The reason I didn't blog last year, is because I was overwhelmed by my move from fourth grade to kindergarten. You see, what happened was the kindergarten teacher quit after two days (YES, TWO DAYS) with the kindergarten class. I can't say I really blame her though. She was a new teacher and the class had 28 kinders with a LOT of behavior problems. They weren't going to move me at first, but then the corporation moved a different teacher to our building to fill the hole, and she didn't have a kindergarten license. So, they came to me and told me I was being moved to kindergarten. I had done kindergarten one year before, but the thought of moving all of my stuff over one weekend and getting a grasp on the kindergarten curriculum at a new school was daunting. Not to mention the fact that the classroom was full (remember, 28 kids?) with no help (NONE) and several kids with some intense issues. I spent the first semester barely keeping my head above the water. It really had me questioning my career as a teacher. It was HARD. It was, hands-down, the HARDEST thing I have ever done in my life. I spent many mornings before work talking myself into going....yeah, it was that bad. However, the second semester got a lot better,and I felt more in control. It was still hard, but by the end of the year I felt that I had made a really big difference in the lives of these kids, and THAT is a good feeling. THAT is what teaching is really about.
Oh, also I planned a wedding, got married this summer, and have been adjusting to married life. Oh, and i ran my first half marathon! It went really well...other than the HORRIBLE weather (rainy and cold). I think it was worse for my mom, cousin, and husband that came to watch and cheer me on. At least the running kept me warm! Perhaps in a later post, I will include my training schedule for the half marathon if anyone is interested. :)
This year, my class has 22 kids and I only have a couple children that give me a run for my money. It's MUCH, MUCH, MUCH better. I just hadn't really thought about my own blog. I am an AVID blog follower/stalker, but the task of keeping my own blog up-to-date seems kind of intimidating. With this post, I am going to try to do a better job of it. Wish me luck!
Okay, now getting on to some more interesting things. I am working on becoming a better TpT teacher. I am EXCELLENT at downloading things, but I mean, I want to be a better creator. Yesterday we were snowed in, so I had plenty of time to work on a new item. I don't know about your kids, but mine LOVE to use hole punches!!! I created a phonemic awareness pack where my students can use hole punches to choose the correct answer. Included are beginning sounds, ending sounds, medial sounds, and syllables. It should also lend itself to differentiation. You can get to it by clicking here. I really like the way it turned out, and I am excited to use it as soon as our extended (thanks to the snow) winter break is over. Hope you all stay warm!
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