The Start of Flexible Seating and a Class Update

Hello blog world! The school year is under way and things are definitely starting to fall into place!!! Readers and Writers workshop are going full swing. This week, I started to introduce some of my new seating options.  For those of you who don't know, over the summer, I wrote a DonorsChoose grant to raise money for flexible seating in my classroom.  Check out my previous post on FLEXIBLE SEATING Here.  A couple of our seats have come in already and I couldn't wait to get started!!! The kids started off in readers workshop with out new "go anywhere chairs" to add to our collection of comfy seats..

This is how our typical readers workshop time looks.  Lots of comfy choices!

London loves the nice comfy back on the "go anywhere chair"

and Zachary too...

They all seem to love them!!! 

Then today, we got out and tried some of our new lap desks during writers workshop!

Lizzie and Zachary are so focused on their small moments!

Gianna loves writing~

Austin's story about the Boat House is really coming along!

They all seemed to be really motivated by the choices to sit in different spots and try new spots in the room! Our balance ball chairs are still in the process of being shipped, so I will update you when we get those going!!! Kids love having choice and love being comfortable while they work!! ❤️❤️

Our class this year is definitely FULL of spunk!  Sometimes, it's hard for me to remember all the funny stories and things that happen during the day.  But I always love hearing about their lives and what's happening with them!! Here's some of the important stuff I learned today...

• Haven has a sister named Emily that just went to college!
• Alexi's sister is going to Maryville for college too
• Aurora loves playing with Aunt Tina- they play body slam all the time 😊
• Christopher lost a tooth last night!
• Our class read for 18 minutes of stamina without stopping today!!
• London's favorite show is Ricky Nicky Dicky and Dawn.
• Calley does gymnastics - she likes cartwheels and forward rolls!
• Aubrey has allergies :/

That's all for today!  Each day brings it's own challenges and celebrations in first grade!  I can tell my class is excited each and every day to try out and learn new things!

~PEACE
Shelly

First Days, Future Dreams, and the First class update of the year :)

Hello!  We started school!  I am beyond thrilled with my new class!  21 new friends that I've gotten to know over the course of 4 whole days in first grade!  I am exhausted, but very happy with them!  I cannot wait to get to know them more throughout the year!

Our first day went off so smooth!  Everyone was excited to start and all of us were equally excited and nervous to start off our year!  Some of us were super pumped to start the year (Christopher), while some of us were super super sad to start off the year (Aurora).  No matter what the feelings in the room were, we started off GREAT, and we got over any fears we had as a class.  On the first day of school, I shared with the class about my awesome experience this summer at the STEMpact Teacher Quality institute.  I shared with them the pictures I had from various work places.  I wanted them to dream big for themselves this school year.  I wanted them to see themselves as more than just "following the rules" in first grade or "being big 3 in school".  My hope is that I can help create life long learners and contributors in this world.  I hope they see themselves in their futures someday, and I hope that they realize that they are meeting those dreams and aspirations starting TODAY!  So, I had them draw and think about what they wanted to be someday when they grow up.  I had many many different ideas of careers.  Some of them cracked me up, some were super cute, and some were down right AMAZING!!! Here's a pic of what we came up with.

I hope to keep these pics up all year to remind them  of their futures and how their choices now can affect this. I hope I can inspire some of them to dream big and think of other options that they might want to explore as well. I also made sure that they realize how important they are NOW.  They aren't just going to do something important SOMEDAY, but they are making a big impact on our world and community now.  I always make an effort to show my kids how important they are to me and how much they truly teach me throughout a school year.  They are our "now" not just our future! All in all, I was pretty inspired by all of them.  That's why my job is the best :)

Here's some BIG news lately!!

• Gianna got 3 dollars from the tooth fairy
• Haven went to Myrtle Beach last week and he loved it!
• Aurora is hanging out with Aunt Tina today after school and she is super excited!
• Lizzie got a new Baby Alive over the weekend!
• London is having a baby brother soon! 
• Zachary went on lots of slides over the summer - some with lots of loopty loops :)
• Alexi loves Fancy Nancy too - just like Mrs. Trauterman!
• Sloan and Haven are having a sleep over this weekend!

Stay tuned for more stories and fun adventures in first grade!

Now... to SLEEP! :)

PEACE

~ Shelly

Parent Night, Classroom tour, and some inspiration to teachers as we start our first day

Well, I've been back to work this week!  One word to describe me right now would be TIRED!  I told myself that I would try to be positive this school year and never say I'm "tired" anymore to define myself, but one of the best things about blogging is that I can be real - So let's be real... I'm super freaking tired - AND I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD KIDS YET!  I am so excited to see their faces in the morning, but because teachers work endless hours preparing, meeting, planning, looking over data, (the list goes on and on), by the time we ACTUALLY get our students - we're already worn out!!  Funny how that works!

Parent Night

Monday night this week was our back to school night - a night where students and families come to school to meet their teacher, drop off supplies, and learn all about what we do!

This is what our desks looked like for parent night!  I got the flipbook from parent flip book tpt on TPT.  :)

 

So. Many. Things. To. Put. AWAY.

Parent night is always quite overwhelming for a teacher because, all at the same time, there can be about 15-20 families in your room at one time trying to ask questions and put away supplies.  So many parents want me to know little things about their kids or have to tell me that they are not sitting in a good spot, need to be separated from a friend, need to use the restroom a lot, go home different ways each day, just went through a family divorce, or anything else random!  So, while trying to teach about curriculum, procedures, and homework, teachers are often bombarded with these oh so important things from families.   So, minus all the chaos, I would say my parent night ran smooth!  When they came in I had them pick up a paper to walk them through all the stations.

Here it is!

While parents looked through the parent folder and filled out some paperwork, I had something to keep the kids busy.  I decided to do this because last year I had kids drawing on my chart paper and throwing dice - so I was hoping to eliminate that! We decided to make name rainbows!  I thought it was a cute idea to have kids color and parents write positive things about their child.   Here's the website I got this from: tunstallsteachingtidbits.  I thought it was a really great idea for us to hang up in the room to remind kids of the kinds and true things that their parents wrote about them.  It also allowed me to get to know each student a little better.

Here's mine

I decided to hang them up when they were finished.

Parent night was so exciting!!!  I love seeing the looks on their faces when they are too excited to meet me or even so shy, but then they start to come around and talk to me!! :)  I also LOVE LOVE LOVE it when my old students come and visit me on this night.  It is THE BEST!  Melts my heart!

Classroom Tour

Here's a look at my 2016-2017 classroom.  I have kept the same "theme" as last year and the same colors.  I love turquoise and yellow with gray.  So my sunshine theme lives on! 

The hallway bulletin board

Tomorrow is our first day.  I often get emotional thinking about my own personal children starting school.  I often think about how overwhelmed the beginning of the year can be, but teacher friends, I want to encourage you not to think about the hard parts of your job (because I know there are many!), but rather think of the immense impact you are going to make on these children.  They are moldable and true sponges.  They are looking to you to guide and teach them! Thinking of how parents feel when they drop their child off at school makes me realize how truly special they all are, and what a huge job we have.  We cannot let them down!!! We have to inspire, love, guide, and teach them!  I cannot wait to do that this year. 

My best wishes to all of you on your new school year!  Go. Inspire. Teach. Love. Smile. Take a nap. Get some coffee. And get out there! Do your thing!

<3

~ Shelly