Playing With Toys

I confiscated a toy car in my SETSS class today. I put it right into my striped, colorful pouch from J,crew that I've taken to carrying everywhere with me.  I don't know how many times I can tell a child to put away a toy before taking it away. I'll give it back tomorrow, if all is well. 

List of things I've confiscated: phones, hats, miniature skateboards, footballs, rubber bands, ballons and a toy car. 

Is it June yet?

Love,

Miss M

TL: Sixth Graders Need Structure

What I've learned from eight months of teaching sixth grade: big changes happen in sixth grade year. Seventh grade remains the most challenging, but anticipate changes. Sixth graders go from elementary school babies to true middle schoolers.  Create structure, structure, and more structure.  Sixth graders want and need you to tell them how to do every, and I mean every, little thing.  That I know now.

Teacher Lesson: Sixth graders need structure.

Purple Lipstick & a Mint Blouse

I enjoyed the mix of colors here--purple lips, mint blouse, deep orange cardigan

Jackie cardigan, Forever 21 blouse, Target skirt, rye pumps

the colors came through a little better here

MAC lipstick, Heroine

Olive, Navy, Mint and Yellow

I decided to show my personality at work and wear a me outfit. 

J.crew linen blazer and olive green tissue tee, navy Missimo tank from Target, American Apparel easy jean, yellow Seychelles pumps, gold Guess watch

loving the colors!

sans blazer

nude face, Warby Parker frames

Mortified

Imagine the look on this teacher's face when she gets up, after watching a Shakespeare play in an intimate and pristine Lincoln Center theater with her sixth graders, and she sees sunflower seeds on the carpeted floor.

Mortified.

That was me today. This is after explicit instructions and a gum-check at the door. Yup, one student will not be leaving the building with me again this year.

Love,
Miss M

Bright in Spring

Target pencil skirt, Forever 21 top, Frye pumps, Express cardiagan

was loving this purple MAC lipstick

my calgel mani from Marie Nails in Soho. love love!

thumb didn't photograph as well, but is my favorite nail. pale yellow on nude color, yes! and that is my dog, Almond.

The New Miss M

Apparently my students don't like the "new Miss M."  They let my co-teacher know this the period she teaches them without me.  Last week, also the same week as the new Common Core aligned state test, the students were atrocious.  I'm not sure how many detentions, both after-school and during lunch, that a teacher can give.  Something had to give.  So I gave. I changed.

I'm still myself-- it's not personal-- but, I am stern.  The students line up outside the classroom in two lines, one for boys and one for girls.  I filter them into the classroom, two by two by two.  There is absolutely no talking allowed, and I address every little thing from discreet gum chewing to getting up without permission.

Clearly, the sixth graders are not ready for seventh grade, so my co-teacher and I have to take it back to fifth grade for just a little bit.  And the students, they don't like it one bit.  But that is just fine.  A good teacher knows when she has to meet the students where they are in order to reach and teach them.

Love,
Miss M