We all know that class size makes a difference.  The more kids crammed into a room that was designed for half that many kiddos and you begin doing more crowd control than teaching.  It's hard to develop relationships when you are so greatly outnumbered.  It's next to impossible to have a class activity or project.  There simply isn't room.

School size makes just as much of a difference as class numbers.   I've have the opportunity to teach in a large district (for Missouri) and in a small one (for just about anywhere in the U.S.) and I can tell you that school size makes a huge difference (no pun intended).  The larger school district was more impersonal.  I was only one of many.  I had to wear a name tag so people would know who I was.  My classroom was supposed to be a carbon copy of others in the district.   I didn't know teachers from other buildings.  I didn't know all of the kids in my building.  District meetings were just a way to make us feel like our opinion really mattered when actually decisions had already been made.  Speaking out or speaking up for kids was a good way to get a black X drawn next to your name.  Questioning the powers-that-be was taboo.  Heaven forbid a teacher would have a thought to call her own and be brave enough to voice it.

In a smaller school district, name tags are unnecessary because everyone is family.  We all know each other.  And we all care.  Oh, I'm not saying it's some 'Leave It To Beaver' world. We get frustrated. Sometimes.  But most of the time, our stress level is low.   Meetings are a good place to honestly voice your opinion.  Doesn't mean that things will be done your way, but you are listened to and respected.  Admins doors are open.  They welcome a visit.  To say that we love each other would be a true statement.   We have time to build relationships with our kids, kids from other classes, and our colleagues.  We share and support each other.  Unhealthy competition is low to nonexistent.

And the family concept doesn't stop with staff. Our kids are members of one big family. Cheering each other on. Patting each other on the back.  And occasionally having sibling squabbles.  One of the most wonderful things to witness is a kindergarten child being mentored and encouraged by a middle school student.   Or a first grader hearing a sixth grader praise them for a job well done.

One of the biggest mistakes our nation made in the world of education was to consolidate schools and do away with many small country schools. Life isn't perfect out on the prairie, but I wouldn't trade it for the concrete jungle any day. I love getting up for work. I may be exhausted when I get home, but I'm happy.  How many can say that about their work environment?


Who says history is boring? Brush off the dust and bring history to life!! 

Fiction/ Nonfiction Civil War Unit

                                                                                    Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze (this blog is run by blogger, a Google company so Google analytics are used to provide me with general statistics about my blog readership) and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies.  This blog is published on Facebook and Pinterest sites. This blog is not responsible for their use of cookies. If you wish to turn off the use of cookies you may do so at any time through your specific browser settings.  If you sign up to receive the blog by email, your email will not be added to any other mailing list or sold.  It is simply used to send the blog post to your inbox. No purchases may be made from this website. In order to purchase my resources you must visit the hosting website.   I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on August 1, 2019. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

Whose fault is it when test scores plummet?  Parents, teachers, kids, administration? Should anyone be blamed? Maybe failing test scores are a result of an event.  Maybe they are the result of a change in testing or a shift in standards.  Does it really matter whose fault or what is to blame?

 Maybe that student has a high number of absences.  Absences affect test scores.  As does illness, family factors, health concerns, and moving from school to school.  All are factors that cannot be controlled by a school or a teacher.  So, then, do we blame parents.  Not in all cases. Sometimes, parents are transferred by their employer and are required to move to a new location. Parents serving our country are often transferred, or possibly one parent is away for a long period of time.  Children who have a terminally ill parent are facing a crisis beyond anyone's control.  In some situations, parents are coping as best as possible. They are doing everything in their power to shield their child from these events.

A natural disaster has a way of shifting our focus.  How high do you think test scores would be if the test followed such a dramatic event?  States change targets or testing methods.  If the new format is foreign to our kids, their test scores are likely to  reflect their unease.

Tension in a school causes students to underperform.  A toxic work environment is felt by the kids.  An administrator that is not supportive can cause more harm than just lower teacher morale.  Kids sense the problem and quite possibly they can identify the problem.  But the negative effect of being in this environment, even though they are not directly affected, shows up in their level of achievement.

I'm of the opinion that standardized tests don't matter. One end-of-the-year test shouldn't measure what a child has learned during an entire school year.  I think kids matter.  They are not a number. They have problems. Some are dealing with adult issues.  Some are in survival mode. Yet state standards continue to dictate what a child should learn academically.  Schools continue teaching to the test and giving practice test after practice test.

In my opinion, this one is broke and needs to be fixed.  We need to take a new look at our testing methods and madness.

Johnny Appleseed day is coming.... Are you ready? 

Complete nonfiction apple unit! 

Boom Cards Nonfiction John Chapman lesson

Are you following me by email?  Why not?  If you follow, you don't have to keep track of when I publish  (on give- away days the times vary). An email (from me) pops up! Just like that.  And, I truly don't do anything with your information. I don't sell your email. I don't even look at who is following me.  As a furry baby mom, wife, teacher, entrepreneur, granddaughter, daughter... well you get the picture, I just don't have time.   Any spare time I have goes into creating new resources or snuggling with furry babies.   So, if you want to get in on give aways or just read my post (even if you just click it open to see what I've got and then shut it) following by email makes it easier for you. 

                                                                                         Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze (this blog is run by blogger, a Google company so Google analytics are used to provide me with general statistics about my blog readership) and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies.  This blog is published on Facebook and Pinterest sites. This blog is not responsible for their use of cookies. If you wish to turn off the use of cookies you may do so at any time through your specific browser settings.  If you sign up to receive the blog by email, your email will not be added to any other mailing list or sold.  It is simply used to send the blog post to your inbox. No purchases may be made from this website. In order to purchase my resources you must visit the hosting website.   I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on August 1, 2019. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

Schools continue to grapple with a policy concerning phone use at school. Parents argue that they want to be able to contact their child should the need arise. They want their child to feel safe. To know they are just a call away.   Schools prefer that parents use the office for communication.   Teachers are tired of interruptions to the lesson by the ringing of a phone.  Where does it end?

For the argument that kids should be allowed to keep their phones on and with them during the school day, I say... No.  Before parents get too ruffled over this, consider a teacher that has her phone with her at all times during the school day. Every ring and ping gets her attention.  She is clearly distracted by her calls and notifications. Is your child receiving a quality education? No. And this is why schools have policies regarding phone usage by a teacher.

So... if I'm a responsible adult (let's assume for the sake of argument that I am) and I am not allowed to have my phone with me, why should a child (who is still developing) be allowed to have their phone?   Don't tell me that they need to have the ability to contact you in case of emergency or vice versa.  I have family members with serious medical needs that have to call the school office, talk to the secretary, and wait for me to get the message and call them on my first break (or in the event of emergency, call them as soon as someone can watch my class).   Don't talk to me about emergencies. At times, my life is one big emergency. But I still enter the classroom and teach without the "assistance" of my phone.

I'm sure the controversy will continue. And I'm sure I'll write about it again.  In the meantime, we all need to rethink why we need or use our phones and why we send our kids to school. What is the purpose of instructional time?  Do students really need to have a phone with them in the classroom?




A little different this time! Enter to win!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:  

Prize: $200 Amazon Gift Card 

Giveaway Organized by: Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher)

Co-hosts:   An Apple for the Teacher, Planet Happy Smiles, Peas In A Pod, TheBeezyTeacher, Star Kids, Resource Room Relevance, Chocolate 4 Teachers, Guide Teach Inspire, The Fun Factory, Carla Hoff, Teach Me T, Dreams Teach, Literacy Garden, Priscilla Woodard - Tasked 2 Teach, Pint Size Learners, Ms. K, 1stgradefireworks, Glistening Gems, A Plus Kids, The Chocolate Teacher, It's a Teacher Thing, Teacher Gameroom, Mrs Hansens Helpfuls, Leah Popinski, Samson's Shoppe, Tried and True Teaching Tools, Mr L's Classroom, The Froggy Factory, 180 Days of Reading, It's Kinder Time, Walk with Me a Second, Tanya G Marshall The Butterfly Teacher, The Cozy Crafty Classroom, and The Butterfly Room- Stacy Ryan.

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter.  Giveaway ends 8/19/19 and is open worldwide.

Are you a Teacher Blogger or Teachers pay Teachers seller who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your store and social media?  Click here to find out how you can join our totally awesome group of bloggers! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

                                                                                        Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze (this blog is run by blogger, a Google company so Google analytics are used to provide me with general statistics about my blog readership) and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies.  This blog is published on Facebook and Pinterest sites. This blog is not responsible for their use of cookies. If you wish to turn off the use of cookies you may do so at any time through your specific browser settings.  If you sign up to receive the blog by email, your email will not be added to any other mailing list or sold.  It is simply used to send the blog post to your inbox. No purchases may be made from this website. In order to purchase my resources you must visit the hosting website.   I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on August 1, 2019. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

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Chocolate 4 Teachers

Starting school is bittersweet.  The chaos of summer is over. The chaos of the school year is about to begin.  Good-bye late nights. Hello early mornings.  Naps will be tucked away until  the week-end or a school break.  So long schedule free days. Planning begins in full force. Plan what you're going to wear. Plan your lunch. Plan your meals. Plan your doctor and dentist visits. Plan your schedule. Plan your lessons. Plan. Plan. Plan.   Dust off the alarm clock and get ready to bounce out of bed and into the lives of your kids.  School is starting. 

Am I the only one that had a to-do list a mile long? Am I the only one who planned on doing everything during summer break?  I know I'm not the only one that didn't succeed in completing all of their summer projects.  I'm almost in panic mode.  I can't sleep. All I want to do is complete the items on my to-do list.   I guess I was a little too ambitious.  Or maybe I took too many naps.  

 I'm at the threshold. The email will arrive any day now. You know. The email that informs you of when and where to be. What meetings are mandatory.  What time it all starts. That email.  The one that makes your hands tremble and your vision blur. Summer vacation is passing right before your very eyes. You blink... You get the picture. 

I do have to confess that although I am stressed about not finishing a million projects, I am ready to see those smiling little faces.   And, even though I'm not looking forward to spending time in faculty meetings, I am anxious to see my school friends.  I know we've kept up through social media, but that isn't quite the same.      I am ready to jump into my classroom and get it ready for the kiddos.  

I am not ready to deal with that parent, or that duty assignment, or that responsibility. But those are minor irritations in the scheme of things (at least I hope they are!).  Bottom line: No one loves summer break or snow days more than a teacher, but then no one loves that first day of school like a teacher. 

I'm willing to set my alarm clock and lose a little sleep.  I'm willing to stress over lessons and grades.  I'm willing to put in long days and extra time on week-ends.  In the end, it's all worth it!

                                                                                    Welcome back! 
Just in case you haven't heard...

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Chocolate-4-Teachers

It's that time again!!  P.S. follow by email and you'll always get notifications of giveaways, sales, new products, etc! 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:  

Prize: $200 Amazon Gift Card 

Giveaway Organized by: Kelly Malloy (An Apple for the Teacher)

Co-hosts:   An Apple for the Teacher, Planet Happy Smiles, Peas In A Pod, TheBeezyTeacher, Star Kids, Resource Room Relevance, Chocolate 4 Teachers Guide Teach Inspire, The Fun Factory, Carla Hoff, Teach Me T, Dreams Teach, Literacy Garden, Priscilla Woodard - Tasked 2 Teach, Pint Size Learners, Ms. K, 1stgradefireworks, Glistening Gems, A Plus Kids, The Chocolate Teacher, It's a Teacher Thing, Teacher Gameroom, Mrs Hansens Helpfuls, Leah Popinski, Samson's Shoppe, Tried and True Teaching Tools, Mr L's Classroom, The Froggy Factory, 180 Days of Reading, It's Kinder Time, Walk with Me a Second, Tanya G Marshall The Butterfly Teacher, The Cozy Crafty Classroom, and The Butterfly Room- Stacy Ryan

Rules: Use the Rafflecopter to enter.  Giveaway ends 8/19/19 and is open worldwide.

Are you a Teacher Blogger or Teachers pay Teachers seller who wants to participate in giveaways like these to grow your store and social media?  Click here to find out how you can join our totally awesome group of bloggers! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway                                                                                

                                                                                          Privacy Policy

This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do I store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze (this blog is run by blogger, a Google company so Google analytics are used to provide me with general statistics about my blog readership) and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies.  This blog is published on Facebook and Pinterest sites. This blog is not responsible for their use of cookies. If you wish to turn off the use of cookies you may do so at any time through your specific browser settings.  If you sign up to receive the blog by email, your email will not be added to any other mailing list or sold.  It is simply used to send the blog post to your inbox. No purchases may be made from this website. In order to purchase my resources you must visit the hosting website.   I am not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without my permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on August 1, 2019. If you have any questions feel free to contact me directly at kimberlyfrencken@gmail.com

Read more »

Chocolate 4 Teachers