week one down!

I made it. One week of teaching down!

I've heard people say that they have had super first days. I am very happy that had such great days, but me on the other hand, my first days were hectic. Teaching kindergarten is a little different from the other grades because for the most part, many of them still need to learn how to be students. 

My first day included one of my little boys getting a terrible bloody nose en route to music - thankfully we were by a bathroom so we were able to stop and he could get some paper towels for his nose. 

My second day included another little boy throwing up. Thankfully just a little got on the floor - I was able to hurdle a few desks to snatch up the garbage. 

My third day included a girl having a royal melt down because she didn't get the center she wanted. (We do centers at the end of the day. This includes a reading center, writing center, dramatic play center, etc.)

And then there's the end of the day. I have 17 kids all going different directions. Some on the bus (all different buses it seems like) and then a few going on the city bus. And then there's the seven that need to walk to their siblings classrooms but they don't know how to get there...and then finally there are the four that get picked up by a parent after school. (But the parents are waiting at different doors of the building.)  Very, very thankful for supportive and helpful staff that helped with the end of the day arrangements!

But you know what? In between all the chaos and the busy-ness are the special moments.The moments when you get a tight hug from a student because you helped them write their name, the "you are the best teacher ever!" because you let them do the hokey pokey in school, the beams on the faces when they are praised for doing a job well done, the giggles when I ran around the room giving them all high-fives because they all had their red marker out (and everything else put away), the excitement of getting a story read to them, and when I'm out and about around the town - hearing my name being called from a student and when I look over, two little hands are ferociously waving in my direction with a huge grin on their face...

Yes, my first week was hectic and a bit crazy - but as I sit here and reflect on the week, it's the little moments above that make me so happy I'm a teacher...and make me just a little bit excited to get back to school next Tuesday and see my seventeen kids that I'm already, oh dear, so attached to.

(But for now, I am going to fully enjoy the three days off!)