Monday, August 27, 2012

1st Day of School

Big hugs, Wide smiles, Lots of talking, Catching up with old friends, Meeting new ones, Nerves, Uncertainity, Happiness, Confusion, Information overload, Get to know you games, Awesome staff, Vanilla Iced Coffee, Large Sonic drink, Professionalism, Sore feet and ankles, Wrong choice of shoes, More hugs, Lots of questions....Exhaustion!

We may have a couple of months off in the summer but when we work, WE WORK, and I think I speak for every teacher out there when I say we NEVER stop working! We hit the ground running, full force, no stopping, completely devoted, and emotionally attached from the first day. Our minds are constantly evaluating, re-evaluating, and then analzing all of those evaluations. What can we do to make that lesson better, what can we change in our organization system to allow things to run more smoothly, how can we reach that "unreachable" kid.

On the whole my first day back was good. This may be one of my most trying years yet, but I'm up for it. I want to learn and grow as an educator so I'm ready for the challenge. I want to be superwoman this year. I want to learn how to balance being a new mommy, a wife, a teacher, and a better christian...I want to be healthy.

Today went by SO fast. It really was a whirlwind. Going over procedures, getting to know each other, and trying to do fun back to school activities made the day FLY by.

I decided at the last minute on Sunday that I wanted to use this idea for the front of my classroom door. I forgot to snap a picture of the final picture, but I will. Here are some of the pictures during the creating process.
 
We also did a team building activity called "Saving Fred". It was a blast and told me a lot about my class. The groups that communicated BEFORE starting definietly were the most successful! The kids then filled out this page (FREE for you). It was very interesting to see there responses. I also used it to gage where they were with being to articulate in writing what they did, writing in general, and comprehension!
 





The kids loved it!
 
How was your first day...or your day in general?
 
 If you decide to do this team building activity please leave me a comment or a comment with other great team building activities you've found!
 

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Back to Life. Back to Reality.

Summer came and went! I am SO Thankful for the time I had home with my daughter. It is just not in the financial cards for me to stay at home at this point in life. Believe me, I've tried every way I can think of to make it happen. Not. Possible. Rather than focus on the saddness that brings me..I am choosing Joy. I am lucky, grateful, thankful, and estatic about the school and people I get to work at and with! My daughter is at a daycare where she is loved and well taken care of. She is right down the road. My husband is helping with the responsibilty of dropping her off. I pick her up. This way I can still breastfeed, get dressed, and to work...hopefully on time. ;) Aubree Kate is 5 months old! Wowsers! I can't believe it. You mommas out there didn't warn me of the emotions and the fact that times flies in the blink of an eye. It really is one of my goals to write a book about after delivery some day! I have so much to say about that! I am thankful for those who understand and lend a helping hand even when you say you don't need it! God bless you!

I will make it a point to keep up with this blog better than the last. AND hopefully there will be more the 21 followers because of it. We. Shall. See.

I have so much to say about Back to School and all I've been doing to prepare for it, but for now I'm signing off because I've been at the school all morning and on the computer since I got home!

Thanks for stopping by!