may currently

It's May! That means is also time to link up with Farley. 

Were you ever in a pageant?

I never have been.  Now I can have my very own title. Greg and I watched the first season of Last Comic Standing years ago and some of those references still sneak their way into our lives. During the challenge at the end of each episode, everyone had to get into the confessional photo booth and say, "I know I'm funnier than ___." Now we always tell each other that we are funnier than the other.

Greg tells me I wasn't funny before I met him. I tell him I have always been funny.

I'm right.

A word about state testing ~ blech!!!

Prior to this year, I taught 2nd grade for 5 years. Before that I taught 4th grade for 8 years. In all of the time I taught 4th grade previously, I have never been so wound up about testing! Our school gets more and more wound up every year. It is a miracle we are not all on anxiety meds.

Maybe everyone else already is on them.

Maybe I need some.

Anyway, the Saturday before testing our school hosted a testing boot camp. We were told to invite about 10 of our kids who were "bubble" kids or who we thought might have testing anxiety.

During one of the sessions, our Literacy Specialist read Testing Mrs. Malarky to the students and talked about how teachers have test anxiety too. Then she had them write us notes of encouragement.

Monday I found these notes in my box. So sweet.

I had a little teary moment as I read these.

So now the state testing is over and in about a week we have district testing. District testing is not nearly as long, as scary, or as high stakes.

But still.

We also have DRA testing and Aimsweb testing.

Maybe we should throw a little genetic testing in there for good measure as well.

I know, I know ~ we get all kinds of useful data from theses tests. Blah, blah, blah.

Only 23 more days of school.

     

have you got the time?

We had a testing pep rally today for the kids.

We got loud and just a little bit wild.  There was loud music and pom poms. We came in the multi-purpose room stomping and clapping to We Will Rock You. Then we watched this fun video.

One of our state senators spoke to the kids and encouraged them to do their best on the test next week. 

At least, I'm guessing that's what she said, because I was back stage getting ready for a rousing game of What's That Strategy? to review test taking strategies. It was pretty hilarious. Our computer specialist was the host of the show. She was dressed in hot pink, wearing a hot pink wig, with hot pink lips painted waaaay outside her actual lip lines. All this plus a Julia Child soprano stage voice! 

Each teacher dressed up as a certain strategy and one by one stood behind a scrim. From our silhouette and some clues, the contestants were supposed to name the strategy. 

My strategy was be on time and take your time. So I made a special clock showing the times the students should be at school.  In a nod to Mrs. Frizzle, I sported a few extra clocks.

I think maybe I needed more clocks.

And a navy blue dress.

The fact that I represented a strategy having to do with time is quite hilarious. I am a.l.w.a.y.s running late. Friends and family alike are always just a little shocked when we turn up on time to a function, not to mention a little early. Hey, it's been known to happen a time or two.

Also, I have pitiful time management.

This particular personality trait kills my husband because Mr. FedEx is all about time.

My fancy pants clock was double-sided with the second part of the strategy.

Our testing is next week. I am more than ready for it to be over! I have to admit, I'm feeling a little worried & I hope they do well on this test. I crossing my fingers that they wow me with what they can do because for the past week or so I have been less than impressed. I'm hoping their brains are just taking a little siesta before the big test. That has to be the explanation for their performance this past week!

In my room, I've tried to strike the right balance between helping them be prepared for the test, while not making it be our entire focus. I don't want them to be so wound tight about it that their anxiety disables them. On the other hand, they need to sense the urgency of the high stakes testing and do their very best.

Cross your fingers and wish us luck!

           

figure of speech review

We are approaching state testing. Blech! We just finished two weeks of what we call the Blitz (insert *jazz hands*). Basically, the blitz is an opportunity for the students to change classes four times a day (and pretend they are in middle school) while we furtively cram their brains with stuff they forgot review topics we've already taught. The kids loved it. I tolerated it.

One of my review sessions was figurative language. So after we did a few multiple choice questions I busted out the figurative language sort. 

In small groups, the kids sorted the terms, definitions, and three examples of each term.

This was a very engaging activity for the kids.

They certainly did have a good time doing it and worked so well together.

The figurative language sort is available at my TpT store.  I made several copies on colored paper so I could have five groups doing it at once, but you can just make one or two copies for a center activity.

I'm glad the blitz is over! No matter how much my class may get on my nerves from time to time, they are my class. We get each other. I'm glad we will be on a more normal schedule ~ for one more week before testing. My team wanted to switch again for math this coming week. I rolled my eyes and declined. They are doing it without me. I don't mind.