"Ms. Ramos. You need a husband...."

The SNOW is finally here as is the snowsuit and boots season. Ideally we want all of our kindergarten students in our class to put their school shoes on their chairs when they go out to recess (don't worry they have snow boots on!). Well today they told me about the SHOE TROLL who comes and takes their shoes if they aren't on their chairs.

One little boy, very concerned came up to me and asked me if I'd protect his shoes from the shoe troll. I told him I would do my very best. He looked up at me in all sincerity and said, "Ms. Ramos... you need a husband who is really strong to protect you from the shoe troll."

He went off to recess and when he came back inside after he asked me if I found one yet!

"YOU NEED A JOB!"

I'm working with one of my kindergarten students today when another student who was playing in the kitchen center came up to me and showed me a picture of a toaster. He asked me if we could get a fake one for the kitchen area. I told him I'd see what I can do but probably not. He asked me why not. I told him I didn't have any money. He proceeded to tell that that I needed a job!

Goose with no Maverick

It's  the end of the day and my Kindergarten kids are at Learning Centers aka FREE PLAY TIME! Rock on right! Well I am organizing the alphabet cards and one of my boys comes up and stands next to me. I ask him what's up and he doesn't say anything. So I simply said, "Talk to me Goose". He quickly honked at me. I honked back, he smiled and walked away! I love my job!

Age is Just A Number

I get to school this morning a little late, rushing like mad because I don't have my lesson plans done, I don't have any of the materials I need put together, I didn't have breakfast and I don't have anything for lunch and I feel like screaming already...it's only 8:15 AM. I log into my computer and open up my email. The following was sent to me from one of the parents of my students.....


"So I'm sitting here working in my room and Jack and Max are having a conversation about the words Miss, Mr. and Mrs. and what each of them mean. Jack really gets that a Miss is not married and Mrs. is a married woman. Then he says my teacher is a "Miss" and Max says that means you're not married. And then Jack says... No... she's not a grown up... she's just a couple years older than a teen. Cracking me up! You're making quite the impression! ;)"

Freedom Writers

Tonight I had the most amazing opportunity to listen to Erin Gruwell and Maria Reyes speak. Hearing their story first hand is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Myself and three hundred other teachers in the district had the opportunity to attend an evening hearing them tell of their challenges, their motivation, and their accomplishments. We were remotivated to do do our jobs, to follow our passion, for each individual child. There is hope in each child. We must not think of teaching to the tests, but rather teach to the children, teach to the individual. I am humbled and hope these words can express the sincerity, my desire for you each to read, watch and listen to their stories.

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'Freedom Writers' is inspired by a true story and the diaries of real Long Beach teenagers after the LA riots, during the worst outbreak of interracial gang warfare. Erin Gruwell, whose passion to become a teacher is soon challenged by a group of Black, Latino, and Asian gangbangers who hate her even more than each other. When she begins to listen to them in a way no adult has ever done, she begins to understand that for these kids, getting through the day alive is enough - they are not delinquents but teenagers fighting "a war of the streets" that began long before they were born. Erin gives them something they never had from a teacher before- respect. For the first time, these teens experience a hope that maybe, they might show the world that their lives matter and they have something to say.

After a tragedy shook the student body, Erin searched for a way to address the issues in her students' lives. Assigning them The Diary of Anne Frank, she found that many students were able to identify with Anne's challenges growing up in a war zone.

It was her next assignment that would profoundly change her students' lives; she asked them to keep a journal, recording their experiences, their emotions, their challenges, and their triumphs. "The kids learned to pick up a pen instead of a gun, and the act of writing saved them. Erin asked them to write about their wars and battles and it opened the gates for them to share their lives, which no one had ever asked them to do before. Through Anne Frank, she opened their eyes to a thirteen-year-old girl going through a war of her own and how writing helped her cope with her situation - and then, Erin showed them how to apply that to their own lives.

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If Only We Could Put This On Our Answering Machines

School Answering Machine

What happened to Koodies?

We have recess after lunch every day and as the kids are coming inside I meet them at the door. Well as one of my boys comes in he is called out by a girl in another classes. He turns around and she gives him a kiss on the cheek and runs away. Oh to be young and innocent... or are they?

Clark Kent vs. Superman

We were having lunch yesterday and I happen to over hear a conversation between one of my little boys and one of the girls at the next table. The little boy wears glasses and had briefly taken them off for some reason. Well, the little girl tells the boy that he looks "handsome, very very handsome". She just repeats that about four or five times to the kid!

like mother, like daughter

Yesterday a little girl was getting in line and pulls her pants up from the crotch and tells me, "My pants are too big!". Well why is that I ask. She simply responds, "Because they are my moms."

Cuss or Giggle?

While sitting in professional development this morning, the principal happily said we have two choices, to either yell and cuss or giggle. Which are you going to do?!

What Rhymes with CORN?

Note to self, don't ask for a rhyming word when you are holding up a picture of corn.

birthday cupcakes or fruit loops

Today was sad. It was Susie Q's birthday today and her mom intended to bring in cupcakes for the class. When it was time for mom to come she never showed up. I ended up getting an email saying "Susie's" parents had to go to the doctor and wouldn't be making it in. How do you break that a young kid. Ugh, it was sad, she about cried. But she got to pick snack and chose fruit loops! Yum!!!

ONE- I have come home showered, started laundry on HOT due to the fact that the little kids in my class keep dropping like flies. 103.7 degree temperature of the little boy whose entire family has the swine flu. Lucky me. What makes it better is he was the cling-on all afternoon practically glued to my side!

TWO- As the kids were coming in from recess one of the little girls in another class told one of my boys- "yes you can be my boyfriend". What does that mean??? AHHHHH. It's starting in Kindergarten now! hahahah.

Sadly there is nothing funny to report. However I'm happy to say that I have survived two weeks as a Kindergarten teacher. Phew, it's been rough, but I'm hanging in there. As the third week for me has started the kids are starting to get adjusted to their second teacher this year, the new routine and school in general. Granted at least a hundred times a day I hear "so and so did this" or "is it lunch time yet" or "what are we having for snack" or "is it time to go home yet". Man I didn't think teaching would be such a chore. There is a reason I like the older kids better, they don't talk as much!!!

The curriculum is foreign to me, but it is laid out really well. It's easy to follow and once I find all the necessary materials it'll get easier. Somewhere between the actual Kindergarten teacher and the first long term sub things got mixed up, misplaced, or just shoved in a corner. It is now my job to actually find everything. On a positive note, I finally found the posters I needed two weeks ago!!! Lucky me!

There are two other teachers that I've worked with in the past on my Kindergarten team. It's nice having  familiar faces to ask questions to. I still feel absolutely stupid every time I do, but heck, oh well, it's my first time teaching K. The literacy coach at the school I worked for A LOT last year is also there so being able to bounce ideas off her is super helpful. 

I'm enjoying it overall. I'm enjoying the pay raise even more. Of course once I'm done with this job I get a pay reduction, not so fun. But I should be able to buy myself a new computer by the end of the school year!! Yay.

Sadly, not a first

The first time this year, but not the first time at school....today I was called mama. I responded simply, yes daughter? 

I have a new name....

I now have a new name. From here on out is just Teacher. Not Ms. Ramos, not even Mrs. Ramos, but rather just Teacher. AND further more.... my students no longer have individual first names, but rather their new names are Student. 

No if's, and's, or BUTTS about it!

So there is this really cute little girl in my class. Today she came up to me and said "I have to go poo poo and you have to wipe it"!  I looked at her and said no, you can go to the nurse or wipe it yourself.  Then about half an hour later she said, "My bottoms really sore. It hurts." as she is hopping around the room holding her bum.

First Graders rendition of Shakira

First grade student walks into the classroom on a Monday morning. At the top of his lungs he starts singing....        "Oh Baby when you talk like that, you make a boy go mad".

He continues to sing this the next three days!!

Snack Time

So as my schedule goes we have lunch at 11am followed by recess at 11:30. At 12:15 one little boy comes up to me ands asks me if it's snack time yet.

FYI.... he had a sandwich, pizza, string cheese, juice and something else for lunch!!

Cross the T's and Dot the I's

One little boy in my Kindergarten class was playing with wooden cut-outs to make letters. The cut-outs were sticks and curves and dots. Well, this little boy finds the dots for the I's. He comes to me and says, Look they're nipples!"