By the Numbers...

25: The number of students in my classroom at this point. Up from the original 13 since the 4th grade teacher quit, the other 3rd grade teacher took her place, and I inherited the entire 3rd grade.

3: The number of my students currently living in a homeless shelter. 

0: The number of F's I gave out this quarter, compared to several first quarter.

5: The number of compliments my class received for hallway behavior this week.

3: The number of teeth lost in my classroom this week.

2: The number of students who have parents currently in jail, that I know of. 

2:1:  The ratio of girls to boys in my classroom. Thank God.

4: The number of students who wrote their "I Want to Become..." essays about growing up to "be a teacher, like Ms. Thompson." :)

30: The number of sack lunches ordered for our upcoming field trip to a professional puppet show this Wednesday, which was "coincidentally" scheduled on my birthday.

7: The number of minutes I cried when my biggest problem student came to me and asked, "Ms. Thompson, I need help. How do you control your anger when you get mad?"

0: The number of Science and Social Studies lessons I'm allowed to teach until after March, because those subjects are not tested on the State assessment. Sad life.

1: The number of snow days given in the Kansas City school district so far this year (we're currently tied with Las Vegas. True story).

"1,ooo": The number of dollars my student C says her mom throws away every day at "the boat"

54: The number of days until Spring Break :)

Six-Month Anniversary

As my friend and co-worker Miranda and I were sitting in a booth at Panera writing endless grad school papers this past Friday night, we both happened to notice the date: December 5th.  Exactly 6 months ago to the day, 50 eager almost-teachers descended upon the University of Missouri-Kansas City, ready to change the world one student at a time.  The significance of this date prompted me to take a little life-inventory of how much my life has changed in the past 6 months. Here's what I came up with:

6 months ago:

I had never lived alone.

I had never paid a bill.

I had never had a walk-in closet.

I had never had gay neighbors who cook for me :)

I had never gone months at a time without seeing my family.

6 months ago:

I thought my life was in order.

My blood pressure was normal.

I had never been to Arizona. Twice.

I had never worked an 18-hour day.

I had never worked 18-hour days for 5 weeks in a row.

I thought finals in college were stressful.

6 months ago:

I didn't know the first thing about teaching. Literally.

I didn't know that there were rules about decorating bulletin boards.

I didn't realize how intimidating 8 year olds can be.

I didn't realize how mean 8 year olds can be.

I didn't realize that I would be depended on so much by my 8 year olds.

I didn't know the words "working for the weekend" rang so true.

6 months ago:

I had never met a child who was forced to sleep in a bed with her 3 brothers and sisters, like B is.

I had never met a child who was dealing with the details of her mother's frequent trips in and out of jail, even knowing how much bail was set for, until i met N.

I had never seen a child so angry from so much hurt and disappointment felt in just 8 short years until I met D.

I had heard the statistics about poverty in America, but had never came face to face with the reality of children who don't eat regularly, who don't have clean clothes to wear, and who have seen their own family members become victims of street violence.

6 months ago:

I had never felt the satisfaction of seeing a child learning because I was teaching.

I didn't know that even the worst of bad moods could be lifted by the sight of a huge, toothless smile.

I didn't know the truth of the notion that hard, hard, HARD work will be rewarded.

I didn't know my own strength. 

I didn't know my job would make me cry, both the saddest and the happiest of tears.

I didn't know how much I could miss my family and friends.

I didn't know how much I would love my students.

I didn't know what it was like to do something truly unselfish, putting the success and well-being of 13 little people above all else.

I didn't know what it was like to be part of something that is truly making a difference, and I could not be prouder to be "Teaching Across the States" (as someone once called it) with thousands of other gluttons for punishment like myself.

6 months down...and 18 more to go

Prayer Requests...

One of my dearest friends and ADPi sisters from SLU, Keri Massa, just recently found out that her father was diagnosed with severe pancreatic cancer.  The Massas are an amazing family and I have full faith that they will come through this with flying colors, but I ask that you please keep them in your prayers.

Also, please continue to pray for the family of another dear friend and sister, Carrie Hoyt, that her mother is healthy and well.  

As the holiday season approaches, be sure to remind the ones you love how much they mean to you.  No time like the present.

For my teachers...

Got this in an email from my mom and I thought some of you would relate. I know I do...

How would you pronounce this child's name?:  Le-a

Leah?? NO

Lee - A??  NOPE

Lay - a??  NO

Lei?? Guess Again.

It's pronounced "Ledasha"  Oh yes...you read it right.

This child attends a school in Livingston Parish, LA. Her mother is irate because everyone is getting her name wrong.  SO, if you see something come across your desk like this please remember to pronounce it correctly.

When the mother was asked about the pronunciation of the name,
she said "the dash don't be silent."

I can only hope...

http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/k-12/2008/10/17/the-evolution-of-teach-for-america.html

Tonight my fellow TFA'ers and I went to the zoo for a cocktail hour with some of Kansas City's most prominent citizens.  The purpose of the event was to expose them to our cause and to put some faces with the headlines that have been promoting our arrival since early summer.  Some of the attendees included Carl Schramm from the Kauffman Foundation (a HUGE supporter of TFA in KC), Todd Epsten, CEO of Major Brands in St. Louis, Missouri State Senator Jeff Smith, and Maxine Clark, CEO of Build-A-Bear/national TFA board member/honorary doctoral degree recipient, Saint Louis University '08.  (For those of you that were at graduation, she was the little short lady that got her honorary degree with Jack Buck and the Drury couple). It was nice to get dressed up and talk to adults for a change :)

So one of my major challenges in teaching has been figuring out the right approach to classroom management.  At the risk of sounding self-sacrificial, I will tell you that my students are mostly from the ghetto.  Hell, my school is located in the ghetto.  And what my students know is a ghetto way of life.  They haven't been taught that problems can be solved with words and not violence.  The respect for authority figures that is instilled in many children by their parents is lacking. So basically, my job is not only to bring my students up to grade level--which for most of them involves a leap of about 1 1/2-2 years--but also to try and teach them the life skills that they must have to escape the cycle of violence, illegal activity, and poverty that plagues them every day of their lives.  And I know it does--it's amazing how honest and open 8 year-olds can be.

Not that it's all bad.  Some days are better than others...last week I had my first genuinely good, productive day.  That was a big step.  I have lots of stories to share, but right now it's late and I have tests to grade, so I'll have to post those later...

Traveling to St. Louis this weekend for the Show-Me Summit, a day of workshops geared toward the needs of TFA teachers in the KC and STL corps.  Staying with Morgan and Katie and I absolutely cannot wait!!

Oh yeah, and did you catch that TFA shout out on the debate??  Hell yes!

A few pics...

A few from the classroom...