Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Which Hats Do I Wear Today?

Being a teacher doesn't mean that I am going to get to go to school to teach and only teach.  There is a whole other list of jobs that I must take on during the day for my kids to be happy, safe, and successful.

**Mom or Grandma--They call me this by mistake but more often than not, they need motherly reassurance, a caring hug, and someone that they know truly cares about them.

**Nurse--Scrapes, cuts, bruise, bloody noses, vomit, accidents, tummy aches, and the list goes on.  You name it--a teacher deals with it.  My desk drawers a loaded with band-aids, although my kids are often mad at me because I don't give them out very easily.  I often encourage them to be tough.  My first year of teaching has led me to deal with flu ridden kiddos, be vomited on, clean up vomit, and have a vomit smelling classroom.

**Actress--If I think some thing is a big deal, I most certainly have 17 kids that think something is a big deal.  If I am excited about something, they are most likely excited about something.  If I act like I am excited about something, they are excited about something.  I can be pretty dramatic as well when I read, my kiddos get a kick out of it---lightens the mood a bit!

**Lawyer--Documentation, documentation, documentation!  I've never wrote down the silliest things before in my life, but I have learned that it is very important just to cover my own behind.  

**Hairstylist

**Secret Keeper

**Professional Shoe Tier--Huge pet peeve!!  In the middle of the year, I began telling them to all find a friend if they didn't know how because I was spending so much time doing it for them.  Instead, they just walked on their laces.  I now am a double knotting queen and they often can't get them untied but I figured parents would probably appreciate their child's laces not being destroyed.

**Police Officer--Rules, Rules, Shmules!

**Snack Provider

**Pants buttoner, zipperer, and tightener (Those elastic tighteners in kids' jeans are life savers!)

**Problem Solver/Mediator

**Oh!  Did I mention that I like to teach as well!!



All in all, teaching wouldn't be teaching if I didn't get the oppurtunity to do all of these different things throughout the day.  Working with kids is what led me to the teaching in the first place and I couldn't be more excited that I am doing what I love!

Monday, May 20, 2013

Birds Galore

Holy Moly! Where do I even begin!? 

When the kids got to school Friday morning, I noticed that two of the eggs had cracked. I didn't share the news since I knew they would be overly excited. By the time pour first recess rolled around, 5 of them had little crack and by the end of the day there were ten with cracks.   I let them know and let them look before their first recess.  Now, while this was pretty exciting, I didn't realize ducks would take soooo long.  With our chickens growing up, it was a relatively quick process.  Friday during school, they were cracked but we couldn't see anything.

                                       

I had gymnastics practice after school so I rushed the eggs to Tatroe's, who wanted to see them hatch so they took them home. I don't think they were prepared for the stink involved with hatching eggs. :-) The first duckling hatched Friday night, one more Saturday morning, and three more Saturday afternoon at their house.  I picked up this stink box and took it home and had one hatch shortly after. Man-o-man did the incubator need cleaned.


Due to a broken air conditioner and me being a worry wart, I witnessed three more hatch in the middle of the night/Sunday morning.  At this point I concocted a divider and put four of the ducklings on the heating pad with the chickens. They don't exactly get along so they have to be separated.  Long story short, I got the incubator cleaned at like 3:30 Sunday morning.

                                      

I got another heating pad and slowly moved the ducks out of the incubator as they dried.  The last three eggs hatch Sunday morning.  Did you read that?!? All 12 eggs successfully hatched!!!!! I was pretty sure they were all dead at one point and time.

                                    

Oh! Did I mention that I bought baby chicks?! I didn't hatch them but rather they came in the mail. Yes, in the mail...in a box. I think the ladies at the post office were rather annoyed when I got there to pick them up.  They were about 24 hours old when I got them and I hope in a few months they'll be laying my breakfast!!  I have planned on getting them for a while but with having the ducks I thought no better time.  Just so happened that they are about exactly the same age.  It was a rather chaotic weekend to say the least.  My plan was to have them in the same pen and raise them together but, ugh, the chicks are mean to my baby ducks!!!

                                  

With Jamison's graduation and birthday parties, I didn't have time to get two pens set up in the coop so my feather headed friends were living in my kitchen and it was growing rather smelly!!  As of last night, my kitchen is put back together, smelling much better, and the birds are outside.  My 31 fur balls got moved and have a little more room to wander about. Man did they run around/spaz when I first put them down. 




...and then it stormed! I was a little stressed about them being out there for like 30 minutes before it torrentially down poured and thunderstormed. Gavin and my dad reassured me that they'd be okay. (Yes, I was raised on a farm and raised chickens but I've always worried about my animals like this.). Shockingly, this morning when I went out to check on them, they were fine and were all snoozing!

Now to keep them alive....

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Quick Update!

I don't exactly have Earth shattering news but it's exciting nonetheless.  Our duck eggs are a'rockin!  While this could last a couple of days before they hatch, it means we are getting close and that they haven't died in their shells.  (I was getting a little nervous to say the least.)

I haven't been able to get a kid actually see it because they can't stand there and be patient without bumping the incubator and practically screaming that they haven't seen anything.  Patience is a virtue and it's very limited in first grade!

I could stand and look in the little windows all day.  The first time that I saw one move I had a huge adrenaline rush.  Dork, I know but I was so excited!

I'm still slightly nervous because everything I read about duck eggs is that they are hard to hatch. Eeekkk.  Sounds like they often require help, which is a no-no in the world of hatching as it can cause the animal to bleed to death.  I have also read that it can take up to 18 hours for them to hatch or that they can dry out and die before they get out of their shell.  Do a little extra praying for my ducks please that they make it out on their own!  Last thing I want to do is explain to my first graders why they are all dying on us!


Friday, May 10, 2013

Weekly Wrap-Up!!


It has been a crazy busy week to say the least!  I have been busy with the duck eggs (which still haven't hatched by the way---still duckless), gymnastics practice, special things going on at school, Teachers Pay Teachers sale, and Books for Charley.  So instead of getting a summary of an individual activity, you're getting a weekly wrap-up!  

We dove in head of heals to the Daily 5 a few months back and I am so super proud of my kiddos for how well they work independently so that I can work in small groups.  The five different things they can do are Read to Self, Read to Someone, Work on Writing, Listen to Reading, and Word Work.  Now, they are supposed to have a choice as to where they go and what they do but I found out early on that they weren't the greatest at this so I made a rotation chart and normally have something for them to do at each spot.  It helps me get more accomplished and keeps them busy for the whole round.

                                           
These three boys are Listening to Reading!  I wrote a grant for the MP3 players and they have worked wonderfully!  The kids LOVE LOVE LOVE them!

                                         
More Listening to Reading--Gilbert the Hero!

                                         
Working on Writing!  My-oh-my have we made huge improvements in our writing!  This week we wrote about what we learned at the dairy farm, what they want to be when they grow up, what they think I should change for next year, what they are going to do this summer, and I always give them a day to write about what ever they want.

                                    
Read to Someone!  Since our reading book can be somewhat of a challenge for some, I use this spot for my kiddos to read the stories together and then read practice our reading strategies!  They must sit EEKK (elbow, elbow, knee, knee) and both read!

                         
Here are to of my little one doing some Word Work.  We were working on commas and pronouns this week so they were building sentences and using commas correctly!

After creating the sentences on the pocket chart, they had to record them.

A little Read to Self action!

                                      
Ah, yes!  We have an ant farm!  While slightly disgusting, the kids love it and it is actually pretty interesting.  One of my kids brought this in and we're going to keep it until they all die.  I don't know all of the details.  I just know that they are fire ants and that there is a large pile of dead one accumulating in the top left corner.  If you are interested, it was bought at Wal Mart. :-)

                                        
Tear!  Here is a picture of our duck EGGS!  Yup, they're still just eggs!

                                        
A little "craft"ivity that we did this week while working on prefixes.  I am in love with this spring weather so we did some Prefix Pots!  

Well, there ya have it--a little summary of our crazy week!  Hopefully I'll have some good duck news over the weekend!  Gavin and I are off to Fort Dodge for a wedding.  It is also his birthday tomorrow so give a shout out to him for being old! :-) Still love him although he is awfully close to rounding 30!

More importantly, consider donating a book to "Books for Charley"!!  I would love to get to donate a load of books to surrounding hospitals and give a sick little kiddo a reason to smile!!


Thursday, May 9, 2013

Books for Charley

Over the past couple of years, I have religiously followed a blog of a "heart family" that lost their little girl, Charlotte, to a congenital heart defect just like my sister, Taylor's.  I often find myself crying, overflowing with joy, grieving, and praying alongside this family.  It is my own way to deal with losing my sister so many years ago.  I have never met this family and hadn't ever even made contact with Kristen, Charlotte's mom--who blogs--until just last week.  My email started will calling myself a blog creeper and to say the least I felt a little awkward about how much I knew about her family yet she didn't have clue to who I was.  My heart breaks for Matt and Kristen for what they have gone through and breaks a little more knowing my parents went through this same thing.

Books for Charley was started a year after Charlotte gained her angel wings in an attempt to give back to all of the people that were placed in their lives and also to give kids like Charlotte something to have while in the hospital for whatever reason.  As a teacher, I have a passion for books and love the whole idea behind this.  Because I love books and also because this hits so close to home, I want to give back.  I contacted Kristen and let her know I would love to help and be a part of the book drive!


So here's the scoop! 
 I am asking for your help and donation of NEW children's books or money to go towards books!  All of the books that I collect will either be donated to our local hospitals for children or sent to Kristen to be donated to a hospital in need.  Each book will be labeled with a "Books for Charley" sticker.  The only thing Kristen asks is that the books be new as used books can hold lots of germs that sick little kids don't need.

How to donate you ask?  
The drive lasts the month of May!  I will have donation boxes at both the high school and elementary in Sumner starting on Monday until the end of the school year.  I can also meet you to pick them up or you can drop them off at my house.  I am also hoping to get a box placed at the State Bank and Trust South office (new one heading out of Waverly) where my mom works.  If we need to make other arrangements, just let me know!  I would love to be able to donate as many books as possible.

Contact Me!
Shoot me an email at kylie.rottink@gmail.com with any questions or details about a drop-off!

Thank you in advance!


Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Daily Duck Update!!

I don't have any good news to share today. We are still duck-less.  My dad did have me take them out of the turner tray so that if, and hopefully when, they start hatching they won't be stuck. I am hoping we get to see some action today.  I will let you know!!


Check back tomorrow as well!! I am taking part in a book drive called Books for Charley and will have the details.  These new books will go to kids and families in hospitals! Since my family has a direct connection to the same defect Charley had, I want to give back!! Please stay tuned!!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Meet Our Babies!

I posted yesterday about bringing the incubator to my classroom! Well folks, here you have it. Meet our 12 unhatched little friends that we are so excited and not so patiently waiting to see.


We had to have a little chat about not touching the incubator and I may have noted that you had to be quiet around the incubator or the ducks would be too scared to come out of their shells.  :-) It worked like a charm and I haven't had to say much else and all I hear is whispers around the incubator.


Let's now pray that they actually hatch and that the y don't all die! I will have 17 upset first graders!

Monday, May 6, 2013

Field Trip to the Dairy Farm

We made the trek to Calmar to the Northeast Iowa Dairy Center on Friday.  It was quite the day to say the least.  You would think that on May 3rd that we wouldn't have to worry about the weather, possibly some rain showers.  But snow?!  Someone really honked off Mother Nature because she thought a snow storm in May was a good idea.  In a nut shell, it was cold, it rained, it snowed, it was a mess, it was muddy, and the roads weren't the greatest.  But, hey, we still made it there and got to do everything that was originally planned.  (I have to admit that I didn't have the best attitude about the cold, messy tour!)

Here is a little snapshot of what our day consisted of!


We started the day off by creating our own little barns and a spinner behind the barn showing the animals that could live in the barn.  During this station, they also learned a little bit about 4-H.  I grew up in 4-H and loved, loved, loved all of the things that I got to experience and learn.


They put together cow puzzles and learned some dairy facts.  


We got to see the cows get milked!  They were soooo super amazed at this process.  It is so advanced now and the girl doing it had it down to a science.  Bless her heart for being able to keep working when she had 50 first graders peering in on her.


They got to make pudding and eat it too!  We put the concoction in the bag and they tossed it around their table to bring it to consistency. So much fun!


The baby calves may have been the all time favorite!  They were allowed to let one of the calves suck on their finger and pet it.    If you can see the little boots they had to wear over their shoes...they were a life saver but also too big so were some what of a head ache.  Taking them off was a little interesting as well considering we did nothing but walk through a muddy mucky mess around the farm.

Stay tuned the rest of the week!!!  I brought in my dad's incubator with 12 duck eggs that are only days away from hatching.   My kiddos are super excited and I am just a tad nervous about this whole process.  I am hoping they get out of their shells with no problems.  If not, my dad may be traveling from Hampton to Sumner in a hurry to save the little things. I was feeling pretty confident about it driving them over, as we hatched chickens all the time when I was little.  Then I got to thinking about how ducks are harder to hatch, how some tend to die, and how its beens a couple years since I've done this!  Wish me luck!!!