Random Projects

I found this post half-written from two weeks ago. It was a rant about how much I hate little "extras" that I'm supposed to do. Like remind kids about fundraisers. Prepare them for standardized tests. Remind them about projects. Things that always get driven from my mind as soon as there are actually kids in my room.

Well, standardized testing was all of last week, and it will happen again on Tuesday. So far, two kids missed one day of testing from my class. I'm pretty sure that I have the best attendance of any class in our school. I am, of course, taking full credit and responsibility for that. I am equally confident that my kids will all bomb the social studies part. A large part of that has to do with our state standards, which are dumb. But that's a rant for another time.

We just started a fundraiser done through the Leukemia and Lymphoma society called Pennies for Patients. It's basically a fundraiser. My class has been embarrassed in every fundraiser we've done so far this year. I refuse to lose another one. Plus, there's a pizza party involved at the end. My class has set the highest goal, and I have quite the incentive plan set up for the class. I will be selling things like homework passes, bonus quiz/test points, "get out of jail free cards" to get them out of one of my punishments for a day (those are expensive - $10), and there will be Gatorade and chip sales after school on some days. In addition, there are some cool class rewards. Upon reaching $50, I will play music during every homeroom time during April. After $100, we will have recess after lunch every day. After $200, two of my kids who have been dying to perform their raps for the class will be able to perform a concert, and upon reaching $300, I will get a rather embarrassing haircut (a "Boosie fade"). WE. WILL. NOT. LOSE.

We just did our African American Wax Museum on Friday for the younger grades. Each middle schooler was supposed to pick a famous African American to represent both by dressing up and through the use of props. They were to memorize a short biography of the person. We lined them around the cafeteria and the elementary school grades walked around pushing their buttons (which were little pieces of paper that said "Push Here") and listening to the speeches. All-in-all it was pretty good. About half of each class went. Which means a significant number of students will get a 0 as a test or quiz grade - I still haven't decided which.

This week is the last week of the quarter. We don't have school Friday (so we can take the day to finish up inputting our grades). Hopefully I make it to next weekend.