A Happy Little Family

One week in the books. Phew!  27 first graders and 1 exhausted teacher discussed classroom and school rules and expectations, read books, did some math and a little writing, and somehow made it through the first week of school.  I am super excited to get right into the academics with my new class, but I know I've got a little bit of community building to do first.  I have found over the years that the more team building, memory making, and bonding time that I can cram into those first few weeks of school, the harder they will work for me (and each other) for the remainder of the year.  I have a few tried and true favorites that I always use to get the ball rolling.

First, we discuss our hopes and wishes for a great school year!  This little sesssion usually starts with me talking about what I hope and wish will happen during the year.  It is a great opportunity for me to explain how much I love being a teacher, especially teaching first graders like them.  I talk about how I have always wanted to be a teacher, how long I've been teaching, and how much I love finding out what each indivdual student needs from me so I can help each one reach their goals.  My goal is to establish the safety, security, and respect that they'll need from me in order to take risks in their learning.  Next up...their turn.  First, I let them share their hopes and wishes with their "elbow buddies".  This wakes them up a little bit, and even helps to open up those that aren't used to sharing.  I listen in and guide as neccessary, and eventually I have them start sharing with the whole group.  This is where you want to have your clipboard handy.  I write down what they say!  For example, when one on my students said, I hope I can learn to read Frog and Toad books this year, I wrote that down.  I am always so curious to find the root of their hopes and wishes.  After a little probing with this particular student later in the day, I figured out that her older sister reads Frog and Toad books.  This student feels like you've "arrived" as a reader when you can read chapter books, so this is her biggest goal.  Knowing this will help me a lot down the road.

Next, I wrap up our little discussion by displaying and reading this poem from Fun in First.  

I lay it on reeeeeeeallly thick as I start passing out their "magic playdoh".  I make the biggest deal possible about how I hope, hope, hope their playdoh changes color because there's nothing I want more than to have a great school year with them.  Low and behold, their playdoh changes color.  Shocker, right?  It's such a great time of giggling and bonding.

Have you ever made your own playdoh?  I promise you'll never go back to the store bought stuff after you've given it a try.  It's a little scary at first, but trust me, it will work...and you'll love it!  

First, mix all of these things in a big pan (By the way, I doubled this recipe because I have so many kids this year.):

2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 T vegetable oil
1 T cream of tartar 

Just keep stirring over low heat.  Here's what to expect...

Step 1:  Denial

There is NO way this will be playdoh...like ever!

Step 2:  Confusion

Did she say this will turn in to playdoh?  It looks like runny mashed potatoes.  Am I supposed to keep stirring this?  I'm not sure, so I'll just keep stirring while I try to go back to her post and look at the directions again.  Great, now there's flour on my iPad.

Step 3:  Anger

Did I seriously just waste 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of salt on this?  It is never going to be playdoh!

Step 4:  Acceptance

Hey!  Look!  I just made playdoh!

Go ahead and pull it off the stove and let it cool.  Next, divide it up into little balls, poke a little dent in each one, put in one or two drops of food color (NO MORE- TRUST ME) in each dent, and carefully pinch the dent closed.  Make a baggie for each student and staple a copy of the "Magic Playdoh" poem to the front.  

This is a memory maker that your students will talk about all year long!  I hope you have fun!

Ready or Not

Well, here it is...the eve of my first day back to work.  I've spent a lot of time this morning thinking about what a fun, albeit short, summer vacation I've had.  You see, my district sufferred through an unbelievable winter which resulted in 18 SNOW DAYS!  Our state forgave a handful of them with no penalty, but the rest were left to make up...as in go to school two weeks into what was supposed to be our beloved summer vacation.  Oh well, even with two less weeks, I enjoyed so many wonderful things.

The Highlights

Attended a leadership conference as a panalist (very surreal and cool)

Road Trips!

My beautiful family ready for the road trip!

Spent some time splashing at a waterpark

Bought a boat

Boating

Boating

Boating

My middle, Bubby.  Adorable...and the only one of us with a boater's license!

Spent one week in the Smokey Mountains

Swam in the "Dirty Dancing" lake

Lake Lure, NC- This is where Dirty Dancing was filmed

Seven mile hike in the Smokey Mountains

Got stung by a bee on a seven mile hike in the Smokey Mountains

Maybe got stung by a KILLER BEE on a seven mile hike in the Smokey Mountains

Seriously, it really hurt!

I must admit, the hike and the sting were worth it!

Soaked up so much family time I was gushing

Welcomed my new nephew into the world with 1,273 hugs, kisses, and cuddles

Tell me you don't want to kiss those cheeks- dare ya!

Said goodbye to gluten- darn thyroid

Spent a week at a cabin in Northern Michigan 

Mullet Lake- Northern Michigan

More boating

Sunning, relaxing, floating

Campfires, crashing waves, one with the world...Ahhh

Dunked my hubs for a good cause

My husband is in a dunk tank on the other side of that little slugger!  Dizzy is ready to dunk his dad to raise money for Special Olympics!

Pre-season volleyball and football for my oldest kids

Got invited to a Def Leppard concert, and...well...we went!  This concert provided me with enough material for an entire post. Maybe I'll get to that eventually! For now, I'll just smile and shake my head.

Look at us...all dressed up like we are headed to Micheal Buble concert.   The entire time we were there, I just kept thinking, Wow, at one point in my life these were my people!

University of Michigan FOOTBALL tailgate and game!  Go Blue!

Wore athletic shorts or yoga pants almost every day!

Enjoyed [and reheated the same cup of] coffee all day long.

As I reflect on all of this, it's hard to feel even a tiny bit unsatisfied.  I soaked up all of what summer had to offer.  I made so many memories with my beautiful family.  Yup, I think I'm ready to go back.  Of course, it helps that I'm going back to this place...

This is a picture of just a small part of our outdoor learning area.  The water in this pond starts waaaay in the back of this picture from an amazing waterfall that travels under a small footbridge.  What a beautiful place to learn and grow!