Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Thankful Wednesday WOW



I'm linking up with my friend Em @ Curious Firsties for her weekly linky party Wednesday WOW.

When I taught kindergarten, I would always teach some very simple Thanksgiving songs, but for some reason when I started teaching first grade, I stopped doing it. Since I have kindergartners this year, I decided to make them a little book with four Thanksgiving songs. Both classes loved it!  The first graders would get the books out and start reading or singing the songs. I know next year I will definitely be using the book again. We went to sing to the principal and secretary, in the past I always wanted to have them memorize the songs, but this year I decided that they should take their books with them to look at. It was very rewarding to see them all reading their songs! Here's a short video.




I wanted to share these pictures of our Thanksgiving dinner. I told the class we would eat the school Thanksgiving dinner in the classroom. They all made a placemats and I brought plastic forks, spoon, knives (yes I brought knives) and Thanksgiving napkins. I showed them how to set their table settings. We enjoyed sharing our meal together and I brought everyone a Thanksgiving cookie for dessert.






















We received some good news this week...a kindergarten teacher has been hired. She can't start until January, so I'll have the kinders through December. I will miss them, they have been sooo sweet and they love to give hugs! I kind of feel bad for them having to have 3 teachers this year, but I know the new teacher will be able to give them the true kindergarten experience. :)  Hopefully I will get to have some of them next year for first grade. My firsties that went to the other class keep coming up to me and asking when they get to come back. They never gave me hugs until they left now they come over everyday to give me a hug!

This year I have so many things to be thankful for.
1. I'm thankful having a God who is always watching over me and my daughter.
2. I'm thankful to have Delaney, she adds so much joy to my life.
3. Thankful for my family.
4. I'm thankful for my church family that is always ready to help others when in need.
5. I'm thankful for my job. I love teaching! I have complained a lot this year, but my complaints are not about teaching, it is about the higher ups wanting us to be cookie cutter teachers, all teaching the same thing at the same time in the same way. It would be fine, but none of my students were cut from the same dough, they are each different with different strengths and weaknesses. Oops, I guess I got on my soapbox. Sorry!
6. I'm thankful for blogging, I love having friends to talk to, get ideas from and share ideas with.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Cornmeal


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9 comments:

  1. I love when you link up! It makes me so happy to read about the great things you do. I am so glad that your class will go back to first grade. I know it had to be overwhelming. Those little kiddos will be okay. I am sure that they know they have been loved by all their teachers :)
    em

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    1. One reason I link up is to make sure I AM focusing on some of the positive things that happen each week. After having the kinders in my room, it really made think of going back to kdg. I do remember when I moved up, it was so nice to have them just a bit more independent, but they have just been sweet as can be!

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  2. Your singers are sweet. I'm glad to hear your numbers will be decreasing soon. Even though they've been a sweet addition to your class, no doubt it will feel good to get back to normal again.
    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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    1. Thanks Tammy. It will be nice to have a smaller class. Right now I have 32, the kdg teacher has 32 and the other 1st has 31, so I think we will all feel like we've got tiny classes when we go back to 23-25. ;P

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  3. I did placemats one year - those are kinda fun, aren't they?
    I'm glad you've got a new teacher coming.
    Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
    Sara

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    1. Sara, it was very spur of the moment. I quickly showed them how to make a handprint turkey. I didn't even have fall colors of construction paper to give them, but they didn't seem to notice. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

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  4. It looks like you had some fun Thanksgiving activities. I love you "Thankful List".
    Enjoy the long weekend!

    Mary
    Fit to be Fourth

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    1. Thanks Mary, the kids liked it and there was learning going on, so I can't ask for much more! Happy Thanksgiving!!!

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  5. Eating lunch in the classroom is such a simple act, but the students love it so much! I loved reading your thankful list, thanks for sharing it.
    Alyce

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