School

Today is the first day of school, here in St. George, and I have to admit I am feeling a little (ok, a lot) "schoolsick". I know that's not really a word, but we'll just pretend.

I know some of you reading this are thinking I am absolutely crazy!!! Let me clarify that it's not being the student that I miss so much, but the teacher. So nonetheless, I am missing Kindergarten terribly. At the end of this last school year I was wondering if I would ever get to this point again because I thought the tattle-telling would NEVER end and I was beginning to feel like my name was being over used. (Mrs. Stevens he did this... Mrs. Stevens, so and so won't stop bugging me, etc.) I can just hear it now, but I am actually missing those little kidos something fierce.

Although I only taught for one year, I soon found out that I was in the absolute perfect profession for me. I knew I would like teaching, but I didn't know I would LOVE teaching Kindergarten. The more I taught, the more I liked it-which is what everyone wants to say about their career, but not many can. I was fortunate enough to work in the most wonderful school with fabulous co-workers. I truly was spoiled.

So now to end this walk down memory lane I will leave you with one of many of the humorous moments of teaching.

Background: My classroom discipline policy was based on a clip system. The kids each had a nametag that they would turn over each day for attendance purposes. (We also did a lot of work with the letters in their name, vowels, etc.) If a student was misbehaving and broke one of the rules, they would put a clip (a small clothespin) on their nametag as a warning. Two clips-they missed afternoon recess, and three-I called their parents. This was very effective in my classroom.

Me: Tom, if you do not stop throwing things, I am going to have to call your parents. You already have two clips on your nametag and if you do not make a better choice, you will get another clip.

Tom: I'm gonna call YOUR parents.

Me: Tom, I don't think they'd care. (As I am trying not to laugh, while I am envisioning my Dad answering that phone call.)

Kids. You gotta love 'em.

* I am trying to document all of my funny classroom stories (I know I should have been doing this as they happened) so that I can post some of them for a good laugh. Be looking forward to some more later on.

Here I am on the first day of school. In case you are wondering, the black thing around my neck is a microphone. Our school had some hearing impaired students. Although not every class needed a microphone, we all used them. I think every school should have them in their classrooms. They are awesome!