Confessions of a First Grade Teacher

We've worked ourselves to the point of exhaustion all year long to make sure our students become successful. We've created new centers, searched Amazon for a new books, spent hours on Pinterest and now we're on countdown. The end is in sight! 

But....I feel I need to be completely honest so it's time for some teacher confessions!


1. I took an entire stack of papers that I didn't want to grade and stuck those bad boys into the recycle bin. 

2. I don't understand why we crammed so much curriculum into the first semester. Now we're through everything and have five weeks left. So....why write in my planner? (I didn't this week!)

3. I am still baffled when eleventy million days into school a student asks during math stations, "Are we at reading or math stations?" Could that question be an indication of how they will score on state tests later in life? Just a thought. 

4. If I hear the DRA story Allie's Wish one more time I might scream. 

5. My nephew sent me a Flat Stanley project in December. I didn't have to take pics with him. I just had to write our city on the back and send him on. Well, it came right before Christmas. I put it in a "do that later" pile....well....I just found it last week! CRAP. Like 5 months later?! Lesson for everyone: don't send out Flat Stanley projects at CHRISTMAS!

6. I stuck said Flat Stanley in the mailbox this morning. It was still there this afternoon because I forgot to put a stamp on it. 
Been very blonde lately. (I can say that because I actually am blonde...or am I?)

7. If it weren't for Brainpop Jr. we'd be doing nothing during Social Studies.

8. I didn't check my email at school today because I don't want to read another email from a certain person.

9. I'm 99.9% certain parents never read my newsletter so I'm going to keep the same one and change the date until the end of school. I may even put song lyrics instead of what we're learning.

10. Two years ago the whole staff had to do a "All About Me" poster on an 8 x 11 piece of paper. I made mine super cute but full of lies. All song lyrics. Did you know "I'm a good girl, crazy about Elvis, and love horses?" BAHAHAHA. Waste of time project. No one even read those. 

Now it's your turn to confess! I can't be the only naughty teacher out there!





26 comments:

  1. Love your list! I just threw a big bunch of papers away because I forgot to grade them last week. I know most of my parents don't read the newsletter either so I put a sentence in there that said, "If you read this, send me a note and your child will get a homework pass." I got 6 back.

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  2. This list makes me feel so much better! I'm not the only one out there!

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  3. This made me laugh so much! Thanks for that! :)

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  4. I'm relieved that my students are not the only ones who seem to be confused about whether they are at their math stations or literacy stations! I also am sick of hearing Allie's Wish!!

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  5. Number 9 just cracked me up so much!

    Tiffany
    KTeacherTiff

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  6. Thank you and bless you! I feel a little less bad about myself. It's nice to know we're all "normal" - naughty!
    - Sydney
    Lessons Learned

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  7. I LOVE this!! It's so nice to know I'm not alone. I just threw a whole stack of papers in the Recycling too.

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  8. oh.... so funny! At least in first grade I could put check marks on papers and not grade them.... :)

    …andtheyallfalldown...

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  9. THIS. IS. AMAZING!!!! I also do most of these! I'm pinning this to help me remember a) I'm not the only one, and b) it's not always about what we grade and DO it's also about how we make them FEEL and the memories made while learning :)

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  10. This is my first year to teach 1st grade (2nd year as a teacher), this post is awesome. I have been beating myself up this year about some of these. Thanks so much for posting.

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    1. Oh Candy...I just gave y'all small dose. I have so many more confessions....LOL

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  11. Bahahahaha! LOVE it! You sound like me and that is a relief! xoxo

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  12. This is just what I needed to read today... I resemble so many of them! Thanks for the smile

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  13. I absolutely did number 1 today, will be doing number 4 next week (sigh) and could not agree with number 7 more! Ain't nobody got time for Social Studies without Brainpop!

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  14. I currently have Usher's "Confessions" song going through my head. lol
    ~HoJo~

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  15. Those are sooooooooooo true!! I am sick of listening to the same DRA books over and over and over as well! The benefit of doing a place value chart with how many days of school is that in these last weeks I can refer to it with phrases like "What were the choices during Daily 5 for the last 145 days??" "How have we lined up for the last 145 days?" etc.

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  16. OMG, I laughed so hard when I read this!! I could have written this post. Thanks for the laugh and letting me know I'm not alone.

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  17. I am a first grade teacher as well and WOW was I glad to read this today - thank you so much for posting your blog. It is good to know that others teachers do the same thing or share the same "stresses" and "frustrations" as I do. Thank you so much again - it made me smile when I haven't all day!! :)

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  18. Hysterical!! I love this! A list started forming in my head as I read yours so I may have to do my own... Love #7 - BrainPop Jr. is a LIFESAVER!!
    -Elyse @ A is for Apples

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  19. This is AWESOME! I am so glad I am not the only one who has "confessions". :) So glad I hopped over and found your blog!

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  20. Need to add Magic School Bus to my Brainpop confession- last week I recycled the papers where student work was pathetic/no effort and only sent home the "good" stuff. Confessions make me feel better. Thank you!

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  21. So nice to hear. I am a first grade teacher and I always look at the teacher blogs and think that I suck.

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  22. Wow that was great! Thanks so much for the laugh. I have to confess to the papers in the recycle too!

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  23. Thank you so much for your honesty! I LOL through the whole post.

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  24. OMG!!!!!!!!!!! These are soooooo hilarious!!! I feel the same way about DRA's Money Stepping Stones and Animal Homes. This made me laugh and smile. I love when people keep it real. I'm always throwing away papers.

    ((HUGS))
    Tiffany
    One Fab Teacher

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