Wednesday, August 24, 2011

First Few Days of School!

I have survived my first three days of teaching school. Better yet, my students have survived, too! I have eleven students grades 1-3 in my classroom.  However, in my district the students are grouped by level. Therefore, my students are all level 1 and 2.  (Levels are more along the lines of "moving at your own pace.")  I have 7 boys and 4 girls.  My students are very energetic and active.  They love hands-on activities, reading on Leap Pads, getting on the computer, and singing our morning songs during Calendar Math. 

The teachers and aides and staff here at Marshall are fantastic! We have such a great group that works together so well as a team.  Everyone brings something wonderful to the table and is so willing to help others.  I couldn't ask for a better group to work with.  We have gotten along great!!! There are 11 teachers grades K-12 and our principal.  We have 1 counselor, 1 resource teacher, and 4 aides.  The aides are all native to Alaska as well as our 7-12 English teacher.  Five of the teachers are first year teachers and new to Marshall.  Our principal and counselor have been working in the schools for over 20 years each but it is also their first year at Marshall.

For fun, the teachers have had a fish fry at the school for the village, gone on walks, cooked for each other, and exercised together!

I do have a cell phone! I got a bush service phone. It looks just like any other phone. The plan I got lets me have unlimited texting.  However, I can only make free phone calls after nine p.m. here and on weekends.  That means it is midnight in Arkansas... not many people are up that late. If you would like my number to text or talk late at night, just e-mail or facebook me!

Great news! We finally got our shipment of food!!!! I have never been so excited! Eating mac n cheese, muffins, and peanut butter and crackers for 10 days was getting a little old. Now, we seem to have a lifetime supply of rice and green beans!!! (We have other stuff, too!) Because shipping boxes/food takes SO long to get here, we are already planning our next order.

I also received my third box which had all of my heavy winter gear in it along with my bedding.  It was late arriving here so in the meantime sleeping with a curtain for a blanket and a jacket for a pillow lasted for 10 days.  You should try it sometime... definitely will make you appreciate the little things.  After working long days to prepare my classroom for school to start (from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.), I was too tired to even care what I was sleeping on!

Finally, the weather here has turned to cold very quick! This weekend it was in the high 70s.  Monday it was in the 40s. Yesterday and today it has been in the 30s.  Brrrrr! It feels like December in Arkansas! It has been brutally windy and raining, too.

Here are some pictures of my first day as a teacher!
 Nichole~
 We found this antler in our house :) Now I am totally an Alaskan teacher!
 Who in Arkansas has ever worn a coat and boots to school on the first day???
 My desk area!!! Planning for a lot of fun activities!
 Calendar Math!!!
 My Classroom Library! I love this spot!!! The inspiration was the view out my window over the Yukon River
 The students' desks and the Reading Group Table in the back with the Math Group table to the right
 All of my Mac computers for the kids!
 My Math Group area!
 Our school's behavior system~ Clip Up!!!! Special thanks to Mrs. Todd and Mrs. Olson- my supervising teachers during my internship! I shared the idea with the other teachers and everyone loved it!!!
 View from the front door of the cubbies and bathroom
 View of the classroom from the front door


3 comments:

  1. OMG! I laughed so hard Molly about the curtain! You are a real trooper for sure! The pictures are great. I am sure the students are overwhelmed with joy to have such an energetic and fun loving teacher. Philippians 1:6

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  2. Your classroom looks great!!! I'm sure your kids LOVED coming to enjoy learning with you.

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  3. Janice- I was so happy/thankful I brought that blackout curtain with me! I brought it knowing that it is still light out late at night... had no idea I would use it for bedding!

    Thanks Mrs. Olson!!!! I have you to thank for the clip-up chart and the calendar math!!!! Loving both of them!!!!

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