Enjoy!

I love my class! I know that I say it often, but yesterday was just another one of those days that I was able to just enjoy my kids for being who they are. One of my boys found an item in his pocket. He was showing it to the class and they were trying to decide what it was...they came up with a dinosaur's eye, a coffin for a mummy, a space rock, a clam (because it partially opened)...in all actuality, it was probably a napkin that got put into his pocket and then put through the washer. But I loved the ideas that my kids came up with!!!

I'm in Love!

I'm in love...with Skippyjon Jones. These books, by Judy Schachner are amazing! My kids love them and they make me laugh! We have all four now, thanks in part to my mom who donated a Borders gift card. My kids are actually modeling their writing after these books and it's hysterical! Can anyone say author study???

Any ideas?

As I am thinking about where I want to take my reading curriculum...where does cause/effect, problem/solution, and these types of reading skills fall into my teaching? Under what strategy would relate well? Asking questions? which will lead to predictions? This is where my lack of experience comes into play.

However, tomorrow at church, I am really excited because I am going to meet and just talk with another second grade teacher who has done reading workshop and writing workshop before and is fabulous!

Funnies from my room

I absolutely love my class! They bring me such joy and I just have to share some fun little stories that my cherubs or siblings of tell me.

• One of my boys wasn't there yet, but his brother walked by the room and told me that his brother wouldn't be there because he had the 21 fever...don't know what that is, but I bet I don't want to catch it!
• Another one of my boys, who is extremely bright, but sometimes the common sense isn't always there, was in the restroom. I heard a thud, then a few minutes (and yes I mean minutes) later, I heard other noise coming from the bathroom. I decided to investigate and just listened in with my ear close to the door...the noise was humming. As I listened and tried to catch the tune, a distinct song came to my mind...The Star Spangled-Banner!
• Every morning I greet the students, "Good morning, name of student," and they reply back with "Good morning, Miss Laker." Well, this same boy (from the bathroom) decided to one up me. I recently began greeting them in new languages, French and Spanish to start off with. He came up one morning and greeted me, "Buenos tardes"...the next morning it was "Buenos tardes, Senor Laker." I didn't have the heart to tell him that he said, "Good night, Mr. Laker." I just had to smile and greet him back.

Choose my attitude!

Once again, a little more on the personal side. While I am so excited for all of my friends that are currently dating (and might I say, wonderful guys who treat them well), sometimes I just get a little curious as to when it's going to be my turn...if it will be. Today, and right now, I am going to choose to have a good attitude and enjoy what has been handed me. I have an amazing class that I adore...I really do cherish them most of the time, a house that fits my needs and that I can afford, parents who love and would do anything for me, friends who encourage, support, and challenge me, co-workers who show more support than I do for them (I need to work on that), a church that has helped raise me and provides support (tomorrow I am going to a seminar on disordered eating, I'm really excited about), a cat who runs to the door when I get home (even if he tries to bite me), and my health (I'm able to run more than 4 miles...I never would have thought of that a year ago), and I can't forget my amazing small group girls that challenge me.

Why do I get down about one thing that is not there in my life (and from what I've heard of married friends, sometimes isn't everything that it's cracked up to be :) - the grass is always greener on the other side)?

Today, I will choose my attitude!!!

Thanks all for listening!

Is it because of the workshop?

Lately, I've noticed that my kids are bringing in books...but they're for others. D brought in the Cat in the Hat movie storybook and Horton Hatches an Egg for D because she's been reading lots of Dr. Suess. Some of my boys are reading Goosebumps...and one of the boys brought in four books to let him borrow.

Earlier in the year, we were bringing in items left and right that dealt with the Liberty Bell because one of our classmates was studying it...

Could it be that because of the workshop and the sharing that they are bringing in these things for others? or is it because of the community? or is it just because that's the type of kids they are?

Are others noticing this is in your workshop?