Countdown...

It's been a hectic year 36.

I went from having 3 other adults with me in a classroom,
to just one most of the time,

and many times, just me.

Not much time to blog,

but that will change soon.

There's an ending in sight,

so I thought I'd start a countdown.

10....

Something I WON'T miss:
Mandated standardize testing 4-year-olds the first month of their school experience.

Something I WILL miss:

Getting to witness those same 4-year-olds master the skills and concepts needed to be successful in Kindergarten, while becoming more caring and kind individuals.

October Problem Solving

Problem Solving in April

Using sounds, letters, and words to write.

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.

Day 1

There's no tired like preschool first day with students tired.

I guess I won't be going to Zumba today.

No breaks,

No lunch,

No potty accidents,

Lots of tears,

Nosebleeds,

Sweat and "Where's my mom?"

But all in all a good first day.

Preschool is no joke!

Have a great school year everyone!

Five years ago, I decided to wear the same dress the first day of school.

Different glasses, but same dress!

5, 4, 3, 2, 1! Kindergarten Here They Come!

Counting down to 180...

5! 

Rehearsing for a Culmination on Zoom. 

Hopefully, our last culmination on Zoom.

4!

It was different,

but the excitement of the day remains the same.

Balloons, Graduation Leis, Candy Baskets, and Teddy Bears too!

It's not a graduation,

but a celebrating of completing a year.

So happy that every child had someone show up for them,

and lots of photos of a special event in their lives and mine.

3!

If they only knew,

that I learn just as much,

if not more,

than they learn from me.

Today my teen had to leave his "game" room.

He agreed to work this summer.

He wasn't happy about it,

but he committed.

Ironically,

it's at an Early Childhood Education Center,

working with young children with special needs.

#justlikeme

He survived,

and maybe even liked it a little.

2!

When you make a chore a part of play.

End of the year cleaning and organization is no joke.

1! Last Day of 2021-2022

I thought last year was tough,

but this year was probably tougher.

Teaching from behind a mask,

weekly covid testing,

quarantine,

closed campus, 

and students performance webinars,

it was different.

But we still managed to establish routines,

laugh, sing, dance, and play everyday,

identify letters and numbers,

go on six field trips,

makes friends,

build relationships,

and find the joy in learning.

Off to Kindergarten!

My last photo collage for parents of the year

is probably my favorite.

It's a side by side from the first day to the last day.

Amazed at how they have grown!

Privileged to be a part of their lives,

honored to watch them grow.

#dowhatyoulove #lovewhatyoudo

After 6 years in ETK-PCC,

I decided to make a change.

I love teaming,

but wanted to go back to a self-contained class model

so that I could teach in a more systematic way again.

UTK offered that opportunity.

I'm excited,

and a little sad

that I won't have the best TA's to work along side me.

Change is growth.

I want to keep growing.

One of the first people I met at my current school was Gabriel.

I was pushing a carpet up the ramp and 

asked him if he could open my room.

He didn't know me,

and he was busy,

but he helped me out.

Then he told Bryce to make good choices.

Bryce still remembers him.

He will retire officially in August,

but we celebrated him today.

There are good people in the world.

He is one of them.

Today, we celebrated the end of my 35th year.

Today, we celebrated his first.

I am ready for summer!

It's been exhausting

and I need the time to 

regroup,

reorganize, 

refresh,

rethink,

repair,

and rebuild my relationship as a parent of a teen.

But first I have to finish my CUMS,

and attend CGI training next week...

#teacherslife

174: I See You

He's come a long way.

This week he went into the bathroom on his own

and wasn't afraid.

And he even flushed!

It was huge.

Yesterday, he sat with his group

and wrote/drew for 20 minutes.

It was huge.

Today, he drew a self portrait.

I don't really know for sure if it was a self portrait,

but we all agreed it looked like it was.

Had to capture it before he erased.

I'm going to miss him next year.

I might have to stop by his new school

just to check in.

I see you L.

Keep moving forward!

When you are presented with a thoughtful teacher gift,

you wear it! 

Today, we did.

Sometimes,

the drive in traffic is worth it.

Today would be one of those times.

#MilkenForum

173: Then and Now

It's hard to have writing workshop when there are small groups.

The time allotted is never enough for some,

and too much for others.

Next year, I want to go back to daily Writing Workshop.

But until then, 

I will celebrate our small successes!

Day 172: Less is More

I am a firm believer that dittos,

worksheets, practice pages, 

adult created,

close-ended,

fill in the blank sheets

don't belong in the early childhood classroom.

There.

I said it.

Here were my directions today:

*Draw 10 butterflies. Count them. Label them if you can.

Look at what happened:

I'm not saying I will never use a worksheet

or send them home for practice and homework,

I'm just saying you can get so much more information from not using one.

#nextyeargoals