Spring has sprung...so have the kids!

Whoa.  Seriously.  Whoa.  It's 75 degrees in Michigan today- not that I'm complaining, but we will probably get snow in a few weeks.  That's just how we roll around here.  My kiddos all seem to think that school is almost over.  Dude- I must have missed that memo!  It's been building over the last week, along with the temperatures.  They are getting slow and dare I say- lazy in our crisp little routine.  We actually practiced walking down the hall and lining up multiple times because they were so loud, I was embarressed.  One teacher even shut her door, smiling of course.  You know that it is as good as a slap in the face in a school.
I had to leave work at lunch on Friday (sick little guy had to be picked up from school).  They totally took advantage of the guest teacher and trashed the room on the way out the door.  She must have missed that part completely because I started out my early Monday cleaning for almost 45 minutes.  Grrrr......

Up until now, the students would read when they first came in in the morning, after making lunch choices and putting away their things.  Last week, they started milling around the room, not even pretending to read.  Like the books never left the bag!  Hey- who are these kids?  My class knows what to do in the morning and is responsible learners.  Not so much lately.  I did give them several reminders throughout the week about our morning routine and the expectations.  Apparently, the spring weather made their brains sprout a "whatever plant" (read with attitude).

This morning, they arrived to a smiling teacher (who was annoyed beyond belief on the inside) and an addition and subtraction review page.  You would have though I had stolen Christmas!  They were dejected (and completely silent) for 15 minutes.  Weird.  Creepy even.  They passed them in as they completed them, sheepishly.

They got the point, but still got multiple reminders about paying attention and being respectful while someone is speaking.  One kid got up to get a drink in the middle of my writer's workshop mini-lesson.  Wa-wa-what?  Hopefully, tomorrow will be better.

Here's wishing you all a longer winter! :)