Helping Haiti

My first graders never cease to amaze me. Not only do they come up with some of the craziest things, they also have some amazingly big hearts for 6 and 7 year olds! Haiti has been all over the news, and to my surprise my kiddos actually heard about the earthquake at home which started a long and interesting conversation in my classroom. (How can you explain earthquakes, devastation, etc to 6 year olds?!) Well at the same time my kids were talking about it, our school had decided we would raise money for 1 week to send to the Red Cross to help the people of Haiti. We talked about it today and we decided we would set our class goal at $50.00. That may not seem like a lot but it is to them, especially considering some of the homes they come from. It is so important for them to learn about helping people in need, even if they don't know them. I'm very proud for the huge hearts they have at such a young age and it really does help put things into perspective in my own life. Many of the things that frustrate or upset me today aren't going to matter tomorrow. I've always said my kids teach me more than I could ever teach them, and for that I'm grateful.

New Years Resolution

Well...I could say that I'm surprised that I've gotten this far behind on my blog but that wouldn't be true! But hopefully with a new year, comes new resolutions and keeping up with my blog is one of them. So much has happened since the last time I posted....where to begin?!

In August I started my 3rd year at Chicot as a first grade teacher. I cant believe it! This group of kids sure is different than last years! They are a hand full and we don't exactly mesh as well as my group from last year. But we're making it...only 5 more months :-) I spent a lot of time this fall traveling on the weekends. Visiting my family in Memphis, visiting my "other" family in Dallas, attending several weddings etc. I love to travel, but its also nice to come home and sleep in my own bed.

I was able to spend a week in Memphis during Christmas, which may be the longest I've visited in a while. It was good to spend time with my family and see old friends. And since being back in Little Rock I've kept myself busy with a long to do list and of course dreading going back to work on Monday. I've been making a lot of big decisions lately. One of the biggest being that I've decided to move to Dallas, TX once this school year is over! I'm very excited and of course nervous. Its still hard to say it out loud even though I am very excited and feel like this is the right decision, its still hard to leave my life in Little Rock. Little Rock has been my home for the last 3 years, it was the first "grown up" place I lived after Harding and I've made so many great friends and had so many wonderful memories here. But after doing a lot of thinking I think its time for me to move on. For years I've wanted to move to Dallas so now is my chance. I love my job and I work with some of the most amazing people but this school year has been very difficult in a lot of ways so I think its just time for a change. It is still so hard to walk into that school and teach my kids knowing that I wont see them next year, but I know I'm making the right decision and its time for me to do whats best for me. I will miss my Little Rock family more than I can even put into words, these people have helped make me into the person I am today. But I'm ready for a new adventure!

Speaking of new adventures, I have another big one planned for this summer (I know, besides moving what else could be so big!)
I'm going to Australia! This was actually part of my Christmas present from my parents. My cousin Zach and his wife (Elisha) live in Australia with his wife and I'm going to go stay with them and explore for a few weeks! I am so excited to visit this amazing place and get to spend time with family there. Elisha and I may have only met once, but we "talk" often on Facebook and she is so much fun! I only wish we lived closer than an ocean apart...but I have a feeling we might get into a lot of trouble if we lived on the same continent :-)

I am going to be better about writing....and hopefully better about posting pictures. We shall see!

Happy New Year!!

School Supply Season

Its almost that time again, yes! I'm sure most of you have noticed that your local Walmarts and Targets are setting up for the new school year. When I was a kid, ok...actually this still applies to me...I used to love this time of year when everyone was getting ready to go back to school. Crazy, I know. I guess its a good thing I ended up a teacher!

This summer really has flown by though! I finished teaching summer school at the beginning of July, then escaped to the lake for the 4th of July and just a few days later left for my 2 week trip to Mexico and Belize. I've been home for about a week now, and still trying to adjust! Silly I know, but its so different being in another place, especially another country for two weeks its hard to come back home and just pick back up. In the mean time this last week was my first week of "summer break" where I was actually home and bored out of my mind! I know, I should enjoy my time away from work. But I guess I love my job more than I thought. I guess I could get used to it, but whats the point now! Only 2 weeks until I have to go back for professional development and one of those weeks I'll be in Dallas. I am excited for school to start back up and to meet my new class and see what this year will be like. Every year is so different so i'm excited to find out what this school year will hold!

Countdown to summer!

Alright, I know what most of you are thinking...its June 28th, isn't it already summer?! Technically yes. But for me, no. I've been teaching at and ESL camp for the last 3, almost 4 weeks and we finally have 3 days left, yay!! Its been a good experience for me and the money was just too good to pass up. But I'm definitely ready to sleep in and stay in my pjs until noon if I want :-)

Believe it or not, I miss my kids. I think I miss them more this summer than I did last. I just had such a great class this year. Of course, I did have alot of children that had a lot of issues and I did have my fair share of "crap" to deal with this year, but I miss them. Its almost like they really do become a part of me, or at least a part of my life and I just feel better when I get to see them everyday. When they're with me I know they are safe, well fed, loved, happy, and hugged on but when they're not with me I don't know what they're going through and if they're safe, etc. One of the little boys who was in my class is attending a different summer camp in our building and i've seen him alot. Whenever he sees me walking down the hallway he blows me kisses. Its seriosuly the sweetest thing ever.

In the meantime, its a busy week trying to finish up summer school, finishing taking things down in my classroom and get ready to be gone for a few weeks. I'm going to a friends wedding in Mexico and then go straight to Belize to meet up with the group from Highland. This will be my 8th trip to Belize, and i'm so excited. I get to go this year with my dad and my best friend, Bethany! So even though summer is almost here, I guess i'll have to wait a little longer for the whole sleeping late thing!

Memory Lane

Today I was home sick. And yes, I was actually sick. Strep...thanks to my kids and a sinus infection...thanks to allergies from living in the south and I guess genetics. With that said this is not a post related to teaching, my career etc...its just a random post. So, you've been warned.

While home sick today and bored out of my mind, I found myself searching through old photo albums and boxes with cards and letters. And wow, I may only be 24 but I feel like so many of those things were from a lifetime ago. A good chunk of things were from college, which is hard to believe that next week it will have been 2 years since I graduated! So much has changed since then. So much has changed in the last few months, let alone last few years! Looking through all of those pictures and things was just a big reminder of how different I am, how much I've changed. When you're in college you think you're so grown up, etc. But low and behold that's just the beginning of "growing up". I was such a different person then. I guess that's the beauty of getting older, you learn to appreciate the changes in your life and are able to look back and see where you came from. I guess its also makes me hopeful for the future. I would like to think that I've been hopeful and happy all these years, but I think part of that is learning that our definitions of hopeful and happy change along with us and that's ok to. Its ok to change and grow, its all a part of this little adventure we call life.

I say potato, you say potato

One of the biggest things I've learned in the last year and a half of teaching first grade is that first graders lose a lot of teeth. This really impacts their speech, most of them to the point where I can't understand them! Right now I have 6 children that are missing both of their front teeth. Honestly, those are my favorite smiles, the ones with no teeth. But its making it almost impossible to understand them!

But then I have the stubborn children who can speak perfectly fine but insist on saying things like pack pack...which really means backpack. The one I hate the most is "I gotta use it." This is usually how our conversation:
1st grader: "I gotta use it."
Miss. Wenner: "Use what?"
1st grader: "use IT"
Miss. Wenner: "Whats it?"
1st grader: "you know, it!"
Miss. Wenner: "No, I don't know what it is. Once you can tell me what it is, then I'll let you use it."
1st grader: "Miss. Wenner, I really really need to use it. I'm gonna pee on myself!"
Miss. Wenner: "Oh, do you need to use the restroom?"
1st grader: "Yeah...I need to use it!"
Miss. Wenner: "You need to use the restroom?"
1st grader: "no it"
Miss. Wenner: "We do not refer to the restroom as it. If you need to use the restroom, we say...Can I please use the restroom?"

Seriously, I swear to you that's how it goes every time with all of my kids. We have talked about this since the first day of school, and we are still saying "I gotta use it." Ughh...sometimes I think they keep doing it because they know it drives me nuts!

I may be the only one who has spring fever...that can't be a good thing when the teacher does before the kids!

"eww...look what I found in my ear!"

I really wish I was better at writing down all the crazy, funny, random things my kids come up with because there is never a dull moment in 1st grade! One of my little friends was "pulling" things out of his ear today...so we had a mini lesson on ear wax and why its important to clean our ears! He was also the one who came to school with his shirt on backwards today. Oh my goodness, I'll just add that to the list of things I didn't think I would have to teach!

Its been an interesting last few weeks, we have testing this week so we've been trying to cram in all those last minute things. As well as covering everything in our classroom. Every word, letter, number, etc must be covered. Its kind of funny that I spend weeks up here in the summer decorating the room and then it all has to be taken down or covered for 2 days of testing...ugh!

We are on the downhill slide for the school year, with only 8 weeks and 2 days left! I think I'm the only one keeping track...my kids haven't caught on yet :-) Its been a good year though, and its gone by so fast! I'm ready for summer. Although it looks like I may be teaching summer school for 4 weeks, its just too good to pass up $25/hr!