Freedom of Speech

I feel that teaching my students real life skills is a vital part of my job. In 5th & 6th grade a big part of that is responsibility. From Day 1 I've tried to make them responsible citizens of this classroom. When they leave out the reading bean bags, they find they are without those the following day. This is just one example.

Well, yesterday one of my students left his binder in the middle of the classroom floor. So I confiscated it. However, I  knew that he would need it today so I left him a note that said: "Your binder was found on the classroom floor. What are you willing to do today to get it back?" His solution: give a speech to the class - and a well dramatized speech it was. At the conclusion of his speech I asked for a copy of it. Here it is:

"Citizens of Sjoberg:
Responsibility is the source of growing up. Leaving your binders is not responsible. I think that Ms. Sjoberg taking my binder is very heinous, but I think all of us can prevent her from taking our stuff.
Say 'aye' if you agree with me.
Say 'aye' if you can fight back from her taking our stuff.
Then have RESPONSIBILITY.

Citizens of Sjoberg:
Have a fantastic day and victory is ours.
Yeah."

* I will note that I have never referred to my students as "citizens of Sjoberg" or anything along those lines That was all him.

Black widows and homemade deliciousness

Morning with 5th & 6th graders: "Miss Sjoberg, you look like a black widow. I think it's the hair."


Afternoon of parent/teacher conferences: homemade gluten free cookies from one my student's moms. If I used hashtags that one would be #winning

The Things We Say

It was late morning and I was in the middle of teaching a 6th grade math lesson. One of my students who often refers to me by name of the former teacher or by "Mrs. Sjoberg" (to which I generally reply, "That's my mom, but she might be happy to help you") was struggling to come up with my name. Finally he said, "Can I just refer to you by your initials, 'BS'?" I didn't respond to his request right away and I soon heard murmurs of "BS" throughout the room when one of my 5th graders said, "Wait, that's not right! We can't call her by her initials BS." The room erupted in laughter and I informed them that no, they could not call me BS. I got them settled and went back to teaching but there were still whispers of "BS" in my room. After a moment or two I made the announcement, "Enough with the BS. Back to work." No sooner had the words left my mouth than a parent (from another class) peeks in my room.

Only time will tell if I'm the one to get sent to the principal's office.