Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Back To School

Wait?? Did I have a summer? It went by WAY too fast because it's school time again!!! Every year my mom comes and helps set-up my classroom and if it wasn't for her it would not go as fast (thanks mom:)! Not everything is put up on the walls yet, but here is a glimpse. Last year my theme was Hawaiian and my 1st graders were "surfers," but because I'm teaching 2nd grade this year, we are going to be the second grade Superstars!
This is our Math area:
Here is Sophia being a great little student! She loved playing in my classroom. She would say, "HELPING!" as she pushed the chairs around. In my room my students don't have assigned seats. They get to choose where they sit based on their learning style, whether it be at a table with chairs, sitting on the floor at the low table, or around the room with a clipboard.
Over in the far corner is our literacy area with benches. I also use lanterns and lamps as the lighting to set the "calming" mood.
This is a board to show off their work:
Bare with me as I get a little emotional!!! This year will be the first year Sophia will not be watched by family, so we have been adjusting to her new preschool (we call it her "school" and talk about mommy's "school") a little at a time this week. It is a great place and all the teacher's kids go there. Ms. Shelby (the teacher) does very cool things like: mud day (where they play in mud), Mother's Tea, Christmas program, fall pie making, Picture day, etc). I knew it would be hard leaving Sophia but I had No idea that it would be this hard. I'll just say that the past couple days have been filled with random tears at random times. Yesterday Sophia and I went to play together at "her school." Today I played with her for about 20 minutes and then told her I was going to go to "my school" and I would be back. She started to cry a little and asked for her blanket. Of course I started to cry, so Ms. Shelby took Sophia and went outside to swing. Shelby called 20 minutes later and told me she wasn't crying, but still adjusting. She reassured Sophia that "mommy will be back!" She did a little craft and played some more. When I came back, I snuck in to see what she was doing and she was sitting on the floor with another little girl and Shelby was reading a story to them. She looked like such a BIG girl:)! When she saw me she gave me a sad lip like "How could you leave me?," sat on my lap for 1 minute and was off to play again. phewwww...better than I thought and way better than nursery! We're going back tomorrow and I'll leave her again for just 1-2 hours for consistency. Gamma bought her a cute little backpack to put her things in and to continue to excite her about "her school!" Isn't her craft beautiful???
By the end of the week Sophia will be at "her school" all day because I have "teacher days!" Oh man...even more crying! I am grateful for my job, but can't Sophia come with me to teach???

7 comments:

Mike Skiff said...

Made me cry! I know how hard it is for you! Love ya!

Tiffani said...

OH EM! First of all...your classroom looks beautiful. I wish my little ones were in your class. And you're such a good mommy. I can see why you're having tears but it sounds like a great place for Sophia to be. Good luck with the new year!

Mama Megs said...

Oh I'm getting all emotional for you!! That's got to be the hardest thing for us as mom's-leaving our kids. But it sounds like she's going to love it and if I had a preschool like that around me, believe me I'd be jumping for joy! It sounds amazing :)

cindy said...

Em, your classroom has to be the cutest one I've ever seen! Your students are going to love coming to school. How hard to leave Sophia every day, but she sounds like she's really being a big girl there. That's a great way to approach it by telling her its HER school. Good luck! :)

Shawna said...

Im fighting the tears, lady! UGH! Wish Sophia could be your TA ;) haha! But seriously, she will do so well. She is being such a good big girl! She amazes me, seriously! You should be so proud. She is such a good little girl! And you're such a good Mama!

The Frandsens said...

I also love your classroom! It sounds like you are in for a rough week but thats great that she is already doing better than she did in nursery....it does sound like such a great preschool! I was going to say we need to get together before you start teaching again but it looks like I am too late!

KariMarie said...

I gotta jump on the crying band wagon. I really admire you for continuing to teach after having a baby. Your classroom really does look like it's a neat place to learn and comfortable. Sophia is beautiful and "her school" sounds fabulous. You're doing great. Oh and I run in to your mom at church and keep forgetting your playgroup picture at home. One of these days I'll get it to you. lol