tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2143356256822973842024-03-08T10:47:45.235-08:00I Learned it in First GradeMy job is tough. And it's not for everyone. Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I cry and sometimes I throw my hands up in frustration but I ALWAYS learn something. My job makes your job possible. Don't ever forget it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-31735755523786230302008-08-06T10:56:00.000-07:002008-08-06T10:56:24.504-07:00Regarding AdoptionSubmitted by countrymommy3<br /><br />One of my students came to school and told me his mom and her "boyfriend" were going to adopt a baby from China. I was somewhat surprised by this so I simply said "really?" His reply: "Yea, but I don't know why she would want to, she can't even speak Chinese." It was all I could do to keep from laughing!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-31953732030959322472008-08-05T10:54:00.000-07:002008-08-05T10:54:01.741-07:00Anemia HurtsSubmitted by ATeachMom<br /><br />A parent came to me with her first grader's current health concerns. He had been feeling tired and grumpy. The parent went on to tell me that he was anemic and that his blood needed more iron. I gave my student a hug, told him that I would watch out for him during the day and the parent left. In a few minutes I found the boy crying at his seat. I went over to ask him if he was okay. He looked up at me and asked me, "How hot is that iron going to be?"Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-74769690122094845882008-08-04T14:08:00.000-07:002008-08-04T14:10:42.217-07:00Mmmm...HamSubmitted by KKSMom<br /><br />Last year we were all sitting on the carpet and I was doing a blending lesson with my class. I called on one student who was doing an awesome job and could really use the positive reinforcement and praise. I said to him: 'Wow, how did you get so smart? Were you just born like that?' He looked at me very serious, and he said, "Um, no I had a ham sandwich for lunch." I couldn't help but laugh because it was the cutest thing. So for the rest of the year I would have to tell my class, "Wow, you guys have been eating a lot ham sandwiches lately!' They knew exactly what I meant.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-12587171834743594332008-08-04T13:00:00.000-07:002008-08-04T13:00:00.429-07:00"I can see the baby's nose"Submitted by Sillieguze<br /><br />Another teacher on my team was pregnant at the end of the year and as the kids were working she was walking around the room. She noticed one little boy looking at her very intently and she wondered what was going on. She then sees him talking to the other kids at his table and they all start giggling. She goes over to find out what's so funny. The little boy says, "I can see the baby's nose. It's right there." He points at her stomach. She tries not to laugh as she tells him that it's not the baby's nose, it's just the top part of her pants.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-24716878944195845082008-08-03T12:58:00.000-07:002008-08-03T13:00:15.360-07:00Advice from 1st gradersSubmitted by Sillieguze<br /><br />I was about 28 weeks pregnant when school started last year, so the kids were asking me about my baby and if it was a boy or a girl. I told them I was having a boy and they all wanted to know what I was going to name him. I told then that we didn't have a name picked out yet. One little girl had a look on her face like she was thinking very hard. All of the sudden she says very excited, "I have a name for the baby." So I asked her what was her idea. She said, "You should name him George. You know, like the monkey."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-62734065138633852242008-08-02T10:32:00.000-07:002008-08-02T10:33:18.121-07:00A Gift for the TeacherSubmission from SuddenGifts<br /><br />I taught first grade in downtown Manhattan and this year I had a fairly challenging class...some real attention seeking, high maintenance kids. I tried to keep my frustration from showing, but some days they just got to me! So one day around Halloween, I was lining the class up to take them to the gym. My desk was near the back of the room where they were lining up and as we were leaving, I picked up a piece of chocolate a friend had given to me and told a few of the girls at the back of the line I was really going to enjoy that chocolate in peace and quiet while they were at gym. The next day, two of the little girls brought me bags of chocolate! They said that now I would have some chocolate to enjoy in peace and quiet every time the kids drove me nuts!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-6235398390955383672007-09-15T19:51:00.000-07:002007-09-15T19:53:51.328-07:00"Are you taking the horsie book?"After the shock of my first graders hearing I was moving to a different school, one of my girls popped up with that wonderful, heart-felt question. I was feeling the love!Ms. Exhaustionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05380968551670705657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-22340862444299248492007-09-15T06:24:00.000-07:002007-09-15T06:37:34.910-07:00WelcomeI'd like to welcome Ms. Exhaustion and Mrs. T. to the wonderful world of first grade. I still WORK with first graders (and kindergarteners on up through 5th) but these ladies are actually on the front lines. They spend the WHOLE day in 1st. Both have had their share of challenges already this year but through those challenges come blog material!<br /><br />I am always looking for more blogging first grade teachers. Let me know if you would like to join our team. Email me - mrsloudvoice@gmail.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-85136829787212366092007-09-12T02:28:00.000-07:002007-09-12T02:54:53.708-07:00My FirstI'm so tired. That should be enough but here it goes.<br />I think it would have been beneficial for me as a student teacher to have been in the thick of things, such as the first ten days of school. Aside from first graders being so needy, constantly wanting you to acknowledge their work, they have to be taught the rules engagement in a school setting. Say it, show it, and see it. I think my word count per day has gone up by millions. I can still hear myself speak even when I'm asleep.Mrs. Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09391562193517746702noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-37773595843785870612007-09-09T19:10:00.000-07:002007-09-09T19:21:34.456-07:00Can you top this?2 weeks into my first year of teaching, I'm told my school has one too many teachers, and another school in our cluster needs a teacher. Since the school in need is the school I worked at for 4 years as the computer lab teacher, my administrator offered the job to me. So now I'll be packing up my room and moving back "home" at the end of this next week. Everything I did over 3 summer months will be done again - in 3 days! I think I'll be looking into a caffeine IV drip for next weekend. Word for the week? <em>Flexibility!!!</em>Ms. Exhaustionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05380968551670705657noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-85925077888668026642007-09-08T21:26:00.000-07:002007-09-08T21:29:57.814-07:00"I probly won't remember. I have a little OCD in my head."What??? All she was asked, was "I really like your shirt. Find out where your mom bought it, and then tell me." A little OCD in your head? What have your parents been telling you???Ms. Exhaustionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05380968551670705657noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-53238522255529059872007-09-08T16:14:00.001-07:002007-09-08T16:18:13.319-07:00Under PressureOne of my friends went out of the country for two weeks this summer. I watched her two girls part of the time she was gone. The younger daughter is in 2nd grade and was full of questions about my pregnancy. A sampling...<br /><br />Does it burn the baby if you drink something too hot?<br />Does the baby like pizza?<br />Is there already food in there for the baby?<br />Does the baby like it when you take a bath?<br />Is the baby in your tummy or another part?<br /><br />And my favorite...<br />How's the baby going to get out of your belly?<br /><br />My response...<br />I think that is a really good question to ask your mom.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-88371178015518261382007-09-07T16:09:00.000-07:002007-09-08T16:13:55.008-07:00Changes...My last post was May 16. I found out late the night of May 17 that I will be having a baby in January. I stopped blogging because I could barely keep myself awake during the last few weeks of the school year. Around that same time I was asked to take on a different job this year. I'm still a teacher but now I work with K-5 students needing extra assistance in reading. I have several friends teaching first grade this year though and I've invited them to blog. I hope they will because I don't have as many funny stories in my current job.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-39576072353482076262007-05-16T05:29:00.000-07:002007-05-16T05:32:19.122-07:00Compliments or Why I Love Teaching Little Ones<span style="font-weight: bold;">"Whoa, you look super-pretty today!"<br /><br /></span>Junie B. Jones has such a way of cutting through the small talk and calling it like it is. It is so cute when they notice what I'm wearing and compliment it.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-45607297863232315162007-05-13T08:51:00.000-07:002007-05-13T08:54:57.711-07:00They Solve My Problems<span style="font-weight: bold;">"You probably ate too much, ate too fast or breathed funny."<br /><br /></span>I love the kids in my class, I really do. They are so sweet and so quick to offer a solution to any problem I might have. This particular day I had the hiccups and they just wouldn't go away. My class became concerned with this but one little girl pulled me aside to explain the reason we get hiccups and tell me to relax so they would go away. So sweet!<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-84774728805823408682007-05-09T04:56:00.000-07:002007-05-09T04:58:51.398-07:00What I Like About You 1<span style="font-weight: bold;">"The thing I like about first grade is that we always learn a lot of different things but they're not too hard or too easy."<br /><br /></span>We had a sharing time yesterday in which we discussed what we like about first grade. Some of the answers were so sweet. I will post more in the coming days...<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-43538959136104545802007-05-05T21:25:00.000-07:002007-05-05T21:28:06.151-07:00Spilled the Beans<span style="font-weight: bold;">"You know that extra skin around your tummy? My mom had to get that removed."<br /><br /></span>This quote comes from a colleague's classroom. I'm sure mom is thrilled that her son told his teacher about her tummy tuck.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-79429603288034717742007-05-05T21:22:00.000-07:002007-05-05T21:25:20.474-07:00Baby Blues<span style="font-weight: bold;">"When are you going to have a baby? My mom is 27 and she already has 3 kids."<br /><br /></span>I swear the girls in my class are so nosy! It's funny though how a first grader can make me feel like I might be running out of good eggs.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-8897730679413724072007-05-04T17:40:00.000-07:002007-05-04T17:45:16.458-07:00Grownup Issues<span style="font-weight: bold;">"Are you a grownup? Why don't you have any kids?"<br /><br /></span>I am the same age (25 by the way) as most of the mothers of my students. They all seem to really struggle with the idea of a woman their mother's age who is not a mother herself. In their eyes I am something less than a full adult because I don't have children of my own. Funny thing is, I don't feel like a full adult yet so they must be on to something.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-18257887056022057442007-05-02T04:50:00.000-07:002007-05-02T05:00:58.456-07:00Humbled<span style="font-weight: bold;">"Remember when my mom was in jail? I cried when that happened because I was scared she wouldn't come back."<br /><br /></span>I was on recess duty and this little girl came to follow up on a class discussion. Sometimes I am amazed by how "real" my students are with me. They haven't really started hiding things from adults yet; that leads them to make the most amazing comments and ask questions that boggle the mind. Children of a certain age expose their souls and it sometimes makes for a humbling experience.<br /><br />We've been doing a unit with our counselor on feelings. Also, I choose a stick of one lucky kiddo every week and read their library book to the class. This week it happened to be <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tough-Boris-Books-Young-Readers/dp/0152018913">Tough Boris</a> by Mem Fox. It is about a pirate whose parrot dies and is a wonderful book about crying. After we read the book I asked if any kids wanted to share about a time they cried. We had a great discussion and then we were off to recess. <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-32559621083020682902007-05-01T16:29:00.000-07:002007-05-01T16:32:59.584-07:00What Ever Shall We Do?<span style="font-weight: bold;">"There is a young man who will not get off the swings even though we counted to 25."<br /><br /></span>If only every student could be this polite in reporting problems on the playground. The rest of the conversation was just as formal and comical.<br /><br />Our school has a rule that students who want to use the swing must (loudly) count to 25 to wait for their turn. When they get to 25 the other student has to get off the swing.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-42170790896482891962007-05-01T16:28:00.000-07:002007-05-01T16:29:28.358-07:00Get Thee to a Gym<span style="font-weight: bold;">"When you wear that shirt, you look like you're having a baby."<br /><br /></span>But I'm not. Enough said.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-67428379251584479442007-04-30T18:54:00.000-07:002007-04-30T18:58:56.750-07:00Cheese for the Teacher<span style="font-weight: bold;">"This is what you would look like if you were a mouse teacher."<br /><br /></span>Krissy brought me a page from her coloring book. This page had instructions for the child to draw a face on the mouse. <br /><br />Krissy drew my face complete with green eyes (way to notice), purple lipstick, red blush circles and a smart orange on orange blazer. It was so cute and so flattering and so funny all at the same time.<br /><br />I will try to post a picture of it soon...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-3600074191708010742007-04-30T18:48:00.000-07:002007-04-30T18:53:45.216-07:00Political Posturing<span style="font-weight: bold;">"Mrs. Loudvoice? I just want to let you know that I will do ANYTHING to be Student of the Week."<br /><br /></span>This little guy is so cute and so naughty. He really is lovable in his own way but some days I just don't know what to do with him. He moved from another class to mine in January and he hasn't had a chance to be Student of the Week yet in either class. The rule in my class is that you can't move your clip for a whole week if you want to be SOTW. I reminded him of this and he said, "okay, will do" as he was walking out to be picked up for an appointment. <br /><br />I think this is going to be a good week since he will be working very hard to be SOTW! <br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-214335625682297384.post-77248533833893556122007-04-29T07:45:00.000-07:002007-04-29T07:47:54.488-07:00Ask Me If I Care<span style="font-weight: bold;">"He cutted me!!!"<br /><br /></span>This is my least favorite thing to hear. I don't usually have a good response either. How do you handle the federal crime of cutting in line?<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0