First Grade Graduation

I survived last week. Actually, I had a lot of fun and had the good fortune to be blessed by three wonderful first grade teachers. They came to my aide at all times and helped me get through a really tough week. Jamie said it was, "baptism by fire," and I couldn't agree more. I learned a lot and hopefully taught the students in my care something a long the way. I've been inspired by the principal and the other teachers to look into how I can complete me degree. So Hooray for the First Grade! Tomorrow I will be with the kindergartners. I can't wait to see what fun we will have and what new things I can write about for you to enjoy.

I'll leave you with the highlight from my week in first grade: Fabulous Fun Friday, our last day together, we had made it! I taught a lesson on polygons using tanagram puzzles. We learned the names of all the different shapes and made creative pictures using only geometric shapes. We made chicks, gumball machine, a piece of candy, a pinwheel, and a flower. The kids were encouraged to be creative. Some of them came up with the funniest pictures, like a "walking car." Some of the kids were so detailed, adding scenery and drawings to enhance their pictures. We had so much fun, but this is not my most treasured moment.

As the kids finished their pictures some of the kids and I started on a math puzzle/maze. We used odd numbers to find our way through a maze and help our dog find his bone. This sounds really simple, but for these kids it was a difficult concept. I taught the kids odd number recognition. We were even using double digits, so I had to teach place value too. We worked together as a class to solve the puzzle. We had so much fun working on this we were late to play in art class.

I told the other first grade teachers about what we worked on and even they were impressed the kids got it, I mean really got it! The teachers told me that what we were doing was difficult even for their first graders. I should let you know, the class I was working in is one which is below or just at grade level. Many of the children have behavioral and emotional difficulties.
I have a new found respect for these men and women who take on entering the realm of education, especially for those children in underprivileged areas.

Good night all, and God bless you this week!