51/180 Halloween 2020

We over planned today.

Didn't get to all the activities we wanted.

But the students had fun

and we passed out a lot of treats.

Lots of smile and love.

Model Magic is magic!

No mess color mixing.

Quick DIY costume based on literature.

A creepy carrot was easier to create

than creepy underwear.

#halloweencostume2020

Thankful for these two ladies

who love the students

as much as I do

and can't say no

to parents that text them at all hours!

I voted today.

Of course I had to go to Dodger Stadium.

So glad I did.

No waiting.

Cool new experience.

In person voting with an amazing views!

I wasn't too concerned or nervous about renewal.

It's my second time

so I knew what to expect.

I believed in my videos.

My students really shined through.

#NBCT2031
 

50/180

Quick Post:

Today was a long and busy day.

It was made longer now that I can't take the shortest route to my classroom.

Thursday is writing day!

It use to be everyday was writing day,

but I'll take Thursdays or any day when I can.

After online state assessment...

Let me say that again...

Online state assessment with 4 year olds.

Online. Nuff said.

We ran.

We played.

We cleaned.

We laughed.

We talked.

We dressed up daily this week.

It helps to have a TA that works at Starbucks.

Gotta finish my costume for tomorrow.

I'm not a big Halloween fan,

but the kids are,

so you do things

to make them laugh and happy.

49/180

It's Wednesday.

I'm exhausted.

Too much late night celebrating last night

aka watching sportsnet LA and MLB highlights.

Stopped by the Dodger House today.

It's a house that will be demolished soon

but for now, there is art...

Dodger art,

Urias art.

I should have worn Dodger Blue, but it was Pajama Day.
You do what you need to.
#goBlue

After looking all season, I finally found my evidence 

that I was at every Dodger home game this crazy season.

It may not have been in the flesh, 

but I was there!

A little bit of Math...

A lot of supplies...

And a birthday zoom for my best baseball buddy!

Happy 23rd Aaron!

So happy that you finally got your Dodgers birthday wish!

48/180 Things I Learned on Tuesday

So things are changing around school.

So sad to see caution tape on things that kids love and need.

Signs of the times

and a new dispenser too.

These signs appeared on my door today.

This. is. 2020.

We tried to move our class around a bit.

Our teaching stations were already 6 feet apart

but now we had to start thinking about how 

we would space our students in the classroom.

Goodbye cool tree carpet and comfy library.

Today was my first day of face to face tutoring with 1 student after school.

I had a vision of what it would be like.

My vision was wrong!

Things I Learned Tuesday

• An hour is a long time to tutor a 4 year old.
• You need two devices to administer ELPAC.
• Online state assessment is not as easy as it sounds.
• Always close the gate in case you have a runner.
• Four year olds are FAST!
• 6 feet protocols don't work when you don't care about them.
• You can't possibly disinfect everything.
• Tape on floor means nothing when you don't follow the tape.
• My best laid plans, need a reality check.
• Tomorrow we can start again!

And the Dodgers are World Series Champions!

47/180 Another Manic Monday

Mondays are made even more manic

when your 13 year old has to come to school with you.

Sitting in a corner to sign on to zoom classes

while you teach 4 year olds how to tune a ukulele 

among other things.

This quote was for teens.

I think the same goes for parenting a teen.

We continued our journey of "cleaning out" the classroom.

Tomorrow, we will think about arranging our spaces into 6 feet of separation.

Tonight I had a break from the stress known as Dodger post season baseball.

Monday night is my night to pick up and have dinner with my Boy-Man.

We had noodles in honor or my dad.

He loved noodles,

or at least he ate them all the time.

Today is the anniversary day of when we lost him.

I didn't get to say goodbye

but our last conversation was a happy one.

He had just won "big" in Vegas.

Miss you daddy.

46/180. Friday Again

Fridays are both welcomed and stressful.

It's nice to get a few days off from teaching,

but sometimes teaching is less stressful than being home full-time.

I have noticed signs of upcoming changes to come.

New postings I have not seen before...

We were told to start thinking about how we can make our classroom safe

 and protocol ready with 6 feet distancing guidelines.

First, I need to rethink where to relocate our socially distanced teaching stations.

Next, I need to find a space to tutor D starting next week.

One student to start.

More to follow I'm sure.

Mixed feelings about it all.

I miss my kiddos,

but what kind of nurturing environment will it be with such restrictions?

On to more positive news...

One of my fabulous TAs is getting married tomorrow.

She has been my right hand person for the past 4 years.

We wanted to be there, but won't make it this time.

So happy for her; no one deserves it more!

I also go a shipment of school supplies from Amazon, via Donorschoose, courtesy of my oldest and dearest friend who really spoiled me! So much potential in white glue! We only had glue sticks and there are just some things glue sticks can't do! #thanksSusan!

I ended my long Friday by doing drop offs to my usual trio. E will be so excited with her violet ukulele. P's mom was very appreciative when I told her his black ukulele was a gift. I know she works hard and although they don't have much she donated a box of juice packs because she wanted to contribute. I was more than happy to provide a little support to one of my favorite guys! The orange ukulele was dropped off to N. She's on my way home, so I don't mind the pitstop. Her grandma and great grandma were there to greet me. My other fabulous TA, (my left-hand person) gifted N with her new ukulele! Lucky to be surrounded by so many caring friends and coworkers. My students benefit from everyone's generosity.

Hope next week will be a positive and productive one for all!

GO Dodgers! #2more

45/180 Teacher Goals

 I started the morning with a question: How would your hybrid classroom look? Think about it.

Truth is

I don't really want to.

My classroom is small.

We have stuff.

Lots of stuff.

Stuff we need for early learning.

4 year olds are all about stuff.

Now, I have to start to think about getting rid of stuff...

chairs, tables, books, toys, kitchens, libraries, norms.

6 feet is the correct answer.

It is going to be interesting to say the least.

I would love for us to just be outside.

That sounds nice.

Our new question of the week is: What food grows on trees?

Here's my favorite slide today...

Me: What comes from a tree? 

Students: Oranges!

Me: Yes, oranges do grow on trees. Do eggs grow on trees?

Students: No!

Me: Where do eggs come from?

Elizabeth: Costco!

#favoritemoments

For small groups we made apples by tearing paper.

Fine motor skills and following directions were the focus.

Same directions.

Different results.

I love the diversity and how art is never wrong.

Can you guess one of my favorite apples?

#abstractartiswonderful

One of my teacher goals this week was to learn how to create

an activity on SeeSaw.

Last week, I learned how to save/copy and edit someone else's activity,

but I really wanted to create my own.

Tonight I did.

Not perfect, but completed.

#photosfromarboreum #missionaccomplished #virtualteachinggoals

44/180

 Long day.

Tuning two dozen new ukuleles 

and not really knowing what we're doing.

Getting supplies ready for "Halloween/Fall Art Friday," next week.

Halloween is not my favorite "holiday,"

but I know many of my students and families look forward to it.

And it's always a huge event at school every year.

I want to make it special,

even though there will be no school Halloween Parade.

We will have fun activities.

We will have dancing and singing.

We will have a popcorn party.

We will pass out buckets of treats.

They deserve that.

Even in a pandemic.

*Game 2.

Not so great outcome.

But had a lovely time watching it with a sweet friend

and Phillipe's for dinner.

What's a Dodger game without a French dip?

43/180

 I love my class.

I miss not having them in front of me

but I enjoy watching, listening, and chatting with them...

even remotely.

This week's question: What lives in trees?

Tuesday and Thursdays are small group enrichment days.

My fabulous TA's and I decided to keep the same kids for a cycle

so we can get to know them better and build those relationships.

Assessments are so much more authentic when you are doing them

informally and in the context of play.

We played "Can you copy my letter?"... and they did!

No pressure.

Just fun.

We have not worked on writing names this year.

I sent home name cards and white boards.

And we found that 4/6 of our kiddos today could write their name independently.

It was a pleasant surprise!

Lets sort!

Not the same as face to face

but they have learned to show me what they know.

My goals today were to...

1. Learn how to edit and make a SeeSaw activity my own.

2. Watch and cheer my Dodgers to a win.

#goalsmet

42/180 Manic Monday

Mondays are long

and hard

especially if you stay up late

watching baseball playoff highlights 

the night before!

NLChamps2020

Monday is letter formation writing day.

We used our brand new, magnetic white boards for the first time.

#thanksdonorschoose

My kiddos were doing great working on lines.

I love small group time.

You get to chat and give each student individual attention.

Sometimes you just need to getaway for a few hours.

Luckily, we have an auntie Meredith.

Burger enjoyed the break as well.

Thanks Sophie for welcoming him.

41/180 Fabulous Friday

Today we took out the tempera paints!

If you are a teacher, 

you know what that means.

It's messy

It's necessary

It's wonderful!

If we were in school we'd be painting all the time.

But this is 2020.

Thanks to DonorsChoose and wonderful donors

I sent home paint kits.

We have been using watercolors up until today,

so I decided it was time.

Our unit study is trees.

The color is green.

What better way to integrate science, art, and language!

I only sent home 4 colors.

We didn't have enough paint containers to send home more

and students don't really need more colors do they?

It's much more fun and meaningful if they discover what happens on their own.

Now they know they don't need green.

They can make it. 

Leaving my classroom today

I looked around and thought,

Dang! We have a lot going on in here

and there are no students yet!

But everything you see serves a purpose...

a goal we have

that until there are students in the classroom

we are going to do are best

to make sure they get what they need.

I have never been a teacher that takes naps,

but this year

Fridays seem to be nap day! #selfcarefriday

It gave me just enough energy to cheer on my boys in blue

and then take a night stroll with my other boys for a Friday night treat.