Day 30: Unexpected Beginnings

I'm not going to lie.
It's been a tough start.
I had been spoiled by being in a classroom with 4 adults
for the past 7 years,
and now,
I was alone
a lot of the time
with 24 4-year-olds.

It's Day 30 today.
I missed about 1/3 of those days.

Never been out that long,
but what can you do 
when you suddenly get a fever and body aches
and test positive at 4:00 in the morning on Monday.

I didn't expect things to be perfect when I got back,
after all, I only had 10 days to get 4 year olds into routines
and then I suddenly disappeared for two weeks.

But sometimes
things surprise you,
and they did.

It hasn't been a perfect 2 weeks since my return,
but it hasn't been too bad either.

Circle time can go for 30 minutes now.
I'm not the only one singing now.
More friends are dancing now.
There is less hitting, pushing, bumping, crying, screaming, and tattling now.
(Don't get me wrong, there is still hitting, pushing, bumping, crying, screaming, 
and plenty of tattling... just less of it).

They can recognize the first letter of their names now.
They follow routines, can put together compound words, and identify rhymes.
They are beginning to build relationships, show compassion, and be more independent.
And although we have a long way to go
I see us constantly in motion
and moving forward.
It's why I teach.
I crave learning and witnessing growth.

Two of my favorite classroom moments in September...

Tree Walk last Friday.
ME: "Look at this tree. What do you see? Look at the leaves."

E (one of my favorite nemesis) "It's a deciduous tree!" 

How can you not love when a 4 year old uses the word deciduous?!

We have been filling buckets each day.
We empty them too,
but we try to keep them full.
I say "I love you," a lot.

I just do.
I want them to hear that daily.

Today while E was working next to me,

she nonchalantly blurted out to me,

"Teacher, I love you more."

This school year may have started off with an unexpected glitch,
but it looks like everything will be alright.
My month long cough is finally gone,

A's cries and screams in the morning are now a few seconds of whimper,
we are going on our first field trip next week,

and E loves me more.

My bucket is full.