"Amat Amat lang"

That phrase means "just little by little" in Ilonggo. Today was A-day again. Around lunchtime I was actually happy! No major problems. I was doing Ok, but probably a little lax on discipline (we were doing an arts and crafts groupwork thing on the floor and there was a lot of chatter, but work was getting done and no one was out of control, so I let it slide...probably not right according to the powers that be, but I was enjoying evesdropping and getting to know my kids). Before we went to lunch I laid down the law about going to/from lunch. My class has been really loud in the hall and I'm embarrassed that we're disturbing other people's classes. I took my class roster with me to lunch and had no problems on the way down. Coming back up though, (surprise surprise) was loud and obnoxious. We made the obligatory bathroom stop and the other kids were too loud in the hall. Bathroom kids took too long. We started walking to the classroom and they were loud and yelling out my first name (I think I may have let that slip on an overhead of my family tree on B-day---which is wierd cause I was really freaked out about the kids knowing it in summer school....oh well). I told them it was unacceptable and made them go back to where we were standing and get quiet and walk again. Everytime, as soon as I looked away from any part of the line, that part started saying my name, "SHHHHHH", or "we're not going to get any marbles" (in a mocking way....not a serious way). I made them go back and repeat it and told them I would make them stay after the bell for every minute they wasted in the hallway. Finally we made it to the classroom (not completely quiet, but the bell was about to ring and it was close enough) and I made them sit. The bell rang almost immediately and I told them I wouldn't start the minute until everyone was quiet. Everyone was never really completely quiet, but I must have held them 3 minutes after the bell. I dismissed one side of the room first and one girl from the other side walked out. I couldn't find anyone to punish individually, because it was such a group thing....I should have picked a sacrificial lamb. I'm not even sure I know the girl's name who walked out (that's my largest class and today was only the 4th time I've seen them--and the one with 1 major discipline problem that takes up all my time). I'm thinking of making a blanket rule that talking coming back from lunch=morning detention, but I'm worried about enforcing it when I'm walking down the hallway. I guess I could take names and give the consequence when they get back to class, but there is no reason for them to hurry back other than that because there's only 10-15 minutes left in the period. Strangely enough, up until that point that class was angelic.

Fourth period was OK. The groupwork got kind of loud and people were milling around too much. I dealt with it pretty well, but I did have to give one girl detention right at the end because she had been shouting across the room and singing the whole period. I should have cracked down on that sooner.

I have a few simple ideas how to improve for B-day, but not a lot. The activity kind of requires a certain amount of casual-ness (sitting on the floor, getting up and getting supplies, talking to groupmates) and maybe wasn't a great start of the year activity, but they're making world maps, which are fun, educational, and look great in the classroom. On the plus side, the activity takes up the ENTIRE period (a couple of groups didn't finish) and I heard one student say that the period went by really fast, which I take as an indication that they enjoyed it and were busy.

Personally, I'm doing better. Not great, but better. Unfortunately that has to do with lowering my own standards of myself, but I think that may be a healthy thing. Every now and then when I look around the building at 5pm and everyone else is gone, now I think "I should go home" and "I can do this tomorrow". It means I'm not as prepared as I'd like to be, but it also means I'm sane, and I'm more prepared than the teachers that were out the door at 3:45 (brand new teachers!). My administration is great! We've had class lists since the Friday before school started and we distribute textbooks this week (I've had a class set since Friday). Our schedules should be set by the end of the week and they've been really considerate and they come by and check up on me every couple of days. I actually asked my vice-principal about the lunch thing today to try and get some advice and he was pretty cool about it. I haven't baked any cookies because sleep has been more important right now, but I make a point to speak to the custodian/secretaries/librarians every day. My overhead light blew on Friday and the librarian went out of her way to try and order me some bulbs and lent me the library projector in the meantime. I think what made it the hardest last week was that everyone was so supportive, I felt like everything that went wrong was my fault (and it was). But I'm just going to have to make mistakes...that's what new teachers do...and I'm just going to keep caring about the kids and doing the best I know how. I may not reach 100% of them 100% of the time (although I'm sure as heck going to try), but I'm doing my best and when I know how to do it better, I will.