Today we were ready. The students came in, made their lunch choices, and got to work. I only had to remind a few about turning in their take-home folders. I had to remind most of them to work QUIETLY!
We buzzed through the morning, reviewing reading comprehension skills in language arts in order to apply them to a short story we are reading in parts this week. We also reviewed how to take a spelling pretest and check over the words. (My program has leveled spelling lists each week, and the pretest helps me determine which list to give each student for the week.) I had to remind students to number down the side of a page, and to not skip random lines while doing so. I can see I will need to model that a few more times this year! Tomorrow they will learn about the spelling homework policies. Took a bathroom break and reviewed those rules. By then it was time for short recess (15 minutes), where I had duty.
After recess we reviewed our Daily Edit. Some of you may call it Daily Language Practice or something similar. Ours is assigned as part of morning work (the first thing done each day), and is comprised of four pages. The first involves phonics skills and proofreading simple sentences, the second has a vocabulary word of the day and two analogies, the third had five mixed math problems, and the last is a logic problem that needs to be drawn out to be solved. It takes the kids a while before they get the hang of it, so we do them together for the first week.
Lunch follows Daily Edit, which is then followed by a short read-aloud. Today's was Ruby the Copycat by Peggy Rathman. Very cute story about being yourself.
Special today was Computer. We don't have an official computer teacher, so I went over the expectations of the lab and what types of projects we will be working on this year. Then I assigned seats and let them explore some links on the PBS Kids website. (I like WordGirl and Martha Speaks for vocabulary, Cyberchase for math, Between the Lions for phonics and reading, and SuperWHY! for problem solving. Dr. Seuss stories will be available once the show airs next week. I plan to use that link as well.
After that, we took the first half of the beginning-of-the-year inventory. It's actually the end of the year test the students took in first grade, but we give it again at the beginning of second grade to look for gaps and help us plan. Then it was on to long recess (30 minutes).
During long recess (no duty this time), I wrote out a thank you for another giraffe added to the classroom, wrote a note to another parent about snack, and checked/read the 14 e-mails that were waiting for me. Then it was time to pick the class up from recess.
We got drinks (It was another 90-plus degree day today.), copied reminders and behavior colors for the day (more on that later), got planners signed, checked mailboxes, packed up, and listened to poems from the book The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky.
I got through dismissal with no missed buses or lost children! (Woohoo!)
After school I went to the doctor for a pain I've had in my right knee for about a week. Turns out, I have a slightly torn meniscus. (I think I tore it when I stepped off the curb and landed in an awkward position. That was during a car wash for my church's youth ministry on the 21st. The same car wash where I proceeded to bend and squat drying cars for several hours. Oh, and I guess moving furniture around my classroom last week in order to get ready for this week didn't help matters. Oh well.) Thankfully, I don't have to wear a leg immobilizer--you know, one of those brace things that go from your calf to your hip. (Can you imagine chasing after 19 second graders in one of those things?!? I actually laughed when the doctor mentioned it!) I just need to elevate it at home, ice it, and take some Motrin to take the swelling away and help the healing process.
Well, well. Tomorrow's another day. Let's see what it brings.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Day 1: The First Day of School
Day 1. The First Day of School. Sigh. Summer is officially over.
The day started off pretty good, actually. I slept well the night before, was up on time in the morning, and didn't feel apprehensive about the day. Dare I say, I felt ready?
I prayed, ate a good breakfast, made sure I had my lunch packed, and went into school early. Checked over my work, took a few pics, and made some last-minute adjustments. At 8:45, with the ringing of the first bell, the day officially began.
I greeted each student at the door of my classroom and ushered them into the room. One student greeted me with a very cute apple hand sanitizer pump for my desk. (Note: Always have Thank You notes in your desk drawer!)
We got through the day relatively simply, with the routines being explained and behavior expectations being covered. Things did get a little hairy, when, I realized an hour before lunch that I'd forgotten to take the students to the cafeteria to review our serving line procedure, where we sit as a class, and what the allergy-free tables are. This doesn't sound like a big deal, but when there are nearly 640 K-5 students in your school and everyone is trying to go over the lunch routines before the first lunch period begins, it can get a little crazy. (My class interrupted a third grade teacher in the midst of her explanation. Oops!) We were a few minutes late for recess because of that mini fiasco.
The morning was a warm 80 or so degrees, but by the end of the day, the room was sweltering. My school does not have air conditioning, so the 93 degree day outside felt more like 100 degrees inside, and the ceiling fans just blow around the hot air. I told my class to make sure they bring water bottles everyday because my room is one of the hottest in the building. Lucky me.
I have two students with food allergies or sensitivities this year, so snack time was a bit unnerving because I had to check over everyone's snack. I had to send one kid back to put his snack because I wasn't sure about the processing of it. (The factory also makes a peanut cookie, but the wrapper didn't say anything about machines being shared.) I felt bad, but my one child's peanut allergy is VERY SEVERE, so I decided to err on the side of caution. I DID write a note to the child's parents explaining any I sent the snack back home and that they could find a safe snack list on my class webpage. This is definitely a point I need to go over on Parent Night in two weeks.
All said, the day went smoothly (mostly), and I have a read on my kids. Amazing how you can tell the temperament of a child by the end of the first day. I call it "Teacher Vision."
I have 19 little minds that are dependent upon me this year to help them grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
I'm ready for the challenge.
The day started off pretty good, actually. I slept well the night before, was up on time in the morning, and didn't feel apprehensive about the day. Dare I say, I felt ready?
I prayed, ate a good breakfast, made sure I had my lunch packed, and went into school early. Checked over my work, took a few pics, and made some last-minute adjustments. At 8:45, with the ringing of the first bell, the day officially began.
I greeted each student at the door of my classroom and ushered them into the room. One student greeted me with a very cute apple hand sanitizer pump for my desk. (Note: Always have Thank You notes in your desk drawer!)
We got through the day relatively simply, with the routines being explained and behavior expectations being covered. Things did get a little hairy, when, I realized an hour before lunch that I'd forgotten to take the students to the cafeteria to review our serving line procedure, where we sit as a class, and what the allergy-free tables are. This doesn't sound like a big deal, but when there are nearly 640 K-5 students in your school and everyone is trying to go over the lunch routines before the first lunch period begins, it can get a little crazy. (My class interrupted a third grade teacher in the midst of her explanation. Oops!) We were a few minutes late for recess because of that mini fiasco.
The morning was a warm 80 or so degrees, but by the end of the day, the room was sweltering. My school does not have air conditioning, so the 93 degree day outside felt more like 100 degrees inside, and the ceiling fans just blow around the hot air. I told my class to make sure they bring water bottles everyday because my room is one of the hottest in the building. Lucky me.
I have two students with food allergies or sensitivities this year, so snack time was a bit unnerving because I had to check over everyone's snack. I had to send one kid back to put his snack because I wasn't sure about the processing of it. (The factory also makes a peanut cookie, but the wrapper didn't say anything about machines being shared.) I felt bad, but my one child's peanut allergy is VERY SEVERE, so I decided to err on the side of caution. I DID write a note to the child's parents explaining any I sent the snack back home and that they could find a safe snack list on my class webpage. This is definitely a point I need to go over on Parent Night in two weeks.
All said, the day went smoothly (mostly), and I have a read on my kids. Amazing how you can tell the temperament of a child by the end of the first day. I call it "Teacher Vision."
I have 19 little minds that are dependent upon me this year to help them grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
I'm ready for the challenge.
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| View from the front of my room. The lion above the number line is holding a spot for all of the "Grrreat Words to Know" section. Words don't begin until next week. |
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| View from the back of my room. |
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| My desk area. Where all the magic happens. (Wink, wink!) |
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| My door. The sign says "Welcome to the Learning Safari." My giraffe is reminding visitors that my room is a peanut-free and tree nut-free room. The pictures around the door frame further lend to the safari theme. Wish I could show you all of them but the camera lens wasn't big enough! |
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| Classroom routines. Posted near the door (which is on the other side of the blue desk in front of the overhead). |
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| View from student cubbies/hooks. Books, books, and more books. |
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| View from my desk at the end of the day. I made it! |
Sunday, August 29, 2010
T-Minus Day 1
It's the day before the start of a new school year. Who says teachers don't get nervous? This is not a wary, "oh-my-goodness-I-feel-sick-to-my-stomach" nervousness. It's the excitement of looking forward to the new year; new kids, new experiences, new ideas sprouting.
Bring it on.
Bring it on.
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