Conferences and Crazy Times in Public School

Oh, the joys of being an elementary school teacher. We have Parent-Teacher Conferences this week which means only 15 minute blocks to tell each parent everything they need to know about their kid: behavior, academic levels, health issues, homework, challenges at home or in the classroom, etc. It's like a speed-dating episode...

Since I have such a large class this year (28), I don't have enough time in the 2 nights that we have to stay late to fit everyone in. We have to stay until 7pm on Wed and Thursday nights to get everyone in, but with 28 kids, that leaves 4 kids left over with no breaks for me to eat dinner, go to the restroom or even get a drink of water. Good fun.

I scheduled 3 kids during my plan time tomorrow (when I should be lesson planning, but whatever) and then one more before school on Friday. Whew.

Aunt Kat is picking Maelin up on Wednesday because of course Kevin has training all week and can't get there in time. She should have fun over there so I won't feel too badly about not being home till 7:30--just in time to put her to bed. On Thursday, she's going to Grandma Jean's house so she should have a grand ole' time playing and running her ragged. I'll miss her though.

In order to get ready for conferences, I've had to spend every waking minute (hence the lack of interesting posts lately) writing literacy plans for my 16 kids who are below grade level, entering progress report grades and comments, testing every kid every week to see if they are making gains, and a host of other minutiae that takes up a ton of time that I could (should) be using to actually teach the kids.

In addition, I have a really hard kid this year. We'll call him Pete. He is a big pill. I hate to say that about any kid, but it's true. He thinks he's way smarter than he actually is and he argues about EVERYTHING. Try keeping 28 kids in line and quiet and on-task and it's impossible with this kid. He questions and argues everything. Example: last week he got in trouble on the playground and totally argued with me about how he wasn't the one who was mean. I saw him being mean and he kept yelling at me "No, I wasn't!" over and over again. I sent him to sit on the wall for the rest of recess (which is the standard punishment) and he argued about how it was too hot over there (it was 75 degrees out) and then how the ground was too hard, etc.

Later he took off running because he was mad about something else and I had to chase him and literally hold him down to keep him from leaving the school. Totally ridiculous. Keep in mind that I have 27 other kids I have to keep safe and somehow manage to teach at the same time while chasing this little s.o.b. down the halls.

Anyway, we're having an okay year. Most of my kids are really respectful and sweet and I really like most of them. They try soooo hard at this age...very cute. I have just this one kid who pokes at my nerves and my spinal column like no one's business, but I'm hoping after conferences (where I'm going to spend my 15 minutes with his mom telling her how unsuccessful and disruptive and disrespectful her kid is.) Should be fun! :-)

p.s. As Terri mentioned, I do have Monday off. I'm very excited. Can't decide if I should use the time to run around and do errands (I still need to go down to the Dept of Health and Human Services to get Maelin's birth certificate) or do something fun with Maelin. Something fun will probably win!

p.p.s. Maelin was 18 months old yesterday!! Little pumpkin...she runs around now saying "MINE!" and all sorts of babble. She is so crazy cute...we just adore her. As soon as I can (probably this weekend) I'll get some recent pictures of her up.