Tired....

I am VERY tired....  When I was moved to first grade, I was told by everyone, your going to love it soooo much!!  So far, I don't.  I miss teaching Kindergarten (the familiar), I miss all of my friends, I miss the organization of the Primary campus, I just miss it.  This is going to be a VERY long year, thank the Lord tomorrow is Friday....

Thats what's wrong!!

Well I don't have alot to report today.  This year is going to be interesting that is for sure!!  I think that my patience is going to be tested (it is already getting there), but I have to remember that I am in control of my students and I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength (and I'm going to need alot of strength!!).  The only stress relief I did have today was from some paper work that I received from a parent.  We sent home alot of paper work last night for parents to fill out.  One of the forms asks who is allowed to pick up the child and who is not allowed to pick up the child.  One of my parents sent the paper back and under the May Not Pick Up my Child portion, she put "strangers."  Wow!!  That explains so much about our kids!!

First Day Jitters

Well, I successfully survived my first day of First Grade!! Here is what it entailed.  Every year, I cant sleep the night before the first day of school.  I lay awake thinking about what I still  need to do, what the kids will be like, and what I am going to do all day with that many kids!!  I wake up sleep deprived but with adrenalin pumping (and most times butterflies in the stomach too!!)  I get to school, and rush around finishing last minute details, talking to the parents that pop into my room as they drop their kids off, take a few pictures with students, and then walk to pick up my little darlings.  The day, has begun, and I am now locked in to another year of teaching, whether it be good or bad, I'm there!! 

The kids are all bright eyed and excited about school being back in session, they are excited about seeing all of their friends, and being in a new school.  We go over how to enter the classroom, sit in a desk, listen to the teacher, take care of our school supplies, talk to our neighbor, and sit at group time.  Then, about five little hands go up, and they all need the same thing, to go to the bathroom.  We then go over the rules of how to walk in the hallway, use the bathroom, wash our hands, and use the water fountain.  By this time, Mrs. Thompson has been said about a million times, and I realize I will be hearing it in my sleep, along with, find a bubble and duck tail, turn your sounds off please, and eyes facing forward. 

Finally, lunch arrives and I get to eat in the cafeteria with my students.  They are still so young....  We then go and sweat to death on the playground, but they REALLY need to run!!  After we cant take it any longer, we go in to cool off by reading a book and doing some table work. 

We finally make it to the end of the day when we have to go over how to put our papers in our folders, let Mrs. Thompson mark your folder, how to put our folder in our backpack, and how to wear our backpack correctly.  Then its time to go to music!!  Finally, I have a break in the day!!  I have time to put away some school supplies and then its time to go get those little munchkins to go home. Getting all of them where they need to go is a task, but some how, every year, it gets done and they all get home safely.  I finally get to go home at about 5, and as soon as I get home, I am not going to be getting ANYTHING accomplished for the rest of the night!!  It's time to get some rest, and prepare for the next fun filled day!!

Meet your teacher....

Well, today was meet the teacher!!  I am always SO nervous on this day, not matter how many times I do it, I still get nervous!!  So, if you aren't a teacher then you don't know what all goes into getting ready to meet those little darlings.  Well, I thought that I would give you all the nitty gritty to bring you into our "teacher" world.  It all starts with hours of sitting in in-service learning new strategies, and discussing the new changes that will be coming this year.  (In case you didn't know, teachers are probably made into some of the most flexible people EVER when it comes to their jobs)  Anyways!!  Then it is a lot of trying to cram in time to work on your classroom and prepare stuff for meet the teacher and the first day of school.  This gets me to the night before Meet the Teacher.  First of all, a word to the wise, if you decide to put a tree house in your classroom, don't wait until the night before Meet the Teacher!!  I spent the day before meet the teacher sitting in staff meetings all day and then going to my classroom to get last minute things done!!  There was so much to do, get information put on desk for parents to fill out and take home, get name tags made, get all of the school supply boxes ready, and clean up the mess I had made from moving in!!  I spent the majority of the afternoon working until I took a break to run home.  I then went back up to school to continue to work, when my wonderful husband and brother came with dinner and a tree house.  All of this boils down to a VERY long night spent at the school trying to get things ready to meet those kids!!
Then, its time to meet the kids and their parents!!  They come in, some of them running, some of the hiding behind their mom or dad, some all dressed up and some wearing whatever they have in their closet at home.  The parents get to fill out all the paper work while I ask the kids about their summer and if they are ready to come back to school.  At the end of it all, I hope that each of my kids leave with a positive attitude about their teacher, classroom, and the new school year ahead!!

A teachers ramblings....

So this is my first entry!!  I am hoping to post about all the happenings at school and in the classroom.  I have had people tell me over the past several years that i should write down all the funny things that kids say in class, so here we go!!  I hope to convey through this blog the funny things, frustrating things and just random things that happen when you get 24 six and seven year old kids in one classroom every day!  I hope it is as entertaining for you as it is when it happens in my class!!  PLEASE remember I am not a writer, so don't judge!! ;D  I hope you enjoy!!

Just a few teasers from the past couple of years....

Did you know that....

The state pepper of Texas is "Dr. Pepper"
and
That bacon, ham, and sausage comes from Denny's