School Update

Wow! Time sure has flown by. It seems like it was just last week that I was pulling this blog together. Obviously my internal clock is way off! Since I started the blog a lot of events have happened.

- I made it through another wonderful year with a GREAT group of 1st graders! We had a handful of changes throughout the year but we toughed it out together. These kiddos kept me on my toes and I left work each day exhausted. We had a lot of behaviors we learned to work through and there were times that were definitely harder than others. My kiddos worked hard and each of them grew as an individual. I wouldn't have traded any of them.

-I began working with second grade as well as kindergartners in the afternoons. I have been working with a group of kindergartners for the past year and a half with our After School Program. This past school year I got the chance to work with a second grade group. I thoroughly enjoyed the chance to see some of my students from the previous year as well as tackle topics that we don't normally cover in 1st grade.

- I had a chance to finally do some of those pinterest projects I've been meaning to do.  Our room got a little more organized and a little more colorful! We also tried having an owl theme. Turns out, this theme was more for me than it was for them. By the end of the year all of my kiddos thought I LOVED owls and that's why I had "put them all over the room". Either way, it added color, helped keep us grouped up and gave me an easy way to identify my room amongst all of the other classrooms.

I try and stay organized......It helps to eliminate clutter at the very least :)

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-My students participated in a Sock Drive. This started as something my class decided to do but it quickly spread to involving the entire school! My kiddos made signs to hang around the school. We also kept a running total outside of our door. Our collection number was announced on the morning announcements and students stopped by constantly to ask how we were doing. In the end we were able to collect almost 180 pairs of socks to donate to people in need in our community. I made goals for my students along the way. By the end of the collection they had suprased every goal I had set. We celebrated by having an Ultimate Sock Party! This meant watching a moving in our socks, while eating snacks (which they had to earn), and tie-dying a pair of socks to take home! They had a blast!.

Their beautiful posters we hung around the school.

Yeah for socks!

-I got nominated as my building's teacher of the year! I then turned in paperwork and interviewed with a panel and was selected as the 2015 Elementary Teacher of the Year for USD 383! I cannot explain how appreciated I felt. I submitted my packet to the state and will find out in September if I have made it any further. This will definitely be a topic I talk more about in upcoming posts.

While I missed a ton of great opportunities to blog I also spent a ton of time melding with my kids. This group challenged me mentally, physically, emotionally, and professionally. I emerged a stronger teacher at the end that school year. Here's looking to my next group. :)