Muh Waaaaard, he took my cray-on.

First week survival, YES (fist pump, Napoleon Dynamite style)! I should go back to last years' and see what kind of chaos I was feeling at this point. Let me tell you....last week, I was EXCITED to go to school. My class was GOOD. They stood hip and lip. We walked in a mostly straight line. They know we don't want to hit people who are on our team. Wh, wh, wh, what? What is going on in my life and who are these children because this is not what I was anticipating and this DEFINITELY isn't anything that happened with the last class that I had for 9 whole months. There was a big TFA gathering on Friday night hosted by a community member and all of the first-years would vent about how awful their first week was and then ask how mine went and I truthfully didn't want to tell them. It was so good! Although today was a bit more of a dose of reality...they were worse today and it was the first day that kids legitimately had to stay in from recess and finished on not so nice colors at the end of the day. Let me specific though...I do not have any of the severe behavioral issues that I dealt with last year. Today they were just chatty. We'll work on it.

Here is the lo down of children in my room, once again good luck with the names: Floressa, Autoria, Jaylon, Tyla, D'Marco, Braxton, Kayla, Tyra, Michelle, Tryen, Cedric, Lebruhnze, Jaquavious, Kenqualon, Zydrell, Maya, Jordan, Arian, Ladarious and Antonius. It's not too bad. They are all sweet in their own way. One of them, who is definitely one of my little buddies has the shortest attention span on the face of the planet and is just ALL OVER. He means well, he really does. He also talks like he is younger than 5 years old, as in my quote.

I am going to hope that this year my students will know that I mean business. However, I'm not sure how to convey to them that I can't stand criers. Today was day 6 of school and someone has cried EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. I just wave them to my assistant...I can't handle it. Sorry, I have 20 other students, not going to baby this one because they "want their mama." My assistant is good about it though...she's MUCH sweeter than I am :)

AND, one of the best things...I was able to finish my lesson plans lickity-split last week (good thing because I didn't get started until 10 p.m. on Thursday night) because I already had them on my computer or in hard copy. That seriously rocks. Now let's talk about what doesn't rock. My kids are going to be tested next week to see if they can use blocks or other manipulatives and count forward to 20 and backwards from 10. What a mess, we are going to bomb that part of it. They have just not had enough practice or time, but don't tell the school district that. They are giving us our objectives 3 week at a time and then are coming in to test our kids (ALL kids in the district) to ensure that we are doing our jobs. I have no had anyone in my room, even though the curriculum team was at school last Thursday and Friday. I consider that a blessing, they are HARD on people and basically write evaluations telling our best teachers (the ones with the HIGHEST state test scores in our district) that they are doing a terrible job. Whatever....we'll see if I get visitors this week...I could probably bet my bottom dollar on it.

Another big event happening...I signed up for grad school classes today. Yeah, yeah, I know, I really hate grad school. But I can get my masters in elementary education basically free, so I'm going to start it. I'm taking two classes, one is in-class the other is online but I have a friend also doing the same one. So, besides teaching a class of 21 kindergartners, leading weekly meetings for first year teachers in Greenwood with my roommate, taking two classes, and helping train all TFA Kindergarten teachers in the Delta...ugh, my blood pressure is rising. It'll be fine, our weekly meetings are over in October and the monthly learning team is semi-planned out already. I'm doing a solid job at making my second year of teaching not as easy as it should be, but it'll pay off.

One quote today, I asked my kids to show me their teeth (aka smile) and one kid goes, "I got me some gold ones" he meant silver, I think, I didn't see any gold ones in his mouth but who knows. Last week was the first time that I could honestly say, "I love my life" in the delta and what a great feeling that was! Let's hope that my class and the rest of this who-ha doesn't get to be too much, but I think it will be fine. And GUESS WHAT ELSE?! I am going to be at the MINNESOTA STATE FAIR IN 10 days....WAHOOOOOO!!! :) :) :) How could I NOT love my life then! Ingrid's wedding in t-12 days :)

PS, it is the GREATEST feeling in the world to see the kids you had last year and have them smile and wave all sweet and such saying, "hey Ms. Ward" so calm and quiet...because rest assured these children were not calm and quiet last year. I had one mother just call me to talk about her daughter's home work....she told me the daughter I had last year got a note sent home saying she was rolling her eyes at the teacher. HA, that's the kid I know! Gosh I love them...when they are not in my class :)

Lastly...it's hot as sin here. Humid as all get out. The first day of school is not the day to learn how to wear liquid eye liner. And my kids notice my jiggly arm fat. Gosh I love them.