A New Journey... Where I Have Been and Where I Am Going

Two years have flown by for me. As most of you know I love my kindergarten classroom and took on a new challenge as a Common Core coach. What a huge learning experience for me. It was filled with new learning and many challenges. 

I was sent to a small, inner city school under the leadership of a well loved principal. I had no idea of what to expect and was filled with excitement mixed with a little  massive amount of anxiety. The only familiar faces were my kinder teaching friends that I have trained many times over the years.

It was an amazing experience for me. Teaching at a small school is very different. They are like a big family and most of these teachers worked here for their entire career! They are best friends and even travel together in the summer. The principal and office manager eat lunch with the staff every day. There is no drama. Yup, I said there is no drama. Teachers support each other, raise their kids together, and look out for each other.

I will never forget these two years. Teachers welcomed me into their classrooms. They shared their triumphs and challenges with me. Often we talked about helping the kids socially and emotionally. They supported me and cheered me through all the Common Core PD. We laughed together and cried together. I am filled with so many memories but leaving is bittersweet for me. 

I was showered with beautiful gifts at the staff breakfast where we shared a meal together for the last time. At the end of the meal the principal stood up and talked about me. The words almost washed over me because I wanted to hold it together. He was the best part of this experience for me. He is the most talented administrator I have ever worked with and is passionate about children and meeting their academic needs. He was patient with me and guided me as we explored this massive CCSS learning curve. I tripped and fell many times but he learned with me and guided my thinking.  We talked about each topic and went through the PowerPoint together. He asked hard questions and I worked hard to find the answers. 

The staff reminded me to come back often. My school is nearby. Will it be the same? No. I will have to adjust to another big change. I will go back for the celebrations and support when they need me. 

What was the best part of this ride? I was given a surprise luncheon and voted their support teacher of the year. I was shocked and overwhelmed by the love of this staff. Follow me on the road back to kindergarten. In the end, that's where I belong.

Help! I Need Some Common Core Fun On the Run!

For most schools kindergarten is coming to a close for the year. It is really hard to keep the kids engaged in learning with the summer months looming. Everyone has their version of a memory book but I love this one because it builds on their Common Core learning and is a student reader! It can be done fairly independently based on the skills of your class. You might find certain pages require more explanation.

Run off a copy of this for each child in your class. I like to use a strip on the left side (folded over) or a fancy piece of scrapbooking paper. This makes it look a little fancier. You do not need any colored ink for this little number and it takes very little time to put together.
What else can you use this for?
1. This is an excellent assessment tool to take into your Board of Review for a student who is struggling.
It provides many work samples that are well aligned to the standards.
2. It is perfect for Open House and parents really enjoy seeing all the work students are capable of by the end of the school year.
3. It is an emergent reader that students will feel successful using.
This is one of my most popular products and it's my favorite. Why? It celebrates the growth and learning of a kindergarten student over an entire year. A certificate is provided in the back (in color) if you choose to use it.
Teachers can write a special note to each child about their year together. I have done this for years and parents often come back to tell me how much they have treasured that note. Interested? I hope so. Grab it here for just five dollars!
Stay cool and enjoy your last days with your class.
Happy Summer!