You Look Like 1st Graders!!

**Spring Break is OVER and it is crunch time! Although I've been doing my best all year, it really hit me that the school year will be over in 2 months, and that it is time to push and learn everything possible before they move on. In the hallway, another teacher was walking past and stopped to say: "What a NICE line--you are getting so big--you look like 1st graders!" They all smiled. I frowned. I will be SO sad to see this sweet class move on. They have taught me so much.

*I remember before the school year started, I constantly said to my husband: I'm so scared to teach kids how to read. I don't know how to do that-it's a really important thing, I don't want to mess them up!! When I taught 5th grade, I had kids reading at 1st grade reading levels. In math, reading, science, etc. I saw how IMPORTANT it is to have a good base--how important EVERY year of school is, and that we can't let kids slip through the cracks. I felt a lot of pressure in K--I wanted to make a solid base for their education. But I've slowly but surely figured out how to teach them how to read. And it has been the most rewarding thing I have EVER done.

*My class is so funny right now--most of them came in not knowing any letters/numbers/colors/shapes/etc. I now have half of the class reading on grade level or above (or WAY above) and half of the class that is really struggling. It is to the point that I differentiate not only small reading groups, but also center games, whole group activities and sight word/word family books. This=a LOT more work for me (I feel like the beginning of the year again when I was working late every night and running around like crazy), because I end up planning about 5-10 reading activities each day, but it is worth it, because it meets the students where they are, and pushes them to where they need to be. I'm so excited.

*Yesterday in Library Checkout, one of my students who was not on grade level before Christmas when I tested them, was READING his book to himself with great expression. Every word. And laughing at the funny parts. --"Mrs....I know how to read!" Me-I know--I taught you ;).

*At book buddies this week, I went around to my higher kids, and asked them to read their books to the 5th graders instead of the other way around. Their faces were full of pride as they read stories to the BIG kids :).

*On Monday after spring break, all of us teachers were dragging. Hard to get up/workout/get to school early...SO much to do--but when my students came in, they hugged me and were so excited to be back. "Mrs. I missed you SO much. I kept askin my momma when I could come back to school!!!" "Mrs...home is boring. I LOVE coming to school." :)

*It's really hard for me to have peace about how unfair things are in our society. "Mrs...my mom's in jail.  The po-po took her last night. I miss her." Student crying-"Mrs....my mom hates me. She cusses me out all the time." A note from a parent: "Mrs...is there any way you can send some food home. I'm sorry to ask, but we ain't got no food right now. Anything would help." Those are just a few--I know I can't solve their problems. I know I'm not supposed to. At church on Sunday, I forgot most of what the pastor said, but one thing stuck with me--"Are you carrying your own torch and trying to save people on your own? Or are you trusting the Lord and working for Him where He wants you to be?" Sometimes I slip into feeling like I can change things for my kids. Like they NEED me. One of my sweet students who I feel like I counsel on a weekly basis is supposedly leaving our school next week. I could not accept the fact. Because I am the one who tells her that she is safe, she loves coming to school because I do not cuss at her or hit her...the thought of her leaving scares me so much. Me-You know I love you. Student-I know, Mrs. I love you too!       It would be a LOT easier to trust if I knew that our society cared more for  people and children in poverty. We are all guilty of closing our eyes to it. I guess this is why I am working as hard as I can these last 2 months. I am scared for some of these kids to be home all summer AND I'm scared of going back to my comfortable life for the summer--I don't want to forget or close my eyes.

*We are starting to write "How To.." books in writing. We did our first book on "How to Brush Your Teeth". I brought a toothbrush and toothpaste and sat by the sink. I told them I forgot how to brush my teeth and needed them to remind me how. They were cracking up as I did exactly what I said: (ex. Students-"Put water on the toothbrush. **I set a cup of water on top of the toothbrush. Students-NOOOO! Me-I need more detail! :)) After we finished writing our How to Books, I gave them each a toothbrush and toothpaste to take home and to read their books to their parents and brush their teeth. "Mrs....I'm so happy. I don't have one of these. When I get home-I'm gonna brush my teeth!!!"

*My doctor told me I was very dehydrated, so the next day, I made a point to drink a TON of water. I probably drank 10 glasses of water at school. But there is a REASON teachers don't drink a lot of water. You can't just leave a room full of 5 year olds to use the restroom. I had to have a teacher step in for a second while I ran to the bathroom, and had to take my class to the restroom 2 extra times in the day just so I could go! :) Lol. Sorry doc--back to how it was. That was ridiculous. Ok..TMI.

*It was "Wacky Hair Day" at school yesterday. On Thursday, I promised my kids that if they would do theirs, I would do mine. I wore my hair in crazy pigtails (promising my husband that I would take a shower and fix my hair before we went out that night! ha!). The class who has the most "wacky hair" wins a trophy, so I was counting the kids with wacky hair after taking attendance. Lol It was hard to tell whose hair was crazy on PURPOSE and whose was just crazy. :) Most of my girls have hair EVERYWHERE anyways. haha I also wore some casual tennis shoes with jeans yesterday. "Mrs....Your hair is funny and so are your shoes!!" It is so strange how bothered they are when I wear tennis shoes. Lol

*Happy March Madness. Happy Spring. Happy Weekend. I cleaned my house all morning so I could spend all afternoon outside with my hubby!

:)