It's been almost a month since the last blog...not sure why??? I could blame outside factors but in all honest truth.. it's been from laziness! I'm not a lazy person but for some reason since the time change I've been exahusted and feel like I have no umph! This week off came at the right time...thank goodness! My time to revive myself and get ready for nonstop work. Next thing you'll know it's June!
I'm very thankful for what I do, my munchkins and everything and everyone in my life but I really need this week to get a hold of me again...whew!! Do we all go through this feeling from time to time in any job we hold? Do we feel sometimes we need a change in careers are we doing too much, not enough? When is it time to say enough is enough or do we continue to walk the walk and talk the talk? Do we go through the motions because we feel we have too?? Hmmmm....
I guess we all have to go through these feelings from time to time to evaluate ourselves. Journalist, doctors, nurses, accountants, lawyers, teachers, stay home mom's, and so many others go through the same thing....tired of the obstacles that interfere in making our careers enjoyable. Every job has it's ups and downs but I think those obstacle are what make us stronger and better at what we do. We have a passion in what we do and if that passion isn't there then it may be time to hang it up. Not enjoying what you do makes life too miserable. I'm fortunate to work with little munchkins who remind me day to day why I do what I do. Sometimes I question myself...do I work in education and adore working with the little munchkins to fill a void in my life???....possibly. Not having munchkins of my own and probably never will ~tick tock, tick tock...haha! All my munchkins over the last 12 years I consider a small part of them my own...I can love them, discipline them, care for them, adore them, and nurture them but then send them home. I spend 7 hours a day with these munchkins...sometimes more time than their own parents spend with them but at the end of those 7 hours, I can feel confident they all have been given 100% of me. Is that enough? Yes! I'm tired and don't have enough of me to go around! heehee! I wish every career could give their employees time to revive themselves or we just have to remember to take time for ourselves so we don't lose that passion for what we do.
Ok, enough of the soap box...back to munchkinville!!! Within the month of my laziness to blog so much has been going on in class! Time is really flying now!! The kids are starting to read so much now it's great!! We had a fun pajama day during our Red Ribbon week and measured our class pumpkin. The munchkins estimated with a string of yarn how big around our pumpkin would be. We had some too small, too long, and no just right. They learned it's ok to not always get the right answer.
We also did a mini unit on spiders, their life cycle, body parts, and how they eat...creepy crawly was a hit with them especially pin the leg on the spider!
My munchkins really were also interested in Dia De Los Muertos and learned the significance of that day and it's not a scary thing but a great cultural experience and a wonderful way to remember loved ones who have passed away.
Individual parent conferences were also held and they all turned out very well. About 5 parents were no shows! Boo!!! My little blue shoe boy has been having some problems...ugh! I'm not diagnosing but he has some very evident and strong characteristics of ADHD and it's really interfering with his learning. He was kept back already in Kinder last year because of it and bless his little heart he can't help himself to control it. I've tried little tricks of the trade I've used over the years to try and him help and so he can himself but it's not working!!! He has even told me that he feels "fast" inside. I had a great conference with mom and she's going to make an appointment with his pediatrician to have him evaluated. He has an older brother who had the same problems but they waited until 3rd grade to do anything and he struggled. Third grade in Texas is not the grade to struggle...poor munchkins! I know my little blue shoe boy can't help himself so I try to be as patient as I can but sometimes I wish I had a velcro wall to stick him to it! Heehee! Mom joked and said they would buy me the duck tape! haha!
Those of you wondering about "Jimmy," he's doing really great!! He's still a bit "different" if you're looking at behavior and things he does but who isn't?! I hope that doesn't sound bad. He has made some great gains and surprises me everyday. He has a great memory which really shocks me from time to time. He may be in his own world sometimes but he heard it all and got it!!! We were learning the parts of a spider and he was the first one to remember the word abdomen and so many other things. Shhhhh....don't tell anyone, but he's my favorite!!! Love, love, love him! He's so funny and the kids love him too!! His new thing to say instead of his old little saying now is ~Yup yup! He uses it for many things and changes the tone and inflection to fit his purpose.. ~Yup yup?, Yup yup. Yup yup! I usually answer... ~Nope nope. Heehee! He's learned to hug and not just stand and tilt his head. He loves hugs now and sneaks up every moment he can! The best moment was the day after I was out. I was sitting in a chair and he came up behind me. He likes to play his form of peek-a-boo or hide-and-seek with me when I'm in that chair. He stands behind me and giggles, every time I turn to see him he moves to the other side of me and laughs. We always play this for a little bit then tell him to go back and sit down. Since I was out the day before I asked him ~Did you miss me? and he nodded his head yes, he may have said ~yup yup too..haha! Then I felt his little arms behind me hug me from around the chair and said ~hugs. Awwwwww....I melted!!!
We took our wild things to see the movie Where the Wild Things Are based on the book by Maurice Sendak. They had a great time and it was a beautiful movie and experience for them. The conversations I was able to have with the 5 year olds before and after the movie was out of this world...I was really surprised at what they noticed and talked about. We discussed it a lot before we went because I didn't want them to see any parts as scary. None of them were scared and most of them actually understood the movie. Some of them noticed the Wild Things displayed characteristics of Max, the sister, and the mom! The movie is a wonderful inside to the inner struggle Max had with himself and the people in and out of his life. To think 5 year olds were picking up on some of this...hmmm...wow! I'm truly blessed with these munchkins and in awe of some of them.
From the growth and changes of pumpkins, spider life cycle, to Native American Indians, and Thanksgiving, our time has been nonstop and going full steam ahead. The little munchkins had fun learning about Native American Indians and creating their own story on their animal skin. The week came almost to an end with the little turkeys having Thanksgiving lunch with their parents...gobble, gobble, gobble! Now time for a week off! Woohoo!!!
After this much needed week long break is over we go back to school and we have 15 days then Xmas break. Christmas already? Are you serious?! We're planning our Christmas show and boy are we excited! Production in the works! My class is doing a Nutcracker-ish/Santa Workshop number...little toy soldiers, dancing dolls, and wild elves!!! Yay! Can't wait! Stay tuned...
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
XOXO's
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