Here comes a promised addition
I wrote that promise three years ago.
I committed to eventually adding to that post.
I'm impressed that you even remember
that you promised this from 3 years ago!
Dude, I'm trying to remember things
from 3 days ago.
#sadbuttrue
What was I thinking?
This little promise has taken THREE years!
Good Golly Miss Molly!
Where has the time gone?
It has taken three years and many changes!
Changes you say?
Oh Yeah....Big Ones.
Let's see...
I have moved my classroom
TWICE since then.
Good times...
That may not seem
like a big deal to a non-teacher,
but my teaching friends out there
know exactly how involved that is!
One of the few positives is that it forces
you to purge a lot of stuff.
Pack rats, you've been warned!
I'm at the same school,
but I now teach
First Grade Math and Science.
(Switching grades and subject matter
was a personal choice.)
Now....can I tell you a thing or two
about the difference of teaching Kindergarten
compared to teaching First Grade?
There isn't enough space on this blog!
One year difference, but light years apart!
You wouldn't think that one small year
in the life of a child would make that large
of difference.....but.....
First of all,
I no longer require two showers a day.
(That only happens now due to extreme heat
rather than being germ conscience.)
I have time to stop and think (some of the time).
I don't feel like I'm going to pass out
EVERY DAY by 5pm.
I'm tired....very tired....
but I CAN speak
somewhat coherently
by the end of the day.
Not big words,
just little ones...
but they are in sentences,
or at least in understandable phrases.
The first year I switched from K to 1
I saw all of the Kindergarten teachers
herding their little ones
"herding" is the best way to put it.
...and there are always wayward sheep!
at the beginning of the school year.
Just going from Point A to Point B
was a challenge.
(ie. The classroom to the cafeteria...
the classroom to the library...
the classroom to the playground...
ALL much simpler to do when
children are six.)
...and they've had a year of practice
with that awesome Kindergarten teacher!
My colleagues were EXHAUSTED
and it was just the end
of the first week of school.
After seeing how different
the change was in that one single year of age...
I am now a strong proponent of
Kindergarten teachers receiving a stipend!
Or better yet, how about a
full-time para-professional?!
An extra pair of hands should be a given.
But, nope, not in our area.
I am not kidding.
These people need
an extra $5000.00 (at least)
increase in pay in relation to every
other teacher out there!
I've taught Pre-K for 3 years,
Kindergarten for 8 years,
and First grade for 4+ years.
This is year number 5 since
I taught 1st in Texas for a couple
of years when I first began teaching...
and Kindergarten BY FAR
was the hardest to teach.
You don't believe me?
Try being a Kindergarten Teacher...
for three years.
I dare you.
I double dare you!
I triple dog dare you!
It is the most draining age for sure!
In fact,
I double dog dare you!
LOL! I just said that!
One year wouldn't quite
give you the complete feel of the job.
Let me know what you think
once your 3 years are up.
So....
For all of the
Kindergarten Teachers
out there...
I can't increase your pay,
but I can give you a freebie!
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Differentiated Writing Pages:
May your light shine brightly
in your classroom!
Or if you're completely wiped out,
then simply shut off one of your
classroom lights so your own light
shines a bit brighter.
Let's keep it real! By December,
you are dragging into Christmas break.
