A Week in Review

I made it through my first week of teaching. I'm already tired, still overwhelmed but extremely optimistic.

For the past three days, I've gone 7 hours without using the bathroom. I've eating half a turkey sandwich during my 15 minute lunch with one hand and stuffing homework folders and punching in lunch numbers with the other. I've come in early (usually around 6:45 am for a 8:30 start time and stayed on average to about 5:30 with a 2:45 end time) to feel somewhat prepared for the following days.

I have had great successes this week! I have managed to get all my students on their correct transportation every afternoon (which is one of the most difficult feats of the school day in my book.) I have BIG PLANS for my students and learned what their BIG PLANS are (a doctor for some, dog nurse or others, even just to be famous.) I've had no wet underwear if you know what I meant. I've seen only smiles and dry eyes and received a good number of hugs during the day.

My student population is largely Hispanic. Most of my student's parents speak little to no English. After the second time I sent home directions to something in their homework folder and seen the directions remain in the folder or received a note or email that says "I no speak English." I realized I needed to get everything translated that goes home. Our parent advocate is trilingual and I'm sure retreats a little bit every time she receives an email from me that says "Another translation, please!" However, I more than willing to reach out to anyone who speaks Spanish to help me translate if that means more parental involvement in the classroom.

This year will be challenging. I'm not naive in the fact that just because I have scripted curriculums that everything will be taken care of for me. I have seen my students lows already, whether that not being able to count to thirty, not being able to continue a pattern, not be able to break a word apart into syllables or even tell me what the vowels are. Little by little, I'm learning more about my students. I'm learning what they like, who they can't sit with for my sanity purposes, how many times they ask me to go to the bathroom, whether they like music playing when we do work, and what gets them excited.

Best of all, my kids make me laugh. Day two, I found myself get frustrated with the constant noise in the classroom and took the night to think about about it. My kids are six. They are little. They don't know. Everything is new to them. Everything is exciting to them and instead of stifling the discussion and their excitement, I found that I should embrace it and encourage it. If they want to count blocks out loud to themselves, great. If they want to tell me a story about something that happened to them that relates to the book we are reading, great. Participation is never an issue in my class and I praise my students every chance I get. The fireworks clap, honk honk, beep beep cheer, and the roller coaster clap are by far their favorites.

The highlight of my week had to be at the carpet this morning, while we were sharing our items im our all about me bags.

J: "I want to live in the school!"
Me: "Haha yeah?"
D: "No, I want to live with you!"
C: "Miss. Marder, you give me your phone number right now!"
K gets up from the carpet and gives me a hug, then the rest of the class proceeds to stand up out of criss cross apple sause and rush and give a class hug to me.

I love my twenty one crazy, talkative, excited, toothless kids. They have so much fun with the smallest of things. They want to grow up into something, famous for some, a model for some, doctors, dog nurses, mommys, and others. I want to help them get there but it's just one day at a a time.