Walker Texas Ranger

Kindergarten life has been very busy the last few weeks.. and I keep thinking that it will get better.. but it really feels like I've hit the ground running this year. But when I think back to the last 16 Septembers I've spent as a teacher.. I think they have all felt like this! The beginning of the year is like child birth.. you forget the pain... and inevitably repeat the experience and remember why you vowed never to do it again! I am really enjoying getting to know my class and we are really starting to "gel" and get all of the routines and procedures down.

A few days ago I left my lunchbox on the counter. I didn't realize until I was already at work so I called my husband Mr. Lewis in a panic. I didn't have cash or check to buy my lunch in the cafeteria and I was staying after school for professional development until 6:00pm. Thankfully, Mr. Lewis was able to deliver lunch to my classroom. The kids were very excited to meet him and had many questions for me after he left- the biggest most intriguing question was - "why do we have the same last name"? I explained that when women great married they can change their last name if they want  and have the same last name as their husband. Well, the boys were kind of miffed, so I told them that they too could change their name... (we had to get started on our math lesson after all!)

From the back row I hear a little voice say, "awesome- I am going to change mine to Walker". I smiled at him and asked why he picked that name? And in the cutest just turned five sweet kindergarten voice he said, because I love Walker Texas Ranger. Totally made my day! And I was quickly reminded exactly why I choose to return to my kindergarten classroom year after year.

I LOVE BOOKS

Whenever I am asked what I love about teaching I always reply that I LOVE reading books to children. This year I am using Units of Study in Reading for reading workshop and I am trying to find multiple copies of story books to add to my library. As much as I LOVE books - I can't afford retail. I hit up three thrift stores this Labor Day weekend and found some great reads for my classroom. I didn't really find the story books I was looking for but I got a killer deal on these! I think the most expensive book was .79 from Goodwill. I also troll Amazon looking for deals but the shipping $$ usually kills it - even when the books are a penny the shipping is always $3.99. I love a good bargain almost as much as I love children's books.