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