Esme tells us how her expectations for students conflict with those of her principal. She expresses her concern for one student in particular and sees first-hand the reason for his acting-out behaviors. She learns of another student who handles difficulties at home in a much different way. A student brings her 2-year-old brother to school for Esme to care for.
Esme's Storytelling Festival goes off without a hitch, although the administration points out a number of things she could have done differently. She tries an intervention with the outspoken student above. She has more success with the girsl who confesses to stealing.
ITBS scores come back, villifying Esme's unique methods. Her students write for her at the end of the school year, reflecting upon the time they've spent together, and Esme is presented with a gift.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
March - April
Esme takes in a student-in-need and finds some success with conflict-resolution in class. She receives a thinly-veiled threat from her assistant principal about the whole "Madame"-thing. In spite of this, she is retained for another year. Esme wins an award in spite of her disagreement with "the curriculum guy." Esme gives us a good reason to remember to listen to our students instead of yelling at them.
Have you ever had one of those moments/days when you think you learned as much or more from your students than they did from you?
Have you ever had one of those moments/days when you think you learned as much or more from your students than they did from you?
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Mtg. 4: Jan-Feb
Summary: Esme turns the tables and has a disruptive student assume her teaching duties. A few entries later, her students stab a substitute teacher in the back - literally. The war between Esme & her nemesis-principal escalates. She ends the month by teaching kids the "distributive cha-cha."
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Mtg. #2: November-December
Esme tells us of her classroom activities: Halloween, a visit from an author, and her Cajun Christmas assembly skit. Esme tries to stop her classroom library books from disappearing by requiring that kids leave her a shoe when they want to read a book.
We get an insight into Esme's chilhood as she tells us the origin of her moniker, "Madame Esme." We find that Esme was raised in a text-rich environment, which was not always appreciated by those around her.
Throughout these pages, Esme's nemesis-principal escalates his harrassment and disapproval of Esme's methods. On page 52, Esme says to Mr. Turner, "'I don't work for you, I work for the children.'"
...what a great place to start our discussion! See you Tuesday, Feb. 17, in the Board Room.
We get an insight into Esme's chilhood as she tells us the origin of her moniker, "Madame Esme." We find that Esme was raised in a text-rich environment, which was not always appreciated by those around her.
Throughout these pages, Esme's nemesis-principal escalates his harrassment and disapproval of Esme's methods. On page 52, Esme says to Mr. Turner, "'I don't work for you, I work for the children.'"
...what a great place to start our discussion! See you Tuesday, Feb. 17, in the Board Room.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Meeting #2: September & October
Esme sets up her first classroom very creatively and discusses her feelings and words to students on the first day of school. She tells us about some of the personalities in her class as well as their parents. She deals with the theft of classroom books and tells us abou her 'secret favorite.' Esme starts an after-school book club.
What did you learn about Esme's teaching style as you rad about how she sets up her classroom and introduces herself to her students?
How would you have handled the theft of classroom materials? Do you agree or disagree with the way she disciplined her class?
What did you learn about Esme's teaching style as you rad about how she sets up her classroom and introduces herself to her students?
How would you have handled the theft of classroom materials? Do you agree or disagree with the way she disciplined her class?
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Welcome to the Club!
If you can't make it to a meeting but would like to participate in the book club anyway, feel free to post your comments here.
I'll start you out with a summary of Esme's diary entries. Please feel free to post your own comments after reading. We'll share all posted comments at the beginning of each meeting!
After each meeting, I'll post a summary of all comments within a week or so. Feel free to coat-tail if you wish.
Meeting #1: June 21 through August 16 (pgs. 1-22)
Summary: Esme introduces us to her late-mentor. She tells us about her less-than-orthodox interview style. She shares her excitement and enthusiasm during the first weeks of school, preparing her first classroom and anxiously proposing a project to her reluctant principal. She also shares her personal style of dealing with inappropriate student language in her classroom.
I'll start you out with a summary of Esme's diary entries. Please feel free to post your own comments after reading. We'll share all posted comments at the beginning of each meeting!
After each meeting, I'll post a summary of all comments within a week or so. Feel free to coat-tail if you wish.
Meeting #1: June 21 through August 16 (pgs. 1-22)
Summary: Esme introduces us to her late-mentor. She tells us about her less-than-orthodox interview style. She shares her excitement and enthusiasm during the first weeks of school, preparing her first classroom and anxiously proposing a project to her reluctant principal. She also shares her personal style of dealing with inappropriate student language in her classroom.
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