Reflection on Day 25, Wednesday, September 28, 2011

I copied what I typed in my journal today because today was just too fun. :) And, no, my journals are not usually this long!

Today was just simply a lovely day. :) Actually, the last two days have been lovely. So many awesome things happened that I think I’ll recount them.

• Today was “See You at the Pole” day. It was just so awesome seeing all the grades holding hands in big circles and hearing voices, adults and children, praying to God. Teaching school in a Christian school is such an amazing opportunity. Wow! 
• Upon returning to the classroom, P’s mom came in with two big boxes of doughnuts and cartons of orange juice…and she had some zebra iced ones. So GOOD! 
•  Then we had a fire drill where D and A were fighting over who would be the last student to leave the classroom. Silly kids – don’t they realize that the building could be burning down?! ;) 
•  After the fire drill, Mrs. Tate, the assistant principal, read the kiddos her favorite children’s book called Stephanie’s Ponytail. She was just lovely with the kids. And it never ceases to amaze me of the power of a great book! 
•  After that I began my science lesson which literally lasted about all day! Some days are just like that! We finished up our big book on the life cycle of monarch butterflies. Then we began working on our butterfly books answering “before/after” questions, number life cycle pictures, and writing about the chrysalis stage. After lunch, we were finishing up the book when dear L was ever so patiently yet urgently raising/waving her hand. When I called on her, she excitedly said that some of our butterflies had come out of their chrysalis!! (I knew that actually, but was waiting until a little later on in the lesson to show them, but I’m learning that you have to take the “teaching” moment when it comes!) :) So, we observed and marveled over the new butterflies! We observed them at different times throughout the afternoon. Let’s see, we also had another whole group time where J shared with us some more info about butterflies that he had read in a book. It was so awesome seeing him sitting in the rocking chair sharing about the cool things he had learned yet knowing that he is one of the lowest readers in the class. Wow, all I’m saying, is watch out world, because when reading clicks with Joshua, there will be no stopping him! After observing butterflies (some more) the kiddos wrote about it in their Butterfly Journal. It has been SO fun seeing the cycle happen in “real life!” Oh – Ms. Preston also finished reading Charlie the Caterpillar to the kids. See? Today was practically all science! 
•  We finished the day with some math – working with counters, crayons, and five frames. How fun. :)

So that was my day. Ms. Preston even squeezed in a “life-talk” about their futures, college, and praying about what God wants them to be when they grow up. She is so cool. She told me today, “I think we should knock down that wall and we could team teach next year.” :) She builds me up so much. I think, maybe, I can do this teaching thing. :)