Winter Break!

Today we had a "food exchange" in our classroom. This became our word for "party" because we are not supposed to have parties in the class. I still did (hee hee :)

We have one more day of class and then we have three weeks off! Can I get and AMEN!

The kids are so excited to have this time off, but what they don't realize is that teachers are 100 times more excited than they could ever be.

I know I NEED this time to make sure they become cute again. I need to have separation to make my heart grow fonder. I really do! Right now, even after only three months in school, I already have students that I wouldn't mind never seeing again.

I already had two students move and check out of class and I have to admit, I did a little happy dance.

6th grade arrogance

This year I teach the gifted students. I have a few students that are so arrogant and conceited about their "smartness". They boast about how quickly they finish or how they can do all the work in their heads. Yet, they get many answers wrong because they are getting to a place where they can't possibly do everything in their heads or they simply are too preocuppied with finishing first they don't read the directions.
I am trying to instill in them a sense of academic humility, but it is difficult. They don't believe that arrogant people may get far in their carreers but they are often lonely.
I had one of these girls look at me in the face, after I asked her to show her work and redo the math problems she got wrong and said "I used to like math until now" with the biggest attitude.

I had to hold my tongue to not say something I would regret.
I seem to be doing that a lot his year.