The hubs and I had a great Thanksgiving weekend together (yes we both had the same time off!) it was a truly great weekend. We showered and then got back into our pajamas on Thanksgiving, we had a pj day complete with movies and pizza and ice cream, yum! We had offers to go to a few different peoples' houses to celebrate with them but we really just wanted to stay home and be lazy. We cooked up a huge Thanksgiving last year, and decided to just be slugs this year. No regrets.
Then the remaining 3 days we did a lot of sleeping in, a dinner with some friends, some meandering in the neighboring towns and tons of online shopping! We even got our Christmas tree and decorations up, although we couldn't find any eggnog to help with the festivities.
So after that glorious 4 day weekend I had to wake up and be chipper yesterday morning. Yikes! Plus we didn't stock up on Monsters (my coffee replacement until its truly cold outside), so it was a dragging morning. Once I got to school though I didn't feel all that tired, and the time went by quickly. Don't worry I still came home and took a snooze :) during the snoozing though I got all our laundry done and put away, so not a complete waste of an afternoon.
This brings us up to today. Still no Monsters to start the day off right, plus I was to sub in the afternoon, making it a full day of work! Boy have I gotten spoiled only working part time, hehe.
We are working on visualizing in Reading and I have an exert from a story to read to them and have them sketch tomorrow.
Math went pretty well today also, measuring using rulers and tape measures, they have been having a blast with this new math program. Tons of hands on activities and group work, which is really good because I have one in particular who really struggles in this area. I was attentive to her group today as I was certain problems would rise. And sure enough they did. But little did this one know that I had been watching the whole issue unfold, yay for being able to pay attention to a group when they think you are busy with another group! Any who I tried to let the group work it, the biggest issue today was agreeing on the length of the table in inches using a tape measure, I allowed all parties to explain the issue, and then our struggling friend told me we were all measuring it wrong and the answer was 33" yet was unable to explain why she thought so when asked. Turning into an argument, I suggested the group split and work as individuals if they couldn't work together, thus sending our struggler into a rant how it's always her fault, no one listens, yada yada yada. So I told her she needed to take a cube (their behavior system, start with 5 each day, each one they loose is leveled consequence), she proceeded to whine and complain pulling the "my mom is going to ground me" card. I was a bad bad teacher and ignored all the whining, being sure to help other groups/individuals, and praise the good work I saw.
Whoops sorry about the long story, just needed a bit of venting time.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Author Visit!
The wonderful author Lucy Coats came to visit our school today!
She is a brilliant woman full of life and passion for her work. It was great to hear her read aloud "King Ocean's Flute" a story she wrote for the younger kids. There really is nothing better than listening to a story being read by the one who created it, with all the right voices and emotions, just as it was before it was ever written down.
She did a session with K-2 and then another session with 3-6 so our class was split, I was able to go to the K-2 edition, but unfortunetly missed the 3-6 session, which from what I heard from the kids at recess was focused more on her book "Atticus The Storyteller's 100 Greek Myths" which would have been wonderful to hear but I was able to purchase a copy of the book and get her to sign it for me! YAY!
Here is her site if any of you are interested in checking her work out. Lucy Coats
She is a brilliant woman full of life and passion for her work. It was great to hear her read aloud "King Ocean's Flute" a story she wrote for the younger kids. There really is nothing better than listening to a story being read by the one who created it, with all the right voices and emotions, just as it was before it was ever written down.
She did a session with K-2 and then another session with 3-6 so our class was split, I was able to go to the K-2 edition, but unfortunetly missed the 3-6 session, which from what I heard from the kids at recess was focused more on her book "Atticus The Storyteller's 100 Greek Myths" which would have been wonderful to hear but I was able to purchase a copy of the book and get her to sign it for me! YAY!
Here is her site if any of you are interested in checking her work out. Lucy Coats
Monday, November 14, 2011
Everyday Math!
Today I began teaching the new math curriculum the school purchased. It is the same program that was used in my student teaching classroom in 2009, which in years isn't that long ago, but it certainly feels like AGES! While I was familiar with the ideas of teaching Everyday Math, and all that goes with it, I hadn't gotten my hands on all the materials provided. I love it and the kids, although only one day in, have taken to it well. Some have used it in first grade, others are getting their first taste of it.
I like the routines and format the program uses.
This week marks the start of teaching PE for the quarter. How sad is it that I am looking forward to "comfy" clothes I can move in to wear to school?!
Sad news:
The African Snail the class had as a pet didn't make it through the weekend. He was a very cool guy the kids miss him and I know my co-teacher does too. He had been around for years, I want to say he was 6 years old? He was really starting to grow on me, I hope he enjoys his snail heaven.
The hubster and I went to our first UK Hockey Match last night! We had a team we LOVED in the states, the Idaho Steelheads. And we were happy to find the Skydome when we went to IKEA for the first time, and they have a hockey team! So last night we went to check it out, The Coventry Blaze. Its a much smaller arena than we are used to but it was a very good time. I think we'll continue to check them out.
I like the routines and format the program uses.
This week marks the start of teaching PE for the quarter. How sad is it that I am looking forward to "comfy" clothes I can move in to wear to school?!
Sad news:
The African Snail the class had as a pet didn't make it through the weekend. He was a very cool guy the kids miss him and I know my co-teacher does too. He had been around for years, I want to say he was 6 years old? He was really starting to grow on me, I hope he enjoys his snail heaven.
The hubster and I went to our first UK Hockey Match last night! We had a team we LOVED in the states, the Idaho Steelheads. And we were happy to find the Skydome when we went to IKEA for the first time, and they have a hockey team! So last night we went to check it out, The Coventry Blaze. Its a much smaller arena than we are used to but it was a very good time. I think we'll continue to check them out.
Friday, November 11, 2011
My boyfriends back!
Okay, okay, so my husband is back! He got to come home early from his deployment, 5 months early in fact!!!!
I got to pick him up Saturday from the airport! I was getting along just fine and all while he was gone, but once I got word he would be coming back, and SOON, I started to realize just how much I had missed him!
Straight after picking him up we went to IKEA, a larger bed was in order. He had been sleeping in a king size bed while deployed, and I had become accustomed to stretching out in our double at home. It was known that we would not be able to live much longer with such a small bed. We thought we had a bed picked out from previous IKEA trips, but when we got there we changed our minds. It was a quick and easy change as we both agreed on a new frame and found a mattress almost straight away.
This is the one! They delivered it on Tuesday, and BOY IS IT HEAVEN!!!!! How did we ever share a double before!?
Needless to say I am one happy girl!
As far as school goes:
-First quarter is over, generally all went well
-Art projects are finished and displayed, I hope to add some pictures for you to see, they did a great job.
-PE starts this quarter, I'm kind of dreading it
-Parent/Teacher conferences were Wednesday and Thursday this week, everyone showed. Most parents were really receptive to things we had to say.
-Carol and I have started working out together at least twice a week, generally walking the perimeter road at a fast pace, it is about a 3 mile walk. (My dogs are loving it too!)
And I have a friend who has started a blog about her time being an au pair in Spain, so my goal is to keep up posting with her, a little friendly competition never hurt.
I got to pick him up Saturday from the airport! I was getting along just fine and all while he was gone, but once I got word he would be coming back, and SOON, I started to realize just how much I had missed him!
Straight after picking him up we went to IKEA, a larger bed was in order. He had been sleeping in a king size bed while deployed, and I had become accustomed to stretching out in our double at home. It was known that we would not be able to live much longer with such a small bed. We thought we had a bed picked out from previous IKEA trips, but when we got there we changed our minds. It was a quick and easy change as we both agreed on a new frame and found a mattress almost straight away.
Needless to say I am one happy girl!
As far as school goes:
-First quarter is over, generally all went well
-Art projects are finished and displayed, I hope to add some pictures for you to see, they did a great job.
-PE starts this quarter, I'm kind of dreading it
-Parent/Teacher conferences were Wednesday and Thursday this week, everyone showed. Most parents were really receptive to things we had to say.
-Carol and I have started working out together at least twice a week, generally walking the perimeter road at a fast pace, it is about a 3 mile walk. (My dogs are loving it too!)
And I have a friend who has started a blog about her time being an au pair in Spain, so my goal is to keep up posting with her, a little friendly competition never hurt.
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