Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Writing Papers II

Here comes a promised addition

to our Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer Post.

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.