Sunday Night

I had a wonderful long weekend! My daughter Amelia had her first swim meet Saturday. I went out with a friend to a comedy show to benefit a student at our school who will be having a heart transplant. I went grocery shopping (and forgot a few things) and worked in my classroom for a while. I also read books, played barbies, and cooked, cleaned, and laundried. So now I am wrapping up my weekend with a little lesson planning. My school "to do" list is very long but I am trying to find a better balance this year. Looking forward to another week! Fire Safety, Christopher Columbus, and Mrs. Wishy Washy here I come!

Why I have the best job in the world

This amazing child got recognized in a "mid writing workshop interruption" (in the middle of writing) for making a thinking bubble over his characters head! Pretty safisticated for 20 days into kindergarten. So, during Core Knowledge he took that thinking bubble to the next level and put one over the houses in his neighborhood. This (and a million more each day) is why I have the best job!! 

Lockdown, Septmeber 11th, and Grace

On Wednesday our school was in a code yellow for the entire day. There was a situation involving US Marshalls in the neighborhood behind our school. The lockdown was a safety precaution and thankfully no one was hurt. My students had absolutely no idea about the events of the day. The art teacher came into our classroom with the explanation that she wanted to see our art in our room. I took a class vote and it was unanimous that we would have a picnic lunch in our class room with hot lunches being delivered. (don't you know they begged me on Thursday for another picnic!) I avoided recess disappointment by showing The Magic School Bus. Dismissal was different but I explained we were practicing for a rainy day. Thankfully, no one needed to visit the clinic! It was exhausting for the adults on campus but the kids were all stress free. Even my own 2nd grader had no idea. I sent worried parents photos on Remind101 to reassure them that we were carrying on and happy and safe!

I don't discuss the events of 9/11 in my classroom because  my students are so young. I do emphasize 9/11 as a day of service. We took time to make our classroom extra clean for Ms. Dot our custodian and I did "shout outs" to students I saw being kind and helpful. We read this book-





                                                  


and we talked about ways to make the world a better place. We also sang I can Change The World With My Own Two Hands by Jack Johnson on YouTube-

The students painted pictures and I included a note on the back that I found on this blog - Preschool Daze a few years ago. The note said:

                   While we didn’t discuss the events of September 11, 2001, we talked about

the ways we can be kind, the ways we can solve conflict, the ways we can

change the world to be a better place. You adults who are reading this note

likely remember the moments of 9/11/01. May the colors created by a child’s

own two hands give you hope and reassurance of the goodness that is.

Because we were talking about service we also talked about our beloved friend, Officer Morrison. He has been standing guard for over two years in the morning and afternoon at our school. This wonderful city policeman patrolled our school during the lockdown the day before. Seeing him out our window made ME feel reassured. He worked closely with our administration and the US Marshalls all day. Sadly for us he is retiring next week. We made him a card to say thank you.

                                     

On to Grace..... I spent 6 hours after school in professional development this week... and we had a lockdown.... and it was a full moon... and my daughter had swimming practice 4 nights.. and the alternator in my car went out on the way to school....

I sent home all of the beautiful pictures my students painted with a wonderful note and quote on the front... with a TYPO. UGHHH I didn't even notice it until I looked at the photos I took of their art work. So - I sent home the correct quote yesterday... so thankful for God's Grace.. hopefully the parents of my students will give me a little grace too!