Dreams Really Do Come True

In Connecticut there is a proposed law to make Halloween the Saturday before the 31st each year.  Apparently, having Halloween on a school night throws the kids off.  Yet despite the lack of sleep, exorbitant amount of sugar, forgotten coats (gloves, scarves, and hats), and all around partying that my big kids were exposed to Monday night, they still came to school.  No doubt- they were exhausted, insane, and defiant- but at least they were there.  I won't lie- yesterday was rough. I had one of those days where I was convinced my kids were too incapable, too unmotivated, too young.  One of those days where I was convinced that I was too incapable, too inexperienced, too young.  I left school early- around 5:30. I called my mom- she had school off from Monday through Friday due to the storms in CT.  I went home and made chicken stir fry- only to hear how my roomates' school was lit on fire by a student that day.  Then I went to bed.

I had a dream where I introduced a number of the day in our morning meeting.  On a whiteboard, a student would come up and write the numeral, draw that many dots, write the word for that number, and draw that many tally marks.  In my dream, my kids were engaged.  I woke up before my alarm went off, got ready early, and although I was convinced that I was still asleep, I went to school to make this magic whiteboard.

It worked. My kids loved it so much they asked me if we could change the number during our afternoon meeting so we could learn more.

That wasn't even the best part of my day.  Today we compared what seeds need to grow and what people need to grow.  We made two graphic organizers.  When I asked my friends what seeds need to grow they shouted "sun", "air", and "water" - we've been reading stories about seeds all week.  When I asked my friends what people need to grow they all shouted "to learn" "to go to college" "to work hard" and "to get smart".  Maybe it was wrong that my students couldn't get to the responses I wanted them to say - "food", "water", and "air", but at the time I could just smile and add it to my list.

In library center I heard my kids yelling- but I couldn't make out what they were yelling about.  I went over to tell them to keep their voices down, and when I got there, M (who just passed her uppercase letters on Monday!), was quizzing 3 other friends on their letters.  The yelling I heard was them guessing which letter it was.

I love my kids.  My kids love me.  Most importantly, my kids really love learning.  Today was a good day.

Goodbye Teachers and Friends,
Miss Glass