HA! I love this title, and it’s so true! I’m not having the best day today, but I am having a really great time teaching. I have ironed out as much of my “centers” as I can. We started them today, and the kids love having a “menu” to choose their own activities from. I split the kids into two groups, one for vocabulary and one for 6+1 Traits. They will work from their assigned menu for the week and then next week they will switch. It seems to be going well so far. I will post the menus that I used later because they are on my school computer.
I have also had a wonderful opportunity to get to know some of my students more. I volunteered to supervise the home football games for the high school that my school feeds into. The first game was awesome! I didn’t realize that so many of my own students were going to be there, but there were a lot who attended. Several of my students realized that we had a spelling test the next day and that they needed to study still. They asked me if I would practice with them… at the game!!! WOW!!! So we spent the second half of the game spelling words, putting them into sentences, and defining them. It was really funny, because one of my kids, “M,” was running up the bleachers. I told “M” to slow down or he would trip and fall, which he promptly did. He was laughing so hard that he was crying… and so was everyone else! It was so funny, but was even better was what he said after. He said, “Mrs. M, I wrangled with the bleachers!” And guess what… yep, “wrangle” was one of our spelling words! It was the most amazing and funny teaching moment ever! So, I have supervised every home game since, and just last week, several of my students asked me if I’d come watch them play football. I can’t wait! The rapport with a huge number of my students, and students who I don’t teach, has really grown. I can’t recommend getting involved in the school community more!
Anyways… this was very therapeutic. I wasn’t having a great day, but after retelling this wonderful experience I am feeling much better. 🙂 Now it’s time to eat, spend some time with my family, sleep, then repeat (and then some!).
— Stephanie
Memoirs of a First Year Teacher 