Awkward Meeting, Pinterest Style

Awkward encounter with 7th grade student at the Y:

'Billy': {gasp!} Mrs. C! What are YOU doing here??!!

Me: {recalling recent Pinterest giggle} Oh, you know, hunting elephants. What are you doing here?

'Billy': {after brief moment of confusion} I, too, am hunting elephants.

Impressive recovery and response for a 13 year old.

Thwarting the Clock Watchers

There are at least a couple in every class, and they're contagious. You know who I'm talking about - the clock watchers! These are the students who have to constantly glance at the clock, contorting their bodies into whatever position necessary every 80-90 seconds, and begin packing up well before necessary. This disease always spreads to those seated next to them, and then to the students seated next to those students, causing the contortions and early packing to ripple throughout the classroom causing numerous disruptions.

About three years ago I had one particular class so infected with this malady I couldn't take it any more and I removed the clock from the wall. I knew if this was the only move I made that students would begin "inconspicuously" (why do they think we can't see the phones?) checking their cell phone clocks every couple of minutes, transferring their attention from the wall to their laps. So I instituted the timer policy.

I informed the students that I had set a timer to go off one minute before the bell. I told them that once the timer went off I would end class and they could begin cleaning up and getting ready to go, not before. A few students grumbled that one minute is not enough time. So, I set a timer for one minute and we did a "dry run" of how long it took them to put away all of their things and get ready to go. They were all surprised to find that it actually only takes them about 20 seconds to get their belongings in order. I then let them sit there and look at each other for the next 40 seconds so that they could feel just how much time that one minute is. Then I had them get their stuff out again and we held class.

It was amazing. With no clock, the constant glancing and contorting disappeared. Without their anxiety over the possibility of "not having enough time to pack up," they actually paid attention until the end of the hour. Game changer. I have instituted the same policy with every class since that day. When more clean-up time is needed (for sewing classes, project days, etc), I change the timer to compensate. 

I use my cell phone for this purpose, as I can set the timers for every class one time, click "weekdays," and never have to worry about forgetting to set them. Every once in a while I do forget to turn them off during Institute Days, and an alarm that sounds like the 108 minutes are up and I need to enter "4 8 15 16 23 42" to prevent the end of the world goes off during an informational session on gangs or library services. Oops, awkward...

When I introduce the procedure to the kids on the first day, I always show one of the students in each class that I have the phone set on "airplane mode" so that they know I'm not also receiving texts : ). This builds their trust, establishes the reason I can have my phone out and they cannot, and keeps me out of trouble. 

What kind of trouble can having your phone on during the school day cause? See this article: "Texting Between Classes Can Get You Fired... or Pregnant."

As long as you stick to your word and dependably end class with the timer, the kids are really good about not packing up before time, eliminating that end-of-class clean-up creep. Definite sanity saver! 

Anybody else have a system for thwarting the clock watchers?

Tweet!

Now that it's summer, it's time to try some new things - I'm going to start with Twitter! It's not like I have all sorts of fascinating things to say, but occasionally there's a thought or question that crosses my mind that's certainly not worth a full post.

Kind of like right now.

Anyway, if so desired the "Follow" button is on the right.

I loaded up the car with all I'll need to prepare for next year along with a few extras... this view wasn't planned but sums up the beginning of summer perfectly, don't you think?

Poster Sale!

If you haven't checked out learningzonexpress.com yet, now is the time! And no, sadly I get no money from them, I'm just a big fan. Not only do they have terrific resources, if you sign up for their email list you get to take part in their Terrific Tuesday sales during the summer! Every Tuesday they put up a slew of posters for $5, in addition to other great discounts. Here's one I added to my collection today (18" x 24" laminated):

Check 'em out! 

2012-2013

2012-2013...SURVIVED! Hooray for summer!

And I am proud to say, I cleaned/purged/organized 99% of my classrooms over the year, so next year I will be able to hit the ground running. One of my major projects was a storage area in between the two rooms, which I have converted into... my office! I LOVE it! Check out some pics:

This it the view from the door. The top shelves were cabinets I removed the doors from and added a maroon backing (school color). I have on the shelf my high school diploma, my BS, my master's degree, and my preschool diploma! And yes, I do feel silly bubbling out my name, but you know. That's a freezer off to the side, which I didn't utilize at all this year but is great for hanging my pictures on : ).

Gee, how many Pinterest ideas can you find in this photo? I especially love having my lesson plan binder displayed on the plate stand. The volleyball is signed by my favorite team, from two schools ago - I still carry their picture in my purse. Those kids just graduated from high school last week. Crazy how fast time flies by!

Currently June

You couldn't tell it from today's weather (50 degrees? Are ya kiddin' me???), but it is JUNE! And with a new month comes a new Currently from Farley!

Listening - at first intermission we are up by 2! Yeah buddy!

Loving - 3 hours, 10 minutes of students tomorrow, then SUMMER!!! The adults still have a full day, but we all know that's gravy once the last bus pulls out.

Thinking - How long can I put off my summer to-do list? I have A LOT of school work to do this summer, but I need to make sure that I truly take some time off as well so that I can return refreshed in August. Gah, I shudder to already be thinking of August...

Wanting - I've already accomplished most of the packing up, but I want to make sure I get everything wrapped up and locked up. I've spent an unfathomable amount of time getting these rooms the way I want them, I do not want to have to start over!

Needing - RECOVERY TIME! I've always had a good-sized to-do list for summer, and I've always started my timeline the first week school is out. Foolish, foolish girl, as most of the first week is spent in various forms of sleep. This year I'm just admitting that the first week will be more or less dedicated to napping and recovery.

Vacay Essentials - First and foremost, my Kindle! SO MUCH TO READ!!! Sunblock, as I burn easily. And of course my phone for all the photos I'll take (which I'll look back at during the tough times next school year).

3 hours, 10 minutes... Bring it on!

A Thousand Words

Note: this a completely unhelpful post, but amusing to me nonetheless.

This is an older photo from back at the beginning of the semester, but it captures the moment perfectly. Here is my cat, "helping" me with grading:

Yep, that's exactly how grading makes me feel, too.

The End is Near...

This weekend held my last still-trying-to-clean-out-my-classrooms-Saturday of the year. We have one more weekend left before the last day of school, but I'll be out of town then so this was it. Good times:

Yep, over 20 #10 cans of random food. No dates on the cans, but the careful observer might notice the OLD food pyramid printed on the label of one of the above. Frightening. And there is a label on the tray holding the mixers declaring "Broken Mixers." Why, why, why keep them when they have obviously been replaced? Questions that will never be answered. Back to the cans, check out the bottom of one:

Um, ewwwwwwww.

My other task for Saturday was to begin packing up that which needs to be locked up over the summer. I'm thinking it best to box up my pretty colored kitchen equipment and to store it in one of my many (now empty) cabinets.

Lots to do before the last day of school, June 3rd!

May '75

Another invaluable find from my classroom:

The writing on the masking tape reads "May 75 - Complete." This was found in a cabinet stuffed - and I mean STUFFED - with Singer accessories and supplies. 

There is not one Singer machine to be found anywhere in this building.

The silver lining of course being that I now have another completely empty cabinet that can be put to good use.

Happy Almost Friday!

A Few More Kitchen Tips

One of my pet peeves is when measuring cups and spoons are thrown pell-mell into a drawer; it's messy and it takes the kids about ten times longer to find the tool they need. Because of this I have them put these items back on a ring after they clean up. I highly recommend to them that they take them off of the rings to begin with so that they don't have to wash all of them, but at the end they need to be hooked together again, in nested fashion.

The problem with this is that the rings that measuring cups and spoons come attached to are usually difficult to work with. You have to struggle to get them to open wide enough, and to keep them open as you add things on or take them off. Hence, I toss the plastic rings and replace them with book rings... much more user friendly!

I couldn't find any yellow ones, but they are available in colors, if you'd like them to match your kitchens. Check out the pretty green book rings:

I also have all measuring equipment kept together in one crate; that way again we're not searching for random tools. As long as they pull out the "measuring crate," they have everything they'll need to measure. A few years ago WalMart had these mini crates for sale in a myriad of colors, a perfect fit:

Finally, I just found these baskets in the $1 bins at Target about a week ago:

I load these with dish towels and dish cloths before the first lab of the day and place them in the kitchens; the students are then responsible for refilling them as part of their clean-up at the end of the lab, so that the next class will be set up. One less thing I have to do myself, and prevents later classes from running back and forth to the laundry baskets.

Simple little things like these can make all the difference, don't you think?