I'll Never Be Good at Good-Byes

It is now the half way point of first semester which means as a 'split-placement' student teacher, my General Ed experience is over and Monday I will begin my Special Ed placement.

This past week (the last week in my second grade class) I took over full time and taught all day for the whole week. It was one of the most challenging yet rewarding things i've done. If you asked me 8 weeks ago if I thought i'd be ready and able to teach an entire day, my answer definitely would've been no. However, I was ready and it was amazing.
It has always been my dream to be a second grade classroom teacher, so this little taste of what it would be like was a dream come true. I have been so happy and enjoying every single day of the semester. I became very attached to all of my students and had the best relationship with my cooperating teacher.

Leaving on Friday was very very difficult and sad for me. It was almost comparable to "Week 6, Day 6" in the summer. Although I will be right next door for the next 8 weeks, I won't be spending all day everyday with my 21 second graders that have a stolen my heart.
Here's little glipse at how special these children are...they had indoor recess on Friday so during their recess they all sat at their desks while my cooperating teacher and I exchanged gifts. I had each student write her a letter and i made a whole scrapbook for her so the kids have been anticipating her recieving it for weeks. As we took up their entire recess reading cards, gushing over our gifts, and crying...one of the students raised their hands and said "This has been the best recess ever!" and then every student enthusiastically agreed. That is why leaving them is so difficult.

Anyways, I am keeping an open mind for my Special Ed placement because I know I will learn a lot and most likely become attached to all new children that I will eventually have to say good-bye to.

PS22 Chorus

This video is just too amazing not to post. If you haven't seen videos of these kids, you need to check it out! They are chorus from an elementary school in New York. They are awesome. Just watch, you'll see.

Apple Pies!

This past Friday in Second Grade we made Apple Pies! Regardless of the ridiculous hour I was up until the night before prepping for the pie making- it was the best day and so incredibly worth it.

Each student got a pie tin and 2 pre-cut circles of pie dough. First they each had a turn peeling an apple with a crazy intense apple peeler thing. Then the kids got to put one piece of dough into their tin and my cooperating teacher showed how to measure (of course we included some math in there because everything must meet a standard these days) all of the ingredients that go into the filling. My cooperating teacher and a parent volunteer made a big batch of the filling while I read the story of Johnny Appleseed aloud to the class. I had so much fun with that read aloud!
Thennn each student filled their pin tin and we taught them how to put the little slits into the top of their dough. Then they put the top piece on and pinched the edges. So cute!

It was amazing how seriously they took their pie making- you could've heard a pin drop while they were doing it! It was such a relaxing and enjoyable Friday afternoon. And I am sure that these students may not remember the Long E phonics lesson I taught that morning, but they will never forget the day they made Apple Pie in second grade! I am making a promise to myself now that I will make apple pies with my own classes!

How precious is that??