Friday, May 25, 2007
Mr. Music
Dina sent me some pix of Phil's rilly-big school music shew. I'm sorry I missed it.
One thing's for sure: the boy can wear the heck out of an orange shirt.
- "Handsome Hair" with Shirt & Tie: 1, 2
- Singing
- Playing the Rubberband Box
One thing's for sure: the boy can wear the heck out of an orange shirt.
Labels: first grade, Music, Philisms
Monday, March 12, 2007
One of Those Great News/Could Be Worse News Things
We met with Phil's teacher this afternoon to go over his report card. Excellent scores in everything. Well over the 100-word mark in the one-minute story reading test. Does math well, too; that's nice to know given how much he balks at homework. His ability to shut out classroom distractions and focus on his work has improved, which was something he was struggling with last time around.
In the could-be-worse department, while we were in town celebrating Phil's grades our Subaru started whining when we put it into gear. At first only from a stopped postion, then a little bit going into second. A loose belt/tensioner thing would be an ideal thing for our mechanic to diagnose when he gets in tomorrow. A new clutch, less ideal. As much as this isn't on my list of things to go wrong this week, it's even more not on next week's list or the one for the week after that. If it had to go fritzy -- and apparently it did -- better now than then. So thank you, God, for that.
How was your hodgepodge Monday?
In the could-be-worse department, while we were in town celebrating Phil's grades our Subaru started whining when we put it into gear. At first only from a stopped postion, then a little bit going into second. A loose belt/tensioner thing would be an ideal thing for our mechanic to diagnose when he gets in tomorrow. A new clutch, less ideal. As much as this isn't on my list of things to go wrong this week, it's even more not on next week's list or the one for the week after that. If it had to go fritzy -- and apparently it did -- better now than then. So thank you, God, for that.
How was your hodgepodge Monday?
Labels: first grade
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Mikesell Family Pride Points
In the past we've used Hot Wheels to reward Phil for good behavior. Then it got to the point where he expected a new car every week whether he'd been especially good or not. Now roughly $50 a year for a (fairly) well-behaved boy isn't a bank-breaker, but the number of cars becomes overwhelming and when they're expected as a matter of course, that doesn't go over very well.
So we're stealing a behavior-mod thing from Phil's school. (Hey, our tax dollars paid for it in the first place, right?) There they earn Laker Pride points which are redeemable for junk the kids bring home and grind into the carpet. We're using Mikesell Family Pride points to control the intake of new Hot Wheels cars. Right now Phil gets points every day for doing the following:
75 points gets him a new Hot Wheels.
The other behavior mod thing they do at his school is give "bubbles" for bad behavior. His teacher has little angel fish decorations, each bearing the name of a student. Bad behavior and she draws a "bubble" coming out of the student's fish's mouth. Each bubble gets them a time-out. Four bubbles, a trip to the principal's office. Or something like that. I don't fully understand it other than bubbles are bad.
We haven't had to implement this yet -- the threat of "do we need to give you a bubble" still works. Though it draws stares if we ask it loudly in public.
So we're stealing a behavior-mod thing from Phil's school. (Hey, our tax dollars paid for it in the first place, right?) There they earn Laker Pride points which are redeemable for junk the kids bring home and grind into the carpet. We're using Mikesell Family Pride points to control the intake of new Hot Wheels cars. Right now Phil gets points every day for doing the following:
- Not name calling
- Keeping his Hot Wheels picked up
- Keeping his Legos picked up
- Removing his clothes from the bathroom after he changes and putting them in his bedroom
- Having his shoes tied when he gets off the school bus in the afternoon
- Keeping his play table clean
- Obeying (loosely defined means "doesn't sass back," "complies relatively soon after being asked to do something")
75 points gets him a new Hot Wheels.
The other behavior mod thing they do at his school is give "bubbles" for bad behavior. His teacher has little angel fish decorations, each bearing the name of a student. Bad behavior and she draws a "bubble" coming out of the student's fish's mouth. Each bubble gets them a time-out. Four bubbles, a trip to the principal's office. Or something like that. I don't fully understand it other than bubbles are bad.
We haven't had to implement this yet -- the threat of "do we need to give you a bubble" still works. Though it draws stares if we ask it loudly in public.
Labels: Family, first grade
Friday, March 02, 2007
Bus Stop Songs Phil Wishes I Wouldn't Sing
Phil and I usually get out to the schoolbus stop a few minutes early, giving me a chance to embarrass him start his day with a song.
So far, these haven't gone over very well (not that that stops me from singing them):
I do requests, so if you've got one you'd like me to take for a spin, list it in the comments. (The Hollies's Bus Stop is a bit too on-the-nose, sorry.)
So far, these haven't gone over very well (not that that stops me from singing them):
(to the tune of the Love Boat themesong)
The Love Bus
Taking you to the School of Looooooove
The Love Buh-us
[at which point Phil usually hits me]
(to the tune of Here Comes the Sun)
Here comes the Bus
doo-doo-doo-doo
Here comes the Bus
and I say
["Ow!" 'cause this is where he hits me again]
I do requests, so if you've got one you'd like me to take for a spin, list it in the comments. (The Hollies's Bus Stop is a bit too on-the-nose, sorry.)
Labels: first grade, Music, Weird Stuff
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
End of the 6.33 Day Weekend
Put Phil on the school bus this morning at 9:45. The first time since 7:45a on the 11th. It's still only 28F out, but the roads are clear(ish) of yesterday's slush.
The 10-day shows a warming trend through the next week, with lows above freezing showing up on Friday. Come August I'll be wishing I'd bottled some of this chill ... which makes sense, since now I'm wishing I had a picnic basket of summer sun. <sigh>
The 10-day shows a warming trend through the next week, with lows above freezing showing up on Friday. Come August I'll be wishing I'd bottled some of this chill ... which makes sense, since now I'm wishing I had a picnic basket of summer sun. <sigh>
Labels: first grade
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Back to School
Phil's Christmas vacation has come to an end and it was back to school this morning. My sister Julia's pre-tax season vacation is up tomorrow, so it was back to California for her. Phil wanted her to see his school before she left, so we caravaned, stopping outside his classroom for a photo op before he headed in and she headed out.
Phil had a great time over the break (see earlier posts (1, 2) for his Christmas experience). With Aunt Julia here he caught a couple movies (Night at the Museum, Open Season), got his first Build-a-Bear friend (a monkey), burned through Christmas gift cards (things from Toys R Us that he's "always wanted" even though they only came out last year), and stayed up way too late, way too often.
Still, he's been excited about school starting again. And, frankly, we have been, too. It's a win-win for everybody.
Phil had a great time over the break (see earlier posts (1, 2) for his Christmas experience). With Aunt Julia here he caught a couple movies (Night at the Museum, Open Season), got his first Build-a-Bear friend (a monkey), burned through Christmas gift cards (things from Toys R Us that he's "always wanted" even though they only came out last year), and stayed up way too late, way too often.
Still, he's been excited about school starting again. And, frankly, we have been, too. It's a win-win for everybody.
Labels: Family, first grade, Philpix
Monday, December 18, 2006
That Makes One of Us
Phil's school did a health screening at the beginning of November, and the results arrived in the mail today. The boy has 20/20 vision (20/25 in the right eye ... some kind of mutant power, I'm sure). Body-mass index is 16.8, which puts him in the 80th BMI-for-Age percentile; that's "within normal limits" up to the 84th. Dental exam showed no worries.
Normal blood pressure (something, for a change, Dina and I also have). A big relief as when he does the pressure-cuff machine at the store it registers off the chart and no pulse. Put down the crucifix and the silver bullets Mr. Pharmacist-Man, the boy's okay.
Height: 3'10"; weight: 50.5 lbs.
No scoliosis test until the 5th grade. Aaaah, the old scoliosis test. Good times.
Normal blood pressure (something, for a change, Dina and I also have). A big relief as when he does the pressure-cuff machine at the store it registers off the chart and no pulse. Put down the crucifix and the silver bullets Mr. Pharmacist-Man, the boy's okay.
Height: 3'10"; weight: 50.5 lbs.
No scoliosis test until the 5th grade. Aaaah, the old scoliosis test. Good times.
Labels: first grade, Good Times
Friday, December 01, 2006
Six Things -- Not Necessarily Sequentially
1: Phil's new shoe size. Went out to get him a new pair of shoes and he's out of the kid sizes already.
2: The Second Season of Babylon 5 is now available at the iTunes store.
3: This week's CFBA pick is the third book in the Landon Snow series: L.S. and the Island of Arcanum. I haven't managed to finish it yet, but what I've read so far is very good. Check out other CFBA members Kevin Lucia and Val Comer, as well as author R.K. Mortenson's website -- landonsnow.com -- for more info. (Val's giving away a copy of the book, and also has a link to a free Landon Snow -- move over, Grinch! -- Christmas short story.) I hope to have a Book Chat with Randy up in the next few days.
11: At 11 o'clock this morning we went to a parent-teacher conference to find out how the boy's doing. In Spinal Tap terms, he's gone all the way to 11 with reading. Math's not far behind. Great job, Phil!
6: Phil has the attention span of a six year old. That and his penmanship were the only things his teacher said he needed to work on.
24: Days left until Christmas. Phil -- have I mentioned he's doing well in school? -- figured this out in his head (what's twenty-five minus one?).
2: The Second Season of Babylon 5 is now available at the iTunes store.
3: This week's CFBA pick is the third book in the Landon Snow series: L.S. and the Island of Arcanum. I haven't managed to finish it yet, but what I've read so far is very good. Check out other CFBA members Kevin Lucia and Val Comer, as well as author R.K. Mortenson's website -- landonsnow.com -- for more info. (Val's giving away a copy of the book, and also has a link to a free Landon Snow -- move over, Grinch! -- Christmas short story.) I hope to have a Book Chat with Randy up in the next few days.
11: At 11 o'clock this morning we went to a parent-teacher conference to find out how the boy's doing. In Spinal Tap terms, he's gone all the way to 11 with reading. Math's not far behind. Great job, Phil!
6: Phil has the attention span of a six year old. That and his penmanship were the only things his teacher said he needed to work on.
24: Days left until Christmas. Phil -- have I mentioned he's doing well in school? -- figured this out in his head (what's twenty-five minus one?).
Labels: CFBA, first grade, iTunes, Television
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
How Not To Be Seen
Where's Philip?
Stopped by Phil's classroom on the way to get mail. He'd just filled a row in Jack-o-Lantern Bingo and was picking his bag of chocolate eyeballs when I arrived. Other costumes in the room included Jackie Chan, Blade, a pirate, a cowboy, a ninja, and a Gothic princess (think black and maroon velvet). Apparently the school secretary had been in earlier in a creepy witch's costume and chased Phil around the room.
More pix later after we've explored one or two trick-or-treating venues.
Stopped by Phil's classroom on the way to get mail. He'd just filled a row in Jack-o-Lantern Bingo and was picking his bag of chocolate eyeballs when I arrived. Other costumes in the room included Jackie Chan, Blade, a pirate, a cowboy, a ninja, and a Gothic princess (think black and maroon velvet). Apparently the school secretary had been in earlier in a creepy witch's costume and chased Phil around the room.
More pix later after we've explored one or two trick-or-treating venues.
Labels: first grade, Philpix
Saturday, October 21, 2006
Pumpkin Pickin'
Yesterday, Phil's class went on a field trip to Detering Orchards, outside Harrisburg, Ore. The same trip they took last year. Again, it was a kindergarten/first grade combo deal. Again, we had the tour of the apple orchard and much of the same apple-related info. Pumpkins were picked from a different patch this year, but that was about the only difference. The bus even stopped at the Dairy Queen in Junction City for ice cream sandwiches like last year.
Of course, the kids had changed. Here's what a year older looks like:
What do second graders do? Stay tuned.
Of course, the kids had changed. Here's what a year older looks like:
- Shouting in the apple orchard (to thank Mr. Detering, a quarter mile away)
- Mmmmm, appley
- Philip's Choice
- Children of the Corn (and Teacher)
- Child of the Hay
- See anything green?
- Another group photo
What do second graders do? Stay tuned.
Labels: first grade, Philpix
Friday, October 06, 2006
Mr. Photogeniality
Phil brought his school pictures home today.
This year he'll look like this.
And his class looks like this -- mostly: two boys were out that morning. Here's Phil "close up" from the class pic.
This year he'll look like this.
And his class looks like this -- mostly: two boys were out that morning. Here's Phil "close up" from the class pic.
Labels: first grade, Philpix
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Day One ... Done
Phil's first day of first grade is over. Differences from kindergarten (besides three hours and an extra two recesses)?
Neither did Mrs. Brockman.
Good deal.
- He has his own desk, instead of sharing a table with a classmate.
- There are two computers for student use in the room, instead of none.
- A television, the use of which is yet to be discovered.
- New books with more math.
- Painting!
- Library time with an older-student mentor.
- As of tomorrow, a ride home on the "big bus" every day, instead of just on Friday. (Friday's a half day for grades 1-12, so their day ends at the same time as the kindergartners'.)
- And instead of Mrs. Swanson, Phil's teacher is Mrs. Brockman.
Neither did Mrs. Brockman.
Good deal.
Labels: first grade, Philpix
The Busboy
The bus picked the boy up for school right on time this morning [photo]; first grade has begun. Only eleven more grades to go. Plus university. And the post-grad years.
Still, even with all that lurking out there for him, Phil was psyched to go off to school this morning. Didn't even have to nag him to get dressed.
Seven hours 'til we pick him up this afternoon. (Seven hours!) Look for an update this evening.
Bonus Pictures:
Still, even with all that lurking out there for him, Phil was psyched to go off to school this morning. Didn't even have to nag him to get dressed.
Seven hours 'til we pick him up this afternoon. (Seven hours!) Look for an update this evening.
Bonus Pictures:
Labels: first grade, Philpix
