It's amazing to me how quickly the three weeks or so after Thanksgiving is absolutely flying by. Weeks have been shortened because classes are beginning their holiday celebrations, field trips are going on and everything is kinda rushed and relaxed at the same time. Yeah, I'm lovin this.
If the past week or so is any indication, I can expect this last week before break actually starts to just whir by like a vapor. I'm so looking forward to break it's crazy. Two full weeks of sleep, more sleep, and peace of mind too??? Oh, yeah... sounds awesome to me.
There is one thing that brings this natural high down a bit, though. Two of my students are moving away over the break, and I so don't want to see them go. These are great kids. Funny, kind, loving. The kids that you look forward to greeting everyday in class. And they're moving halfway across the country. Blah. I definitely wish them well. But I'll absolutely miss them, too.
It's funny how your class changes month by month in school.
When I got my class roster in August, I assumed I'd be with those kids for pretty much the whole year, and once I taught expectations and procedures and all that teachery-stuff, I'd be good throughout the year. Yeah, no. My class roster has changed 3 times so far this year, for various reasons. I'm not complaining, 'cause I love my kids, old and new. But it does remind me of just how fluid things are and how quickly they can change.
Going through these changes also reminds me of how frequently I need to go over my rules, expectations and procedures during the school year. At the beginning of the year, the kids learned and practiced this stuff and after a few weeks, they had it down pat. They'd come into class, see the Do Now on the board, get their journals and get ta'workin'. Then October hit. I don't know what it is about the month of October, but O-M-G. You seriously begin to wonder if your kids didn't drop their brains or something that morning because everything you've spent weeks and weeks teaching them is somehow just ... l.o.s.t.
"Oooohhhh, Teacher... you wanted me to whaaa?" and "Oh, yeah, that is a rule, isn't it?". Giggling starts in record levels and it's so hard to bring them back to any modicum of attention where you could actually teach a lesson... Yup, October is testing time. Testing the limits, that is.
Good thing I'm up to the challenge.
And then comes Thanksgiving break. The Thanksgiving break you're jonesing for so much by the time it comes that you're literally counting down the minutes until dismissal the day break starts. And you go away and sleep (and sleep... and sleep some more) and rest and refresh, then you come back to school happy and excited and ready to keep closin' that achievement gap and you realize...
They've forgotten every single thing you've taught them.
So, you do it again. And again. You review your rules. You practice your procedures. You reiterate those expectations. And just when you've got them back in order and things are looking good and productive again, it's almost time for Christmas break. Haaaaaaaaaaa! You just have to laugh. Otherwise, it'll drive you insane. :)
So, while I'm busy now trying to get my planning done for the first 2 or 3 weeks of January (so that I can actually enjoy my Christmas break and not have to spend precious days of it pouring over lesson plans and exit tickets and assessments), I'm also working on creative yet effective ways that I can once again review our rules, expectations and procedures when we all come back. I used to hear this so, soooo much during Summer Institute that it drove me crazy, but now I see that they were right. Aggravating, but right. Every minute really does count. We have so much to do and those instructional minutes slip away quicker than you can turn your head, so the New Year will definitely bring some strong focus for me into using and protecting every minute of teaching time I can get with my kids.
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