Day 2 ...and No, I'm not going to keep that up much longer...

Good grief! How do I get myself in this much trouble??? I make all these super secret plans and right about the time I have committed internally to doing something, someone walks by, asks an innocent question and B-L-A-H! There's my super secret plans out there for everyone to see. Not so super secret anymore. Now it's no more excuses and I've GOTTA do it... That's how I roped myself into that 5k... ugh...


(But I'm still kind of proud of that.)

So, today I was talking with a friend in the hallway and I asked why I hadn't seen her son in the Pegasus room. (I promise I'm not stalking the Pegasus room... it's just that they're two door down the hall from my classroom and they have such sweet adorable faces and eager, smiling attitudes and cute, light up shoes...) She tells me he's not at school yet because he's going into KINDERGARTEN this year??!!!??? WHAT!!??! He just arrived and now he's old enough for Kinder? Where the heck (See that? I'm getting ready for school-- I didn't even say the OTHER "he_ _" word...) does time go? Anyway, we continued to chat about this and that and somehow we got on the topic of report cards and grades... and she asked me what I thought of those. Well, duh! There should have been red lights flashing in my head and that robot from "Lost in Space" should have been flailing his arms saying, "Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!" But, since I'm convinced that yellow means accelerate and not "caution", I walked right into that one and told her exactly what I do think of grades and report cards. She knows me well enough to know I have an opinion about everything... and I know myself well enough to know that if someone asks me a question, I am sure going to answer it... {sigh}

So, my intention this year is to do joint parent/teacher conferences with the student and I discussing their progress with their parents. The student will talk about their learning and how they are feeling and doing in each subject area (as well as we can distinguish between them because I like to integrate things...) and I will record annecdotal notes on what I see. I will use the form that we used in Scotland as a starting point but I'll have to tweak it to some how get our state standards in there. I'm sure I'll still have to give checks and pluses on the regular report card because that's the District policy. But what the heck is a plus? It tells me even less than a 92 or 76... Whatever they mean...

I hope parents will leave the conference knowing where their child is on the educational spectrum and proud of their incredible, genius child. But more importantly, I hope my students will feel empowered and will take charge of their learning. If I've learned anything after 20 years of teaching, it's that I can't do the learning for them.

I truly believe that kids can and need to take responsibility for their own learning and one way to do that is to begin a conversation that lets them know that they are capable. With guidance and support, kids can do A LOT! They really are quite amazing.

Day 1

So, today I got to see my friends and even got a few more things done in the classroom. Half the day was spent with the entire faculty in an ice-cold library while we went through the basic beginning of the year business. The afternoon was spent next door congratulating our sister school for their academic achievement of obtaining a "Recognized" status; a portion of the afternoon was spent with the First Grade team outlining curriculum for the first nine weeks of school; another part of the afternoon was spent wandering the halls and talking to everyone catching up on events that occurred during the summer and finally, a small part of that 3 hours was spent in the classroom working on my endless to-do list.

By far, the best part of my day was watching the wee ones come in for their first day of school this morning. We have what's called "The Pegasus Program" which is designed to be a teacher daycare that also models behaviors and learning for developmentally delayed 3 and 4 year olds. Since the teachers had to be at work today, their children started school today. The other students will come on Tuesday with all the other students. Still, it was astonishing that so many babies that I remember being born just last year (or so) were suddenly old enough to be in our program! How did that happen???? Time flies... I just wish MY students were walking through the doors today.

Everything that I wanted to get done today is finished and I have a few more things that I should be able to fit in during tomorrow's meetings. All in all a lovely day. I am feeling like I would like to begin planning lessons but I must confess... I am tired.

I think it was my wedges...

Back to Work

I've laid out my clothes and I've packed my lunch. I am so excited to go back to work! Molly is picking me up at 6:45-- we'll go to Starbucks and get coffee before heading up to school. She must not be excited either because we don't have to be there until 8:00...Maybe I'll even order a Caramel Macchiato in celebration instead of my usual tall, black and bold order...

Ah yes... my job... I love it-- as much as I complain at times about the difficulties, I L.O.V.E. it. True, I spend all of June mourning because I miss my students. In July, I decide to look for another job. After a few days, I decide that changing fields is too much work. I then become resigned to starting all over again. I usually have my family around so I can forget about work but right around the end of July and certainly by August 1st, I'm itching to get back to work and ready to fall in love with a whole new group of amazing children. I'm telling you, my job is the greatest. It's the whole heartbreak when you say goodbye in June...

This year, I'm teaching first grade, again. I've had a 7 year hiatus whilst being the librarian and a second grade teacher but tomorrow, I'm going back to my roots. First grade is where the rubber meets the road. There is a lot of prep work done in Kinder. There's much review and refinement in Second grade but First Grade... well, there's nothing else like it. It's here they learn to read and write. It's here so much of their educational outlook is formed. A good first grade year can easily carry a kid into third grade if not beyond... I am determined that my students will have the best first grade experience they could ever hope to have. Not coincidentally, I am also hoping to take these first graders into second grade. Yes, that is my evil masterplan! Then I don't have to say goodbye in June, it's just "See you in two months"... Of course, it'll be miserable the year after but I am not thinking about that now.

I've looped before when I was teaching 5th grade. I looped into 6th with my students and after a half hour of discussing our summer, we were ready to get down to work. That second year with my students was amazing! I knew who could do what, I knew families and strengths as well as weaknesses. You just don't hear, "We didn't learn that last year.", because you know what they learned. That whole first four weeks when we learn about students, classroom rules and learn about each other is over. It's astonishing how much progress you can make in one GOOD year but it's pure dead brilliant what you can do in TWO years! I want that again. And so I've gone through the ordeal of moving rooms and learning new curriculum because I have a plan. Famous last words, to be sure, but stay tuned for the wonder of my working life...

In the meantime, I have picked out an outfit that should say "stylish" but not "trying too hard". I've packed a lunch consisting of a bowl of soup, salad, and cantaloupe because I cannot believe what damage two measley scoops of ice cream for dessert every night can do to my body and I'm ready.

I'm really ready.


I hope I can sleep tonight...