pictures

I haven't uploaded some recent pictures, so I thought I'd throw it all in one!

My new home sweet home!!


Is she not the cutest?!



The best siblings

My view on the way to school

Good Things

Are always happening!! Today, we have a grade level meeting. I wasn't very excited about the meeting, but when I left, I was pumped! Our school is trying out a new thing this year. Each grade level has an interventionist that will be helping our lowest students. So, this means that on Mondays and Tuesdays there will be 3 teachers in my room!! I will be working with a small group, Gigi will be working with another, and the Special Ed teacher will working with her kids. That means that just about every kid in my class will be receiving an extra dose of my lesson. How exciting is that!! We are bound to have better scores and higher achievement this year. :) I am so excited.
Tomorrow will be my last day making the drive from Guntersville to Birmingham. I am kinda sad about the morning ride. It's when I do some powerful thinking. It will be soooo nice to just drive 20 minutes to get home in the afternoons though. My moving crew (Mikey and Jason) will begin the process early Saturday. I asked Mom to stay with my Saturday night to help get more stuff situated. I called ADT today for an alarm. I was amazed how much an alarm cost for installation. Needless to say, I'll be checking around :)
Tomorrow is also the first spelling and math test for my babies. I am a little worried about the math test. I don't know that they are ready, but I gotta do it. I hope they make me proud!! Just so you know how good my kids are--- today, the art teacher told me they were the most respectful kids in 3rd grade!!! They got big heads, but I want them to have pride in themselves.
I'll be without internet at home for a while, so don't think I'm neglecting you...I just can't blog at school :)

A Week In

And I still love them! They are so good...most of the time. Everyday when I leave, I am exhausted from answering a million questions and saying yes to the bathroom and water. They are the thirstiest kids I've ever met! But, they are so sweet. Yesterday, our air conditioner quit working, completely. We were so stinkin' hot that we had to leave the room and go to the library. Today I found out I will be getting a new window unit. I can't even tell you how excited I am.
Monday was a very important day... I bought my house!! I nervously signed my name a thousand times and got the keys. I'll be moving in this weekend. Updates on the house will soon follow. I can't believe it really happened!

Duh...

Simple reasons I love my job. It was a DUH moment for me today. I love my job, I really do!
You get hugs all day. You are greeted with a smile from people who love kids as much as you do. You are greeted with a smile from your students. 3rd graders are at an awkward transition and they need you. Older students want to visit you. Kids you never taught say hello when you walk in a room. In the middle of all confusion, you can smile. 3rd graders can't get your name right (apparently, I'm Ms. Cormack.) Everyone works together. Kids share so much with you; they want you to know everything about their lives. Kids want to know about your life. Some kids love to learn, and some kids hate to learn...it's the challenge that makes me smile. Kids watch your every move and hang on every word. They call you Mom sometimes when they are really thinking. :) And the most important reason, at the end of the day, I feel like I have done something to make the world a little happier, brighter, and smarter.

4:55

Is the time I woke up this morning get ready for my 1st day of school!! Can you believe it?! I can't. I can tell you one thing, I am a sleepy,excited teacher :) On my way to school is when I do all my planning and reflecting. Maybe the hour drive is good for me. Anyways, as I was thinking this morning, I thought about my daddy and my grandmothers. I know my daddy would be so excited. I have dreamed of this day for a long time. So, as I am driving along, all the sudden this picture pops in my head... My daddy, sitting in his chair in our living room, wearing his robe, and drinking his coffee. I just can't tell you how happy that made me. And then I thought of this, "Give em hell, Tiny." His favorite words before I did something big. Thanks, Daddy, for being with me today. Weezy would have been excited and nervous. She would be so happy that I am choosing to work in the conditions I am, with the heart I put in to it. Dinga would be amazed that I would want to do what I am doing. Either way, everyone would be happy and was with me today.
So, now I'll tell you about the actual teaching part. I couldn't have been more nervous. As I started the morning, I thought I'd never make it. By 8:45, I was rolling. Thanks, MAP, for all you did for me!! I went over rules first. Then we toured our school, went to the bathroom, did some work, went to lunch, went to PE, did more work, and went home. I am so tired.
I have to tell you the best part of the day. I am new to this lunchroom thing. Last year, I ate with my friends in their classroom. Now, I have to venture to the lunchroom. We have two choices for the children to choose from...there are also two lines. So, I split my kids up and all my choice 1's went to line 1 and my choice 2's went to line 2. I was terribly wrong. My whole class was supposed to go to Line 2... oh well. Apparently, it created a bit of confusion for the lunchroom ladies. Tomorrow, I will get it...maybe. I have a great class!! They are very sweet and polite. I am excited about the year. They are going to be a trip. I have a few that have already won my heart over. I guess we will see how that goes.
Tonight's going to be an early night. I have to do all over again tomorrow...

Construction Zone

The end of day one is over! I am so glad to say that. 5:45 came very early this morning. There will be more pictures to come... stay tuned!

Oh, Gosh...

I can't believe tomorrow is my 1st day of school!! I can't believe the summer is over. I am excited about this year, but nervous too. I can't even tell you how many times I have been thinking over what I'm going to do for morning routines, reading centers, math centers, behavior, etc. It's driving me nuts. I can't wait to just practice what I have been thinking about.
My classroom was a disaster when I first saw it. Since then, I have painted, mopped, and moved all the furniture out. I asked for new (as in, another school was going to throw them away) desks, new chairs, and a new air conditioner. My air condition supposedly works, but I can't tell if it does. I am going to get a lot of fans in there.
I'll let you see what my room looks like before and after soon...

happy :)

Just a glimpse of my weekend...