I know what you mean about teaching -- the kids definitely make it all worthwhile -- thanks for sharing your stories about your students -- my heart breaks to think of little C. -- I had a similar student several years ago -- J. had seen more than any child should ever see or experience -- he graduated last year and is headed off to college.
You teach third grade, right? My Connor is in third grade.
Apparently I have not had enough coffee this morning because I am stumped as to where you could be headed based on Brooklyn's dress -- are you headed to Ohana's for breakfast? To Animal Kingdom? I just don't know. I guess I will be very surprised.
I'm glad your J. is going off to college. Good for him!!! I will be thrilled when C. comes back to see me in years ahead and she is doing great! One of my former students just came back about a month ago, and she's in high school in another county now. She's making straight A's, and she plans to be a vet. She didn't have a bad home life or a lot to overcome, but her success thrills me. If one who has to go through it all with such struggles as C. has comes back to tell me they're doing well, it'll be even better!
I love 3rd grade in many ways. The kids are old enough to do a lot of things, but not old enough to have too much of an attitude yet. Some do think they are already teenagers at 8-9, which is unfortunate.
I am ready for a break from all of the programs and testing, though, and the TCAP stress. I'd like to teach kindergarten for a year, at least, to see if that eases things up. If not, I could always go back to 3rd, but I might find that my job could be more fun and less filled with paperwork at that level. It would have its drawbacks, too, of course - the crying, the accidents, the boo-boos, the tattling, parents who aren't used to someone else taking care of their child, etc. I still think I'd like to give it a try for one year, just to see how much my life changes. We'll see what happens at the end of the year.
I love my 2nd graders teacher but am a bit frustrated right now. Patrick is very bright and by the end of 1st grade, he was reading at a mid-4th grade level because his teachers found a way to keep pushing him forward. He has been at the same reading level all year so far and when I asked when they would be moving on, she said after they retest in December I worry because he is one of those bright kids who gets bored then gets in trouble for talking too much, etc.
Does your school use the running records? They are good for occasional updates, but we have to do formals and informals a total of eight times a year, along with DIBELS testing every two weeks. So much time is wasted with that.
Being a Floridian I'm amazed that the high temp. for July 4th was only 87! Thanks for all the great pictures! I'm going next week and plan to take a bunch with my new camera. I might have to learn how to post them! My goal is to take enough to make up a really nice calendar for the new year - wish me luck!
True, it could have been much hotter than 87. It wasn't unbearable at any point during the week.
We will look forward to seeing a lot of awesome pictures with your new camera. Definitely post them! Will you be there the 25th-30th? That's when we'll be there.
A calendar is a great idea. We buy the WDW ones, which we like, but some months the pictures are really not all that good. For the most part, they're good, but I think they could do better with several of them. Creating my own calendar - now that's a good thought for next year.
Ummmm....the poly.I love your trip report so far and I can't wait for the new one soon. Being a teacher myself, I understand how you feel about a lot of things. I can't wait to hear more.
I think teachers across the nation are always waiting to see what the next thing is that changes their lives. We can only hope it will get better instead of worse.
Your room looks so clean!
I don't know where Brooklynn is headed.
Keep in mind I was the only one in my room on that trip. I used the refrigerator box as a shelf, and the extra bed to leave my suitcase opened up on. I didn't bother with drawers, since I had plenty of space on the bed. I don't like clutter - probably because I'm in the midst of clutter at school every day. When I have control over it, I try to keep it to a minimum, but I'm not a neat freak or anything. At WDW, I try to make things easy for the mousekeeper of the day.
if she, for some reason, ever needs to be adopted, let me know.
i know, i know!!!
My co-teacher and I have already spoken up for P. and her brother, F. She has him in her class, and he's just as sweet and polite. He's a year old than her, but they put them both at second grade level when they came to America. We've said before how we'd just love to take them home with us! But, fortunately for them, they have very hardworking, loving parents. They work in a Chinese restaurant in the city. I know they work long, long hours. It was cute when P. used for one of her Vocabulary sentences a few weeks ago -
My father is slavery at the restaurant. I'm sure she had heard him say he was a slave to his work more than once. I thought it was very cute and very telling.
I know you know!
You always do, you little Disney-maniac!
I would never want to play Disney World Trivia against you or Jill, and heaven forbid if you two were on a team together. You would dominate!
I'm admiring how neat and tidy your room was. Our room is never that neat. Toys, clothes, food, Toys, air matress, you get the point.
I can't believe it, Lexi has the same dress only hers is a skirt and pink halter top. I wonder if Brooklynn and her wore it to the same place? We obviously both have great taste.
We bought that for Brooklynn when she was much too small to wear it, but we thought it was cute, and we knew exactly where she could wear it in the future.
Well, I'm having a hard time figuring out where you are going based on Brooklynn's dress, but it's really cute! It kind of reminds me of "Small World" or the Poly.
Speaking of the Poly, I was reminded by one of your responses that I want to try their tonga toast. It looks like something that my mom would like, since it has bananas, and I think that my sister would try it, too. My dad will try anything. Yet another thing to add to my growing to-do list!
I hope that my future kids have a teacher as caring and insightful as you! I can't imagine how hard it is with all the ridiculous testing, but you can still find the good in it, and know that you are making a difference for those kids.
Your list grows and grows and grows! Tonga toast is a Disney classic, so it is a must-do, at least once.
Another great update by Memom! Love little Brooklyn on the beach. We're going to have to eat at the Poly in June. Seeing "Hawaii" without sharks would be great!! I have pictures of the same flowers that you took at the Poly. I love taking flower pictures. They don't move and I don't have to tell them to smile!
We've eaten at Captain Cook's and 'Ohana, so now we have to try Kona. It gets great reviews, from what I've seen.
Great pics MeMom. Love the firwroks shots from EPCOT.
Thanks. They were pretty. I am glad we got to see both MK and Epcot that night.
My Hannah has that dress. It made it two WDW two trips on her. I am hoping Emily gets to wear it for one someday!
Have a great week MeMom... you are so close to WDW. Just know that when you are blue to be back from WDW... I will be blue too, I go back to work on the first...back to the circus.... I mean the world of no child left behind!
Oh, what I would give to be a SAHM! Even with grown kids, there is so much I would like to do that I can't because of time and school work. A friend of mine was talking yesterday about working on the toy drive at church, but they're doing it all during the day, so only the SAHMs and the retired women can do it. If I live to see retirement, I will enjoy doing many fun and helpful things during my days - like Meals on Wheels, etc.
Wonder what is in store for NCLB now?
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Now, let's follow this one.
She knows where she is going.
Our mode of transportation.
Our destination.
We checked in and had the picture taken.
Brooklynn models her new neckwear while we wait.
They called us in about three minutes, and we were on our way to our table.
The food was brought out.
Brooklynn spotted characters.
She had little interest in any of this.
She was just all about the characters that morning.
Next?
Before Mickey is finished, she's looking for the next one.
It was cute, because every new character she saw in the distance, she would ask, "Mickey come see me?" and pat her little hand on her chest. She did it with everyone of them. She definitely now knows the fine art of character meals.
When it was time for the parade, I wanted to get pictures of Brooklynn from behind, so we sent her ahead. She was a little lost in the sea of bigger people. This sweet bigger girl saw her and was going to take her hand and help her along, which I was thankful for, but then the girl's mother motioned for her to leave her alone. I guess she thought she better not touch someone else's child, but I was really hoping the girl would help out. Before I could get her attention to tell her it was fine, the parade had started, and Brooklynn just sort of followed the crowd.
One lap around and then it was back to the table.
She spied Pluto.
"Tuto come see me?" she asked, again patting her chest.
Pluto came in at a different angle than the others had.
I'll have to finish later. I've got to get moving.
Have a Magnificent Monday!
I worry because he is one of those bright kids who gets bored then gets in trouble for talking too much, etc.
