Air Quotes: A "Friends" Moment in Room 18

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 I always say that every moment in life can relate back to a "Friends" episode. Well, today that came true in my classroom during the writing lesson. If you've never seen this clip, watch it first, and then this story will be even better.



In writing today, we were talking about ways to "spice up your writing." We focused on adding dialogue to stories using quotation marks (most of them didn't even know the name for "those things that say people are talking"). After explaining to them how quotes are used, I asked if they had ever seen anyone use air quotes (I did the motion with my hands). They all got excited and said that they had seen it, but didn't really know what it meant. I explained to them that people usually use air quotes when they are explaining something someone said or did, but that sarcasm was implied. I gave them a few dramatic examples, where I talked like a valley girl and put air quotes up when "she like totally said that I COULD copy her homework..." and they understood it a little more.



During the next transition, I looked down at my kids and they were all practicing using air quotes. They were using them in the MOST sarcastic way possible, and totally wrong - which was hilarious. One of them said, "Hey! Ms. Steadman! You're the *insert air quotes here* WORST teacher ever!" Everyone laughed and they made sure I didn't actually think they were saying I was the worst. But then I asked for their attention and one of my boys looked at his best friend, and with the most authority his body could muster, he leaned forward, put his air quotes high in the air and said, "SHHHHHH!!"



Naturally, I busted out laughing and we all laughed together. It didn't even matter that they were using it wrong. It was just cute that they were trying it at all :)

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Meeting Mayhem: What makes it worthwhile?

Today I sat in a meeting with my amazing teammates. We talked about data, and what we are doing to support our kiddos. It was a bummer to watch the sun come out at the exact same time that "2:30 feeling" hit... You know, the one that you get when you are thinking about the afternoon Starbucks run? By the time the meeting was out, the rain had returned and my head was MORE than full. Often times, I find when I walk out of meetings that I feel inadequate - that I could never possibly do enough to make a difference in my kids' education. Or I'm given a ton of new ideas that I have no time to plan for or implement. Between this, writing sub plans and being away from the students, meetings are just plain not my favorite thing. Most teachers will probably say, "Yes, you're preaching to the choir...We all feel that way." The reality is, however, that meetings are inevitable, and some are better than others. Just like in any job. 

But here's the kicker: I got an email at the end of the day from a colleague saying this:
Claire,
As I was walking up the hallway, I was following Luis and Ishan carrying the lunch basket. Luis: "I wish Miss Steadman was here this afternoon." Ishan: "Yeah, everything is better when she is here." Just had to tell you!

I just had to remind myself that the kids don't care what I teach or how I teach it. They don't care about that bulletin board that I put up yesterday. They don't care whether my plan book is full or empty and they don't care that I have a graph of their growth in reading comprehension in my gradebook. They care that I care about them. They care about the story I told about my dinner last night with Mitch (we split a mini pizza in half and I used it in my fraction lesson this morning). They care that I showed up and hugged them, that I laughed with them, that I listened to them. That's it. And that's what they'll remember: how they FELT when they were in my class.

So as I go to bed tonight, I will remember why I'll roll out of bed tomorrow morning. I am so thankful to be where I am, even on days that are difficult.

Stating the Objective

Hi! My name is Claire and I am a 4th grade teacher in Seattle. I am in my fifth year of teaching and am excited to be sharing some of my adventures with you. This is my first year at this particular school, and I'm also planning my wedding. Needless to say, my new normal includes lesson plans AND reception seating plans. Staff meeting AND DJ consultations. Working through lunch to make time for booking vendors and designing my centerpieces. Life is hectic, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

The objective (or, instructional outcome for the teachers out there) of this blog is twofold: 

(1) Often, my friends ask me to tell stories about what is happening in my classroom. We laugh about the stories I come home with and they always say, "You should write a book!" It's funny to think that the stories I tell are probably the exact stories that our teachers all told about us. There is never a dull moment in an elementary classroom (or any classroom for that matter), and I am here to share some of those moments with you.

(2) Another reason I wanted to start this blog is because I think teachers need as many spaces as they can get to share ideas, successes, challenges and defeats. Between the Common Core State Standards (a new set of standards being implemented by almost every state, for you non-teachers), a new, super intense -but a nice change - evaluations system (thanks to our local Guru, Charlotte Danielson), hours of meetings and of course, the heart of our job - the actual teaching - teachers need an outlet. And they need a space for sharing. I'd love to be a part of that. Not because I have amazing ideas, but because the conversation, with teachers AND non-teachers, is important. We teach our kids how to talk to each other, to share ideas, to agree and disagree. I want to practice that here.

Stay tuned and don't forget to share your thoughts and ideas with me!

xoxo