Strategic Planning

I didn't know that part of my job description would be detective.  It wasn't on the contract. It's a good thing that I have a great partner who will do most of the grunt work for me.  Haha.....It's a good thing that I can learn something new each day though so that there are more positive things to focus on than negative.  Today I learned that it is not a good idea to wear a scarf because the kids will pull on it and ask you if they can have it.  No, I tell them. I am English and the things that I wear belong to me and me alone.  I also learned that the kids don't actually know how to use a stapler and then return it to where it belongs.  They misused the tape last week that I had set out for them so they lost the privilage of that and today they lost the use of their stapler.  I knew the kids were just stapling paper to staple so every time a student asked to use it I would hand them a small section of staples and then let them use it.  That way if they took the staples out I wouldn't be losing a bunch, just a few. Today, however, one of my students decided to staple the bulletin board that I had made just because she thought she could.  Bah! I'll show her who's boss!!!  Mmmm...what else did I learn today. Oh yes!!! Making kids take a handwritten note home to their parents is very effective form of communication.  I had two parents come and talk to me tonight.  Then, as I was leaving (finally) the reverend on the colony invited me over for coffee and chat. He's a very chatty guy and I didn't leave until 830!!! I am glad to have finally met him but I need to remember next time to do it sooner than later so I am not up so late.  I am tempted to do some more work now but I am zonked from the long day.  The kids keep doing things that I am not going to notice like copying down answers from the teacher's edition.  Seriously, do they think that I am not going to notice it when they get perfect answers when I know that they rarely get 100% because they can't listen to directions because they are too busy telling me, "BUT I CAN'T DO IT!" in their whinyest voice.  However, I have counter measures that will be taken tomorrow! The other teacher and I have figured out a plan and talked about the things that are working and what are the biggest culprets of time wasters.  The biggest one is "Can I go to the bathroom, it's an emergency." I obviously know that the majority of the time there is truly no emergency and I tell them know and if they really, really have to go they will usually come up to me in a quiet voice and say, "I've really got to go. Can I please go?" I usually relent.  So!! As of tomorrow they are not longer allowed to go to the bathroom on my time! They can go during recess, lunch or afternoon snack break.  I am tired of kids sneaking out and putting candy and gum in their mouth.  I then get complained to that I am wasting theyr candy. Well, if they wouldn't chew or eat it in the first place when they know they are not supposed to, then I wouldn't have to ask them to spit it out!!  Duh! Not sure they get it yet. I will just continue to search their pockets and have them empty them out as they enter the room.  I am hoping that they get annoyed with having to empty their pockets each time they enter the classroom and stop bringing it in.  Time will tell on this one.  More adventures tomorrow. Signing off for now...