Rocks, Curriculum Night and Mileage Club

It was a busy week!  Tuesday afternoon a student came back from lunch recess reporting that his ear hurt.  As I began to question him, here is what we shared...

Student: "My ear hurts."

Me:  "Ok, where does it hurt?"

Student: "Inside.  I have a rock in there."

Me: "What do you mean you have a rock in your ear?"

Student: "Well, I pushed it a little too far."

Me: "Let me take a look.  Ok, let's go to the office and call mom!"

Luckily, this is a family I know well!  Mom immediately came back to school as she had just left after volunteering for me.  According to mom, she called her husband (a dentist) for advice.  He wasn't with a patient, so mom took him there.  Dad was able to safely get the rock out of his son's ear.  They shared it was about the size of a dime.  My student was VERY embarrassed and would not let mom keep the rock.  She thought it was hysterical!  When he returned to school he wouldn't give up much information about the removal and I hadn't talked with mom yet. In hopes of getting him to open up, I shared how my sisters put things like pennies and marbles up their noses when they were young.  He thought this was very funny!  I made sure to tell him this was not a good idea and not to try it!

With the rock incident behind me, it was time to prepare for curriculum night!  This is always a long day and requires much preparation.  My team decided to present together this year to ensure that we are all on the same page and consistant in 1st grade.  We managed to get our parent packs completed with daily schedules, reading and math standards, sample letter and number writing paper, and a favorite poem of mine entitled "Let me be a child." 

I have always loved this poem and shared it with families.  With the pressure and high standards placed on our students, I take responsibility in reminding parents that their child is simply just that, a child.  Especially my little ones, they need to be playing outside and with friends.  They need to learn that it is ok to be wrong and how to bounce back.  As I say over and over again, "All I ask is that you do your best!"  The ultimate goal is for these little ones is to make academic and social growth while in my class.  Some students may grow leaps and bounds, while other move along slow and steady.  With all said and done, curriculum night was a success!

Mileage club is a running program our students participate in during recess.  It is well loved by our students.  A few years ago I ran twice a week with my little ones.  Last year, I was too overwhelmed and pushed it to the side only running a handful of times all year.  I always regretted not having this time with my students.  It was a great way to learn more about them.  We often talked while "running" about life outside of school.  So this year, I have committed to "running" at least once a week on my recess duty day (Don't worry, I won't run while on duty, rather at another recess).  I will already be dressed down and feel that this will allow for some great bonding time.  

Yet again, it was a great week!