trying to get Declan to fall asleep:

Dec: "Mama, when are we going to go back to The Happiest Place on Earth?"

Me: "I don't know."

Dec: "What do you mean, you don't know?"

Me: "I just mean, we'll have to see."

Dec: "Let's go tomorrow!"

Me: "We're suppose to watch the Smith kids tomorrow remember; I have to work."

Dec: "What do you like more, The Happiest Place on Earth, or the Smith kids? What ever you

like more, that's what we should do!"

Me: "Do you know where I think the Happiest Place on Earth is?"

Dec: "Where?"

Me: "Right here next to you."

O.K. cheesy I know, but I meant it. It distracted him, he giggled and gave me lots of kisses.

I asked him why he was thinking about Disneyland and he said it was the Mickey Mouse ice cream bar he saw in the freezer tonight.

Cut to THIS MORNING -

Declan spies a penny on the floor and runs to it.

Dec: "Mama! Look, Money!!"

Me: "Since you found it, you can keep it."

Declan runs to me and hands me the penny.

Dec: "No Mamma. You need to save it for Disneyland."

Me: "What is with you and Disneyland lately?"

Dec: "I just want to go on that ride."

Me: "What ride?"

Dec: "Soarin Over California!"

Okay, now I'm wondering if subconciously he knows about the trip. I've been talking with my parents about it all week. Very vaugely. I never mention the "D" word. If he really knew, I'm sure he'd ask me directly, it's just weird. Can't wait to see his reaction when he figures it out tomorrow!

No Child Left Behind

I said earlier that I would blog some time about the whole NCLB act. To start on this issue, I'll tell you a little bit about my day yesterday:

I was in a 5th grade classroom. The kids were by far the MOST talkative class I've had. In the first 5 minutes I started giving recess detention. Usually the kids figure out I'm serious and shape up. Not this class. It was UNBELIEVABLE. By first recess I had also taken 6 toys from the students; I've never had kids playing with toys in the classroom (which makes me think toys might be a teacher issue, not a student issue, so I'll give them that).

My first lesson was a writing lesson. The kids were suppose to identify the topic sentence in each paragraph and double underline it. Then they were then suppose to identify all supporting details of the topic sentence and single underline them.

I used an overhead and did the first two paragraphs WITH the class. I also listed the specific instructions on the board. I repeated the instructions verbally at least 3 times and directed the students to the written instructions on the board at least 3 times.

By the end of their work time EIGHT, that's EIGHT, of the 25 students did not even correctly do the work on the first two paragraphs!!!! They couldn't simply copy my work. Unbelievable. I put it back on the projector and instructed them to DO THE WORK. Three students still couldn't simply copy my work.

In my sixth grade classroom earlier this week, I had one student who would sit for and hour and do absolutely NO WORK. He did the same thing on previous occasions when I've been in his classroom. I talk with him and encourage him to do his work. He just won't do it. A classified assistant was in the classroom for one hour each day working with just two students. They still refused to do any work. It took her the whole hour just to get them to copy the three examples I had done with the class (which took the rest of the class 5 minutes).

How are we as educators suppose to make sure NO child is left behind when they refuse to do the work. Clearly there is a lack of parental involvement in many of these cases The kids don't worry about failing because Mom or Dad won't care. One teacher said she has called home on one particular student to tell the parent she was concerned about the student's academic progress. The parent's response was "Isn't that YOUR problem?"

How are we as a country, as educators, suppose to be sure that EVERY child moves forward and that no one is left behind? Have the people who crafted this policy ever been in a classroom?

Ebay

Declan: "Do you like my new Bionicle?"

I take one of his new creations and oooo and ahhh over it.

Dec: "I'm going to make my own Bionicles, and sell them on Ebay."

Me: "Really. That's a good idea."

He plays with his creations for a few minutes more, I read.

Dec: "I'm going to have an internet business."



So, cute. Weird to hear your kid talk about Ebay and starting an internet business though. He is familiar with Ebay because that is where I have purchased a lot of his bionicles.

Bedtime

After much hub-bub, Declan is finally ready for bed.

Me: "Go upstairs and go to bed, I'll be up later."

Dec: "Won't you come up now. With me?" (As he lingers on the stairway)

Me: "No. I'll be up later, it's not my bedtime yet."

Dec: "O.K." (goes upstairs)

30 seconds goes by.

Dec: "Can't you come upstairs now?"

Me: "No honey, go to sleep."

1 minute goes by

Dec: "You have one minute. O.K.?" (in a sweet voice)

I say nothing. 30 seconds goes by.

Dec: "Did you hear? You have one minute and then it's time for you to come up."

Me: "You're not in charge. Go to sleep."

Another minutes passes.

Declan: (in a very quiet voice) "You said you'd do anything for me. But you won't lay with me until I fall asleeep."

I headed upstairs. They're only young once :)

Breakfast Club Flashback

One particular girl I've had the last two days reminds me of Alley Sheedy's character from The Breakfast Club. Her hair is the same and she is always bundled up in this old coat...which looks like it is from the 80's. I want to buy her a new coat so bad, would that offend her? Poor kid, smells like cigarettes, so apparently Mom and Dad can afford to smoke but can't buy their kid clothes. She also wears pants that are several inches too short. She clearly is at odds with the other kids socially too.

Reflections on communication with a 6th Grader:

I had these kids for a two hour language arts/ social studies block and they were working on 3 different writing assignments today: 1) summarization of a chapter 2) vocabulary words which included parts of speech and definition, and 3) a creative writing assignment.

A girl approaches my desk. Well, not just any girl but the Alley look-a-like.

Alley: "Ms. B, I have a question".

Me: "O.K."

Alley: "What are some other words we can use."

Me: "Use for what?"

Alley: "On our assignment. You know, other words besides non."

Me: "What kind of words?" (at this point I'm feeling VERY confused, I don't think I'm even hearing her correctly)

Alley: "Words like NON."

Me: "Non?"

Alley: "Yes, Non. Other words we can use besides Non."

Me: "Words you can use besides...Non??"

Alley: obviously irritated she squints and give me the evil eye. "YES! What other words can I use?!"

Me: "I'm sorry, I do not understand what you're talking about. I don't know what NON means."

Alley lets out a loud sigh, rolls her eyes and walks back to her desk. I watch, unhappy with her attitude, wondering if she will come back to clarify her question. I'm preparing to follow her to get to the end of the mystery. She grabs a piece of paper off her desk and stormily returns. She thrusts the vocabulary worksheet towards me, and points to the parts of speech column.

Alley: "This. Non!"

Me: "Ohh. You mean NOUN." I mimic her eye roll, in a very exaggerated manner to make a point...which she got. "Sorry I didn't know what you meant when you kept asking about a NON"

Now Alley looks embarrassed and says "oh"

I proceed to review the various parts of speech with her. I really felt like I was on another planet there for a few minutes, we had an absolute communication barrier.

On the good side- today I was passed a note that said Ms. B is cool! A student told me he loved me. I was hugged. Most importantly a student told me "Your ride is pimped!" when he saw my car (Probably Declan's Scooby stickers on the windows) 6th graders are really pretty great, fun age.

HEROES

is one of the most interesting shows I've seen in a very long time. Unfortuantely, it's very Lost-like, in that it's probably best understood if seen from the beginning. Any other fans out there?

Otherwise, life goes one. Busy week after a very relaxed week. I'm with my favorite 6th grade class for two days, which is a plus. Also trying to get ready for our trip and hoping we don't get sick as I see people all around come down with some nasty stomach virus.