School started last Friday and it has been a great, crazy, busy, wonderful week. Last week at "Meet Your Teacher" night, as I met these new kids and new families, I was having a lot of trouble believing that I could love another class like I did last year. My old students came running up to me in the hallway, telling me all about their summers and giving me big hugs.
Friday was the first day of school and I was terrified. What if I forgot how to teach kids how to hold pencils? What if I forgot how to teach them how to line up?! Once the kids came in, it all came back. I had a great day of herding sheep and reminding kiddos to "put bubbles in their mouths" and not shout out at the carpet. Not a single one knew how to write their names, and very few knew any letters or numbers or colors. Many did not know how to speak English. At recess that afternoon, the 1st grade classes were outside as well. My old students swarmed me telling me all about what they had done that day and wanted me to be proud that they were behaving so well. I hugged them all and told them I missed them. One said: "Mrs...I wish you were my teacher again!!" I didn't tell her, but as I walked them walk perfectly in a line as I had taught them, I almost wanted them back! :) The 1st grade teachers told me they wanted to take us out for steak dinner, because the 1st graders coming in that year were SO well behaved and were reading and writing SO well.
Keep in mind that when my class left me for summer last year, they were reading, writing books, counting to 100 and adding & subtracting. It was a MAJOR shock to remember the beginning. I was exhausted after day 1 and wasn't sure if I wanted to go back on Monday.
Friday night, my husband and I went up to the apartments where I volunteered this summer for their "Back to School Night". I spent a few hours hugging kids & asking about their first day of school. One of my students brought her little sister up to me...she was dirty and looked very sad. She was about 3 years old. I asked her if I could pick her up, and not even waiting for a response, held her in my arms. For the next 30 minutes, this beautiful child clung to me. After a few minutes, she laid her head on my shoulder and we cuddled for the rest of my time there. I saw kids who started 6th grade that day and others who just started Kinder. It was SO fun to check in with them!!!
Monday, when I went back, my heart began to soften. Already, the kids were starting to fall into my routines. They were raising their hands, giving me hugs, and acting so sweetly with each other. As we came into the classroom after a bathroom break....one of my students pointed to his bubble in his mouth and said "Mmmmm...mmm...mmmm." I responded: What? He said: "Can I PLEASE take this bubble out?!" I laughed as I realized he had it in his mouth for over 20 minutes in hopes to behave perfectly. :)
As the week went on, the kids became less quiet and I started to see their true personalities coming out. I have several boys who are perfect angels, several that will demand a lot of attention and time. One student is so spacy that I had to put a timer by his spot, telling him that he needed to be done with tracing and counting the numbers when that bell went off or that he would not go to centers. Amazingly, his work was done BEFORE the timer, and he was proud as he smiled and showed me the paper.
I see my kids, of all ages, from this summer light up when they see me in the hallway, and give me a big hug or a huge grin. It is so sweet.
I have several girls in my class who have my FAVORITE personality: Little Miss THANG! :) One of my girls came up to me when she walked into my classroom (after getting in trouble the day before for hitting another boy at recess) and said: "Mrs...I needa talk with you when you get a chance. I just wanted to tell you that I won't ever hit nobody again. If someone's messin with me--I'll tell you."
Me-That sounds like a good choice, I'm proud of you! And I'll talk to that boy at recess today.
Student-You don't needa. I prayed for him last night, and it's all gonna be ok. I PRAYED for him. :)
*I have been doing several lessons about how it doesn't matter what we look like on the outside, but what matters is what is on the INSIDE. That we should NEVEr point and laugh at another person because they look different than us.
Student (after thinking it over for a second)-Yeah, Mrs. That's REAL mean. But you can laugh at clowns. Clowns look different but they LIKE it when you laugh!! :)
*This Friday is much different than last Friday. Kids are raising their hands, rotating to centers silently when the bell rings, almost all can write their names, we have learned several letters and their sounds, and are able to count objects up to 7. (and can write most of those numbers). I am so proud. I am attached. I still LOVE seeing my old class in the hallway, and I still talk to their parents outside and check in on how things are at home, I will always love them and help them in any way I can, but the Lord is allowing me to open my heart up to 19 more kids and families. They have a lot of needs. Some educationally, some financially, some socially. Some all 3. It is going to be a GREAT year.
I love my job. I love seeing families at WalMart. I love that my husband listens with such interest every night as I tell about everything that happened that day. I love that by the time Sunday comes around, i am ready to get back to school to see how my babies are doing. I love that they have already made SO much progress in 6 days.
The Lord has really blessed me this week with Divine energy. My prayer ALL summer was that I would somehow have incredible amounts of energy in order to do foster care and give 100% at school. Last year in August, I was leaving school around 6 or 7pm. I was EXHAUSTED when I got home and I would almost always bring stuff home to work on.
This week I was able to have EVERYTHING ready for the next day, feel really confident about my lessons/activities and leave school by 5 or 5:30. This week, my husband and I played tennis, made dinner, went to the grocery store, went on walks, etc. in the evenings and I felt GREAT. I am so thankful. The Lord has heard my prayer.
We are moving forward with foster care. We have ONE more walk through of our house to make sure everything is ready for the State to give us our license. (LOTS of rules about cleaning supplies locked up, outlet covers, etc.) Once our background check goes through (should take about 4 weeks) we will start getting calls. We could have a child in our house NEXT month!!! It is crazy and scary and exciting. There is SO much need--I can't wait to bring a child who has so little into our home and surround them with love, stability, food, a BED, and family. It will be wonderful and demanding and will change everything. And because of the Lord and the comfort He has given me, I believe we are ready.
The Lord is good. There will be so much need this year. My heart will break. Kids will tell me they don't have food. Kids will tell me horrific things that happen at home. But I will do what I can and will trust in the Lord for the rest.
Ready for week 2! :)
:)
