A Day in the life of . . .

How young I am . . .

2009-09-23T00:48:28Z

One of my students asked me today if I watched "Full House" on TV when I was growing up!

Found in a book . . .

2009-09-07T16:55:13Z

Found a business type card in a book from the Library.

Background is a beautiful muted beach scene with the ocean. The sunset has set, the sea is calm, and a on a platform dock there is a bench,and a rocking chair.

Printed on the card is name, Kerry Sees

cell phone 2xx-xxxx

home 28x-xxxx in one corner kbsees@xxxx.xxx in the other corner

Day of vacation . . .

2009-09-06T00:56:36Z

Spent a good bit of the day grading papers, ran errands after lunch, more grading after supper, started my online counseling class. My first quiz is due Monday. The Prof. says we should spend 20 hours a week on it. Wonder when that is going to happen.

katrina69 @ 2009-09-05T14:57:00

2009-09-05T19:39:26Z

Today we had a reading drill which had a story about a teacher calling up two boys to talk with them.  Mr. Dhotery (where did that name come from.) was trying to decide who had cheated on a test. After reading how he questioned the boys, the students were to determine who did it. They were asked four questions in which they were required to only circle the correct answer. Two additional questions required them write answers in their own words.

Who did it, and how did Mr. Dhoerty know?

Student 1. so il didind hapin. but he yows the other on then its hapind.  (This student should have been kept in third grade!)

Student 2 They both got the same answers.

Student 3 They got the same answers. They didn't sit together.

Student 4 he told tom. (No Tom in the story.   I think he meant them.)

Student 5 Because he must of look at Both of them and he look at there PaPer thak how he knows." (New student from public school)

Last question:

What should Mr. Doherty do next? (He had confronted students and knew which boy had lied and cheated.)

Student 1   He should go home and eat sonthing becos. I am hongry     (This is no joke. Its what he wrote!)

4th Grade Reading?

2009-08-26T21:55:49Z

I have trouble remembering that the majority of 4th grade kids (even in private school) cannot read as well as my kids did when they were that age, nor do they even care if they read well.

One of my girls asked me if I was celebrating on Saturday.

Me: "What would I celebrate?"

Her: "You know his brithday."

Me: "No, I'm not"

Her: "You're not going to celebrate MJ's birthday???????????????????????????????! Why not?" She used his initials instead of name.

Me: "I have lots of other things to do."

Her: "I'm going to dance all weekend."

By the way, she is 12 and in the 4th grade.

Vicious Adjectives

2009-06-28T20:25:00Z

We had been working on identifying adjectives for a few days. I decided to dispense with the sentences given as examples and asked the class to describe "Care Bears" This is exactly what they came up with:

The evil, stupid, dead, moldy, stinky, tortured Care Bears went for a walk!

And so it goes . . .

2009-04-26T02:28:21Z

Someone donated some teen books to our church library in them I found:

1. A Red Card (Somewhat like a credit card) called

                                The
                               Red
                             Card
Carried by XXXXX XXXXXX Everywhere!

On the back it says,

Card holder is officially permitted and expected to
make passes at men with great "backsides" - single, married and undecided!
And it goes on . . . .

2. Scholastic Arrow Book Order Form

James A. Smith was ordering items totaling $20.75.

Bungee Fun Pack @ 4.95
Crazy String Games @ 3.95
Crusader @ 3.95
Motor Scooter Pack @ 5.95
Optic Illusion Flip Book @ 1.95

Wonder if James A. every got his order.

Original sentences for penmanship . . .

2009-03-17T01:46:21Z

1. In language we studies adverbs. (My favorite.)

2. (Looks like) harring a pet bat is abnormle.

3. That toy is abnormal then the others.

4. Alot of people our abnormal.

5. He is unhapp for something.

6. I not abnormal.

7. Adverbs are common.

8. Never use a submarine.

9. I'm totally abnormal.

10. I rode intake submarine.

11. the dog ate the antifreeze.

12. Lucy road her tricycle outside.

13. That was abnormal of her.

14. The police dog retrace the person.

15. I saw an abnormal dog with three ears.

Author's notebook

2009-02-12T18:05:51Z

Today we were to look at an author (David - the Psalms), decided on some questions we wanted to learn about him, listened to a narrative read about him, and filled-in an outline as we listened. Later we did a sum it up. . .

Question. Write three most interesting things you learned about David.

Various ans.

1. David dident kill Soul.

2. He called Saul and was waving his robe

3. David lasted from 1040 - 970 B.C. (There was a time line at the bottom of the page.)

4. Sawl chaced David

5. he cut Sawl's roab.

6. David felt like his bones were going to break.

7. Evidence

8. Realh (should have been reach)

9. Ask ( 7 - 9 What was that anyway?)

10. David is a poet (writing looked like foet) and played with language.

11. Saul though a speaf at David

Saddest Example of Two Page Story

2009-02-10T02:57:14Z

I asked my students to write a two page story. We brainstormed in class about characters, setting, plot and conflict. They were to develop their stories from those ideas. This was written by a girl who had been in public school. (Remember this is fifth grade.)

Student's Name                                                                                                                                      jebuary 4, 09

                       Lindon                                   Junuary ,1,09

one day God Zilla was in the Zoo. then People came and saw him. (Lots of scribbling, I think it says) Thay got scard. then Queen anna
"Let Him go'. So the zoo keeper let god zilla Go. But the next day God Zila went arround town and Started killin People. everyone was
screming HelP, Help, it is God Zila! He is going to EAT US! But Queen Anna says no he will not eat you. He is harmless and a vegition. He ony eats Plants. The next day King Kong Came to the Zoo. The Zoo People sead no I do not want King Kong. So King Kong and God Zila got in a Big Fight. God Zila Punched King Kong right in the gut. So By that God Zila won. God Zilla Got to stay in Lindon. As For King Kong he had to go to the Zoo in arzona.  Arzona is whare Zoey, Lola and. John lived. and Zoey ,and Lola made John cry. John was there Little Brother. Zoey and Lola are verry mean girls. they hert People's feelings. (arrow) turn over

So Zoey and Lola had to go to Lindon to them Lindon is the toveher State. So they Did not Like it that much so they Did not go. So they Sent thure Brothers to go insted. So God Zilla ate there Brother. So they went to Lindon and they Got ate. And there mom and dad went thure and they got eatten to. So that was the end of thur famile.

The
       End!

Unfortunately, I have to tell her I can't accept it. They were to do the paper in cursive, and she printed it starting in ink and finished it in pencil.

I feel like putting on sackcloth, and dumping ashes on my head. This is a disclaimer  . . . I only teach her Reading and Math.

Prezzo's Dancing Onion

2009-02-10T01:43:49Z

Found in a library book . . . a piece of tan card stock with the line drawing of an Onion with roots which makes it look similar to a lady dancing. There is no face on the onion though. Written in fancy cursive slanted upward is

                                         Prezzo

                 X                     One of the best things about Prezzo is the great
        Dancing                  smell of roasted garlic when you walk through the
          Onion                     door, and the fresh breadsticks we serve with it.
              Here                   Here's how we make it: Cut a large head of garlic
                                in half. Sprinkle with olive oil and kosher salt.
                               Wrap tightly in foil and bake at 325 for 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
                      Here's how to eat it: Open the warm clove and spread it on
bread just like butter.

(5 locations written across the bottom of card.)
Boca Raton, Miami, Aventura, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Items found in books . . .

2009-02-09T21:50:36Z

I often find odd notes, tickets, papers and etc. in books from the library. I actually thought of compiling them into a book somehow. Here is one I found in a book, but it was not a Harry Potter book. It was undated and written on blue lined paper with pumpkins dancing across the top.

"Dear Anne,
Happy Halloween! I thought
you might like to read this
fun book in your spare time!
I have read all four of the Harry
Potter books and they are really
good! I think you will like it!
I can't wait until the movie comes out !!
I hope you enjoy them!
Love,
Kathleen "

Learning to paraphrase . . .

2009-01-11T14:01:15Z

We read a story concerning a man who leaves Iraq for London with his pet Otter in tow . . .

Random sentences from the story for the 5th graders to paraphrase.

1. Otters spend much of their time in play that does not even need a partner.

Students

a. they play a who lot

b. Otters can play without no one to play with.

c. Otters like to play by themselves so they get more attention.

d. Otters like to playball by thier selves.

e. otters play mainly without a pastner.

f. otters can Play with thereselfs no Partner. (This student came from public school this year and
    doesn't have a clue about spelling or capitalization.)

2. The Arab driver tore through the streets of Basra like a bullet.

a. The arab driver Was going fast

b.   they diwe around the steet

c. The arab driver drove very fast thue the Steets

d. The arab driven went vroom withe his car (This boy called me aside to make sure I would
      understand the vroom was a real word.)

3. Mij cried in the box, and both of us were hurled to and fro and up and down.

a. Mig was very sad in the box

b. Mij was upset, and both of uswere thrown.

c. We were both sick from head to toe

d. My O   (This student only wrote one complete answer during the entire time we worked on the 6
                   questions. A real slowpoke.)

4.   My face was inexplicably covered in curry.

a. Thecurry covered my face.

b.  My face was mostly covered in curry.

c.  The curry covered my face.

d. The curry covered my face      .

5. Mijbil attacked the newspapers spread carefully around my feet, and in a minute or two the place
      looked like a street upon which royalty has been given a tickertape welcome.

a. Mij attacked the paper to make a ness

b. Mijbil attacked the newsppapers spread then in a minute or two the place like a steet upon royalty.

c. Mijbil made such a mess that it looked like a street

d. Mijbil made a terribly mess with the newspapers.

e. Migbil tore up the Newspappers arround My feet.

6. I heard the ripple of flight and pursuit passing up and down the body of the aircraft behind me.

a. I hear the passing aircraft behin me

b. I heard Mij being pursued

c. I herd Sounds going up and down

d. I heard people chasing something behind Me (This was from slowpoke boy.)

Christmas with fifth grade

2009-01-08T23:55:31Z

Christmas was so busy that this is the first I have taken a change to review all that happened. Our fourth and fifth grades are combined. I teach only fifth grade Math and Reading after which I go to the Library. I am the librarian. Sadly, the last day of school was not very organized for our fourth and fifth graders.   The other teacher is overwhelmed at times, but she is the lead teacher so I choose to defer to her when she is there.

This is a note I received from one of her fourth grade students:

Dear Mrs. Buchanan,
                                         You

                          are a very funny, nice, and

                           caring teacher.

                                                     Sincerely,

                                                      Ryan (with a funny face drawn here)

It makes me chuckle because I am much for demanding than his teacher. I also have not taught the fourth graders anything, but he obviously "listens in" .

End of school for Chrismas . . . early dismissal.

2008-12-19T22:42:54Z

Before I start in the classroom each day, I monitor the lockers for the middle school students. This means I don't get into the classroom for the arrival of students and opening exercises. That should be O.K. since I only teach reading and math to fifth grade. (It is a combined fourth and fifth grade class.) Except today it wasn't. When I arrived the kids were working on their handcraft. Some of the students had received all of the needed pieces and a few had even finished. Then there were the others . . . nothing had been given to them. A few sat in their seats and a few were assailing the teacher trying to get what they needed. She ran out of popsicle sticks and hair for the reindeer.

No opening pledges or prayer had been done. That was the start, and it was a struggle the remainder of the day. So much so I forgot to go at lunch and monitor the middle school students bathroom break. (Hope they didn't put toilet paper in the urinal.) I won't say more about our class although a lot more went wrong, but I will say report cards were handed out to go home last thing. A computer glitch ~ grades were wrong. They still sent them home (our computer guy is out-of-town). The lunches weren't delivered on time so the teachers let kids who brought their lunch eat while others had to wait. When I got home I finally had lunch at 2:45p then laid down for a nap. Now there is hope again!

Forever struggling with fact and opinon . . .

2008-12-15T19:06:43Z

(While I am in the Library typing this the kids in the kindergarten room are taking naps. I can hear someone snoring through the wall.)

I gave my students a list of questions to answer for their book report since I assigned them all the same book. Their facts get all mixed up with their opinions . . .

Q. Give the setting of the book.

       A. 1. The Setting of the book is . . . They take place in the snow where they like to go sleding down the big Slop on there sleds.

      2. The Setting is Riswyk, Norway 1940 that is the setting of the book

Q. What evidence was there that the adults of Riswyk had great faith in their children?

      A. 1. Because its in the sled.

          2. They truseed to do tne respmecd thang of he Big mormton.  (What is this anyway?)

Q.   Who are the main characters?

        A. 1. the main characters are Uncle Victor, Peter, Poland.

            2. The main characeres are . . . the boy boiys, Peater, Michael, the two girls, Gelga, Louisa are all the characters.

Q. What is the main problem in the story?

In the story the boys and girls are transporting gold bullion from a town in Norway to the coast where they are hiding it in snowmen until the adults can load it on to a ship, sail out a fiord and transport the gold to another country.

        A. 1. all of the hids do not like to be arround each outher I thinnk thay hate oneanother

              2. the Main problem was Nazi soldier ranning on takeing all the gold

              3. Norways' boys and girls stole gold bullionn. (This from my A/B student!)

   Q. Do you think children should be trusted to do this great job? Why or why not. Explain.

           A. 1. No because Children do not always hove Very good responclbeyls alot of the times.

                 2.   yes, because kids are like little adults.

    Q. What risks would they face: Would you want a similar responsibility? Why or why not? Explain.

            A. 1. Not really because it wouldont be fun to hide I mean when do you attack

                  2. No because a simfrler Jab is boring and I like adrrentures.

                  3. I woad vrnt My Mom to trust Me & My Big sister to get along .


And on it goes. . .

School days, school days . . .

2008-12-02T00:45:31Z

Today was the first day back at school after the Thanksgiving Holiday. The kids were sooooooooooo droopy. I did a math problem wrong on purpose, and no one batted an eye. On the flip side, it makes them all easier to deal with.

We did some work on trying to decide if something is fact (true) or an opinion (what a person thinks about something). We had a picture of a lighthouse and they were to write one factual statement and one opinion. Here are a few:

Factual Statement:   Lighthouses are high up in the air.

Opinion Statement: Lighthouses looks like a tower.

Factual Statement:   It is very big.

Opinion Statement: Its not that big.

Factual Statement:   Light houses are very big.

Opinion Statement:   All lighthouses are on water.

Factual Statement:   It has fire for a light.

Opinion Statement: It is 5,000 feet tall.

katrina69 @ 2008-11-20T14:48:00

2008-11-20T20:04:18Z

So . . . today I am sitting in lunch detention while one lone 6th grade student is supposed to be doing some homework he neglected to do last night. Last time I was in detention with students we could hear ruthette expounding on passive and active somethings. ( I think it was verbs.) I mentioned to the Math instructor who was also there, "Miss Buchanan is pretty subdued today. We can't really hear her through the walls."

Student P says: "Oh, I know that word "subdued"!

Me: What does it mean?

Student P: It means to be due soon.

Me: Like my library books are due soon?

Student P: Yeh, tomorrow. (Tomorrow his class makes their weekly trip to the Library.)

Me: So . . . your library books are subdue tomorrow?

Student P: Yeh

Math Teacher shakes head and has big chuckle.

katrina69 @ 2008-11-18T21:37:00

2008-11-19T02:43:57Z

I never anticipated the humor that I would encounter in teaching reading to fifth graders. We have been working on learning to distinguish fact from opinion (I never thought it would be so hard to get this idea across.) One of our other tasks this week is to learn the main idea of a paragraph and to look for clues or evidence to support the main idea. Here are some of the sentences they had on their work sheet and their answers.

Evidence: When I am hot, I drink water. I am hot.

Conclusion: Student #1 Then drink some water.
Student #2 I drinked water.
Student #3 I have to drink more water.
Student #4 A living person.
Student #5 No answer (Student says, I just don't get it!)

Evidence: Robins are birds. This is a robin.

Conclusion: Student #1 I see a robin bird.
Student #2 They are birds.
Student #3 The robin is a bird.
Student #4 It is a bird.
Student #5 No answer (I still don't get it.)

Evidence: Cows have four legs. Bessie is a cow.

Conclusion: Student #1 She has four legs.
Student #2 Bessie has four legs.
Student #3 Bessie has fear legs.
Student #4 Bessie has four legs.
Student #5 No answer (I wonder if he will ever get it.)

Evidence: When it snows, I shovel our driveway. It is snowing.

Conclusion: Student #1 Shulel the driveway
Student #2 I sbovel the snow
Student #3 I have to shovel again.
Student #3 It doesnt snow florida
Student #4 No answer (I believe he never will get it. He's an A student who won't even try if he doesn't grasp it the first time.)