Thankful!

I was just over at Ms. Preppy's blog reading about how her school has a company coming in to set up to do stroke risk assessments for the teachers. And that does seem a bit redundant - teachers carry a lot of stress and worry, I imagine we'd all be at high risk for stroke!


On the other hand, I think I might be in the clear because of my goofball sense of humor. I just can't stay upset about anything. I'm already over the whole observation/not counting on fingers stuff. I know I'm right, (just ask my husband, I'm always right - or so he's learned to agree!) and what goes on in my room will be what I think is best practice - and I'm not going to sweat anything else. As for my students,  I have to say that I think I have the best, sweetest, funniest and most loving class ever. They really make it worth it to be in first grade this year rather than in kindergarten (not to say that I don't want to go back down to kindergarten - I'm teaching kinder come heck or high water next year, but if I have to be in first grade at least I have the best class to teach!)


Today we were getting a bit out of hand with our blends. I was pointing at blends on our board and asking them to name words that started with those blends. Our procedure is to  sit crisscross applesauce and raise our hands to answer and stay quiet while someone else is answering.  Except that they were so darn excited about blends that they were up on their knees, talking over each other, making those darn monkey noises in an attempt to get me to call on them (you know, waving their hands in the air and saying "Oooh! Ooh!" like that's going to make me pick them!). They were talking on top of each other and getting noisy and I threatened to stop the whole thing and make them sit with their heads down - cue "the look" and stern teacher voice. Well everyone immediately scoots back into their squares and tries to look solemn as I point to the next blend. And really, I should have thought. Because, if I had taken half a second to consider, I would have picked any blend except for "pl". Because as soon as my pointer landed on "pl" one of my darling boys gave out a strangled screech and practically hit the ceiling raising his hand as high and fast as possible. I could feel my lips starting to turn up, but I tried to stay firm, "I'm not calling on you if you don't have a quiet hand." I reminded the class. Immediately his cheeks puffed out with an effort to be quiet and his eyes about popped out of his head as he struggled to stay still in his square. I knew what was coming, but I just couldn't disappoint him (and really , how could I not reward the herculean effort?!) so I called on him and he blurts out "Plants!" at which point the whole class bursts out laughing because we all know he has an obsession with the game "Plants Vs. Zombies" and "plants" is the one blend he is just dying to get to say every day!

And really, when I consider that they were getting loud and excited in response to a lesson on blends - well what do I have to complain about? I want my students to be excited about learning! Yes, my class is noisy and sometimes looks chaotic, but I know my kids love coming to school every day because we have fun. And, they're learning!

The other thing that made my day today? One of my boys completed a hundreds chart today! Oh, I can't possibly express the pride I felt in that small accomplishment! You see, at the beginning of the year he was on the wrong meds and was a total zombie - just staring blankly and not even participating in class.Then he was taken off meds completely, taken into dhs custody for a while and eventually returned to mama. During those weeks he was unmedicated and bouncing of the walls. He couldn't sit still for 2 seconds let alone complete a paper. Now he's on new meds, in a new house with mama and she's been hooked up with the right agencies to support her. He is a totally different kid! He talks to everyone now, hugs me and the counselor and the janitor etc. He can sit still and pay attention and shows an interest in learning. Of course it's not all roses because he's extremely behind, plus he still needs to be evaluated for other issues, but today he decided to fill in his hundreds chart! I honestly didn't know that he could write all the way to 100! For part of it he used the example I had posted, but a good 1/.2 of it he completed at his table with no example to look at! We made a big deal of it - I took him to show the counselor and then the principal and she gave him a shiny spider sticker to put on it. I am so excited by that little bit of progress - I am really hopeful that we can unlock his little mind this year because I just know there's a bright kid waiting to be discovered inside him!

I took tomorrow off because we are getting ready to move into a new house on the Army base. I am so excited because it's a two-story, 4 bedroom house with a 2 car garage that is right across the street from the pool! Not to mention that there's a park 200 yards in one direction and another park just 300 yards in the other direction!  am a veteran, so I decided I deserved to have this little break to get organized for our move!

Of course I'm thinking I might have to spend just a little time on the computer - not much, but I'm dying to create a cvce word game for my kiddos. Their new favorite treat is to watch the "Silent E is a Ninja" video, so I'm thinking I need to get new clip art and make a game - anyone know of some cute ninja clip art?! Here's the video, because the song's stuck in my head and maybe if I get it stuck in yours it'll leave me alone! Thanks so much to everyone who has commented the last couple of days - I am thankful for your support, you really made me love blogging even more!