Let the new year begin!!

Hello!!  I promise, I haven't dropped off the face of the Earth.  I'm trying my best to balance going back to work, being a mom, and getting everything done (work & home stuff)! 

I've started a new grade this year- 2nd!  I taught kindergarten for two years, first grade for two years, and 6th for two years.  This year, I couldn't be happier to be back with the little ones!  Are the exhausting? Yes!  Are the funny? Yes!  Are they frustrating? Yes!  But, I love them.  My two years of teaching 6th graders gave me a huge insight into another side of teaching, and allowed me to be a different teacher.  Still the same at the core, but just different.  I had some wonderful kids that I know I'm going to keep wondering about one day.  I know that I had a couple that will do something great to change lives.  I can just tell.  They have that certain spark.  While I loved most of my older kids, I still missed and craved working with the little ones.  I was thrilled when my principal offered me the switch!!  I had heard warnings stories of the class that I'd be getting, and I felt excited.  I love a challenge with kids.  I love working with them, molding them, supporting them, and seeing how far they come.  I think it's an amazing feeling taking that difficult class and turning them around.

So, today was the first day of school.  I was excited to meet my new class.  We spent a while sorting through supplies (which are still sitting on my counter right now), getting settled, and talking with one another.  Honestly, I didn't do all too much academic, and I'm OK with that.  I'm building our classroom community.  I'm helping them develop a relationship with myself, and with each other.  I want them to understand that this classroom is a fun, engaging place that they should be excited to come to!  I am totally confident that if I just take a little extra time to form these bonds, the academics will come.  They will feel comfortable to take risks with me as I guide and push them, and these risks are what will lead them to true gains.  I'm not saying that we didn't do any academics, just not as much as I would do in a typical school day.  There will be time for that.  Sure, they'll be tough times during the year, and they definitely need to build up their stamina, but we'll get there.   I can't wait!!

Here's the smile of the day: Once we had put our supplies away and gotten settled, we were transitioning to read aloud time.  One girl felt the need to tell me, "Teacher, I broke my arm and I can't do anything heavy." Seeing that there was no cast on her arm, I simply smiled and said, "I'll be sure to remember that.  Now, come join the group."  Apparently the "broken arms" were spreading, and three other students throughout the day decided to tell me that they, too, had broken their arms and couldn't lift anything heavy.  Maybe the medical field has come a long way and developed invisible casts??  Ahhh... it's these types of things that I truly missed over the past 2 years.  I love the random, left-field stories, and they make me chuckle inside.