End of another 6 weeks

Well this is the end of the second six weeks and there is only 7 more school days til Thanksgiving break! woohoo! As this six weeks draws to a close I reflect on the progression of my kids, and by kids I mean my students. I have some awesome students this year! I am proud of each of them, but along with the awesome come challenges. I gained a student at the beginning of the six weeks just as my kids were becoming aware of a routine and my expectations. This particular student gained the attention of my class very quickly. He is a year older and he is quite a bit taller than the others. The first day he walked into my room, one of my other boys, we will call him Doe, said " Wow your big!" And from that day forward he has been a student that has stood out. Unfortunatly not for good reasons. That same kid that was in awe of his gradeur has been following literally every step this student, lets call him Joe, makes. If Joe jumps, Doe jumps. If Joe spits, Doe spits. If Joe jumps off the top of the jungle gym, Doe jumps off the top fo the jungle gym. (True Story) The behavior of both is really effecting the other kiddos. I feel sorry for the ones that have to hear the constant reprimands that I make to these disobedient students. My only hope is that one day they will wake up and realize that I do care for them and only want the best for them.
When we were little we never said "I don't care" to the teacher when she punished us, which I hear frequently these days. I know that dynamics in todays families are very different. I think that a lot of families are missing authority figures and stability or consistancy. I fear for some of these kids that spend their time trying to get into trouble. The sad part is that if they put any ounce of that trouble making energy into being a leader, they would rock! My hope is for any hint of progression out of these kids. We will see!

Career changing day!

Today was a day from you know where! It was one of those days were you sit at your desk during your 45 minute planning period at 1 in the afternoon, which by the way was the first time you sat down that day, to ponder what you would have done if you didnt become a teacher! I sat as I tried to calm myself with my classical reading music that I let my kids listen to, and thought to myself, " What would I do if I was not a teacher?" The answer is...well, I don't know!

I think that I might have been a photographer traveling the world finding exotic destinations and capturing on film what most people will never get to see! Yeah that's it! Or maybe I would be professional shopper! Who knows were I would be if I wasn't teaching. All I know is that there are definitely some hard days and some that make you question your career, but I always come full circle and find something fantastic about my job and use my mantra " I love my job! I love my job! I love my job..." I am super lucky to have found my dream job so early! Who knows...I just might one day become the destination photographer traveling the world capturing exotic locations on film.

Carrie Bradshaw

How about this? I created a blog! I never thought that I would be sitting here typing away my thought for anyone to see. I know its corney, but I feel a little like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City! I should have some thought provoking question at the end. Anyways, I also figured that if they want my first graders to start blogging, then I should be able to blog too! But I really have to give the credit to Kate Danze. I look at her blog of her wonderful family and find comfort in the fact that I can share in both the good and challenging memories that they make together. I only hope that this new blog will bring me some rekindled relationships with friends that I have not talked to in years. I hope that this blog will give you some insight into what my life is like after college. I hope that this blog will give me opportunity to put into print all of the millions of thought that race thru my head. Get ready!