Monday, 9/30/13

Happy Monday! Our class went on the field trip to Usher Park today for the VFW's flag retirement ceremony. I wanted to share the pictures I'd taken with you, but I'm struggling to get them to arrange in any sort of order. Sorry for the messiness. Don't you just love how beautiful Usher Park is, particularly the portion that honors the veterans? I wanted to be sure and capture it for you to see.  And perhaps in the dead of winter we can remember to look back at this gorgeous day and feel a little warmth from it.

The field trip was a completely success. The kids did an amazing job of walking politely and staying off of the lawns. When we arrived, they noticed that the fire trucks and ambulance were parked on the street. Initially they were concerned, but I explained how the firefighters and EMTs were there for the ceremony just as we were, but they have to travel together in their trucks in case there were to be an emergency. Ironically enough, right as we were leaving, everyone's sirens went on and they were off to take care of someone somewhere. Thank goodness for them!!!

The ceremony itself was beautiful! The veterans took turns teaching the kids things varying from the history of our flag, to explaining our Pledge of Allegiance, to the meaning behind each fold of the properly folded flag. It's an odd thing to explain to kids that the flag is burned when the time has come for its retirement; the best I can do to make it make sense is to explain that it's better to have it return to ashes than to have it be tossed into a garbage can. That explanation seems to suffice, thank goodness! Check out the perfect morning we had:

 I'm not going to mention the Bears game, except to say that at least they seemed to regroup and put themselves together a bit better in the second half. They may not have won, but they didn't go down without a fight. There's definitely a lesson in there. Thank goodness there's always next week.....

Friday, 9/27/13

Yikes! What a week!!! I set up the page to write my blog every single morning, and then every morning I'd come in and delete the date from the day before and write the current day's date. And here it is Friday, and I haven't written since Monday. I'm beyond ready for the weekend!!! And before I forget, let me do this first:

GGGGGOOOOOOOOOO BBBBBBBBEEEAAAAAARRRRRRRSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phew! Now, on to the business of the day~ Today was Special Friends' Day! It's always so cute to see the adults come in who haven't hung out in a second-grade classroom in a very long time. I like to watch the expression on their faces as they have one hour to let the adult junk go to the back of their brains and just enjoy spending time hanging out with someone they love. To be honest, back in the day I'd do some big ol' lesson, but with time I've re-evaluated and decided to still do an activity to make the kids (and friends) think, but I really the time should be about them and their special friends. It's one of the best decisions I've made. Seeing the interaction that occurs is so heart-warming. And today was a doubly exciting Special Friends' Day because two of my former students were here!! It is beyond amazing for me to see these little people who I spent a very special year with grow up into intelligent, caring, beautiful big people!! <3

Well, I'm outta here--time to get the weekend started! Enjoy, it's supposed to be beautiful!!

Monday, 9/23/13

Happy autumn! This is my kind of weather!! I love the little crisp in the air, but not too much. Just enough for a sweatshirt and flip flops. Just enough that a hot cup of coffee (pumpkin, of course) can make the morning feel snuggly and right. Just enough that once the sun comes up, the crisp is gone and the day is utter perfection. I'm drinking it all in before the tides turn and my flip flops are locked away for the season (although I've definitely worn them in the snow before--but only on pedicure days).

How about that game last night? I'm an award show junky, so the game being opposite the Emmy's was a bit tough, but I just DVR'd the awards and watched them during the commercials. I almost turned the channel as the game got close during the 4th quarter, and I was afraid I was jinxing them, but alas----put another W on the board. My classroom graph is looking quite stunning, I must say!!

Today the kids did their first round of Children's Progress testing (the other 2 will come later in the year: winter and spring). I was able to jump online and do some preliminary investigating of their scores, and I was sooooo pleased! Were there some kids who need a little boost here and there? Of course, how could there not be? But overall, my little brainiacs did amazingly. I'm a proud mama bear teacher today!!! And this even came after I'd given a math test this morning (which they also rocked!!). Not  the most exciting Monday that has ever existed, but none-the-less a good one academically. =)

Lastly, I hope to see many of you at tonight's IPTO meeting at Franzen. It's at 7:00. Our IPTO does such amazing things for our kids, they are such a gift to this district! Please come out and get involved, or just to come and get out of the house for an hour or two. There are always some good laughs. The parents involved are as sweet as can be, and it's always nice to see fresh faces. Plus, I'll be there, and as you've seen I'm pretty good at making some goofball statement when speaking to a large group, so if nothing else, come out for the show. LOL!

Have a great night!

Friday, 9/20/13

Last week we had our first journal reading. It's a time when the kids can have the spotlight and read something that they've written during the week. Not to mention, it's a little introduction to public speaking. I figure, if they can get the jitters out and see it's not so bad when they're 7, maybe something will carry over into their adult lives. Anyhow, last week the kids were completely nervous, but I promised them that they'd wind up loving it because all of my classes always have before them. Sure enough, all this week, they've been asking when our next journal reading would be. Well, it was today!!! The kids were so excited all day, and then when it was time for them to read, they did such a great job! Of course there were those who are still a bit apprehensive, but I'm positive that after a few more times of getting up there and feeling the pride of sharing an original piece of writing, all of the good feelings will overtake the nerves. I'm so proud of them!

I hope you have a lovely weekend! Don't you find yourself cherishing weekends like this as the summer comes to a close? We know what's right around the corner, so these last few weekends of 70's and sunny are like little gifts to be cherished until we all begin our hibernation.

And without further adieu--let's hear it:   GOOOOOO BBBBEEEEEAAAAARRRRRSSSSS!!! I have friends who are going to the game in PA! My friend Mike is one of the biggest Bears fans I know, and he has wisely taught his wife and first son to be as well. Their second son however, randomly grew up a Steelers fan and married his high-school sweetheart, who of course is sure to cheer for the Steelers as well. They are all venturing out for the game and to see who in their family comes out victorious. I adore their son (who I've known since he was itty bitty) but for the only time in his life--I'm going to be rooting against him. Get it Bears!!!! We've got a rivalry to settle here!! =)

Wednesday, 9/18/13

I hope that you heard about the big reveal of our newest topic in science yesterday: DINOSAURS! It started with the world's longest version of 20 Questions that has ever been played (it was more like 20 cubed questions) but that's okay, as long as there was some deductive thinking being developed, I was okay with it. Later we started to explore a dinosaur smartboard activity that I'd discovered. Overall, it was a dino-rific day!! =)

I started this blog earlier today and somehow it is suddenly 4:45 and thundering furiously outside, so I'll be somewhat brief. We continued the dinosaur smartboard activity today. Every child was able to come up at least twice and use the smartboard to move words, make patterns, spin dice or pop balloons. It's the coolest!!!

Today was school picture day. It is one of my very favorite days--the kids come in looking (and sometimes even smelling) fantastic. Their hair is combed and cute, their outfits are perfect and everyone gets excited seeing each other all fancied up. Then it's always hilarious to see what happens right after it's our classes turn and the pics are completed: the boys all go and change their clothes. Too funny! I love this job!!!

Monday, 9/16/13

I came into our room first thing this morning and a warm feeling came over me. The kids came in, sat down and got right to it on their morning work. No reminders needed from me. No need to ask them to quiet down. It was dreamy! We're still working on those skills throughout the rest of the day, but for the first thing on a Monday morning, that was quite spectacular.

I recently got great news that we were invited to the local VFW's flag retirement ceremony. It will be held at Usher Park at the end of the month. I've taken my class in the past, and it is a very lovely experience.

Just another reminder that our picture day was moved from Sept. 25 to THIS WEDNESDAY, the 18th.

BTW--did you see that Bears game?????????? Holy Moly!

Friday the 13th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So! I went to Dunkin Donuts this morning:

Desperately needed caffination and hydration

But I wasn't the only one! I had to drive around the parking lot a few times to get a place in the drive-thru line! It was backed onto Irving!!! Not good! My patience was short, but then I got my coffee and tea and felt much better. THEN when school started, I went to grab my coffee off of my table, and one of my darling little angels said, "That's from me." I looked and saw 2 coffee cups! She'd brought me coffee. Is that not the cutest thing ever?? I heard from her mom that it was all her idea, and I heard from another teacher that when asked about it, she hugged the cup tight and told that other teacher that the coffee she had was for HER teacher!! I LOVE my job!!!!!!!!!

I want to thank all of you who made it out last night. Curriculum Night is such a mix of feelings for me. It is so great because I get to meet the majority of my kids' parents, but I'm so much better at just having a conversation than trying to cover topics on a "formal" agenda and I wind up jumbled and tongue-tied. I just hope that you all gained a better appreciation for the learning and fun that goes into your child's school days.

And here's a story that will shock very few of you (especially if you were in my first session last night). Today we had a fire drill. No biggie, right? We've had our initial one for the year; so this one was a run-of-the-mill drill. (how'd you like that rhyme??) What was different was that my class was with the music teacher. When the alarm when off, I was in the office, so I headed out the front doors to the sidewalk and then watched my students come out the other set of doors and down the same sidewalk, but not to the same location where I was. In the few seconds when I was standing outside anxiously waiting seeing them exit the building I was oddly (or not-so-oddly now that you know me a bit better) taken by a bit of emotion. I didn't really like that I wasn't with them. Now, I'm going to tell you that there have been many times that I have been through drills when I wasn't with my class, so I'm pretty sure it was the tiredness that was living in my eyes today that contributed to that sensation, but I think it also had to do with the reality that we were all forced to face last December in Connecticut. My reaction kind of took me back. I guess you really do continue to learn about yourself when you're paying attention, huh?  Well, I'll tell you what---by the time they got back in the building I was waiting by the music room to take them back to class and they gave me the "what-for"!! I was asked by nearly every single one of those kids why I didn't warn them! Humph!! Shoulda known-----schooled by second graders again!! (I explained, of course, that we have to practice with surprise drills so Dr. Turner can see that we all know what to do....never a dull moment!!)

My final thought, so that we can keep the winning streak alive: GOOOOOO BEEEAAAARRRRSSSS!!!!