67: C is for Cookie

C is for cookie.

Brown is for cookie.

Six is the magic number.

So why not combine all the things we are working on this week into a single activity.

Add...

Drawing a circle.

Cutting with scissors.

Fine motor practice (dot sticker peeling)

Counting in order.

1 to 1 correspondence.

Writing your name 

and following directions.

*This one was extra special because I discovered today that Xavier has learned to write his first name! These are the BEST moments of teaching! I am so proud of him!

66: The Good and the Bad

Was greeted this morning with toys scattered all over our yard,

a broken table,

and our seed bags and pumpkin cups

pull off the window and thrown.

But on the bright side...

the seeds and beans in our baggies were sprouting!

and they (probably teens),

didn't touch our rotting pumpkin experiment!

And during group time,

I noticed many of the students'

fine motor skills are improving...

Happy Chanukah!

65: Sweet Friday Before Break

Exactly one year ago today

I had a tamale and 

cup of champurrado for breakfast.

Diana Rodriguez, the TK teacher,

invited all staff on site teaching virtually

to come to her classroom for some breakfast

before our Thanksgiving break...

and impending school closure

due to Covid.

It was nothing out of the ordinary 

because that was how Diana was,

always giving and kind.

Little did we know,

that a month later,

we would lose Diana to Covid.

So this morning.

We had tamales

and champurrado

for breakfast

in honor

of our friend

Diana Rodriguez.

I couldn't leave the Mexican Bakery 

without something sweet for my kiddos.

So to start their day,

the last day before our Thanksgiving Break,

they had fresh, sweet, mini conchas.

I found a mix for No-Bake Cookies at Target.

Why not?

Note to Self: 

No Bake Cookies are too sweet. 

Hard pass next time!

Today I am grateful we have a week off

to reflect, refresh, relax, and rediscover 

the people who matter most...

after my Saturday Meeting!

64: Learning to Read

Thursday small group focus is emergent reading.

The focus today were: directionality and picture cues for my 

beginners, and moving to 1 to 1, sight words, and monitoring

for my emergent readers.

We worked on the sight words I, see, a, and we

and made little readers.

We is a new sight words, 

and when some of the readers got to the word,

they stopped (monitoring!).

In the afternoon,

students have centers they can choose from.

M went to the art and writing center.

Then he came up to me to show me what he had made...

I had some extra sight word sentence frames from small groups,

but M had something else in mind,

so I gave him blank strips.

And he created his own emergent reader...

Today, I am grateful that I get to witness moments

of discovery and learning.

Nothing makes me happier than to watch kids take over their own learning process!

63: Mo Wednesday

I love reading Mo Willems books.

There's such a fun sense of humor in every book.

Today it was The Pigeon Has to Go to School.

And the Pigeon looks fabulous too!

I'm grateful for parents that send bags of rocks

when we ask for donations.

I'm grateful for TA's that work hard to use the rocks

for wonderful pieces!

I'm grateful that tomorrow will be a new day,

as this one ends after an intense and volatile evening

with an impulsive 14 year old.

#cantcatchabreak

 

62: Gratitude Game

I've been posting a question each day 

for families on our school's ClassDojo. 

They have the option of posting comments if they would like

and a few have.

1. 

A person I am grateful for.

So many choices, but I am going to say, 

other than my immediate family,

it would be my uncle Ray.

He came to America.

He served in the Army.

He was the one that sponsored my parents,

grandma (his mother), my sister, and I

so that we could come to America.

I remember him as a caring, strong man.

He took care of his family.

2. 

Something I am grateful for is being a teacher.

I am lucky that I have found something that brings me so much joy.

It isn't always easy, but at the end of the day,

I know what I do matters

and I learn as much from my students

and families, as they learn from me.

3. 

A memory I am grateful for is when Lowell Milken came to my school

and handed me a big check.

It wasn't so much about the recognition,

but that I was able to share my love of teaching

with my mom.

For the first time, 

I think she understood that what I chose to do 

was just as valued as someone who makes lot more money.

She read the Chinese Newspaper and learned why I love teaching.

I convinced her to experience the awards banquet with me

because I wanted to honor her hard work and determination to

give us a better life.

And she did.

Today, I am grateful, once again, for my generous friends and donors

who continually help support my students and I with materials that make

learning more engaging

I am grateful for public transportation and iPhones 

that help navigate a huge city for a young man that needs

extra support to get where he needs to go.

I am equally grateful for apps that track my young man when

he learns how to get where he needs to go.

I am grateful that I teach in a school community

that is inclusive, supportive, and kind to my child

as he begins a new job.

61: Trimester One- DONE

Mondays are just hard.

But I guess they are not too hard if you are a 4 year old.

They bring the same energy each and every day.

Today I am grateful for 

morning hugs, 

I love you Miss Fung, 

former students who send you video text

of them reading Brown Bear, Brown Bear,

and dairy farmers who promote healthy choices

and reminds us that not all cows are black and brown!

60: Fine Motor Friday

We are 1/3 of the way done with our school year!

Time always seems to speed up after Halloween 

and now we are approaching Thanksgiving break 

in a week. 

It was Zero Day,

so I wanted to do something fun,

and academic.

So we worked on letter formation

using popsicle sticks.

We made straight line letters first.

Then as an added treat for Day 60,

we used Twizzlers Pull-N-Peel Cherry Licorice.

Students had to pull apart the thin strands (fine motor)

and used the pieces to make the curved letters.

We cleaned hands first,

so they could eat their strands after.

Kids need to work with different types of materials

and I'm always looking...

Today, I am grateful to all the doctors, scientists, researchers, 

trial volunteers (adults and children, and their parents)

for creating a vaccination in record time,

so that we could try to get back to "normal,"

even a new normal.

 

59: Wacky Wednesday

There was something in the water today.

Well, we suspect there was something

because everyone seemed to have an

extra kick and bursts of energy,

everyone, except the teachers.

But it's a mid-week Friday.

I am grateful for a day off to catch up on progress reports.

Tomorrow is Veteran's Day.

Today, I am grateful for the artwork Luka leaves around the room.

It gives me some insight on who he is.

Could this be Little Boy Blue?

Today, I am grateful for Fernanda,

who is a shining example

of what it is to be a kind and considerate friend.

Thank you for being THAT KID.

Today, I am grateful for supportive social security employees,

that take the time to explain a complex system

to a confused mom of an adult child with a disability. 

Today, I am grateful for a hardworking contractor,

who has a vision for my bathroom,

even when I don't.

58: Grateful Tuesday

Gratitude month continues...

I started a gratitude journal over a year ago. 

Each night I jot down at least one thing

that brought me joy for that day.

Some days it's hard to find

even one thing,

but today wasn't one of them.

Grateful for colleagues that come into your classroom and teach you something new.

Grateful for white vinegar. I really does take out slime from clothing!

Grateful for teachers that look after my teen... and laptops that he leaves behind!

I'm grateful I got to spend a nice Tuesday evening,

with two of my boys,

and their dad/uncle,

watching my favorite basketball team,

in really good seats.

I am MOST grateful for,

and a little relieved,

knowing that D was approved to get support

to help him grow and survive.

 

57: A Month of Gratitude

This morning our PSW, 

the fabulous Ms. Silva, 

challenged us to a month of gratitude.

Today, I am grateful to have found

a career doing something that I love,

teaching and learning,

and grateful for all the wonderful things

being a teacher brings.

Daniel had to get fingerprinted by LAUSD today.

I drove him to the Beyond the Bell Office.

When I read the contact name, Jeaneth Cuellar,

I thought, wow, someone has the same name as my friend Jeaneth,

the preschool teacher.

When the young lady came out,

it wasn't Jeaneth, my friend,

it was Jeaneth, her daughter,

my former student!

How many people can say they can find joy

in taking their son to get fingerprinted?

I can!

I am so grateful for being about to connect with former students.

They bring me much joy!

56: Friday Night Lights and Band

It's Friday.

Usually a time to look forward to getting some rest,

but not always if you are a parent.

Today, I took out the gravel.

Such a wonderful sensory material

but messy

and fun.

As we get ready for Parent Conferences,

I'm sad that we are not able to do Student-Led Conferences

this time around.

I did them as best I could on Zoom last year,

but this year,

our students are not use to Zoom.

So it will be more traditional,

or as traditional as it can be...

via Zoom.

Only problem is that not all parents

have devices

and phones

don't have the same access.

But we will do the best we can.

Friday Night Lights are pretty exciting.

It would be more exciting if he were playing

with the band,

instead of hanging with them.

At least he helped a little

and he's not on YouTube.

And my favorite MMMB chaperone!

55: Learning to Fly

This week we decided to break our small groups

into smaller groups.

We wanted to really differentiate 

instruction.

We wanted to make sure there were not more than 4

students in a group.

In doing that,

there would be two groups working independently 

during each rotation.

Ms. Ponce wasn't here today.

And we knew there wouldn't be a replacement.

But I didn't want to eliminate a group

and make larger groups today.

So I didn't.

One independent group would work with construction 

and manipulatives.

The other one would practice writing their first names.

Melanie decided to take the lead.

She sat in Ms. Ponce's chair.

She monitored her group's activity...

And they were on task,

with a little support for A.

Amazing things happen when you let kids go

and trust that they will be able to manage.

Today was also a huge day in our family.

One of my two favorite girls,

in the whole wide world,

accepted her first "real" job.

Early Temple graduate (in 3 years),

and older daughter of my sister and brother in law,

is going to take flight

across the country.

Time to let this one go and fly on her own.

I am not worried,

she's already shown she can fly on her own.

I just wish she would have flown closer to Alhambra.

#Prouddada

54: First Wednesday in November

Can't believe it's November already.

It's Wednesday,

so it must be writing workshop day.

We have a new student.

He fit right in and drew a wonderful story.

He even shared it with the class.

Welcome D! 

Put the final touches on our November hallway bulletin board.

I want to share my students' work.

I want them to feel proud when they see it.

We made sure each child is represented.

And they were.

This year, 

I was able to help create the Dia de los Muertos Art Gallery

for our Local District.

I wish more schools would submit work

but I know how overwhelmed teachers are right now.

I love the Arts.

I am so glad that creative students still

get to express themselves through Art, Music, and Dance.

I submitted 10 pieces (limit)

I enjoyed checking out all the other pieces,

especially the high school students

and dance.

The Arts makes me happy.

Hope you check out the site and enjoy!

Link below.

Local District East Dia de los Muertos Art Gallery