Welcoming two new students!

We welcomed two new students into our class today! We are up to 16 students, but usually a Kindergarten class has 18 students, so we might get even more! :)

 Elijah

 Andargachew, "Andy"

Today during Math centers we explored some new materials: wooden beads and pegs with pegboards.

The Geoblocks Exploration table still had plenty of admirers. In fact, several of the students built really tall structures with the Geoblocks.

 Ariel, Riley, Madumitha, Trumandray, and Sasha look like they are having fun with the Geoblocks!

 Leila, Ja'Kyla, Tyree and Joshua are enjoying the pegs.

Wow! Look how many beads Michael and Isaiah have strung. 

Meet our class!

Kindergarten has begun! We have had two fantastic days of school. The students are learning the rituals and routines in our classroom. They are also learning the rules and expectations that I have of them. We've read two books, First Day Jitters and I Am Absolutely Too Young for School, which both talk about being nervous when starting a new school. The students have begun expressing their ideas through illustrations, and a few students were even able to express their thoughts through words by sounding them out! In Math, we are exploring the manipulatives we will use throughout the year, such as Geoblocks, pattern blocks, linking cubes, color tiles and counting bears. And we've started learning about the calendar and how to keep track of how many days we have been in school. One of the students' favorite activities we've worked on are in a few of the Literacy Centers. We've taken turns working in Home Living, Computers, Writing, and Word Work after learning what to do, where to go and how to clean up. I am looking forward to teaching them even more of the fun learning activities we have in the room as the week continues.

Ja'Kyla

 Trumandray

 Leila

 Madumisha

Isaiah

 Morgan

 Sasha

 Ariel

 Tia

 Michael

 Joshua

 Riley

Tyree

Orientation, August 19, 2011

Welcome to Kindergarten! Thank you to all the parents and children who attended Orientation on Friday. I really like to meet my students and their families before schools starts. :)

 Madumisha and her father

 Tia with her mother

 Morgan with her dad

 Sasha with his mom and dad

 Ariel with her whole family! Her dad is in the Navy.

 Michael with his mom, sister and dad

Leila and her mom, who is a teacher at Northwestern Middle School.

Summer Adventures

     The summer has flown by for me! My family and I spent a week in the mountains of Franklin, North Carolina. We enjoyed white water rafting, swimming in the Little Tennessee River, taking a guided Jeep tour through the mountains, and visiting over six different waterfalls. One waterfall, Sliding Rock, was a natural water slide where we slid down into the cold 50 degree mountain water.

 The view from the back porch.

 Did I mention browsing for antiques?

Sliding Rock

     We also visited a giant game room, the Fun Factory, which had indoor miniature golf, an indoor carousel, bumper cars, a bowling alley, and so many arcade games I can't name them all! They also had a three level go-cart track, though it was outside. I think playing at the Fun Factory might have been my son's favorite day!

     While at home, I kept very busy sewing, scrap booking, reading, and playing games with my son, Axel. Axel began to teach me how to play Chess, but I haven't mastered all of the abilities of all the different pieces, yet. Steve, Axel and I were also able to visit and swim with friends from school and family from out of town.

 Axel riding a wave at Jacksonville Beach

Great-Grandpa Houston rode while Axel drove the golf cart

      My summer was so much fun and very relaxing; so, I am ready mentally and physically to get back to school and begin teaching a new group of excited Kindergartners.