Ugh

A year later, I remembered that I had a blog and how its been neglected. I think it would be very helpful to upload the blogger app back on to my smart phone. I can also justify that I HAVE been updating people through Facebook, an online journal, and that cool social media site, Instagram. But, I won't. I will try to recap of what's been going on in our neck of the woods.

My sweet husband got back from his AIT for the guard back in August of '13. It was one of the best days, EVER! I remember waiting there at the airport anxiously for him to come down the escalator and seeing all these other guard members coming down, I knew we were getting close. When I saw him I just had the biggest smile on my face and didn't want to let him go. 

We spent the rest of the weekend in Park City and it was beautiful! 

I started my second year of teaching and it has been great! Yes, there will never be a group quite as special as my very first group of kids from my first year, but my batch this year are so sweet! I have a few new challenges this year that I didn't last year:

- I have a selected mute. This means the child talks, but only with his family and nobody else. It's frustrating at times but he's  so smart, one of the brightest in the class, actually. He is cute, though. I am so grateful to have such supportive parents this year. This child's mother and I have worked together and have a plan set up to where I send home a voice recorder and she records him reading as part of his homework. It is truly amazing to hear his voice!

- I have a newcomer from Thailand. He hardly speaks any English, but he's in the listening phase of language acquisition still. He is understanding the phrases that I frequently use with him and the class so it's looking good for him to start speaking a little more in school.

- I have two students with speech problems. I didn't have any speech students last year, so it has been difficult to see how their speaking translates into their reading and especially their writing. 

First grade has been great, though. They never cease to amaze me in showing me what they can do and how excited they are to learn. I love them! 

These are from when we did research papers on animals! It was one of the best writing projects I've done with them this year!

Using the questioning strategy, the students wrote three questions on sticky notes that they wanted to research. This student's question says, "Why don't snakes run?"

This little boy found the answer to his question and is writing the answer on his sticky note about what snakes eat. AWESOME!

School and teaching is hard, but I love it. It's a labor of love! 

I'll be writing a few more posts shortly.