Yes, one of my English-speaking kindergarteners wrote this.  She had a lot to say about her picture (that was based on my original sentence, “A chimpanzee is playing with the frog.”), so I pushed her to keep writing about it.  I helped her translate her thoughts into Spanish, but then she sounded out the words…

After a snow day and two sick days, I’m going to work tomorrow for the first and only time this week (Friday is a professional day – no class!).  The time off has given me [way too much] time to think.  I had the same calming realization that I had last semester when I took…

I would argue that the absolute last place on earth that a person would choose to be when sick would be a kindergarten classroom. Can I get an amen?  Miserable.  To wake up with a headache is to know that you will go home with a migraine.  I tried being straight with them:  ”Chicos, chicas……

“And, oh, I think we should point out that this is their 100th day of teaching!” After counting sets of 100 Apple Jacks all day and running around making pretty awful 100-themed decorations, I appreciated this split-second recognition by one of my classroom moms. Lord knows that had already crossed my mind a lot…earlier today,…

This week we learned words in English, Spanish, Ladino, Hebrew (Student: “like in Mulan!”), and Swahili. Hanukkah was probably the best thing I’ve ever taught. Maybe (just kidding, DEFINITELY) it was the chocolate gelt and playing with dreidels that won them over. Or the gel menorah that is currently living under the M on our…

**So I think the independent problem-solving mini-lesson I taught my kids several months ago is working… Whenever students are tattling about something stupid (a hefty portion of my day), I just remind them to use our magic phrase: ¡¡No, no, por favor!!  And they say it, usually quite dramatically.  One student, upon realizing that I…

I went a long time hoping beyond hope that my students would actually answer me in the morning when I asked them in Spanish how they were doing (in front of their parents).  There’s nothing better than getting a blank stare to the one question they surely-to-God knew by then…  ”Just say “bien” pretty please!”…

There are a lot of phrases commonly associated with one’s first year of teaching, and they are all true. I especially like the one about just keeping your head above water, because God knows that really is the main goal for the first semester (or longer? We’ll see). I had really hit a low point…

I’ve decided to actually start updating this blog again, now that I have my head just enough above water … So look out for updates/catch-up entries in the next few days!