Blog Segments

I've decided to shape my blog like a radio show with regularly scheduled segments. I think I'm going to have a segment called "Teacher Talk". This segment will focus on quick responses that teachers have to student behavior. The responses will come from me and some of my fellow teachers.

Another segment will be "Are You Smarter Than Really Smart Kids". You know what that one's about. I'm still thinking of a few others. If you have any ideas feel free to offer them up.


Again, these changes are to help me keep my blog updated.

Teacher Moment-Happy Mother's Day!

It was Friday; the Friday before Mother's Day. The students had made Mother's Day cards and a coupon. The coupon's were for things like: washing the dishes, vacuuming the carpet, taking out the trash, and other such helpful tasks. I wanted to leave the kids with an important Mother's Day message: "Guys, don't forget it's Mother's Day. Go home and appreciate her, she does a lot for you!" Many students then said, "But, Ms. Hernandez, you're like a mother because you do a lot for us." Another student said," Yeah, you're like a mother, but you also teach us stuff." That was one of my biggest teacher moments of the year.

Are You Smarter Than Really Smart Elementary Students?

I've seen the show, played the board game, and own the book and I've come to one conclusion. The questions and the grade levels don't match up. I don't know who these first graders are that know where the Constitution was written or how many days are in a non-leap year. I'm sure they exist, but they are definitely in the minority. Some of my fourth graders would have trouble answering these questions, especially the one about U.S. History. They won't be focusing on U.S. History until 5th grade.

I wish you luck on these questions. Don't get down if can't answer them all without assistance. The majority of people are right there with you. Unless you're one of the first graders the TV Network seemed to happen across.

1st Grade: Social Studies
In what month do Americans go trick-or-treating?

1st Grade: World Geography
T or F Africa is a country south of Europe.

2nd Grade: U.S. Geography
What is the body of water between Florida and Texas called?

2nd Grade: English
How many syllables are there in the word Mississippi?

3rd Grade: World History
T or F Columbus discovered America in the fourteenth century.

3rd Grade: Measurements
How many feet are there in 75 yards?

4th Grade: Earth Science
T or F Comets are made up mostly of rock and metal.

4th Grade: Chemistry
On the periodic table, what element is represented by the letter N?

5th Grade: Math
Is the fraction 3/7 greater than or less than 7/10?

5th Grade: Biology
The frontal lobe of your brain controls...
A. your learning and decision making
B. your hearing and memory
C. your sense of touch
D. your sight

$1,000,000 Question
5th Grade: Music
In classical music, what instruments typically comprise a string quartet?

Book Fair Madness

Many teachers have expressed their disdain of the Book Fair. They say their students get crazed at the opportunity to shop and for some time that's all they can think about. Well, I have to admit that the Book Fair has similar effects on me. I love books, but even more, I love shopping for them. Book fairs are my favorite way of purchasing books because I can shop while never leaving the comforts of my school. Not only that, but being a teacher I get the unsurpassable deal of buying three books and getting the fourth free of charge. After school today, teacher's were able to get an early preview of the books, fill out wish list sheets, enter for a prize drawing, all while enjoying refreshments. Being my crazed self I asked if we could make any purchases and the librarian replied with an enthusiastic yes. I was thrilled and rushed back to my classroom to grab my purse.

After some time of browsing I settled on a Chronicles of Narnia set of 3 books, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader Companion Trivia Book, and 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny. The last was recommended to me by Katie, fellow 4th grade teacher.

Everyday I hope to post a couple trivia questions in my blog. Answers will follow in the following day, along with new questions. Hope you viewers have fun. This will help me post everyday, so says my friend Katie.

Surgeon General's Warning on Big Brother

There should be a Surgeon General's Warning for Big Brother.

As you know, I just picked up on Big Brother about a month ago on my friend Katie's advice. Since I missed so much of the drama in the episodes I missed I decided to catch up and watch them online. Today, as I waited to play tennis with "The Crew" I watched the first 10 episodes. I am more addicted to this show than ever and to think I can watch it any time I want and not wait is even worse. While I'm just starting another episode my cell phone rings and Katie tells me they're at my apt. complex and to come outside. I go outside, lock-up the house, and we're off to enjoy a serious round of tennis. Or so I think. We get to the court, notice a few guys talking in the court. Talking as opposed to playing tennis, so we kick 'em out. J/K I kindly asked them if they were done playing, they said yes, packed up, and left. Okay, so we set to play. I notice right off that "The Crew" is particularly giggly today and totally not taking tennis seriously. Well, I get a little moody and it definitely shows. Katie tells me to calm down, we're just playing for fun. So we play our game and after an hour Katie and Wendy stop playing because apparently they've fulfilled their tennis quota for the week. Jesse and I continue to play. As we're playing I notice that Katie and Wendy are sitting on the bench whispering very quietly to each other. Immediately I see a relation to their quiet whispering to the many secret conversations going on in the Big Brother house. I signal Jesse over to the net and point them out. What are they quietly whispering about. I'm in Big Brother mode. I sense mutiny on the court. I yell out and ask them what they're talking about. They say nothing and I continue to play, continually suspicious. WHAT AM I THINKING?! Of course, they are not talking shit about me, but I tell you watching all that Big Brother is messing with my mind. Anyway, after a fun game of "keep Jackie's keys away from Jackie" we finish up and my friends go home after Katie almost runs me down with her car.

In short I think there should be a surgeon general's warning posted for Big Brother. Such as the one down below:

SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: The viewing of this show may cause anxiety, mood swings, unexplained lashing out towards friends and relations, and severe paranoia. If watched in great concentrations the risk of developing any or all of these symptoms may increase and may be potentially fatal to otherwise perfectly healthy relationships.

You're such a boob!

Our school had a Spring Festival to raise money for the school. One of the biggest events of the festival was an auction. Two types of items were auctioned off: baskets filled with items following a theme (like Hannah Montana, High School Musical, Family Fun Games, etc.) and teacher time. Katie, Kari (another fourth grade teacher) and I offered up our time. We would take the student with the winning bid to see Horton Hears a Who. In the end Katie and I each had a student (from our classrooms) bid and win our teacher time. So yesterday our students cashed in. We met them at Tinseltown, bought them snacks and proceeded to the movie. As we opened the doors to the screen room both students said they needed to go to the restroom. Katie volunteered take them and I continued in to snag some seats. The theater wasn't filled, but there was a decent crowd. They returned shortly and the movie began. During the movie the Mayor of Whoville stated that everyone thought he was "a boob". I've never heard this expression before and never expected it in a children's movie. I immediately turned to Katie and was shocked. What? A BooB!? This expression was used often. I'm not sure how that expression found its way in a Dr. Seuss movie. Oh well. There was a moment in the middle of the movie where I turned to Katie and noticed she was napping. The movie did slow down in the middle, but picked up again towards the end. The girls, however, thoroughly enjoyed the movie with occasional spouts of laughter. At the end of the movie Katie took the meaningful line "A person's a person no matter how small" and I took "you're such a boob". I can't wait to see which expression is adopted by kids more. I have an idea, but we'll see.

Hodgepodge of Happenings

Alright, I stopped blogging because since my recent separation from my parents I can't seem to think of anything to write about. I realized that so much of what I had to say centered around my family drama. I can't promise humorous or really interesting entries, but hey life isn't always a roller coaster.

School life has been pretty normal. Either my kids are finally seeing my side of things or I'm just getting used to their quirks. I love the analogy Tim Gunn, from Project Runway, used about the monkey house at the zoo. When you first walk in the smell is appalling, but after while the smell starts to fade. You walk around see the exhibits and before you know it the odor is completely gone, or so you think. Of course, it's still there, but you don't notice it. I've entered the monkey house and the smell has started to fade and life is pretty damn good. All joking aside, I have a pretty good class and I'm happy to have them. They all have different personalities and it's interesting to see how they change throughout the year and think about what they will be like when they grow up or even just up to high school.

Behind the scenes is a different matter. With the end of the year approaching there entails change. In my school's case, a lot of change. Teachers are getting moved around through grade levels, others are putting in transfer requests to different schools, and some are getting them. With all this change comes talk and worry. Where's she going, is she staying, oh no, am I going to get moved? DRAAAMAAA. Luckily, the much of the worry is over except that we are now interviewing applicants for one of our fourth grade positions. Unfortunately, the first interview doesn't look promising. The interviewee sounds okay as a teacher, but her personality and energy is kinda blah. That being our first interview we're eager to do some more searching to find the perfect fit for the Fourth Grade niche.

I recently started watching Big Brother and I'm completely hooked. I started watching when Matt was voted off. Almost immediately I remember having negative feelings towards Natalie and ever since then the feelings have escalated to intense dislike. So much so that I rallied for Sheila's cause and cheered when Natalie was voted off. I hope Adam's next. I predict Sharon and Ryan to be the final two. Both, from what I've seen, have been fairly decent players, but in the end I'm rooting for Sharon.

That's my hodgepodge of happenings. A little bit of this and a little bit of that.