I Love You

Well this week I have had a terrible cold and I barely have a voice, but I was determined to still have an awesome week at school! I must say that I have had yet another wonderful week of teaching. Great learning has occurred in our classroom this week. On Tuesday in writing we continued to work on our adjectives and sang our adjective song. Then, I gave students ten minutes to draw a creature or a monster and add as much detail as possible and colour it in. While they were doing that I drew a creature on the board and as a class we wrote describing words about my creature. Then, I gave students fifteen minutes to write a paragraph describing their creature. Then, the students got into partners and read their describing paragraph to their partner and their partner drew the picture based on the descriptions given. Then, we discussed whose pictures were close and discussed how it shows the importance of using descriptions while we are writing. I talk a great deal with them about painting the picture and how important that is.
In topic we are discussing confidence and what makes us unique and special. We had a large discussion about this and I shared stories of myself and then had students share their stories. Then, we created our own shields that explained what makes us special. I am becoming a much better swim coach and understand now much better what to do and it is so neat to see my students gaining confidence in the water. This one little girl who has been terrified to swim now loves the water, it is amazing! In reading before we split up into our guided reading groups I have started a new routine in our class. One student reads the class a poem and we discuss the poem, then we read a big book together (shared reading). Each week we have different goals that we are trying to accomplish. For example, this week we are working on expression and the importance of expression in our reading, and so we have read different books with lots of expression.
On Wednesday we had a special St. Patrick's Day celebration. While the children were at the library I went back into our classroom and changed it around a bit. I hung up a note on our classroom door telling students that a leprechaun had visited our room and that he had hidden his gold and that they should try and find it before he did. Then, I made leprechaun foot prints which I scattered around the floor in the room, and random pieces of gold on the floor. Then, I flipped some of the chairs over. Students were then split up into teams and given clues to try and find the gold. The students had to work together. Then, we talked about the idea of leprechauns and hiding gold at the end of a rainbow. Then, I asked students what their gold would be if they were a leprechaun and where they would hide their gold. We did a creative writing activity with this and the students had a lot of fun and they did a great job with the writing. All day students were asking me about the leprechaun and telling me that they saw it. It was so precious all I could do was smile.
Thursday was a great day for two specific reasons. Amanda and I decided to start a program with our classes. We paired up her middle school students with my elementary students and they are reading buddies. They meet twice a week and read to one another and get to know one another. They will do different activities. Our teachers were both very excited about us starting this and they have said that this is something that they will continue to do even after we are gone. I did not know how it would go but as I walked around the room I nearly cried. It is a beautiful sight to see older children and younger children working together with reading. I think that both classes will get a lot out of this experience and I am so glad that we are doing this.
There is a little girl in my class *Amy who has asbergers. She is very bright, but she struggles socially and does not have any friends and is very shy. I have been working with her quite a bit and we are forming a friends circle for her, and I have had conversations with her trying to get to know her better. When she has no one to play with on the playground and I am on duty she walks around with me, and I see this different side of her a bright and happy girl. She just needs someone to take the time to talk with her. Today she came up to me and hugged me and said, "Bre, I do not want anything bad to happen to you ever because I would be so sad because I love you so much." This little girl who lacks social skills and has a very difficult time expressing herself said this to me. I nearly cried. It was beautiful. It is little moments like that when you see a child developing and succeeding that make you realize that THIS is what you want to do for the rest of your life.