Relief

Wow, I feel so much better after having successfully navigated through the first day of Kindergarten...twice. After the AM session I went into Mrs. Bee's room and told her I was so jealous that she was done for the day. I kind of forgot how deflated I feel sometimes about doing everything all over again on the first day. Once I get into real teaching and actual lessons, it's not bad to be on repeat everyday, but all the beginning of the year stuff can get old the second time around. 

I. Am. Tired.

For the most part, I instantly fell in love with the majority of my students. They are so little and oh so cute. I was really impressed with how smart they are (or seem) and how most could already write their name. A few were quite shy and a few obviously need some good training in how to behave, but so far, I think both classes are going to mesh really well. I am getting one more boy in the AM which would make 19, but one boy didn't come and apparently moved, so the class actually stays at 18. Not bad. I'll take it for one more day. I haven't gotten notified that there are any additions to the PM class. 

I have one little boy, out of all of my kiddos, that I am a bit concerned about because he really didn't seem to tune into what I was saying or the routines at all. He peeled the paper off about 8 crayons even after I told him not to, wasn't able to make transitions based on being called by table color or by name.  I think there may be some receptive communication issues so I need to figure him out. 

I had success with the behavior management system and I loved introducing it from day one (as opposed to mid-year like last year) because I think most kids caught on really well. I had to be tough and take sticks away for very small things, but I have to do that in order to bring the point home that it's good to keep all of the sticks and not good to have some taken away. This system was beyond my friend that I am worried about, but I think he will need some special accommodations, which I will have to figure out. I think he is going to need some picture cues to help him understand what he needs to do. I just need to know him a bit better before I can figure out what he is going to need. 

I really felt like a ROCKSTAR when I walked through the cafeteria during First Grade lunch. Many of my friends from last year were shouting my name and waving frantically. They are so cute. There are some that I will really miss this year and I actually emailed several parents from last year's classes when I got home to say that I hope the first day in first grade went well for their kiddos. 

I need to sit down and plan out tomorrow....but I need to put my feet up first. I like to take it one day at a time at the beginning of the year because not all the kids come the first day and I always need to reflect on what happened in order to plan the following day.

I hope anyone else whose first day was today had a great one!

Here are some classroom pics that I have been promising. Everything doesn't look entirely done because I haven't started my instruction with the reading and math walls because my carpet still hasn't come, but the basic areas are there....

 Around the World Wall where we'll focus on learning about a different country for each letter of the alphabet. The green board on the right will display the word and letter of the week for daily review during our morning circle. 

 The blue wall is the Fast Track Phonics wall, which the kiddos will face when I am teaching Fast Track lessons.

 Math wall that still needs some love. I might post shapes above and label them or other math vocabulary.

 In front of the yellow and blue walls will be my awesome new carpet where the kids will have their own assigned carpet spots. I have never done assigned spots before, but I've also never had a rug with specific squares on it, so I am excited to try it out once it comes!

Overview of the morning greeting carpet area. This is where we'll meet in the morning and where we'll have story time. I scored two nice rocking chairs at the end of last year, so I have one for each carpet area.