Starting my Second Year!!

Three weeks into the school year: memorized my students names; classroom procedures are getting to be more familiar (at least to me); I finally have my classroom set up; already got a cold from somebody at school; my apartment looks more organized now that I have purchased book shelves; and my cat attacked my face (That last part was due to me rolling over her while I slept).
It’s been quite a while since last I wrote and many, many, many, many things have happened, all of which are extremely important to me, but which might put you to sleep should I list them all ;-) Here are the drop-your-jaw-too-cool-to-pass-up things. I am now an aunt and my niece Monica Rose Elder is the cutest little, or rather large, baby. I traveled 7,653 miles from one coast to the other, to visit family, friends and beautiful places. And now, in my 23rd year of life, I am teaching for my second year.

So far it has been a year of big changes and a reassuring sense of ‘I know what I’m doing more than I did a year ago.’ I now teach 53 students (26 in one and 27 in the other), which is less than last year, but strangely, I teach more. I teach two 100 minute reading classes, and then the same students for 50 minutes of writing. I believe that this schedule will REALLY increase the students’ scores on the MAP (Missouri’s standardized test), and I’m enjoying teaching the same students twice. I really enjoy my classes this year, and so far, have only had two major problems. Out of 53, that’s pretty good odds.
Speaking of MAP scores, in August I received the scores of my students from last year (cause getting the scores 5 months after they take the test makes a whole lot of sense ;-). While my students gained an average of 1.4 years of reading growth, the MAP scores were kind of…depressing. Two years ago, 20% of the 6th graders at Busch achieved an advanced or proficient score on the MAP. WHAT?!? 20%!?! Well, thinking to myself, my students must have done better than that right? Um...I can say honestly that the score did grow, but it makes me grimace to acknowledge that they only grew 6%. Yes. Only 26% of my sixth graders passed the state standardized test, and I was told that I did a good job. Ugh…ugh…ugh…
Who knows how much my students actually grew from last year, because they all came from different schools and data does not follow students. There are no files. So, honestly, the MAP average I received only tells me that I did 6% better than the 6th grade teacher from two years ago. Whoop whoop. On average, the entire school of Busch did better and we actually met AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) this year in every subject except special education (we’re working on that). However, if 26% is considered ‘good enough’ then I am sorry, there is something wrong. This year, I KNOW deep within that this score is going WAY up this year. I’ve got a great group of reading loving students and a huge amount of time with them every day, so there are no excuses.
For every good change (such as more time with students), there has to be something given up. Art, music, shop and computer classes don’t exist anymore at the elementary and middle school level and in only limited amounts for high schoolers. Students simply have to supplement their education outside of school, if they can. The staff this year is awesome and very positive though moral in the district is pretty low due to budget cuts and layoffs. Out of the entire St. Louis Public School District, Busch Middle School of Character and Athletics (yeah, yeah, the name is interesting to say the least) is the BEST place to be teaching. There are many days when I stop in my tracks and thank God for my job at my school. It really is, amid all the bad, a very great place to work.

I’ve included a few cartoons with this post that seem to capture everything I’m feeling right now. A picture says a thousand words, but a cartoon says it with a smile. I just made that up myself.

The End is Coming

This is what it's all about

With the official countdown at 9 and a half days, I'm feeling pretty good. Here's nine reasons why...
1. My kids made an average of 1.3 years of reading growth from the beginning of the year until now. They are also really into the book fair right now which is awesome. "Ms. Labrie! I have my money, can I go buy a book? Please?" Music to my ears I tell you.
2. I got a wonderful review from my principal (and that goes on my official record, he he!).
3. I am in the process of moving into a new apartment, and after scrubbing every inch of it, I love it more and more. It's in an eleven-story apartment building about five blocks from where I'm living now. I'll be living on my own for the first time in 5 years of varying room mates, which makes me uber-excited. I love cleaning and organizing and decorating!
4. Even though the end is near, my students are hooked on Holes, a wonderful novel by Louis Sacher. It is so awesome that I can get over-excited children to calm down by just reading out loud. And even though they've ALL seen the movie, they are so immersed in the book with its twisting plots that when new clues or revelations pop up they squeal with delight and bounce up and down in their seats. I love my job. I get to see kids enjoy reading and I get to read in accents. Booya.
5. My sister is having a baby next month and I get to be there. I also get to buy stuff for the baby. And sing to the baby. And hold the little sweet baby....(imagine my voice getting higher and higher, less understandable with each word- yeah, that's about right)
6. I'm going on a road trip throughout the Northwest to visit family and friends after the baby is born. So if you want to see me, give me a ring or a letter or a smoke signal and we'll set something up.
7. Las Vegas, the city without a soul, sure knows how to have a good time. My family vacation there a few weeks ago was fantastic and just what I needed after the MAP testing frenzy.
8. There are only NINE AND A HALF MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL LEFT!!!!!
9. Oh yeah, and the last day of school is on my birthday. How awesome is that?!?!

I still have to give a test, grade a project, hand out books for summer reading and make sure all my kids have library cards, but other than that I am almost done. Wow. A year has just flown by. I feel so exuberant about next year because I get to teach the same subject and grade level, which means I know where to start, what works and what to never, ever, EVER try again (like telling my kids I was on drugs after getting my wisdom teeth removed. That was a not-thinking moment). While I feel wiser and more experienced than I did a year ago, I am also thankful to still be alive (there were moments) and I know next year I will be able to do so much more. So much has changed since I started writing here, since I moved to St. Louis, since I graduated from UP.
I am not the same person I was twelve months ago. I don't laugh as much, but I appreciate laughing so much more. I remember every unkind thing a student has said to me, but I have a wall full of cards, poems and pictures from students who love me. I have seen children who come to school in dirty clothes, no food, no supplies and no manners, and they don't want to go home because school is the one place they are safe and cared for. I have been delighted, disappointed, horrified, made speechless, surprised, angry, sad, happy, ecstatic, and most of all proud of all my children. I will be sorry to see (most of) them go.
I have realized that while there are students I can't stand, each and every one of them deserves a chance. I thought I believed that when I started teaching, but it was just a philosophy, an idea. That idea was challenged this year many times (usually by the same students). Now, I am proud to say, it is a practice. That was my greatest challenge and most awesome triumph. Thank you for all your support and for reading. Until the next update...