This boy got straight A's, got 100% Attendance for the year, got referred to and started attending G&T (Gifted & Talented), liked his homeroom teacher Mr. Chinske, and officially ended his elementary school experience (next year he will go to the high school now that it's 6th-12th grades).
This boy had the same homeroom teacher Mrs. Baker for the 3rd time in elementary school, got straight A's, got 100% Attendance for the year, made new friends (some gave him the nickname "Meekai"), and had a positive experience in 5th grade.
This boy got straight A's in 2nd grade, was in the high-level reading group, loved doing math facts, enjoyed running in P.E., liked his teacher Mrs. Wilkins, and received the faithful attendance award for the year (he only missed one day due to the stomach flu),
This year was much different for me, because it was the first time I was working at the school without being the music teacher. I'm not going to lie: it was extremely difficult. I cried several times throughout the year because I missed it so much. But, I did get to work in the Kindergarten, which was the next best place for me. I worked with Mrs. Mark, and we had two very large classes, the AM and PM, both with 24 kids each. Mrs. Mark was great to work with, and allowed me to teach and take charge during certain times, because she understood that it was so hard for me to go from creating my own lesson plans to enforcing someone else's classroom structure and rules. I taught the kids the math center (which was so fun), I was in charge of the highest level reading group (which I loved), I read many books to the kids using my theater voices (which made my soul feel alive), and I taught the students lots of songs (which was glorious).
 |
| Our PM class |
I even got to write and direct Kindergarten Graduation this year, and I'm so glad! I've been in charge of it the last 4 years, and I didn't want to let it go. The new music teacher and the principal weren't going to have Kindergarten Graduation this year, but it's been a school tradition for over 10 years, and I said I would be more than happy to be in charge of it, because I wanted to see it continue. I had the kids help me write it: I asked them all questions for about a week, and compiled all their answers to create the program about all the things they learned in Kindergarten. Then I split the program up into easy 1-3 sentence parts, and gave the parts to all the students in my reading group, so we could practice them during the last week of our reading group time. There were a few kids who didn't want to speak, and other students gladly took on the others' extra parts. I was surprised that all the students even memorized their speaking parts! Then we had 8 songs to break up the program and the songs went along with what the kids spoke about. I played the piano to accompany them, we sang a couple songs a cappella, and Miss Jane, one of our weekly volunteers, brought her guitar and sang two songs with them, too. At the end, each student said their name in the microphone and said what they wanted to be when they grow up. The graduation was in the school gym this year (the other years it was in the Annex building, but they closed it along with the middle school last year), and although the sound wasn't the greatest (since the microphone wasn't hooked up to built-in speakers like in the Annex, just two large speakers on the floor), I think the program went wonderfully! I was so proud of the students, and I loved that everything all worked out!
I spent a lot of time with these kids; I went EVERYWHERE with them! In addition to class time, I also followed them to library, P.E., recess, and walked them to the bus every day. I really got to know all the kids, and I just loved them. I enjoy being around young students: they are so accepting and forgiving, and most are good-natured. When I was a music teacher, I occasionally got thank you cards, and once in a rare while, I received gifts from students. But as a homeroom teacher's helper, I was showered with gifts at Christmas and the end of school. I was so surprised with what I received, and it made me feel so appreciated and loved!
 |
| The gifts I received at the end of the school year |
I especially love when students write their own cards and draw pictures for me. I used to have a display area in my music room for them, but since I don't have that anymore, I thought I would put photos on here of a few of them I got at the end of the year from my thoughtful students:
I'm glad we all ended the school year on a positive note, because I admit we are a little anxious about next year: Jonah and Micah will be in 6th grade at the high school which is all new for us because when Ammon was in 6th grade it was still in the middle school, we have no idea who Kanyon's 3rd grade teacher will be because one teacher had a surprise retirement, and another 3rd grade teaching position is vacant, and I don't know what/where my job will be, although right now the principal and Mrs. Mark are planning on me being in Kindergarten, but there are already 50 kids registered, and if more kids register, then another teacher will most likely be hired and I will be transferred to another position.
No comments:
Post a Comment