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Class Assignment... All about me

I know I haven't written in a while, but unfortunately my grad school classes have started back up.  Don't worry I promise I will get it together and share some of the great and crazy stories of what has been happening in my classroom.  Also, my classroom got some great compliments today so i will need to post updated pics. 


Until then I thought I would share my first class assignment for the quarter.  


We were to make some form of presentation introducing ourselves to the class and it had to include a self portrait, an interest of ours, our education, and a favorite song.  Here is what I came up with... 


http://photopeach.com/album/ugsb8s

My Favorite Time Of Day...

Well, here it is...

 If you cannot tell it is indeed nap time.  Today I had quite a few precious children decide to not take a nap (they still have to rest quietly)  I don't know how they do it because I know that if my head would have hit one of those cots today I would have been out within seconds (regardless of the fact that they are only about three feet long).

However, for two very good reasons I could not:

1. That would mean leaving the children unattended, and I would no longer have a job.
2. I am still trying to get back in the school year, and always have some sort of work to catch up on.

 Well now on to the reason I write, and the things that make my day interesting...

             (Oh yeah, and about those hidden personalities on the first day...)
Today, not only was it our first time getting out the paints (lots of fun involved in that), and having classroom jobs, but it was also my first time ever getting bit by a student.  Don't worry no skin was broken, however, I did think it was share worthy.  While this is a hazard (of many) to go with the job, I do not take it personally.  As young children we are trying to grow into our personalities and along with that comes control our emotions (Anger).  I know that this student and I are going to be spending a lot of time together this year, and as long as we can both control our emotion we will make it out alive.

While some situations may be harder to handle than others, don't worry, because there are still moments when I cannot seem to get enough.  For instance, on Fridays we are allowed to wear jeans and t-shirts, and when I walked into the school wearing a purple t-shirt instead of my usual red uniform shirt one of my students was a little confused.  I love it when they ask questions, and encourage curiosity, and that is the exact reason why this particular student often makes me smile.  When I walked in wearing my purple shirt she said,
"Ms. Lisa what happened to your red shirt?"
"It's Purple today"
"Well you can't teach us in that purple shirt can you?"
"I'm sure gonna try"


Lastly, I know I promised some updated classroom photos...

The finished group area (just got new calendar today!)

Remember, I mentioned we started classroom jobs today?  They were so excited to choose their jobs, and take on a new "big kid" responsibility.

One of our photo boards

Our creative expressions board

Family connections board (lesson plans, bios, newsletter, schedule, safety procedures)

Well, that's all I have for the time being but please remember when you are at work tomorrow that although you think no one notices my students would notice if you wore a new shirt, new shoes, a new hair style, or a new shade of eye make-up the second you walk in the door.

First Day of School

So today was the first day of school, and I don't have any pictures because if anyone has experiences a first day of pre-k you barely have time to breath.  However, I survived, and I have to say that it was not too bad.  All day I only had one cryer, and that was right upon arrival.

We are going to be spending all week:
adjusting to our schedule (we were way off today)
getting to know each other
learning when we need to sit still and when we can wonder the classroom
learning bathroom etiquette, how and when to wash our hands
and most importantly how to all live within one classroom together everyday (this one will probably not be accomplished until the end of the year).

Even though I am absolutely exhausted (I know, poor me) I really had a great first day, and as long as no one is hiding a crazy side I think I have a pretty great class.

Preplanning and Awaiting The Madness...

Alright, so this week was preplanning, and I have pictures as promised.  First of all, I would like to let you know that out of the 30 items on my to do list (yes I admit it's a little excessive) I managed to successfully complete about half.  When I walked into my classroom Monday morning I felt as if I was taking a morning swimming class again as I did when I was younger, because my body was frozen with shock.  Only this time it was not from cold water, but because I realized I was going to have to completely start from scratch in just a couple days.  However, just as I did when I jumped into the freezing water, I took a deep breath and just kept going.

Here is what I walked into on Monday.  I know it is hard to tell, but this mess is not what a classroom should look like.  However, the positives are that is it is a very large room (this is not even the whole room as I am standing in the huge group/ literacy are), the huge windows let in plenty of light, and we have lots of wall space to display picture and art work.

I decided immediately that I did not like the bright green and baby blue, and since I could not change the baby blue at this time I began to rip down ever single board until the walls were bare.

Next, as I can not stand unorganized chaos and to not know where anything is I trashed the entire classroom in order to put it back together the I wanted it.

Until Wednesday I felt like I was drowning in a bottomless pool, however, by about Wednesday afternoon I began to see things slowly coming together.  We had organized mostly everything into its place, cleaned everything out, I unpacked most of the stuff I had brought from home (remember the huge pile of stuff), and my assistant had been working really hard on getting everything labeled (more pics on that project later).  I was finally able to tackle a couple items on my list.

I ran to the dollar tree (a teacher must have) and picked up these letters for our new boards...

I tackled the daily schedule (I didn't have this up until a month into school last year).

The group area is coming together...

I ordered a new calendar set so we are awaiting its arrival, and this are will also house our job chart and birthday board both of which still need to be constructed.

And finally... after a whole roll of yellow contact paper, the room was looking much more open, bright, and clean.  And I was feeling a lot better about having 22 students enter into it in just a couple days.

(This picture was taken before I put up their names on the cubbies)

This weekend is going to be spent organizing lesson plans, typing up newsletters, and mentally preparing myself for yet another school year.  I will be along next week with fun first day stories, and more classroom progress pictures.

Good luck to all teachers on a new school year!

Summer is Coming to and End...

   Well, I haven't written in a long time, however, as this is mainly about my classroom the summer does not give me much to work with.  One of the benefits of being a teacher is that in the summer you completely forget that you even have a job, however, that tends to make August a very depressing month.  And here we are; August 4th.  It may come as a surprise to some (ME), but I actually have to return to work in just four days.
   You may remember at the end of last year I mentioned that I would be moving to a new classroom.  I have gone in this summer to rearrange the furniture, however, the entire classroom still needs to be set up next week before the students come.  Don't worry I have made several lists to keep me on track (I am a huge list maker).  I will post updates on the classroom setup next week, however, I wanted to answer the question that many often ask, "What does a teacher do during the summer??"

Here is what I did this summer (don't get to excited...)

1. Most importantly... I have been relaxing by the pool, (trying) to work on my tan, and spending some much needed bonding time with my dog, Vienna.

2. Of course I have been getting in as much husband time as possible (which is hard when this is his busy time at work).  We both have summer birthdays, and therefore, had a great time celebrating those.  We were also able to take a vacation to Vero Beach, Florida with most of Justin's family.

3. We have had several visitors this summer

4. I have been catching up on some good reading (I stockpile all school year, and then read them in the summer).

5. Trying out some new recipes

6. I painted and redecorated our master bathroom

7. As some of you may know, I am in the process of earning my Master's so, of course, I have spent the majority of my time here...

8.I have also taken up running just about every other day, and going to yoga 

9. I have to admit though I have also spent a little time staring at this...

10. And last, but not least, I have organized and reorganized my school stuff to take to my new classroom

Wish me luck as I once again start off on the journey that is a new school year (and yet another new classroom)!

Happy Easter... And Some Big News

We had lots of Easter fun this past week!  

"Egg Hunt" - there is no Easter because it is considered a public school - blah
      Anyway, I had parents bring in eggs filled with candy, and as with each sets of new students every year you get new set of parents so I was not sure what the outcome was going to be.  I have to say that I was very impressed, and they did not disappoint.  Each students ended up collected about 25 eggs a piece (yeah that's a lot).  I debated over and over how I wanted to conduct the hunt in order to make sure that everyone got the same amount of eggs, and to top it all off Friday was a very wet day or the playground.  I decided to number each of the eggs, and then assign each of the students a number.  They had the number tapes to their hand, and when we went on the hunt they could only gather eggs with their number.  Not only did this make it fair, but it also put a little learning into it (without them even realizing it of course).  The class and I decided the a little water wasn't going to hurt us, and we headed outside for our egg hunt.  Finding the specific numbers made it last longer as well, and I think everyone had a really great time.  We had cupcake that afternoon so all the goodies went home for them to add to their Easter candy collection.

      The thing that I love most about a holiday I the day when we com back when they all have stories to share.  I always make sure I give them each a chance to share what they did on their holiday with the class,  and many of them told about their egg hunt adventures, their visits to the Easter bunny, and gathering with friends and families.
      Later in the morning when the students were at centers I heard a couple of them talking about the "Easter Bunny" and could not resist writing down their conversation...

     "Did you know the Easter bunny that I saw was not real?"
     "Yeah, I know, he was just in a costume."
     "I saw his neck when I was sitting on his lap, and that's how I knew he wasn't a real bunny."
     "The Easter bunny doesn't even talk, he just waves!"

   Anther girl who was sitting by listening, but not quite convinced finally joined in.
      "Oh no, the Easter bunny doesn't talk?  That's bad!"
   She was so shocked, and I am sure her parents will have to do some explaining tonight.

The Big News...

         I also found out on Friday that at the end of this school year the state will be shutting down my classroom (boohoo).  We all knew that GA pre-k was cutting costs, and I guess this was one way they decided to do it.  My director is in the process of looking for a school for me to transfer to, but in the mean time if anyone knows of any elementary teaching jobs (haha) please let me know!