Toddler Teacher

I LOVE being a toddler teacher!

I found a couple ideas that I implemented in my classroom a few weeks ago. Our theme for the week was Eric Carle, so of course I made a color sorting caterpillar. Near the caterpillar you could find a tray with the glue and paper pieces on it so the students could do the activity whenever they wanted. I watched and observed as they worked.

After the colorful caterpillar we worked on matching shapes on a butterfly. We read a story about shapes first and talked about them before I introduced the butterfly on the wall. Again, I left out the tray with shapes and glue and the students glued them on whenever they were interested.

Both activities were very successful in that it showed me who needed to learn more about colors and shapes and who was ready to move on to the next level of identification. It is very fascinating to me how fast toddlers grow and grasp concepts. I learned from these activities that my toddlers like playing with glue sticks. It turned into a lesson on how and where to apply the glue and they loved it. 

Kindergarten Classroom

This week we built a cave over the classroom library and listening center. The kids had a fun time building it and helping me tape it together. They really feel like our classroom has become a forest. I wish I had more time to spend on Science. I feel that my day just goes by so fast. I never get to do what I want to do and that’s the FUN STUFF. I try hard to incorporate it in to everything we do though!

This week at school people have been seeing bears on the school campus so we have not been able to take the kids outside. The bears have been in Bryson City as well. There is talk that the reason is because we had so much rain this year that the berries didn’t grow high in the mountains so the bears are coming down to find food. This is the first year that bears have been on campus though and I think it is cool. I would love to see a bear at a distance.

This week I also got my word wall up, Thanks to parent volunteers. I rearranged my classroom a little bit to make room for my Science center.

We got the I Can Read board up and the children love it. I sent a letter home with my students telling their parents about environmental print and had them send in something their child was familiar with.

 I also started a read around the room center this week. I glued some foam hands together on wooden dowels and then I glue a letter to each hand. The children walk around the room with their hands trying to find the letter they have. When they find it they have to write the word that they found their letter in.  The children are catching on very quickly and I love it.

Kindergarten Teacher WOOOHOOO

It's Saturday morning and Nick and I are in Atlanta visiting his cousin Brom and family. We were going to the temple but we kinda slept in (MUCH NEEDED SLEEP)

So Yes, I am a Kindergarten teacher.. This makes me smile every time I say it or type it! So the story of how it came to be.. two Monday's ago I had an interview and I was depressed when they let me know the following Wednesday that I didn't have the job.. that door was closed :( I was sad for about an hour but then I got a phone call from a Preschool on the college campus for an interview the following Monday. Then  I got a call from the Swain County Schools, the Human Resource lady was asking me if I had found a job yet. I told her No. (This is the county I worked for last year and had already interviewed with but was told I ranked 3 out of 5 in the interviews. The first two girls were hired for the school I had worked at.) The HR lady told me they might have a job but she wasn't sure and she would call me with more information. Later on in the day about 2:00pm I was called by the principal, she wanted to meet me. I went in to meet her at 4 and the meeting only lasted about 5 minutes. I was kinda upset because I drove 35 minutes just for her to see my face, but I got over it. On Thursday morning I went to East Elementary (Where I used to work) to help a friend in her classroom. I went home about noon, and I got another call from the Swain County schools the HR person asked if I was offered the job to teach Kindergarten at West Elementary would I take it. I told her I would. She called me back two hours later when  I was approved by the board and that the job was mine. I called the principal and went to see my room. I spent all day Friday cleaning the room. It was very empty, the other teachers had taken everything out of it and only junk was left. I didn't even have a clock! I brought in my shelves and teaching stuff on Saturday and some good friends came with me after church to help set it up. Monday I spent in the other classrooms getting to know the children I was going to be teaching. My room had to look good by Monday because the school was holding an open house just for my room, so my new students and their parents could meet me. I am so thankful for the volunteers that came and helped me get my room looking good!

Nick Fixed the White shelf and put the color cars on the Wall. This is my Writing Center! 

I started with an Ocean theme. From left to right I have Math Carpet, Job Chart, and the Rice Table

Morning Circle Time Carpet, Calendar, Computer Station, and SMART Board

Stairs to my loft, cubbies, and mailboxes

Desk with name tags (didn't have my table caddies yet that hold their pencils, crayons, and glue)

Reading corner.. my friends Julie and Matt put this together with whatever I had. I think they did a great job! Oh and BTW the Green Eggs and Ham drawings that are on the wall I drew!

Our desk area, I chose not to have a desk but a round table so I could teach the students there. That is my assistant's desk.. May I add she is WONDERFUL!

Math Carpet!

The open house went really well I was able to meet about 16 or 17 of my students parents out of 20. I had an All About Me Powerpoint presentation playing on my SMART board. It was a great evening. Tuesday afternoon (after lunch) I got my students for the first time. We had a great afternoon and I can't explain how I fall in love with children so fast but I just do! My First full three days of teaching went amazingly well. I have been sick since day one that I have stepped in my room. Allergy medicine has been helping some but it is still pretty bad. There is mold in the school, that is why I have been sick(I'm pretty sure) I have been cleaning like crazy and I pretty much live at my job. I like my classroom to be organized and I try to prepared a week in advance. I find that it is easier to teach that way!

I wish I could post a picture of my class up but I don't know if I can, but I have some way cute kids!

Well this is it for now

Signing out

love you all and hope you are doing well

L-and-N