Our "Quality" Has Been Reviewed

So the first word (given by our principal over the loudspeaker just minutes after the reviewer left) was that our review was "extremely positive" with more details to come.

I'm sorry, but I'm not excited that my school did great on our Quality Review, because it just isn't. For the second year in a row we managed to fool them. If I were the principal I think my goal for next year would be to get the same result without any crazy preparations leading up to the day and a half review. If all these pretend things we did for the review (bulletin boards, data binders, classroom rearrangements, prepping the students and teachers to say the right thing) were just naturally in place all year with out a mention of the QR, THEN I'd be happy we got a good review.

Kindergarten Writing

This week I introduced my kindergarteners to using a rubric to get a "happy face" on their writing. I showed them a big rubric I had made on chart paper and explained all that they would have to do to get a happy face.
- a detailed picture
- a sentence with a capital at the beginning and a period at the end
- spaces between each word
- all words sounded out ("stretched")

After explaining the rubric I asked: "Who wants to do their best writing and get a happy face on their paper?" They all raised their hands and were really excited. AND they all really did their best work of the year. They were so excited to see if they were going to get the happy face on their papers. Even my kids who usually struggle a lot got it with a little help.

There's just one kid, my newcomer, who didn't get the stretching of the words. He's just not there yet developmentally. But he did his neatest writing, a great picture, perfect spacing, copied the sentence starter I have them ("I learned that . . ."), and then wrote a string of letters for the rest of the sentence. I asked him what his sentence said and he said he didn't know. He really did his best work of the year though. So do I give him a happy face or really stick to the rubric and give him the "medium(?) happy face" because he can't stretch his words? He was the only one who couldn't do all four things even with help.

I gave him the medium happy face and told him what an awesome job he did.

Breakfast!

. . . because Ms. Frizzle asked.

Pineapple bits, orange and tangerine marmalade on a whole wheat English muffin, cottage cheese and, of course, coffee.

Now that the math test is over we have the Quality Review to drive us crazy.

I truly think that the quality review team should just show up completely unexpectedly (at any point in the year) without any warning. If we have to "get ready" for it, then we're really just putting on a show, aren't we?

First it was the binders with printouts of data that no one really uses. Do you think the QR people will notice that we printed out test item analysis reports to be analyzed a MONTH after the ELA was already over? Clearly those were not being used to "drive" instruction. So the newest thing is the "Vigilante Squad" (as one first grade teacher calls them). The Vigilante Squad consists of the Principal, AP and both coaches. They are going around from room to room completely changing furniture arrangements, demanding that more charts be added, putting in "centers" that we don't use, and generally causing all the teachers in the school to freak out. They don't consult the teacher on what they are changing, nor do they ask the reasoning behind the current set up of the classroom. When they finish their rearranging, they give the teacher three days to complete the organizing and cleaning (Or else?). The funny part of all this is that the administration has been harping on how when the QR people come "you students better know the routines of your class, how to use things in the room, where to find things, etc." So I guess changing every room in the school just a few weeks before the QR was the best way to ensure that.

If only we put the same amount of time and energy into teaching and planning and collaboration, we might just have a decent school.

I finally have my week back!

Now that the math test is over, so is after school, Saturday Academy, and weekly PD. That's eight extra hours a week all to myself! This is what I did with my week:
Monday-yoga
Tuesday-one-on-one training at the Mac store for my new computer
Wednesday-yoga
Thursday-Arabic class

I don't regret doing all that I signed up for this year; the extra money was definitely worth it and now the extra time is just that much sweeter. I'll definitely do it again next year.

Letter in the File

Today I received a "letter in my file" from my assistant principal.

Hold on though, it was a GOOD letter. It was thanking me for doing such a great job on a particular report that I have to do every year that collects data on the ELLs in the building. My AP said that she knew the report took a lot of extra time and I did it "without complaining" and my doing so freed her up to look after other things. She even threw in a little joke about how we both finally nailed down the meaning of a particular term regarding ELLs that had been throwing us off for quite a while now.

While I was very happy to be appreciated for my work on the report, the letter was kind of funny for a few reasons: 1) It's my job to do the report, not the AP's, so it wasn't really like I was helping HER out, 2) While it did take a lot of time, it wasn't as if I took it home or did it after school; everything was completed during regular school time, 3) I finished the report a month ago, so why the sudden recognition?

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to have any positive letter put in my file that she wants to write, it just makes me wonder: Is the administration trying to butter me up for something?

One For Me, One For the Kids

I stopped in Barnes and Noble after brunch today to get a new book to read. Of course I couldn't resist the picture books in the kids section and ended up with this book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. It is hilarious and I can't wait to read it to my Kindergarteners and first graders. While taking this photo I actually settled on the book that I am holding for myself, Through the Children's Gate: A Home In New York. I'd been browsing around for an hour or more and seen lots of book that I have wanted to read or that look newly interesting, but none that I was ready to commit to today. Then I found this one and didn't want to put it down.

It's Official!

My job contract arrived today and I purchased my ticket . . .

I'm going to Italy this summer!!! I got a job as an RA with a study abroad company. For five weeks this summer I will be looking after high school students studying abroad in Florence. It's suddenly becoming real . . .

Super Bowl Salsa

Salsa before:


Salsa after:



I have been making this salsa for many years now and it's always a hit. Basically it's just all of the veggies from the first picture plus a can of corn, a can of olives, a red onion, salt, pepper, olive oil, and two squeezed limes (plus the one on top for decoration).

I have a funny story about this salsa. I made it for my Italian roommates and some of their family members one year when I was living in Italy. (I had to go to a specialty store just to get the tortilla chips.) So they had all sort of eyed me chopping the vegetables wondering what exactly I was making. My explanations in my first year Italian weren't really working. When I was finished I left the salsa on the kitchen table with the open bag of chips next to it. I left the room and came back a few minutes later to find no one had tried any. I took a bite myself and one said "Oh, you eat it like that." Then they all tried a bite. One of my roommates said "It's good," in a still unsure voice. He paused for a few seconds and then added, "But it would be really good if you cooked it and put it over some pasta."

Afternoon in Cobble Hill

Today after teaching Saturday School I decided to walk around a part of Brooklyn that I love but for some reason or another don't get to all that often: Cobble Hill. I had lunch one of my favorite brunch spots, Bar Tabac. I sat at the bar (by myself) and had a delicious Croque Madam. I even shamelessly dipped my French fries in the little ramekin of mayonnaise on the plate leaving the ketchup untouched.

I also made a few purchases which I will share with you all in photos:

1. I had this Lenanese coffee on my birthday when I ate at Tripoli. I loved the small strong coffee with cardamom and asked the waiter to write down the name of it for me. He told me I could buy it at a shop just a few doors down from the restaurant. It's taken me almost two months to get back but I can't wait to brew some at home.



2. Although I once loved this slim gold wallet, it has clearly seen better days.



I've been on the lookout for a unique looking wallet that I was really in love with for several months now. I wasn't sure I'd find one before the old one totally died on me but today I found this:





I love this coin pouch that is attached to the inside; it's what initially drew me to the wallet. I also love the way the pockets are set up and the magnetic clasp. And . . . after I photographed it I realized there is a strap that pulls out in case you want to carry it alone (which I do every time I go out to get lunch at school). And I love that it is blue. I really HEART this wallet! I didn't even have buyer's remorse when I paid $65 for it.

3. I got these sweet little cookies at One Girl Cookies. I loved the atmosphere of the little shop. So cute! The cookies aren't bad either :)


(Cookies shown on a little plate that is part of a tea set I got for my birthday.)

Window Box Herb Gardens

Today I worked with Kindergarten and first grade classes planting window box herb gardens. I wish that I could post pictures of the kids getting their hands dirty in the soil because they had so much fun. One first grader was so adorable when he said: "Look how nice or garden looks when we work together. If I didn't behave I wouldn't get to help plant . . . and this is SO cool." Such grown-up statements for a 6 year old.

The lower grade classes are donating the window herb gardens to the upper grade classes as part of the community service aspect of the project.

Two New Things, One Photo

1. After Christmas my sister let me take her cat back to New York with me. It's sort of like a temporary adoption. I love her so much! It's great to finally have this pet on loan since I can't commit to getting one of my own.

2. I started my second scarf in three years at the knitting get together Jules organized last Saturday. I think this is going to take FOREVER to finish! I think we need another meet-up quick.

I got a fun summer job.

I'll share the details when I'm sure that I won't get pinched and wake up :)

Priceless

Quote of the day:

"You have to listen to the teacher. That is the true meaning of school."
-Christian (Kindergarten student, to another student)

I really suck at blogging this month. Oh, well. The month is over now (as far as school goes anyway). Winter break if finally here and I am off to visit my family for Christmas!

Have a great holiday everyone!

First Snow!

A walk through Prospect Park.

The trains were conspiring against me!

I so wanted to make yoga today before the long Thanksgiving weekend.

I taught Extended Day today which ends at 5:15. Just enough time to rush to my yoga class on St. Marks, change, and have a few minutes to spare. Today I had to make a quick phone call after dismissing my class to pay off my student loan (I'd been missing business hours for so long and the interest has been racking up daily. It had to get done today). The call went quickly but as I left the building I saw that I had somehow lost thirteen minutes in the process.

I raced to the train and just missed the J train. Then I got to the F and as the minutes passed and no train came I realized there was no way I could make it to class.

Dramatic, I know, but I was so looking forward to going.

Speaking of "Where did you learn that?"

Today one of my first graders was writing about her mom in the family books that we are making. She wanted to know how to write that her mom was playing and demonstrated sitting cross-legged with her hands on her knees and thumbs and index fingers pressed together.

"Oh, your mom does yoga?"

"Yeah!"

It was so funny that she mentioned that because I remember catching her playing around on the rug last year in what looked suspiciously like downward facing dog and side plank. I wasn't sure if I was just imagining that it looked like yoga though because many poses I do in yoga are ones that I did as a kid playing around or in gymnastics class. I tried to ask her where she learned that but she wasn't really able to explain it to me. Now, a year later, she can verbalize that she watches her mom do yoga at home.

How I Spent My Halloween

On October 31st when others were dressed up and gallivanting around the city, I was at a panel discussion about Jane Jacobs and the Future of New York. I wrote about visiting the exhibit at the Municipal Arts Society and this event was related to that exhibit.

Here are eight minutes edited from the two hour panel discussion. You can catch a glimpse of me in the audience (in the red v-neck) right at the beginning of the clip. You'll notice that many people were wearing Harry Potter-esque, round, black-rimmed glasses. They were handing them out for audience members to wear as a sort-of tribute to Jane Jacobs who was known for wearing similar glasses. I did actually wear the glasses for most of the discussion (and was so proud for actually "dressing up" for Halloween after all), but alas, they filmed me at the one moment that I wasn't wearing the glasses.

Three Day Week!

It's Sunday night but we have just a three day week to look forward to so I'm feeling OK about that. On Tuesday I have a PD about preparing ELLs for Day 2 of the EL*A. So really I have the easiest week ever. I'm actually worried that I don't have ENOUGH time to finish everything that I wanted to get done by the break.

Today I went shopping for Thanksgiving dinner. I'm so excited. Thanksgiving at my apartment has become a tradition since I moved to NYC. This year Jules and "Boyfriend" are coming again and I am so excited. My sister is coming on Wednesday. It's going to be a good break. I just have to get in two more yoga classes by Wednesday because I know that I won't be going while my sister is here. (Four whole days without yoga!!)