First Day of School 2015 (Jessi)

I started my ninth year of teaching last Wednesday. I have 28 (!!!!!!) adorable 5th graders in my class year, plus a wonderful student teacher. I am really looking forward to this year. I moved into the building, so no more relo for me.  

Quinn starts this coming Wednesday.  Kindergarten. (!!!!!!!) Can you believe it? 

2007-2010

2011- 2015

First Day of School- Jessi

I had my first day of school last Monday. It went very well. I have a student teacher this year, and I think she will be fabulous. I have 26 5th graders this year. They seem like a nice bunch of kiddos. I am gearing up for a great, although never easy, year!  

Quinn's feelings about my first day of school....

First Day of School 2013-14

Today was my first day of school for the 2013-14 school year.  This year I am at a NEW school and teaching a NEW grade. Lots of big changes, but good changes. I miss parts of my old school (Becca), but I think I really am going to like my new school!  I have 26 students, and so far they are a nice and hard working group. The good news is, unlike my old school, this number will stay relatively stable all year long. My feet and voice hurt, and I am exhausted. But, I am happy and looking forward to the year. 

Dalan has been working crazy long hours, and was dead to the world this morning. So, I took some selfies, attempted to get Q to take my photo, and then got the traditional first day of photo when I got home. 

Past photos for fun

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2012-2013

And a collage- 

Tales from Teaching Feb. 1 Edition

Here are three stories that have made me giggle and love my little second graders even more.

1. I have a boy in my class who is basically a nice kid, but he can be off task and chatty from time to time. He told me yesterday while we were in small groups that if I say his name in a certain voice I send shivers down his spine. Ha! Guess my teacher voice is effective.

2. I have another boy in my class who has profound hearing loss, and although he wears hearing aides, his speech is affected by his hearing loss and he does a lot of lip reading. He is also an English as a Second Language student, and incredibly bright. And like the other boy, he is basically a nice kid, but has his moments.

Anyway, for like two weeks I could have sworn he was saying, "what the hell?" For example, I hand out a long assignment and his response would sound like, "what the hell?" But none of the kids told on him, and his speech can be hard to understand, so I figured he must be saying, "what the heck?" Yesterday, he was working with a group of kids and they all came to tell me he was repeatedly saying, "what the hell?" So I call him over. There is no whispering when talking to this kid and you have to look at him. So, I asked him directly and kind of loudly, "have you been saying what the hell?" He proudly said, "yep!" I then had to explain that was not appropriate. And ask him to use a different word. Ha, ha!

3. I had another boy walk in this morning and ask if I wanted to see his necklace. I said sure. And he proceeds to show me the air freshener he has hanging around his neck. Ha, ha! Then I kind of forgot about it. Throughout the morning the room smelled like cinnamon and the kids were saying it was making them hungry and what not. My aide came in at recess and commented how nice and cinnamony the room smelled. Then we started math, and this student needed help. I went over to him, and was basically knocked out my the overwhelming smell of cinnamon. I have no idea how he could stand it around his neck. Ha, ha, ha! I died. It was so funny.

In unrelated news, Happy 60th Birthday to my dad!!! We love you!!! And are so excited to celebrate this important milestone!!!!!

Pete!

At the beginning of the school year, I applied for and received a grant to get a turtle and an aquarium for my classroom. I picked a turtle, because Quinn loves turtles and I knew we would be in charge of this creature during any vacations from school.

The grant expired at the end if the year, and I hadn't gotten the turtle yet, so yesterday Dalan, Quinn, and I went and picked out a turtle. Quinn loved him immediately. She also loved the "teeny tiny fish" at the pet store.

She named him Pete. Then with my help of the sounds she was able to spell Pete, well, except the silent e at the end. That is a trickster.

Quinn is going to be so sad when Pete has to go to school next week. However, there will be 28 (yes! 28!) very excited second graders.

Second

Reasons I am really liking teaching second grade:

- The kids are adorable, and say cute things like, "pack-packs" for backpacks, and "Lost and Fountain" for lost and found, particularly my ESL kids.
- The kids are sweet to each other, and the little boys will even still hold hands.
- They love to sing silly songs.
-  They are excited about learning.  


Reasons I don't like teaching second grade:

- The kids are germy, seems like everyone has a runny nose all the time.
- They tattle like crazy.
- They don't get my sarcasm.  

First Day of School, 2012

I am teaching 2nd grade this year, and so far, so good. It has been an adjustment for sure, and I am still not sure I will love it, but I have enjoyed it so far. I have another student teacher this year, so that makes things even a little better. My class is a little on the large size with 25 and possibly growing.

I would link back to past first day pictures, but I don't know how to do it on the iPad, so if you are really dying to see them, go to the posts from last August. I also did a comparison for this year vs. last year, and one for this year vs. my first year.

Sick

So, I woke up around midnight last night and did not feel well. I went back to sleep and dreamt about a package in my stomach and delivering it out of my mouth. That's when I threw up. I then had to call for a sub, and make sub plans for my student teacher in the morning (this week I teach mornings, she teaches afternoons, and then she takes over completely next week until the end of March.).

Quinn did me a solid by sleeping until 6:30. Dalan did me another solid by laying with her on the couch until 9:30. I also got major nap in this afternoon. I am feeling semi-better this evening, and plan to return to work tomorrow, plus we are seeing South Pacific tomorrow night and I don't want to miss that.

Winter Break

Today was my last day of work until January 3rd.  I always look forward to our winter break, because it is nice and long, and mostly relaxing.  This year, I needed the break.  I have tried hard to not complain too much about how tough teaching has been this year, but I am worn out, and have not really had an enjoyable day of work in about 7 months.  Whew!  Time to refresh and renew.

My plans for winter break, include:

1.  Quinn!  Quinn!  Quinn!  I miss that little wild toddler so badly everyday.  I can't wait to be a full time mommy again.  (Although, that can be exhausting too, at least she is a nice kid to be around.)

Clapping for Christmas!

What do you think?  Do they look alike?  Or am I just crazy for mixing up their names?

Quinn's new picture face. 

Somebody is totally wet from the dog dish, and is eating dog food.

Silly!

2. Christmas Cheer.....Baking!  Lights!  Family!  Music!  Santa!  Elves!  Presents!  I am so excited!  Let's hope my holiday spirit transfers to the Huz this year.  That would a total Christmas miracle. 

3.   Sleep Training.  Boo to this one, but it must be done.

Let me give you the history of co-sleeping with Quinn.  First, it wasn't possible.  She was hooked up to machines, and it was just easiest to leave her in her bed.  If she woke up, she was rocked and put back to bed.  Then over the summer, her nightly feeding would end around 6:00 am, the alarm on the machine would wake her up. I would unhook her and bring her to our bed.  It was lovely.  We would cuddle/sleep for a few hours, and then get up and start our day.  I loved it.  Then, she needed her machine less and less, which was a good thing as far as her eating goes, but bad as far as sleeping in her crib goes.  She started coming to our bed earlier and earlier, which meant less good sleep for me, and it wasn't really enjoyable cuddle/sleeping anymore.  It was a fight for space in the bed type of sleeping.  But I had to work in the morning, and knowing she would go to sleep right away in our bed made more sense than rocking her and hoping she was stay asleep in her crib.  (Which she never does.)


This break I am doing my own sleep training with her.  She and I just aren't made for crying it out. I have nothing against this method, it just isn't a good fit for us. So we are rocking it out.  She isn't going to be allowed to come sleep with us, even if it means rocking her repeatedly through the night.  I am going to struggle with this around 6:00 am, because I am going to want to cuddle-knowing she'll sleep in our bed until nine, but probably only to 7:30 am in her crib.  I will try to be strong, but the thought of cuddling with my sweet baby will be hard to resist.  I'll keep you updated, but expect to see me on Facebook and Pinterest at all hours of the day and night.

Speaking of Pinterest, I got this super cute idea for a photo off of there about a month ago.  A toddler, a red tutu, a jean jacket, and a Santa hat.  We already had the first three, so I bought a Santa hat from the Dollar Spot at Target, and we were good to go.  Except, I had a pretty uncooperative toddler.  She hates hats, and she hates sitting still.  I think we ended up getting so cute ones, including some with a Christmas deer! (Thanks, Hilary).  

My second favorite, I wish she was looking at the camera. 

My Favorite!

Cute girls!

Some Pictures and Stuff

This is from after Quinn's bath last night. I love it. It combines most of Quinn's favorite things...a mirror, a camera, and a mama. And my most favorite thing a freshly bathed Quinn!



This is a graph we made in class today. I explained what a rivalry was...a friendly competition. (Ha!) And how the BYU/Utah is one of the oldest in the nation. I explained the team colors, mascots, etc, and then let the kids vote, without letting on to my opinion.




Looks like they are a pretty smart bunch.

This is a snapshot of an hour of Quinn's life. She threw dog food all over the kitchen, tried to pillage through the garbage, ate dinner (not pictured), and then pulled all the table cloths out of a cupboard. She never slows down.

Tired

This week has wiped me out. Between teaching full time, and having a sick baby, this week has been exhausting. I am glad tomorrow is Friday, and I am looking forward to the weekend. Although, I desperately need to do some housework and run some errands.

I wish I could put together a proper update, but I am too tired. Here are a couple of things off the top of my head.

* Quinn, despite being under the weather, has had a blast with her grandparents this week. Makes it easy to leave her when she bounces out of my arms and into one of her grandmas' arms in the moring.
* She took five steps for a Dr. Pepper can while hanging out with my ma.
* She is mimicking more and more. She also can say Piper on her own now.


Here are some pictures from the week.

Quinn drinking from the faucet in the tub:



Quinn eating a taco:



Quinn and mommy being silly with the camera:



Quinn putting her puzzle together:



Quinn getting ready for bed: