In other words, preparing, being stressed out, scurrying around, making copies, and getting nervous to meet my new students and be with them for less than an hour.
How was it you may ask?
AMAZING!
At first, we were getting a little worried because NO ONE was there. We made 70 copies of this packet to hand out and we were making joke that we wouldn't have to make any copies for next year. Finally people started showing up and then they all came at once. The little kiddos were so shy! They were hiding behind their parents and when we would ask their names they would speak barely in a whisper. They are adorable! We met as a big group and talked a little bit about what they should know how to do and what we'll cover in kindergarten. Then the other kindergarten teacher and I took our kids back to our classrooms. Once the kids were away from their parents, they opened up so much! We read a story, sang some songs, took a tour of the classroom and then made our way to the playground. As we stood up, I decided to have us count to 10 and see just what my kids know. So, each step we took we would count. When we got to 10 we were at the classroom door. I then said, "Let's see if by the time we get to 10 again if we're outside." So, we walk and count and get to 10. I turned around and said, "Did we make it?" They all start giggling saying No teacher! We're stuck in the hall! I said Oh! We better do it again! By that time we had made it outside. They ran out to the playground and were so excited to have their own playground! One little one in my class was sad we didn't have swings. While outside, I had a few little ones come up to me. One asked what the classroom rules were. I told her we would go over them the first day of school. Another came up and said, "Teacher, what's your name?" When I said Miss Gough, I saw his little forehead scrunch up. I'll probably get called teacher a lot this year and that is just fine by me.
It was blazing hot outside. Thankfully we weren't out there long before parents started coming out and some of my class's parents wanted to talk. It was so great to get to meet them and start putting faces to names. The best feeling of the day though came when a few of the parents asked if this was my first year of teaching. Inside I was just on this pedestal to be able to say, "No, this is just my first year to Whittier." Inside I was feeling like BAM! 22 and on my second year of teaching. That is a magnificent feeling. I also was feeling great because everyone who came into my classroom said how cute, darling, adorable, and other wonderful adjectives it was.
Today, because of orientation, I was wearing a skirt. Decided to look the part. As I walked out of the copy room two other teachers were in there and as I walk out I hear, "Isn't our new kindergarten teacher just darling!" Ha I work with some wonderful people. I am so excited for this year to begin. I have spent hours upon hours in my classroom getting everything up, organized, and going through a closet that had 14 years of decorations in it!! 14!! And trust me, they were probably great back when they were new, but now.... not so great. My angel of a mother spent 2 days helping me go through everything. The biggest surprise in my closet... a tent. That's right my friends... a tent. I was going through a box that had turkey heads (don't ask me why) and I opened the box and said WHAT? so when my mom asked me what I wanted to do with the tent I turned and said WHAT? She started laughing and said that's what you said when I pulled it out and told you that there was a tent in here. I said oh sorry, that is when I found the box of turkey heads. Sigh, why in the world do I have a tent...So, back in when the tent and into the garbage went the turkey heads. I'm feeling pretty confident about this coming year though. Kindergarten, here I come.
I saw this amazing idea and decided to use it. I put up command hooks in the back of my storage closet and clipped my borders together with binder clips. Then you just hang the clip on the storage hook and ta da! Nice and tidy. Finally a place for all the extra borders without folding them and shoving them in a closet to get ruined.
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