Hilarity and bliss rule first grade...

This week has been one of fun, love and hard work.  I am so proud of my students, in fact I am BEYOND proud of them.  On Tuesday (Valentine's Day of all days) I had my formal evaluation and observation, something I think that every teacher stresses about, and my students were brilliant - full on sparkling and BRILLIANT in their behavior and academic achievement.  I spent, no exaggeration, about 20 hours writing my lesson plans and creating materials for this observation.  My lessons were on reading comprehension questioning strategies; thick vs. thin questions.  While not initially seeming so, it was a challenging and ambitious lesson.  I ended up having to modify and adjust throughout teaching the lessons leading up to my formal observation day.  All of the adjustments and stress were worth it as my kids did wonderfully.  It was so fun to see my students raising their hands - stretching their arms as high as they could in the air so their hand was higher than their partner just so they would be called on.  Awww.  So eager to please and do well.  I love them!  I had my post-observation evaluation today and it went extremely well.  All the hard work paid off...my students learned a TON, were challenged and engaged, and I passed my eval.  Sweet, sweet victory :)

This week was also Valentine's week - which meant love and adoration by 22 first graders.  So so fun!  The kiddos were so sweet and generous...I even received Valentine's from past students - which truly touched my heart.  One student from last year, who brought me a box of chocolates, said, "Ms. Eklund, you'll ALWAYS be my Valentine."  Awwww!!  So happy my past students still think of me fondly.

Here are some of the funny things said in my classroom this week:
This one was said during the middle of my formal evaluation, just as I finished complimenting the class on how "smart" they were.  "Ms. Eklund, we are so smart because you love us and you want us to be smart and you teach us to be smart.  We are all your babies - at least that's what you tell us!"  (awwwwe)

• "Ms. Eklund - did you know I have two mommies?"  (You do?)  "Yes, my mommy and YOU - you're kind of like my mommy - you love me too!  Oh wait...I have THREE mommies...you, my mommy and Ms. D (my student teacher) is my step-mommy!"  (this quickly turned into "I have three daddy's...Mr. Eklund, Ms. D's husband and MY daddy.")
• "Ms. Eklund - this rose is pretty, but you are waaaaay prettier."
• "Ms. Eklund - you and Ms. D are gorgeous...are you sisters?"

They are learning about the solar system in science...

• "Is Jupiter Saturn's brother?"
• "Saturn has a ring around it that looks like you could put it on your finger."
• "I think the best planet to visit is Venus, because you can see things and you can see hot stuff, but you could even see the mountains.  I even could take pictures, even you can watch what happens."

Things I never thought I would have to say as a teacher...#4893, 4, 5, 6, and 7

• "Friends, we do NOT lick someone's hair!"  (imagine a boy standing in line behind a girl with shoulder length hair flipped up at the ends...he's leaning forward sticking out his tongue and grabbing the ends of her hair and sucking them in his mouth.  Nope - not kidding on this one...)
• "Sweetpea, please quit licking your fingers, touching your shoes, and licking your fingers again."
• "Friend...that's NOT a stick...put it down and go wash your hands for 30 seconds with lots of soap."  
• "We do NOT lick our desks...ever!"
• "Friends, we do not put markers up our noses NO MATTER how good they smell!"

In addition to this wonderful week - my student teacher had what I consider to be her best week yet.  She had her best day ever...truth be told.  She was simply amazing to watch teach.  She was caring and kind, direct and honest, informative and fun.  She redirected students with ease and grace and compassion - allowing them to solve their own problems, giving them simple directions to do so and praised them for working it out in the end.  Oh so perfect and wonderful to watch!!  I LOVE being a mentor teacher.

To end this blissfully busy and perfect week, a former student brought me a green and yellow paper bracelet that she made for me.  It was one long, wide piece of paper - half colored green, half yellow and then taped together.  She presented it as an "Oregon bracelet, just for you!" along with a picture she drew of flowers and a heart that said "love you" in the middle.   Seriously - so darn sweet.  I wouldn't trade this job for anything. :)