Sunday, October 28, 2012

Results

Results:  My first grader won the essay contest--Five dollars--I don't think she even knew what money is for.  The teacher was so happy with her work.  So was I.
   And we added 4 words and my 4th graders still got 100%s!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Tutoring 2

This has been a great day of tutoring.  It was pajama day at school so I wore my Robe over my clothes and my moose slippers.  (thank you David and Erin)  I could have taken my stuffed Moose but I didn't want to drag him all over the school.
     I worked with my fourth graders on their spelling and they did well.  They were due for a pretest right after recess.  Then I worked with my fifth graders and they did well reading the story and telling where from a real knowledge of the solar system and constellations the ideas in the story might have come from.  They were attentive and interested--not always the case--and it was a good session. Next was recess and then the third graders. They did so well on their spelling and timed tests that I will need to replenish my skittles supply.
     Then lunch time.  During lunch Mrs. Ekkers came in and asked me if the kids had found me.  I said no and she said that the 3 girls had 100 %s  and the boy missed one.  At recess they were so excited they nearly knocked me down with hugs--These are the kids that have never gotten more than 2 or 3 right in their lives.  Now they believe me that they can.  True we only studied 10 of the 30 words, but they had all ten right.  And they were 4th grade level words.
     Then I went into the other 5th grade and the kids were taking a math test.  The teacher brought me the essay that the little girl I tutor after school had written for the bully free zone contest and she had used perfect penmanship.  Teacher was really happy--said you couldn't even read her writing last year and the essay even made sense.
     When I went to pick up my first grader, the teacher handed me the paper she was to write an essay on for the bullying contest.  We wrote it and she drew a school--rectangle with the doors in front center the windows on either side and a large smiley mouth underneath the "Bully Free Zone."  It was really nice-for a first grader.
     These kids are making real progress and I'm having so much fun.   Of course there was yesterday------- :(     But the good times are outweighing the bad.