Problems of a Five Year Old

The other day during math stations I noticed one of my little boys on the carpet crying.  All the other little boys were surrounding him...knelt down in his face asking him if he was okay.

I quickly walked over to see what had happened.

Had someone hit him? Kicked him? Had he fallen? Did he miss his mom? 

"What's wrong Miguel?"

"Sniff..."

"You can tell me...are you hurt?"

"Waaaaa!"

"Miguel I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened."

"Tahmiere said I had a gjdkljg"

"What? I can't hear you."

"TAHMIERE SAID I HAD A GIRLFRIEND!!!!"

If only that was my biggest problem :) 

Introducing...

Jane and Guadalupe

 Introducing JaNe..first name Calamity last name Jane...and her trusty steed Guadalupe (hey I had to relate to my kids somehow)

Jane speaks with a Texan accent...which sometimes falls into a slow southern drawl...with a hint of British (accents aren't my forte)

Her best friend is Mr. Dragon...although according to my students she needs to be careful incase Mr. Dragon breathes fire and eats her

Jane makes my kids laugh 

(now I just need my trusty husband to dress up like a cowboy and serenade my class with campfire songs:)

I Love You Planet Earth

This quarter we have been learning about our Earth. I am determined to have my students know their city, state, and country...understand the world in which they live.

I had fourth graders last year who thought our state was Aurora...or Mexico. 

oh my.

Anyways, I decided to show my class clips from the Planet Earth series...(on my Promethean Board none the less) If you haven't seen the Planet Earth series I highly recommend it. Click here They are amazing and make you love your planet.

I wish you could have seen my students' faces. They were in awe. They had a million questions...there were "ooohs and ahhhs." Clapping...cheering!  I love experiencing these moments with my students...you can't help but leave school smiling

Fountain of Magic

Kindergartners are hypochondriacs.

I have a student whoes tummy hurts everyday. Today he just held his stomach and pointed at it while he looked at me with puppy eyes.  I told him to get a drink of water...because in Kindergarten a drink from the drinking fountain can cure anything from a paper cut to missing your mom. 

When I told my student to get a drink all of a sudden we had an epidemic of stomachaches.  What were we going to do!?

Then someone had a headache, their neck hurt, their toe hurt. "My finger hurts when I move it!"  "My elbow hurts Mrs. Wolfe!" "My knee is hurting."

"Please everyone stay calm! We need to hurry and drink some magic water from the fountain. It will make us all feel better." 

...it's amazing what you can come up with in a moment of panic.

And luckily for me that magic fountain was full of healing powers today

I am a Rockstar

Today during our Hello song I realized that

*I am a Rockstar*

At the end of our song it sings,

"Turn to your neighbor and shake their hand, turn to your neighbor and shake their hand, turn to your neighbor and shake their hand, shake their hand this morning!"

Even way after the song had ended I had kids shouting, "Mrs. Wolfe! Over here! Over here!!" "Mrs. Wolfe shake my hand!!" "Mrs. Wolfe, my hand next! My hand next!!"

Tomorrow I'll be crowd surfing.

Bon Jovi and I have a lot in common

Conferences

This past week we had our first round of conferences to talk about 2nd quarter grades...yes that's right, we give grades in Kindergarten.  No more S and S+ for the sand and water table or dramatic play like we had. Students are expected to be proficient in ALL academic areas. 

One of my conferences has been really bothering me and I'm trying to let it go and not take it personally.  It went something like this.

Me: Hi! How are you this evening? We haven't met yet.  I'm Mrs. Wol...
Parent: You know you just wasted my time by taking up half of my conference time with those other people. I've got another conference to go to. I ain't got all night for this.  


Me: Don't worry I'll get you out on time for your other conference.   
Parent: Huff*Puff*Growl


Me: Well let me show you your daughter's report card. She's doing a fantastic job!
Parent: This ISN'T MY daughter's report card!! She never did this well EVER. She's always fighting and being awful at home. 


Me: Your daughter is very bright...she's Proficient or Advanced in all areas.   
Parent: Well I just don't know what to say. 

Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!

Me: Let's take a look at how she's doing in Reading. As you can s...
Parent: Hang on a minute I gotta answer this. Hello? No, I'm just in a conference right now with my daughter's teacher. Yeah. Uh huh. blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.....(4 minutes later)


Me: So anywaaays. Now that you've just wasted my time...just kidding. That's what I wanted to say. 


On her way out she said, "Humph! I almost broke my back sitting in that baby chair."  

Your Welcome!!!!!! I wanted to shout after her.  Your Welcome for teaching your daughter manners, how to be nice to people, and how to be a good person.   

These are the moments when I want to give my student a big hug and tell them, "Now I understand everything."  

Then and Now

Yesterday as I began teaching with my new Promethean Board, I started to think about how far classrooms have come.  

Pretty sure the teacher in that picture wouldn't be caught dead in her pajamas

Where's my piano? Oh wait...I have an IMAX theater in my classroom

I love my new Promethean Board...it's incredible

But I do love the thought of a simpler time

I think we need a desk chair...

Change

If you know me well you know I hate change. 

 It makes me anxious.  

It makes me uncomfortable. 

 It makes me sad. 

 Yesterday Martin had to say goodbye to his beloved BMW.  I didn't even get to say goodbye.  I know it's just a car and it wasn't even my car, but these things make me sad.  When I sold my car I thought I would get to say goodbye.  My dad and I walked out of the dealership, I was on cloud nine.  Then I noticed my car was gone.  Where had they taken it? What if it thought I had abandoned it?  Would it go to a good home?  Me, my sister, and her boyfriend, Bobby, have this strange disorder where we think inanimate objects have feelings.  It's weird I know. 

Then there's saying goodbye to my apartment.  This was the first place where I lived on my own. Where I grew up a bit. Where I started my life with my new husband. I love our new apartment, but I'm sad to leave the familiar. 

This is my house. Was my house. It's the house I grew up in. My sister and I still can't drive by it when we come home. It's too hard and too sad. Kate stole a bunch of things from our house to remind her of what was...a doorknob, wallpaper, a piece of the bush from the backyard. 

I always wonder why some people go through life not flinching at the site of change while for some of us it is a huge process every time something looks, feels, or smells different.  I wish I could be brave and look change in the face with courage. 

I'll try. 

I'll be strong and not look back...maybe

What's Your Real Name?

Little kids are funny.

They are obsessed with names.

Their name, your name.

My favorite question from them is, "What's your real name?"

"Mrs. Wolfe."

"No!! Your real name?"

"Mrs. Wolfe."

"No, Mrs. Wolfe, your real name!"

"Mrs. Wolfe!" 

"Mrrss. Wooolffee!"

"Do you mean my first name?"

"Yeah!!!"

"Ohhh!"
"What is it! What is it!"
 "Don't be silly, I can't tell you that." 

Migraines and Kindergarten

I have the worst headache.

I'm pretty sure ripping my brain out through my nose would have felt better than having a migraine with 23 Kindergarteners today.  I think they were screaming and yelling just to spite me.  One of my students was jumping up and down and I literally had to turn around because he was making me so nauseus.  

Probably didn't do so well on my observation...my literacy coach I'm sure was amused by my facial expressions of pain. 

Now I have to wait until 5:30 to hitch a ride from my gracious teammate to PetSmart and wait for two hours so Martin can take me home (we're down to one car at the moment)

Dog barking and migraines don't mix well either....

Whistle While You Work

My dad came down to help Martin and I paint yesterday!

He also brought us down the washer and dryer!

Thanks daddy for your expertise and all your help 

working hard or hardly working?

(Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Wedgwood Gray)

Hooray!

Hooray! No school today!

Thank you Martin Luther King Jr.

Without you, we all wouldn't be in the same class together

Shhhh Testing

This past week my students took their first test (they're growing up so fast). I got them really excited about it, "You get to READ!! You get to WRITE!! Wow it's so much fun!"  Let's just say they had figured out I was lying by the end of the third day.  


Me: "Turn the page. (holy cow! Take five minutes to re-find the right page for 24 students). Point to question 1,099,987. Mom was happy that her car was blank"
Students: "What's a blank?" 


Me: "Point to question 15 (wait five minutes for students to find #15).  Read all three sentences.  Choose the sentence that is written correctly" 
Students: scribbling in the bubble that looks most interesting to them


Me: "Point to question 16. That's right, the one after 15. 1-6. No, the one AFTER 15.  Write a sentence that describes the picture."
Students: ABCDEFGyuijkmMiguel


Towards the middle of each test my students, along with those of us proctoring, were so over it.  By the end of the last test (which lasted AN HOUR) I had two students crying, three students complaining that their tummies hurt, and two students asking for their mommy. 


Pretty sure my students didn't do so well on their first test.  I guess they have 13 more years to get it right.

We're Home!

Here's a sneak peak...

Martin envisioning the linen closet

I forgot to tell you you're moving...

Yesterday was a tough day for my kindergarten students and for me.  One of their favorite classmates is moving to Mexico today.  I didn't even find out until yesterday afternoon.  My students' mom came into the school and informed the school they were leaving the next day and her childrens' teachers needed to inform her children of this.  Ummm.... WHAT!?  Shouldn't a child hear that they're moving to a different country from their parents?  Good job padres...way to make a sound decision.

It's not uncommon in our school to have kids come and go like it's nothing...but she had made so much progress with her English and I just can't think how scary it is for her to move...starting a new school, new teacher, new friends. Some of our kids have moved three times in a year.  

I didn't know what to tell my student.  I pulled her aside and gently said, "Remember how you used to live in Mexico?  Well your mom said today is your last day and you get to move back there tomorrow." And then I had to tell my class.  There were some tears and lots of heads dropped down. We dedicated our goodbye songs to her...gave her a wink and a smile...and said, "Adios."  

I hope she remembers me...

Celebration of 29 years

The Birthday girl..doesn't look a year over 25 :)

Birthday Tradition: choose favorite meal to be made special for you

Don and Amen 

Good food, good laughs, good people

good Birthday celebration

Birthday

Dear Elizabeth,

Happy Birthday!  I hope your mice stayed alive for you today to help you celebrate.  I am so thankful and lucky to have you so close to me.  Living with you and near you has confirmed to me only that much more how beautiful and wonderful you are.  You're always an inspiration to me...working hard, getting organized, being selfless.  I hope you have a wonderful day and I can't wait to have you over tonight to celebrate...especially excited for your choice of Birthday dinner (I'm glad you no longer choose Farmer's Breakfast).  Love you and hope this 29th year of your life is amazing and filled with many great things!

love,

Jessica

"Color and I are one"

Looking at paint colors is fun.

For the first hour.

Now I'm overwhelmed and my eyes hurt from looking at the computer.

How many shades of gray/blue seriously are there?

a bazillion.

side note: Shouldn't classroom walls be filled with color.  Every school I've ever been in has been stark white or made of cinder blocks...liven it up a bit, make it a place where children can expand their creativity, doesn't everyone work better when their environment is happy? I think I would thrive if my classroom was painted with a color called 'morning sunshine'...wouldn't you? Why do we build institutions and places of business that slowly eat away at us...sterile, florescent, cookie cutter. How much does a can of paint really cost? 

Get my point? 

laundry

laundry day

since becoming married, the laundry has exponentially grown

not having my own washer and dryer=not fun

I really hate carrying 3 loads of laundry to the communal laundry room...especially when it's snowing

in a couple of weeks I'm going to be the proud owner of my very own washer and dryer...thanks to my mom and dad :)

(I never thought I'd be so excited to do laundry...)

*moving day: January 31 (I will love you forever!)*

family dinner

Yesterday was family dinner at Elizabeth and Don's.  Elizabeth and Don live in the same apartment complex as Martin and I.  In fact, I used to live in Elizabeth and Don's apartment before they kicked me out...just kidding, I was more than happy to give up my room. It's nice to have your family so close by...I don't know what we'll do when Martin and I move across the street! :) 

lovely sister Elizabeth

mmmm! dessert

me: concerned that my bottom teeth have shifted years after my braces 

family dinner usually consists of my family reassuring me that EVERYTHING'S going to be okay...like I probably don't have the disease that WebMD said I did and I can afford to buy a new pair of socks on a teacher's salary

thank you for always reassuring me...I slept much better last night 

Princess Margo

I love her!




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even when she does this...

in love

I am in love.  It's name is Skype and it lets me see my sister whenever I want.  My older sister Elizabeth and my brother-in-law Don gave Martin and I a webcam for Christmas. Now it's like Kate is in the next room...2,000 miles away. The other day we spent a couple hours on Skype playing each other new songs we'd found, showing off new accessories to our homes, and introducing Margo the cat.  Don't worry, unlike our cell phones, this is 100% FREE!! They should have invented this when we were in college and we wouldn't have experienced unfortunate cell phone bills of over $100.  

look it's Kate and Bobby! 

Snore!

Today I had TWO students fall asleep during carpet time...holding their heads in their hands, off in dreamland. Wow. I must be really boring. Today was a rough day.  My students were going bonkers, even my best behaved students were being naughty. Whenever we come back from a break it is the same story.  Our students stay up late over vacation, don't have the same structure and rules at home, and then suddenly are thrown back into the reality of school. I seriously wanted to crawl under the table and take a nap myself...but that probably would have been a little unprofessional. 


Well if my students aren't going to go to bed at 8pm like a good five year old should, then their teacher certainly is.  Goodnight :)

Promethean Board

Once upon a time, teachers in the land of my school were supposed to get a Promethean Board installed over the summer. What is a Promethean Board you ask?  It is an interactive white board that makes you look like the most technologically advanced teacher on this planet. Click here. It is way cooler than a chalk board (what's that anyways?) or white board. 

By fall we still didn't have our boards. Then after many delays we were told to prepare.  Our boards would be installed over Winter Break. Teachers probably ran into the school excited to see their Promethean Board installed after months and months of waiting (I know I did)...

hmmm I thought it was supposed to be a white board, not purple

oh wait! Here it is! sitting outside my classroom...I guess that's progress, they were sitting down at the other end of the school for a good month 

I wonder how long those boxes are going to sit there...maybe my students should color on them so they can become hallway artwork.  

doctor, lawyer, fireman...kindergarten teacher?

When I talk to my family about being a Kindergarten teacher...I usually walk away feeling like my job is easy peezy.  My older sister experiments with chemicals that will burn your skin off, works with mice, wears a lab coat, and is finding a cure for cancer.  My twin sister works with objects that are thousands of years old...cataloguing them and working to preserve them for generations to come, works with tribal members, and is actually some peoples' boss.  


here is what my morning routine entailed

begin by killing the H1N1 virus and all other germs that exist in my classroom

water all the plants

organize supply caddies...put caps on 25 glue sticks (I think kids are immune to the words, "Put the cap on your glue stick!!!")

sharpen a billion pencils...wait for sharpener to cool down after overheating...sharpen a billion more pencils

update schedule so I don't get scolded by a group of five year olds

change the calendar 

update Morning Letter

mark off BARK awards earned the previous day...10 Awards=awesome prize like a pencil or eraser  

file file file

prepare attendance chart

organize and prepare literacy centers

organize and prepare math stations

plan 8 hours of fun filled learning and activities that all align with Colorado State Standards and District policies 

plan reading groups

have a quiet moment with Mr. Dragon discussing what the day will look like...how we hope our class will earn more smilies than frownies, share, use kind words, and learn something.

juuussst kidding (maybe) except I do take a moment to hope and pray the day is successful and that I can be the best teacher to my class

phew...and the kids haven't even arrived

so I may not be saving lives or preserving history, but I have perfected the art of tying shoes, zipping zippers, using a puppet, and multitasking like you wouldn't believe