Did you miss me? I know you did! Two days without me was probably just plain torture. My humor, sarcasm and amazingly brilliant ideas were all missing from your life. Well have no fear, because I’m back! And if you didn’t miss me or even notice I was gone, don’t say so because I’m fragile!
I had actually planned to do some fun blogs about my time in Chicago but I realized if I skipped two days my 100th blog post would happen Saturday which happens to be my 3…something birthday! Gifts are welcome (clip art, units, craftivities etc lol)! It’s a big weekend so stay tuned because you might benefit!

Today’s blog post is brought to you courtesy of the one, the only, THE MATERIAL GIRL! Thats right Madonna is responsible (ok ok ok partially) for this post. We rocked out hard at the concert last night! And let me just say it was an eclectic crowd! You had old couples reliving their youth, older women reliving the 80’s, you cute young straight and gay couples, you had the over the tops and the man with the Madonna cone costume (if you know what I mean!). We even saw Jamie Laurita from the Real Housewives of New Jersey! And he is now following us on Twitter! Back to my educational post.

Two days ago there was a story on NPR about teachers expectations and recent research on just how powerff teacher expectations on our students. Did you hear the story? If not, CLICK HERE!  (BTW I am a HUGE NPR fan! It’s all I listen to in the car!). As I was listening to the story and later reading it on my iPad I began to question my expectations of students and how it affected my interactions. It wasn’t pretty people. Here’s why.

My students know that Mr. Greg expects them to be the best of the best. They know this an they tell you if you ask. That’s great, right? Sure. Mr. Greg expects that but do they want that? How do you instill that desire to be the best?

And then I got to thinking of my interactions with students. One in particular. And I was very disappointed in myself. This girl, let’s call her Diva, came in with ZERO. As the year has progressed she has just now learned to write her name. She knows 6 letters and can count 4. Can you say frustrating? So guess what I did? I made up my mind that she didn’t want to learn and that she didn’t care to be her best. People, how horrible and sad and infuriating is that? It turns my stomach. My expectations for her are keeping her from learning. She has no support at home and is in an environment void of learning and support and I gave up on her. That means I have failed as a teacher. I have an expectation for her and it’s directly affecting how I work with her. Completely unacceptable. What I I expected her to learn half of her letters by Halloween? And what if I expected her to count to 10 by Hallowen? My prediction is that she would meet that goal and probably more. My expectation (and this is based on research and not Greg’s random glitter clouded brain spasms) directly affects her succes. Why? Because my expectations of my students dictates my interactions with them and dictates how I teach.

And here is where Madonna comes in.  Madonna and NPR working together to improve my teaching?! It’s a crazy world!

Last night during the Madonna concert she asked if you were “letting your light shine” and guess what?  I had an AHA moment (Fitting that I had visited Harpo Studios earlier in the day!)  In order for my students to be their best, I need to let my light shine on them.  Madonna went on to say that by letting our light shine, we are allowing others to shine their light.  In order for my friend Diva to shine, I have to let my light shine.  That means I need to let my teaching light shine.  I need to give Diva and all of my students the opportunity to be their best.  My expectations need to change.  My expectation should be and will be that my students will let their lights shine in their own unique way.  And I will provide them the tools and guidance and opportunities they need to shine that light.

What are your expectations?  Is your light shining?  Is your light shining brightly enough to allow others to shine their light?

I hope you will use these posters to motivate yourself and your students!

Howdy!  It’s Thursday.  I am so tired I am developing a canker sore in my mouth.  My body always lets me know it needs sleep by cursing me with these painful and unpleasant sores.  I have had chats with my body about this and how we could use a less dramatic way of telling me to sleep, but no.  I don’t seem like a dramatic person do I?  Right….

My therapy today are is from my students.  Shocker, I know.  Aren’t the students supposed to be the reason we need stress?  Come on, we all have that ONE….you know who it is.  Honestly, I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my class!  It’s not the students that make teaching so stressful.  Sadly, it’s the big people.  For real, you all know what I mean when I say it’s not the kids that cause me to need therapy but the adults I work with.  Don’t even get me started.  Let me share two stories that have me feeling wonderful tonight and has silenced my critics.

You’ve heard my saga of my ELL friend and the attacks on me because of my plan to help her adjust to my classroom.  My plan was to allow her and her sister (3rd grader) to spend the day together.  They spent a half day in my room and a half day in the third grade room.  Not ideal, I know.  But I was desperate.  Fast forward to this week and our crisis team developed a plan to separate the sisters.  Of course, the adults didn’t keep up their part of the plan.  However, Mr. Greg is AMAZING.  My critics are silent.  Yesterday, my ELL friend who had screamed and cried and thrown things and eloped (did you know that is the technical name of a child who runs?  ELOPE!!!  Some days I want to elope from these big people!)  spent a half day in our classroom.  People, a half day.  Laughing.  Smiling.  Working.  Singing.  Counting.  Mr. Greg is AMAZING.  People, today my ELL friend spent THE WHOLE DAY in our room.  Not only did she stay with us, but she took over.  She was telling people what to do.  She was helping people with letters.  She was helping people line up.  Oh yeah, you hear those crickets?  Those are my critics.  Mr. Greg=AMAZING.  But guess what?  It had nothing to do with me.  I allowed my students to take charge and help their friend become part of our family.  They have surrounded this girl with friendship and love like nothing I have seen!  Mr. Greg isn’t awesome.  He is just fortunate to have amazing little monsters who rally to help and protect their own.  I felt better today than I have all year!  My little monsters did something no big people had been able to do.  And my little monsters silenced a building of critics.

My other bit of therapy comes from my special ADHD friend.  This friend was insanely wild at the beginning of the year.  He had to be sent home by 9am every day.  Yeah, that bad.  We have been on medicine for a few weeks and I have gotten to see the true personality and potential of this little monster.  (Disclaimer:  I had his brother last year and the kids attend the daycare where I work in the summers so I have a great relationship with the family!)  Yesterday we ran out of medicine.  I was terrified that today would be a nightmare.  Guess what?  Never underestimate your students.  My friend was great today.  He was definitely more active and vocal than he has been, but he was able to control himself.  Here is the best part of this story….

You need to know that my friend squints one eye when he wants to “tell me something!”  It’s the right eye and you can tell he is working hard to get his words out.  It’s quite cute and makes me laugh when he squints at me!  So today during reading blog, he was struggling and I finally told him he could use the iPad.  He sat straight up and that eye started squinting and he yelled out “Mr. Greg…Mr. Greg…me…me…me….me…I LUB YOU!”

A perfect day in Kindergarten people looks like a blonde hair blue eyed boy squinting at you and telling you he lubs you and a classroom full of little monsters protecting a special friend!  Love knows no language.

Now you know why my kids are my Thursday Therapists!

And to celebrate, here are two freebies!  Click to visit my TPT and download some Halloween math activities!