I have once again neglected my blog for a while. Not sure why I didn't write at all over spring break. I guess I was too busy reading Hunger Games (I'm on the third one now and can't put it down. I even brought it to school and snuck in a few pages while my class did independent reading) and consignment shopping. What I really should have been doing was my summer curriculum, which is still not completely written. So I have to finish this weekend. Boo.
I guess the biggest news is that I've officially chose a grad school. I'll be going to University of Delaware and getting a master's in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. Yay! And I got a full assistantship. Yay yay! But then I got offered a second assistantship opportunity and now I have to choose between them. So that's not so great. I didn't really know that was an option, and I had been waiting so long to hear from the department about funding that I just jumped on the first opportunity I was offered and thought that was the end of it. But I think I'm still going to stick with the first offer since I already verbally committed to it.
I feel really good about my decision. It's been up in the air for so long, it just feels good to know I won't be moving out of my apartment this summer and that even though I won't be teaching at Urban Promise next year, I won't be leaving it all together. I plan to volunteer once a week (or more) if possible. Knowing that should help me get through the end of the year without crying too much!
I had a lot of fun celebrating Easter with my class. It was, as it's been each year I've been teaching, really moving getting to celebrate with children and see their joy and wonder and watch them hear the story for the first time. I got kind of emotional and even teared up during a really bad animated Easter cartoon movie about what happened between Good Friday and Easter. Man, it was so bad. The guy playing Pontius Pilate had a really weird voice. Anyway, we had a fun time doing Easter songs and crafts.
May is off to a busy start. We had our first of at least four field trips that'll happen this month today. I've also started planning an official kindergarten graduation--something I've been wanting to do every year. The first year I didn't do anything. Last year I had a program for the parents on the last morning and gave out little diplomas. This year it looks like I'll be going all out. I sent a survey home for parents asking if they'd like to buy a graduation robe for $10 and they all said yes. So looks like my little munchkins will be graduating in style. I already bought paper graduation hats from Dollar Tree when I saw them in the fall, but now I'm thinking they'll look bad with real graduation robes, so maybe I'll need to be better hats too. We'll be singing lots of songs and reciting some Bible verses. I'll probably make a slideshow of pictures too. It looks like most parents would rather have it in the evening, so that's going to turn it into a bigger production too. Wow.
I am set to finish my curriculum on about May 25th! Woohoo! That means a full two weeks without having to teach Saxon lessons. I've already got big plans to do reader's theater and lots of poetry and creative writing. I've also got some traditional end of the year stuff to fit in, like my Chicken Soup with Rice party and watching the Raffi concert video (which is currently missing) and bringing in my guitar and wowing them with how well I can play "I've Got Peace Like a River."
It's been kind of hard getting back into the swing of things after a week off, plus my allergies have gotten bad all of a sudden. But one big bright spot in the week was a free combo meal at Chick Fil A for teacher appreciation week! And the day before that was free pizza night at Planet Fitness and free Red Box night. I'm getting somewhat of a reputation for know where to get all the free stuff. If I don't watch out, I might end up like one of those people on Extreme Couponing.
I guess the biggest news is that I've officially chose a grad school. I'll be going to University of Delaware and getting a master's in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Early Childhood Education. Yay! And I got a full assistantship. Yay yay! But then I got offered a second assistantship opportunity and now I have to choose between them. So that's not so great. I didn't really know that was an option, and I had been waiting so long to hear from the department about funding that I just jumped on the first opportunity I was offered and thought that was the end of it. But I think I'm still going to stick with the first offer since I already verbally committed to it.
I feel really good about my decision. It's been up in the air for so long, it just feels good to know I won't be moving out of my apartment this summer and that even though I won't be teaching at Urban Promise next year, I won't be leaving it all together. I plan to volunteer once a week (or more) if possible. Knowing that should help me get through the end of the year without crying too much!
I had a lot of fun celebrating Easter with my class. It was, as it's been each year I've been teaching, really moving getting to celebrate with children and see their joy and wonder and watch them hear the story for the first time. I got kind of emotional and even teared up during a really bad animated Easter cartoon movie about what happened between Good Friday and Easter. Man, it was so bad. The guy playing Pontius Pilate had a really weird voice. Anyway, we had a fun time doing Easter songs and crafts.
May is off to a busy start. We had our first of at least four field trips that'll happen this month today. I've also started planning an official kindergarten graduation--something I've been wanting to do every year. The first year I didn't do anything. Last year I had a program for the parents on the last morning and gave out little diplomas. This year it looks like I'll be going all out. I sent a survey home for parents asking if they'd like to buy a graduation robe for $10 and they all said yes. So looks like my little munchkins will be graduating in style. I already bought paper graduation hats from Dollar Tree when I saw them in the fall, but now I'm thinking they'll look bad with real graduation robes, so maybe I'll need to be better hats too. We'll be singing lots of songs and reciting some Bible verses. I'll probably make a slideshow of pictures too. It looks like most parents would rather have it in the evening, so that's going to turn it into a bigger production too. Wow.
I am set to finish my curriculum on about May 25th! Woohoo! That means a full two weeks without having to teach Saxon lessons. I've already got big plans to do reader's theater and lots of poetry and creative writing. I've also got some traditional end of the year stuff to fit in, like my Chicken Soup with Rice party and watching the Raffi concert video (which is currently missing) and bringing in my guitar and wowing them with how well I can play "I've Got Peace Like a River."
It's been kind of hard getting back into the swing of things after a week off, plus my allergies have gotten bad all of a sudden. But one big bright spot in the week was a free combo meal at Chick Fil A for teacher appreciation week! And the day before that was free pizza night at Planet Fitness and free Red Box night. I'm getting somewhat of a reputation for know where to get all the free stuff. If I don't watch out, I might end up like one of those people on Extreme Couponing.
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