Lots of Opportunities

As the calendar changes from July to August, the warm air ushers in that feeling of a new beginning in my mind. The hot, sticky weather, the knowledge that summer is running out of time, and the amount of back-to-school Wal-Mart ads announce that another year of school is about to begin.

I feel that twinge of nervousness. I will have about forty new kids in my life in a few short weeks, forty new faces and names to learn, forty new personalities to adapt to, and forty new opportunities. Yes! Opportunities. The google definition of “opportunity” is stated as, “a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something”. WOW! I will have 40 sets of circumstances that will make it possible to do something! Forty different packages of various talents and skills; some will be amazing at math, others will be strong readers, some will love to write stories or learn about the past. And some... will not be excited about reading, some won’t care about Social Studies or how communities work and change over time. Some will not like grammar, spelling or writing at all…but regardless, ALL; every single one of these, “sets of circumstances” will make it possible to do something.

My job will be to learn everything I can about each student in orders to tap into what makes them tick. I will teach them to love reading when I read aloud books like Charlotte’s Web and The Twits, and come up with crazy voices for the characters, with weird accents. They will learn to love writing when I learn what they enjoy doing, and then help them develop a narrative about that topic. Grammar will become a fun activity with the use of task cards and group challenges and games.

They will also learn how very important it is to “make mistakes”, so they can become better. In fact, they will learn that their teacher just might be the “queen of mistakes” J They will see that hard work and trying again and again is how you truly learn and make the most of the opportunities you are given.

Every child is an opportunity---a little set of circumstances that make it possible to do something. We will do so much! I hope they each leave my room in May knowing that they all have “opportunities” and “possibilities” in their lives and future. I hope above all they learn how to persevere and work hard, to never give up and to definitely make mistakes because if they can learn that…then any opportunity they have, big or small will far surpass their expectations in the same way I am sure each of them will far surpass mine!

Son OR Son-in-Law----it's all the same to me

     Having been blessed with two amazing daughters has been the most significant part of my life. Everything else I have accomplished in my life is really just icing on the cake, my girls were and continue to be “the cake”.  

     And as if cake and icing weren’t enough, recently a new addition to our family has added a much needed scoop of ice-cream! For a little over a year now I have had the privilege of having a SON-in-law, which is actually the next best thing to a having son; maybe even better. After all I didn’t have to raise him or pay the high car insurance that boys normally have to pay. I didn’t have to pay for his soccer shoes, his sports camps, play to pays or the big grocery bill that comes with having boys (which moms of boys have always told me all about). I have the reward without the work, which rarely works out in life.

     When I first met Coty…I just wasn’t sure. It’s always hard when your kids start relationships. I didn’t really know Coty, he wasn’t a ‘River View Black Bear’; in fact he had graduated from that “other” school, and was Red and Black all the way! He was nice enough…but just someone new and different. The more I got to know him though, the more I genuinely liked him and eventually loved him.

     Today I feel very blessed to have Coty as my SON-in-law. He has honestly become as much ‘my kid’ as my own daughters. We think alike, we make the same sarcastic comments (all in good fun) and we both love trivia and playing games. He is helpful and willing to put himself second to make things work out for someone else. But more than this, I know that Coty loves my daughter and little grandson as much as I do. He gives them his most precious commodity, his time. He helps clean, cook, sweep, shop, and also works his full-time job. He plays with my grandson, chases him, wrestles him and loves him. Without Coty, we wouldn’t even have Grayson, and I can’t imagine a life without this little guy. In a way, Coty has given my husband and I, a brand new role in life and whole new adventure in helping to make us grandparents.

     Even though I didn’t raise him, I have a bond with this amazing young man. He is thoughtful and funny and is more apt to help me out some days than either one of my daughters, a fact that makes me smile and frown at the same time! I know I can count on Coty.       This is a comforting thought because I know that someday I will probably have to count on him more than I will want too. Still I like knowing that when and if that day comes, he will be there; and he will be there with grace and kindness because that is who he is and what kind of man he will always be.

What I hope my kids learned in third grade…

Shelly Webb

May 1st. ushers in a sense of completion in my mind. The sound of lawnmowers, the smell of fresh-cut grass and the amount of spring cleaning remind me that another year of school is waning to an end.

I start thinking of “my kids” and how they will all be moving on and I wonder what exactly they will take with them to fourth grade, what have they learned this year. I refer to them as “my kids”, because they truly have become “mine”. When you spend five days a week with a child for nine months, you can’t help but become sucked into their life.

 I know all about them, I know their personalities, their strengths, and their weaknesses. I know how sensitive or tough they are and how they are going to react to whatever situation. I can predict their thought pattern, I know what motivates them and I know what shuts them down. I know who needs pushed and I know who needs built-up, before they can be pushed.

Academically they have ALL grown, some have shown remarkable growth and some average growth, but overall they have all grown and learned lots of things.

For instance, they have increased their vocabulary significantly, they know many Greek and Latin Roots, they can compare and contrast two texts, they know about fables, folktales and myths, they can write an opinion, they can identify nouns, verbs, adjective, adverbs and pronouns, they have increased their reading level and they are well-versed in various genres and authors of their time.

And all that is great…but it’s really not the most important things they have learned. What my kids have learned that matters most of all is that they now have one more adult in their life that genuinely cares about them. They have learned that I believe in them, and that I understand some of the tough circumstances in their young lives. They have learned that I am available to listen, talk or help them out.

They have all learned that MISTAKES are NECESSARY in school and more importantly in life, and that every mistake is a chance to learn and that no one truly ‘learns’ without making mistakes. They have learned that they do not have to be perfect and that their teacher is VERY FAR from perfect.

They have learned that they are free to mess up, to become frustrated, to lose a book, to forget a book, to fail a test, and to re-take a test. They are free to make choices, to share with each other, to have a disagreement, to say ‘I’m sorry’ and to grow. They have also learned the one thing they can NEVER do… and that is to, “give up on learning”. Even when the text looks too hard or the book looks too long, they know they have to dig deep and persevere. They have learned that “hard work” far, far outweighs being smart and that they all have the ability to be hard-workers.

I have taught them how important a good work ethic is when it comes to getting a job. They know that this one valuable character trait can take them much further than the number attributed to their IQ score.

We have also delved into various college websites to learn that college really can be for everybody. Degrees in programs like ‘Wildlife Conservation’, ‘Mechanical Engineering’, ‘Art’ and ‘Sports and Fitness Management’ grabbed the curiosity of a few that had little interest in college until then. The smile on their faces and new enthusiasm for their future was priceless.

 I believe my kids have learned the content standards, which is vitally important for their success in future grades. But to be honest…my mission is so much bigger than that.

When that last day of third grade comes and goes, I hope it comes and goes with life long memories full of magic and grace. I hope that years from now a random thought back to third grade brings a smile to their faces. I hope they remember the prize box, the music we played, the debates and skits we did, the suckers, the tootsie rolls, and I hope they think of me and realize that Mrs. Webb really, truly cared about them and their future…because I do!

          

More than a doctor…

A Pediatrician is technically a doctor that treats children. He or she is there for the first check-up and immunizations; and then sticks around for the next 18 years overseeing the health of the child.

My Pediatrician, Dr. Tiberio, stuck around a tad longer and was there to welcome our first grandchild into the world, however at our last well-baby appointment he broke the news that he is planning to retire in May. The room was suddenly deflated and the mood in my heart turned gloomy. I kept telling myself, “Don’t cry…everyone retires…you’re being ridiculous, don’t cry”…but as usual, ‘myself’, didn’t listen and soon the tears were flowing.

For the past twenty-five years this gentle, caring man has been there, like a quiet member of my family, one that stays back in the shadows and causes no drama. Over the years he has treated so much more than ear-aches and viruses. He has treated my worries, my over-reacting and my fears; all with a calm and reassuring voice.

Statements such as, “No, Kennedy will NOT nurse forever,”, “Yes Katilyn WILL be potty-trained” and, “The vaccines are safe, please don’t worry”, only scratch the surface of the candor and wisdom he provided me.

Number one, he “remembers” my mom, and if you are someone that has lost your mom, then you know how important it is when someone “remembers” her. My mom accompanied me to every pediatric visit until she died, when Katilyn was twenty-months old. After that I went alone to the check-ups and sick visits, but Dr. T always commented about “how proud” my mom would be of Katilyn, and that he knew how badly I missed her and how hard it was for me. I seldom left with dry eyes those days, but eventually things got better.

Then when my dad was diagnosed with cancer and died within just a few months I remember telling Dr. Tiberio that I really should have insisted on chemotherapy WITH the radiation, instead we opted to do radiation first and then add chemo later, and my dad never made it to one chemo treatment. I felt like it was the wrong choice and that I should have been more on my game so to speak. He listened quietly and then said the magic words that lifted that burden from my heart. “My dad was in a similar situation,” he shared. “I insisted on chemo and radiation at the same time, and you know what Shell, he didn’t live any longer than your dad”. Those words made everything better, as strange as that may sound; I had just been granted permission NOT to replay the ‘what ifs’ over and over in my mind.

My Pediatrician was caring, patient and spent TONS of time with my kids during their appointments, he didn’t only treat them, he treated me. He treated me with kindness and guidance; he treated me with respect and compassion. He was a doctor, but he was also a husband, a dad of four kids and in recent years a grandfather. He allowed all those experiences to become an intricate part of how he doctored and cared for his patients.

I feel privileged and blessed to have gotten to know him over the years. I feel especially grateful that he was able to take care of my girls and usher them into adulthood and that first appointment with their “grown-up doctor”. I love the fact that he was there to greet my little grandson and take care of him for the first 18 months of his life.

I hope he realizes that his life’s work is so much more than the medical aspect; he has been an emotional support, a friend, a counselor and wonderful advice giver. No one is perfect, not even doctors, but this one was pretty close. My wish is for his retirement to be full of promise, good health, family and prosperity, he deserves it!

End of the Day Reflection—

Shelly Webb

As the last voices fade from the hallway and the sound of a lagging school bus passes beneath my window, I automatically start to reflect.

The realization of how tired I am kicks in; I didn’t sleep well last night and I wonder if I really gave it my all today. I wonder if I will sleep tonight, I wonder if it’s my age or just my mind not shutting off that keeps me tossing and turning. As I recount the events of the day I remind myself how well most of my students did on the ‘Idiom’ quiz, I feel like they finally understand what “feeling under the weather” and “giving someone the cold shoulder” actually means… although I’m not sure exactly how essential this information will prove to be in their futures. They also did a great job using task cards to ‘make conclusions’, but again…not sure if this will help them land a job one day, unless they are intuitive enough to conclude exactly what to say in the interview and when to stop talking altogether.

Then I reflect about the day’s events that didn’t have anything to do with ‘content’ or ‘learning targets’. I helped one girl make a bracelet out of construction paper and staples during inside recess, she loved it. I received an awesome handmade card from another at the end of the day. I listened about a new puppy someone received for Christmas and PATIENTLY listened to another student’s very detailed story about what ALL she received for Christmas. I pulled a tooth, refereed a dispute between three very DRAMATIC nine-year-old girls, and convinced two students that received Cs on the ‘Idiom’ quiz that they absolutely did an amazing job, which they did! They both loved the sticker on their paper and proudly showed them like medals of honor. I had lunch duty too, so I ate with my kids today and ended up splitting my Pizzaburger with one. He was excited… I was full.

I wonder if making connections with kids is just as important as making them grow. I think the two are actually intertwined. I want my students to learn to their full potential, but I want them to feel a connection with me that is rooted in the knowledge that all things aside, they, personally matter most. They matter more than a STAR score, more than a test score, more than a grade card or a reading level. I want them to know that I genuinely care about the daily events that matter to them, and trust me, in third grade there are MANY daily events that matter!

Not that this diminishes learning; I know how important the content is and how critical learning to read, analyze and think about a situation are to growing and achieving in the third grade. We compare and contrast everything under the sun; we use context clues daily to figure out what new words mean, we can identify the way a text is organized, the character traits and setting of stories, we write our opinions and expository texts, and we work on a hundred other things.

But in the big scheme of life……I teach, AND…I listen to stories about puppies, I hug crying, drama filled third graders, I high-five kids for achieving Cs and make sure they know a hard C means so much more than an easy A, I laugh at their knock-knock jokes even when they’re not funny and I referee…oh, and I pull teeth (often). And I’m betting years from now, they may not remember all the content I have taught, but they will remember the hugs, the high fives and all the little day-to-day things that have nothing to do with learning, but everything to do with life, at least I hope they will. J

Learning to be a SuperHERO

Shelly Webb

         

          Being a mother of two girls I developed a deep knowledge of the many woes and triumphs of the Disney Princesses. I was greeted daily by posters of ‘Sleeping Beauty’, ‘Belle’, ‘Princess Jasmine’, ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Snow White’. We owned every VHS in which these fine ladies were featured and read lots of stories about their exciting love lives. I also gained a keen understanding about ‘Barbie’, ‘Skipper’, ‘Ken’, all the American Girl dolls and Polly Pocket. The greatest lesson that I learned through this was that I should have purchased stock in Disney and the other companies pushing these products because then today I could look at all those purchases as an ‘investment’ and rest easy. Instead I find myself trying to justify those purchases by interesting my one-year-old grandson in Barbie’s little skateboard or Jasmine’s flying carpet, which I can tell, annoys my son-in-law.

          I was blessed with my girls and they are beautiful and amazing. I am glad I have a grandSON today because I realize I missed out on a lot of boy stuff when my girls were growing up. For example, I don’t know a thing about the ‘Power Rangers’, the teenage mutant turtles, or the “X-Men”…are they good or evil by the way? And if not for my awesome friend, Sandy (who had two boys) I would have missed out on the most important and life changing men besides my husband…BATMAN and SPIDERMAN!

          My girls were not into superheroes when they were young, and as a result I turned down many movie invites. Thank goodness the ‘Dark Knight’ had three parts and I finally relented and agreed to accompany my friend to part-three. I was reluctant and went into it thinking, “ugh I hope this isn’t a long movie”! BUT… I not only loved it, I saw it two more times in the next couple weeks and bought the first two movies of the series. I also bought the Spiderman Movies, saw Superman and Iron Man. This completely changed me into a SuperHERO freak, not quite on the same level as Sheldon Cooper…but close.

          Now imagine my excitement when our principal announced that the theme for Warsaw Elementary this year will be: “Be Someone’s SuperHERO” H=Helpful, E=Energetic, R=Respectful, O=Optimistic! How awesome is this?

          A SuperHERO spends a lot of time ‘rescuing people’ and who needs rescued more than kids? Some may need, rescued from boredom, some from a bad day, some, from a forgotten lunch sitting back on the kitchen counter, some from lost homework or a failed test. Some may even need rescued from ‘themselves’, or a bad attitude or arrogance or bullying or being a bully. The point is we all need rescued from time to time and I will be in a perfect position to rescue and make a difference.

          A SuperHERO is someone you admire and trust, I hope my students will admire and trust me. Creating a positive relationship with them honestly means more to me than the curriculum, whether that’s wrong or right, I’m not sure, but relationship has to be the number one goal in my opinion. Without relationship, respect and trust, why would they even care to listen to anything I have to say?

          When you believe and know that someone genuinely cares about you, you will listen to them; when someone takes a risk for you, you will respect them; when you really matter to someone, they become your SuperHERO.

          I am excited because even though I don’t have this ‘common core’ things completely down and I am still learning about assessments, technology, differentiation and a ton of other education terms---I’ve got the SuperHERO background completely covered!

And just like Batman I’m sure I will encounter a ‘joker’ or two, like Superman I’m sure I will meet my Lex Luther…..but I have one thing Batman, Superman and all the others lacked… I have ‘a no recess card’, so I’m sure I’ll be just fine until I win any little villains over with my super charm!

Reflecting on my soon to be--graduate 

With the shadow graduation looming on the horizon, I simultaneously feel mixed emotions of pride, joy and sadness. First, I have been very blessed to have two unbelievably awesome daughters. Tonight, however I am reflecting on how quickly time has passed between the day I dropped Kennedy off at preschool and now.

I remember picking her up at preschool the first day and how excited she was to show me the little playground. She wore a Scooby Doo denim dress and pony-tails. I also remember the day she came home from preschool and proudly explained that she had gone to the bathroom, and had NOT yelled for Mrs. Coffman to “come and wipe”. The confidence she had after that accomplishment was amazing!

When she was in First Grade my oldest daughter, Katilyn cut ALL her bangs off. It was right before Christmas pictures and I was livid, but Kennedy’s attitude was priceless, “I have to go to school until they grow back Mom, now stop crying”, she ordered as I sat on the bathroom floor threatening to cut Katilyn’s hair too. I think facing the world with NO bangs, not a one, gave her even more confidence than the whole wiping thing in preschool.

In Second grade for career day, she wanted to be President of the United States. “There’s no costume for that,” I told her. “All I need is a badge,” she explained. So she dressed in a little plaid coat dress, all buttoned up and wore a “Vote Kennedy Webb for President 2032” badge, (which I still have). We ordered them online and she passed one out to everyone in the class and again, her confidence grew a little more.

In addition to confidence she began to develop a lot of compassion. She always stuck up for the underdog, she tried to right every wrong and felt a sense of responsibility to make things better. She was on a mission to be the ‘fixer’ of all problems and troubles. This was great when she was successful, but tough when she wasn’t.  

“I don’t want to be 11”, she told me on her eleventh birthday. I remember telling her that she was silly and had to grow up, but that she would always be my baby. Inside though… I was thinking the same thing… “I didn’t want her to be 11 either”. I missed the rustling sound the diaper would make when she would run away from me with something in her hand that she shouldn’t have. I missed how she only wore one sock, and hid in the cupboards and watched the “Wizard of Oz” non-stop.

Through Junior High and High School I watched helplessly as the last shred of my “little girl” disappeared into a beautiful, strong, somewhat opinionated young woman. It’s amazing to me how she can light up a room by just walking in; or how her very odd sense of humor can send people into hysterics. “She’s a weird one,” her dad whispers to me, “wonder where she gets it from” he winks. I could only hope she gets some of her characteristics from me.

But regardless, I am so proud of the person she has become and the passion she possesses. I know I have been given a great privilege to ‘watch’ this very special person change and grow into someone I want to be more like. It’s strange, when you become a mom, you always think in terms of “teaching and molding” this new little person so they can make it in life. But I feel like I am the one that has been “taught and molded” by her. I pray I am blessed with good health so I can continue to watch the wonderful, unfolding of her story. I’m sure it will be a classic/ comedy/ drama/ academy award winning saga.