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.