3 Weeks

I'm three weeks into the school year. Yeah! It has been an exhausting past three weeks but things are starting to feel like they're falling into place. My kids are getting more used to being in school all day and only having one recess break, although we have take frequent stretching and singing breaks throughout the day. 

Really, in what other profession do you get to sing Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes every hour, sometimes multiple times an hour? Or do you find yourself saying things like, "I like the way Rachel is criss-cross-apple-sauce and has a bubble in her mouth!" Sometimes they say the funniest things too--this year one boy nearly made me burst out laughing when he told me during writing (with a completely serious, concerned face) "Teacher, I wrote 'poop'. But I didn't mean to. I was trying to write something else, but it came out 'poop'!" Today he asked me if I was 90 years old :)

Another child who ended the day on the orange part of my behavior system (orange means he's had poor behavior and needs to make better choices) told me, "Well that's ok because orange is my favorite color. And so is red. And yellow. And green. And blue! Every year I get a new favorite color. It changes every year." I asked what his favorite color will be when he is 12 years old, and he informed be that it will be silver. Good to know.

I'm starting to settle into the routine of working long hours too. On a typical day I am at work by 7:15 am and don't get home until around 7:00 pm. There are always things to do after school--various meetings and trainings and parent phone calls--and then I spend time planning with my first grade team and finally preparing for the next day. I love my partner teachers--they are fun gals and excellent team mates. We collaborate and share everything. They're such a blessing! Now that routines are starting to fall into place, my students are building stamina in Daily Five (13 minutes of Read to Self today, up from 8 yesterday! So excited!), and we just got our Go Math curriculum that 1st grade is piloting this year, I'm hopeful that I will be able to get things done quicker and get home much earlier. First grade takes a lot of prep!

I also found out this week that the vast majority of my students are "red" kids for reading, meaning they are high-risk and below grade level.  Many also come from difficult home situations. It's a daunting task helping each and every one grow, succeed, and also feel loved and cared for, especially in a profession that is so demanding in a variety of ways.  There are times when I feel like I can't take much more--my work load is heavy, my kids' needs are great, I'm sick, circumstances beyond my control frustrate me...still, my prayer is that God will work through me, empowering me to reach these kids He has entrusted to me for these nine months. I want to make a difference in every single one of their little lives.