My Life as it Were

Lots to update on I suppose...


The concert was awesome!! REM puts on the best shows. I have always had the greatest time at the four or five now, I guess, that I've gone too. Funny thing is on Monday when I asked the kids what they did on the weekend one of them says she went to an REM concert. Turns out her parents are friends with REM's gen. manager and they got free tix in the front and went backstage!!! Grrrr no fair! I pouted majorly that day. Her mother is going to give me a copy of the tape? her friend gave her of that night's show. I just thought that was pretty funny one of my kids was there.

Sunday was a bummer because one of our lizards died :( It was a slow yucky death as he had been looking pretty bad for a few days before and all day he was trying to die, almost drowning in his water dish a couple times. I actually was watching as he died. So sad. Even if they are reptiles and aren't "cuddly", it still is sad to see them go through that. I had to cuddle my fuzzies after that.

Last night was Back to School Night or "teacher hell". At my school we have two sessions of 20 min each where you have a spiel for the parents. I started with my rules, procedures, rewards and consequences as that's what I go over first with the kids. Then I went through my curriculum explaining what we will be learning this year in second grade. Next was special activities such as pen pals (crosses fingers and more later) and our field trip. Last was a Q&A session where I got to be grilled by a roomful of parents. All in all I think it went very well. My theatre background comes in very handy as I am not real freaked out by talking in front of people. I made them laugh and made them smile so that's good. The whole reading situation was brought up. Seems the parents were unhappy with their reading level coming out of first grade and wanted to know where I thought they were. So that was pretty hairy for a sec. They all expressed support and confidence in me though so that's good.

Apparently parents had been calling the office today saying how great I was so that makes me feel good. Today was a good day in general. Mainly because Nicholas was not at school. He was suspended due to two instances of striking other students. I have a meeting with his parents tomorrow but there are MAJOR issues with this family that I have been filled in on. I feel badly in a way for saying that we had a better day without him but it is true. It's truly amazing how one child can affect a whole classroom. The kids were more relaxed, on task. It just was a better environment for all. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

Our journal this morning was for them to write about their favorite thing about school and what they were looking forward too. We had written about favorite school things a month ago during our first week but I wanted to see if it had changed. Two of the children had written that I was their favorite thing. I can't tell you how that made me feel! I still wasn't sure if the kids even liked me because frankly I am sort of stern at times...you have to be. Between the parents the night before saying how their kids liked me and these journal entries I felt great. Then things only got better. For religion homework they needed to write about their favorite real life hero. Dear little Elizabeth said me...because I was smart and kind and helped her.

It doesn't get any better than that.