3/27/12

As students walk in the class they make sure to remind me that it is singing Tuesday. So we did our Math warm up with singing. As always, it was so cute and funny. Later, one of my students asked me "Can we do dancing Wednesdays or maybe deep voice Mondays? Whyc can't we do something everyday?" "Let me think about it." I told her. I love how they get so into my crazyness. I think this is why I became a teacher.

3/23/12

"I have a another joke today Ms. Torres" student says "I would love to hear it. Ok, I am ready!" I told her. "What does a bull tell his son when he goes off to college?" she asks "Don't know sweetie. What?" I ask "Bi-son. Get it? Bye Son, but spelled like the buffalo BISON." she tells me " I love this joke sweetie. thank you.!" I have missed my jokes in the mornings. Cute right?

3/21/12

Look what I received today!! How cool is this?! I love my random gifts!!

3/19/12

Today I feel like such a teacher.... look what I received from a student!

Does it get any better than this? My student made me very happy!!

3/16/12

Today is Testing Friday.....Again! It has been a really long week with grades being due, report cards and parent conferences. I am so tired! I am just glad the weekend is coming soon!!!

3/15/12

Today in math class we had a word problem that included cardinal directions. The kids began asking "Which way is north again?". So I helped them by reminding them of "Never Eat Shredded Wheat or Never Eat Soggy Waffles" going clockwise. "Can we create our own way of remembering the cardinal directions?" They asked. "Sure! Whatever helps" I answered. A few minutes later.... "Ms. Torres, I found the perfect way to remember the directions that will help all students. Ready... 'Never Ever Smoke Weed!" "Oh my!" I replied while laughing outloud. "Yes, please never do that!!!"

3/14/12 PI day ∏

Happy PI day ∏ !!!! Today is March 14 (3/14). In Math class we are talking about what PI stands for and how it is an infinite number. "PI π is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter. π is approximately equal to 3.14 that is why it is acknowledged today on March 14. It's decimal representation never ends and never repeats." I tell the class "Why do they call it pie? Is it because pie is so delicious in a never ending way?" student replies! Too cute!!!

3/13/12

"I have a joke Ms. Torres! I have a joke for you today!" student tells me so excited. "Oh I am so excited to hear it!" I say "what cookie makes you rich? A fortune cookie!" LOVED THAT JOKE!!! Another student comes and tells me another joke, "What do you call an alligator in a vest?" "I have no idea! What?" i ask "An investigator!!!" So cute.

3/9/12

Today is test Friday (every Friday is test Friday!). Students are taking a test on the measures of central tendency and probability. "Ms. Torres, I know this is a multiple choice question, but what if I get two answers?" student asks. "In a multiple choice question you may only have one answer." I reply "I know that, but what if I get two answers? Will I get it right or wrong?" he asks again "If you choose two answers then it will be marked wrong." I tell him. "Oh! So we can't get two answers?" he asks again "No!" I have never had this questions before. Makes you think. How did he get two correct answers? If one answer is right, then the rest have to be wrong!

3/8/12

"All right guys, tomorrow you will receive your grade slip for my classes. You will know what your parents will see in the report card that goes home!" I tell my classes today. Later on, a student comes to my desk and asks "Ms. Torres, could I have my grades today during homeroom?" "You will receive them tomorrow sweetie! Is there a reason why you can't wait until tomorrow?" I ask. "Well, I need a warning about the warning grades my parents will receive as a warning of my report card!" he responds. I just started laughing. YOu should have seen his face trying to make sense of his statement. He just burst out laughing. ______________________________________________________________ Science class today: "Rivers have several stages. Youthful, Mature, Old and Rejuvenated" I tell the class. "So youthful rivers are like us, pre teens and teenagers and Old rivers are like you, right?" a student comments. "Ooooh", the class responds waiting to see my response. "It is a good thing this old teacher is working on grades right now!" I reply. "Oh! can I get extra points for having a sense of humor?" she replies. "Get it Ms. Torres, sense of humor? Ha, ha!!!" When will they learn!!!

3/7/12

What can be worse as a teacher than waking up with a migraine and still having to go to work? Coming to work and having the principal observe your classroom and stay one whole hour, writing nonstop notes on everything you say, on what you have on the board and what you have on your daily agenda. Of Course he would come today!!! I have been ready with great lessons and group activities for the past two weeks and he walks in today when we are doing reading as a class and team work (not bad by the way) and I have a migraine.....he would do that!!! But of course I have great students (that although on a day like this they seem more annoying than usual) that cheer me up without even knowing. "Ms. Torres, what has four eyes and cannot see?" student asks " I actually have no idea. what is it?" I say "Mississippi of course!" she says "Ms. Torres I am finally getting a haircut on friday!" boy says "Oh good, we will get to see your face. Wait, i have to wait until Monday to see it? Not sure if I can contain my excitement until then!!!" I respond "Aww, Ms. Torres, now I feel guilty for getting a haircut" he says "Why guilty?" "Because every one will laugh at me when I come to school on Monday!" he responds "I don't think everyONE will laugh. I will laugh and comment on how handsome you will look!" I say "I knew it! You will comment!" he replies.

3/6/12

My students swear that I had promised them that Tuesdays would be singing Tuesdays. I don't remember making that promise, BUT who am I to deny them this? So, we sang our Warm ups today again! I also asked them to sing during elective class. We found the next Alicia Keys in this class!!! She is shy but I can tell she has a great voice. I have so much fun with the kids!! ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ms. Torres, I have another Joke: "Alarm clock goes off and person in the bed does not get up. Mom yells, 'get up! it is time to wake up and go to school'. 'I don't want to go to school today! comes a whine from the bed. 'You have to go!' mom replies 'But why? I don't want to go!' another whine from the bed 'You have to go sweetie.....You are the principal!' You should have seen my student laughing! She was cracking up! This is how I feel so many mornings. "Why do I have to go....Oh yeah.... I am the teacher and I have to be there!"

3/5/12

Today is NATIONAL CHEESE DOODLE DAY!! In order to honor this special day, I have given my students instructions that there must be a cheese doodle in all their assignments today. In Science they have to create a diagram in which they represent the water cycle. As part of the assignment I have challenged them to incorporate a cheese doodle in the picture. Their ideas are so funny! " Can I draw a beach with a sea gull stealing the cheese of a kids burger? "Can I make a park in which the clouds are in the shape of different types of cheeses? "Would it be ok if I create a city in which the people are string cheese people?" Some want to go too far as creating cheese lava volcanoes with oozing cheese and then nachos explode from the volcano. I had to draw the line somewhere! Oh the power of cheese!!!

3/2/12

The jokes began really early this morning and I was very happy about that. I prayed for a wonderful Friday today and God already answered with my great kids. "Ms. Torres, again today you are lucky because I have another joke for you. What three letters turn a girl to a woman?" she asks Oh my! I thought. "Becoming a "MRS.?" I replied. "No Ms. Torres! A G E! Get it? AGE? Because you get older with age!!!" she says very enthusiastically! I love my daily joke. I know great things will happen today. Looking forward to the rest of today!

3/1/12

Today the students did their final presentation for Erosion vs. Weathering. They did their thinking maps to compare and contrast both of these topics in groups of four. "Why do we have to do any presentations?" a student asked his teammate. "Because you will have a job in which you have to present or do research or have to talk to other people?" his teammate told him very confidently. "I don't think so. What kind of job requires you to talk to other people all the time or even present? I think we are wasting our time doing this.!" he replied. "Honey most jobs require you to interact with people!" I butted in to their conversation. "I think you are wrong Ms. Torres!" He answered. REally? Really? Be the way, he was not even here for his presentation and he let his group down and they lost points because of him. How Rude!!!