CP

So today I got a phone call from a CP. She had called last week because her son had an overdue book on his record that she TOLD him to return two months ago. She says he returned it. OK. I am not going to win this battle. The book may get returned, but it is no longer checked out to that child. I just took it off his record. Then the parent tells me that she told her son not to check out books from the library anymore. She could see according to his overdue notice that he had another book checked out. When I saw the boy's class later that day, I asked him if he had the book in his desk because he should return it asap. I said something like, "I talked to mom this morning, and she told me that you weren't supposed to be checking out books. So if you have it, I'd better take it back." That was pretty much the extent of our conversation. She called again today because he had checked out another book on Friday!!! Was she made that he defied her rule and my request? One would think. One would assume that the parent would be mad at her child for doing the EXACT OPPOSITE of what his mother and librarian had told him. One would think... Oh, no. Not this CP. She was mad because I spoke to her son in his classroom about this. It was NOT MY RIGHT, she tells me. IT WAS BETWEEN HER AND HER SON, she tells me. AND I SHOULD BE HAPPY SHE IS CALLING IT TO MY ATTENTION AND NOT THE FRONT OFFICE'S, she tells me. To that, I responded, "Thank you... I think." Ooh, she did not like that. I couldn't help it. I really tried not to be mouthy, but I failed. And pretty much I am not too sad about that. I tried to explain to her that if she had wanted him not to check out, she could've told me about it and I would put a note on his record. I tried explaining this, but she would not listen. THIS IS BETWEEN HER AND HER SON, she kept saying. OK. It's the end of the year. We are not even circulating books anymore. This kid is really a nice kid. I really like him. It's just his CP that has put me in a mood. She just had SUCH an attitude. I, however, did not have an attitude until she told me that I should be HAPPY that she did not contact the front office. After I thanked her (I think) I invited her to talk to the principal. I almost wish she would. The number one thing to drive me out of teaching will be CPs like this woman. It won't be the low pay, or the exhaustion from working with kids, or the many extra hours I put in. Nope. It will be the crazy parents.

We Know the Value of Book

So a kindergartner returned a picture book the other day that was wet. Not just a little damp--I'm talking wring-it-out wet, fuzzy-mold growing inside it already. I sent it back home with a note about the damage, writing that even though it was probably an accident, the family is still responsible for paying for it.

And I get a scathing, SCATHING letter back from the dad about how I accused his son of damaging the book and how if we needed money for the library, they would consider helping out, but it is WRONG for me to demand payment for a book his son did not damage. "We know the value of book in our house," he wrote.

Hmmm...the note came back with the book, which was completely dry. Yet the dad is trying to tell me that the book was damaged before his son ever checked it out?!?!? It came in soaking wet yet was completely dry the next day and he thinks that someone got it wet the week before his son checked it out? I think not.

I sent a very kind letter back, even cc'ing my principal on it, and haven't heard a word since. Sometimes it just feels good to get the last word in.

So far, at least...

The Thing on the Sofa

One of our state-award nominated books was He Came with the Couch by Rob Scotton. The first time I read it, I did not love it. The second through fourth times I read it, I still did not love it. After the 5th time, though, I started to like it just an eensy-weensy bit. The students, however, LOVED IT FROM THE GET-GO.

I should've remembered earlier that we do not have the same funny bone, me and the kids. Usually, though, if they like it, I like it. And I guess that's what happened here.

This week, I've been reading a line or two from a well-known children's book on our morning announcements. We call it Mystery Book, and the students can enter a guess as to what book I am reading. Yesterday, I read a little bit from The Old House (written and illustrated by my friends Pam and Henry).

This one little guy didn't get it right, but he did make me laugh. On his scrap of paper, he wrote "The Thing on the Sofa". I knew exactly what he meant.

Take Me Out to the Ballgame!

I have had such a fun time this week with the fifth graders reading "Casey at the Bat". I showed them several illustrators' versions, and then I read Christopher Bing's aloud. I met him back in 2003, and even though he's a Red Sox fan, he signed my book for me. After reading it, I went back and clarified much of the text for the kids. "The rest clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast": this phrase got giggles almost every time!!

Then we did a readers' theatre of the poem, and the kids were really good about it!

Every class had the same reaction of disbelief when I got to the end of the poem. How could they not have heard it before? I think this might be my greatest contribution to the education of children.

Out Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is our regional librarians' conference, and I have a professional day to attend. It'll be a great time of recharging my batteries and seeing lots of professional friends. I hope my sub does okay. She only has 4 classes tomorrow, so it should be fine. Fingers are crossed...

Spring Break

is good for the soul. It's Friday already, and I haven't thought about school at all this week! That's what Sundays are for, right?!?!

In the Classroom

I've been teaching in the classrooms this week, and it's been pretty fun, actually. I was dreading it, but it's actually been okay! Our reading specialist is having her bookfair in the library this week, so I said I'd go to the rooms. The kids are very cute about it all. They like having me in their domain. I ask about how they do things, like line up or get volunteers, and they're all so eager to show me.

I've been doing dictionary reviews with 3rd and 4th graders, and finishing up our state's Readers' Choice books with the primary kids. 2nd graders started some atlas work, and I think they've enjoyed it.

We had the MOST awesome author visit last week: Pamela Duncan Edwards and Henry Cole spent the day with us. They did three presentations for the whole school, and they also signed books. And signed. And signed. We sold over 400 books! I just LOVE these people. I wish they were my friends, but I realize that this thought borders on stalking, so I will just be happy to know them at all. Here they are in action in the picture above. Oh, notice the fabulous blowups our art teacher did of Henry's illustrations.

Tomorrow's the start of our spring break, and my plan is to sketch out lessons for the rest of the year, which is coming WAY more quickly than I can even believe.

I Started Off So Well. . .

Ugh... it was a dark day in the library today. I had been doing so well since school started, keeping the stress away and being FRIENDLY to everyone. Not today...and what did me in? It was that my assistant took 1/2 day today and we had the "World's Worst Sub." (WWS). Have you met her? She looks okay, and even sounds okay, but she isn't. She pissed off my assistant before the poor woman even left the school. And she pissed me off just a couple of minutes later, and then again a few minutes after that, and about five more times after that. Jeez... But I was trying to overlook it all and NOT be my old crabby self about it. It didn't work. She was unable to follow simple written directions, and then, at the end of her day after her afternoon duty, this is what she says, "Is there anything else I can do before I go?" And I looked at the clock and told her that she still had 20 minutes to work and she did not like this. She got a bit belligerent, and I was somewhat surprised. You know, here she is a sub, working in the library for the first time, and she leaves early? Not even ASKS to leave early, she just assumes it. W.R.O.N.G. And she managed to piss off both my assistant and me in less than 3 hours. She won't be back. And I did apologize for being short with a teacher who happened to come in in the middle of all of it and want a video played. It really wasn't her--if my assistant had been in, I probably wouldn't have even known about her issues, but I had to deal with her and I wasn't too happy about it interrupting my class. But I apologized and so did she and I think we are okay. I don't want to go to the dark side anymore. I didn't like it. Oh, and I offended the parent of a student today and she probably doesn't even know about it. Or maybe she does. I did it. I am sorry. Tomorrow will be better.

Great Summer!

What a success our summer program was!! Each week, we had more and more families coming to the library. My boss came by on our last day and was suitably impressed. At our first back-to-school meeting for librarians, she asked me to share what I'd done at school this summer. We got good press coverage in the local newspaper, and my principal was very impressed with the success of the program. Back to school has been fine. I have let go of my anger toward my principal and even a co-worker who had been driving me crazy. It's a much better start to the year, and I have formally declared the library a "no stress zone". I just can't tolerate stressful behaviors, especially from co-workers. So far, it seems to be going well. We are heavily into library orientation for all of our 36 homerooms. Yikes. At least I don't have any lessons to plan this weekend.

Continued WOAH!!!

So our first week of Open Library was not a fluke!!! Last week, we had 32 families (a gain of two), and this week, we had 36 families!! It is very exciting to see the same faces week to week and also new ones who've heard about the library program through neighbors and friends.

I've taken lots of photos, but this is probably the only one I can post (privacy concerns):

Oh, and I can post this one of our spread. I make hotdogs and then we have lots of snacks out for the families:

A reporter from our local newspaper came yesterday to interview families and me for an article to appear in next week's "Neighbors" section. I'll let you know if it sees print or not...

All in all, a successful, if not expensive, program to run. Imagine how much it would cost if I actually were getting paid to do it!!

Woah!

It was awesome!! Our first Summer Family Literacy event was AWESOME!!! Just awesome. It all started around 8 this morning, when the summer school classes started coming in for 15 minutes of checkout each. From 8 am to 12 noon, we had nine families come in. Then from 12-2, I ran over to Bloom to buy food for the afternoon/evening session, and then the rains came. Man oh man did it pour!! It thundered, it lightninged, it was raining cats and dogs. And the library was empty. But by 2:45, people started coming in. And they stayed!! Some of them for hours and hours. And they ate!! We went through 50 hotdogs and all kinds of snacks. Woah. We had 21 families from 2 until 7 pm, and at 7, I had to kick out about 10 people who were still hanging out. It was just fabulous. Just like I pictured--families looking at books together, sitting on the floor reading together, playing puzzles and games together. It was just wonderful. And the principal and assistant principal both came by during particularly busy times and were VERY impressed. Excellent! I could not be happier about today.

SUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMER!!!

It's here!! Finally!! A few things transpired the last week of school and on the teacher days. As I went to check out with my principal, we finally got to discuss my plans to have the library open for 6 weeks this summer. I had emailed her and the AP several months ago with my plans, but I didn't hear back from her (not unusual). I was being passive-aggressive about the whole thing, refusing to ask her about it again. Instead, I assumed that "silence was consent". There's a nice French way to say this statement, but I don't remember it. So as I was preparing to leave, we DID discuss it. And she told me that she wasn't sure about the hours I wanted to keep it open, but since she saw it in the monthly newsletter, the point was moot. Indeed it was. Since I'm in charge of the newsletter, I decided to put it in as if she'd okayed it already. The good news is that I will have the library open on Tuesdays starting July 10 this summer. We're going to have food and literacy activities and do fun games and allow Internet access, and I will do a little advertising and remind people to come. I think it will be great and I'm really looking forward to it. I'll let you know how it goes on July 10!!

4 Days with Kids / 2 Without

I truly don't know if I can make it. Since my post last week, I spent a few days at our local hospital with what I thought was a heart attack. Well, I certainly HOPED it wasn't a heart attack, but it was behaving like one. Turns out it was STRESS pure and simple. STRESS--ANXIETY--PANIC ATTACKS. These things have the same symptoms as heart troubles. After three days in the hospital and countless tests, I have been proclaimed well. Ha. At least I know my trouble isn't physical, and that in itself is a relief. Unfortunately, the stress remains, although a big chunk of it will be over in FOUR DAYS!! (I'm totally not counting the two teacher work days as being stressful.) I can make it. And it looks as if I'll be here another year. I can make it. Outlast. Outteach. We will band together and make it through. And if this sounds cryptic, it's because I would put my job in jeopardy telling you about the stressors at my school. 4. more. days.

10 more days...

I am sure every teacher in America is counting down the days this time of year. I almost truly just can't even get out of the car in the morning. I would sit in the car and bake in the summer sun rather than walk into that building and teach. This week is testing week and our state standards tests are just wreaking havoc with the daily schedule, not to mention the poor kids. The library is the repository for students when they finish their small group (read: special ed) testing, and at one point today, we had 35 kids in there. Thank goodness the AP came to help with crowd control. And the GALL of this one teacher who came in to tell me that she was leaving her kids with me until her class went to lunch because they were just too disruptive to bring back into her room, considering that the other classes were still testing. Oh. My. God. I am not a babysitter, and I REALLY resent when the teachers treat me like I am. Obviously, I am ready for this school year to be over. And I haven't even WRITTEN about my boss. Ugh.

HIRED!!!

A new assistant was finally hired today! She has been subbing in the library for three weeks now, and it's finally official!! The person who was first hired to take the new mom's place got another job and turned us down, which worked out perfectly for us to hire the one who's been subbing.
She is great, and I hope that she'll be around for some time. I started feeling like Murphy Brown, having a new secretary in every episode.

Leadership Team

OK, what kind of leadership does this sound like to you? The Friday afternoon before Spring Break, a decision is made for the SIP team to meet. Subs are arranged for us, and we meet in an office from 12:15-4. We got out of that meeting around 4:35... Anyway, our SIP team has now become the Leadership Team, and we will meet twice a month and hear what's going on at each grade level, create the calendar of activities, and hopefully solve some communication issues. Here's an interesting one: the school holds a Science Fair/Technology/Math/Bookfair/Ice Cream Social Night. Science boards are set up in classrooms and in the activity room, the computer lab is open, math games are set up to play in each classroom, and the bookfair is going on in the library. Evidently, it was never said that TEACHERS SHOULD PLAN TO ATTEND, so some didn't. Excuse me? A school-wide event with activities in classrooms and teachers didn't feel the need to be present? Yikes. Bad communication or bad attitudes? Bad attitudes because of bad communication? I honestly don't know. The next two months will be interesting indeed.

Stressed Out!

My stress is just about over--but boy, what a week!! I was working on our schools' newsletter and had it ready to go except for one person's contributions. The newsletter could not go to print without this person's articles, so I waited and waited and waited. Finally, today, 6 days after the due date, the articles were turned in.

The woman who has to copy the hundreds of newsletters and I were on a pretty tight deadline, and she is now on an even tighter deadline. When I left school today, she was still there copying. Ugh.

She and I are both committed to improving the communication at our school, and so we are putting in the extra time to get this project done on time. I only wish everyone shared our vision.

100 times better

Today was such a good day in the library! It was almost NORMAL. The substitute assistant got so much done today--more than she even thought she would. And I got to teach. And prepare lessons for next week. Life was good today.

Damn Good to See You, Miss R!

So a kindergartner said this to me today. I laughed out LOUD! I guffawed! It was truly the best part of the day! And now for the worst... The sub for my assistant walked in today at 8:35 with a cup of tea in a Mason jar (lid screwed on), a novel, and a Bible. Yes, a Bible. I literally stopped in my tracks, looked her up and down, and said, "Oh, we're NOT having that kind of day today." That got us off on the right foot, indeed. We were so busy: I had six classes plus tutoring today, the busiest day of the rotation, and this person had two speeds: slow and SLOWER. Oh, my. I have no words to describe how bad it was. There is a book truck with 3 full shelves of books awaiting us tomorrow. I wonder how many there will be at the end of tomorrow?!?! (which is the same schedule as today). There was alcohol at dinner tonight. Plenty of alcohol.

Still here...still in the library

It has been forever since I last posted! I had all kinds of problems with the Blogger/Google migration and I am STILL having trouble accessing any of it with IE7. I think I can get to it all through Netscape, though. Maybe it's time to fire up Mozilla again...

I've added a photo of me and one of our teachers on Read Across America Day, March 2nd. Lots of teachers and many students got into the Dr. Seuss mode with a costume. In case you're wondering, the reading specialist was Thing 1.