Going Back to School

Wednesday is my official first day back at school. I am excited to meet my new group of kids. Kindergarten students are so precious and cute. They come in so young and inexperienced and leave reading and writing and ready for first grade. At the beginning of every school year, when I do my first assessments, I am always shocked at how little many of my kids know. It is not that they aren't smart. They are. It's just that they weren't taught anything. When I say anything, I mean the colors, how to write their name, numbers 0-5, or any letters. Although they have such a long road to go, most, if not all kids make incredible progress. It is really unbelievable. I always think of how far I could have taken them, if they had come in knowing some basic skills. This is my first year teaching full-day kindergarten. Although the kids will be with me much longer than with half-day kinder, they will be missing out on my partner teacher Laura. Now she is in a room across campus with her own full-day class. I truly believe two teachers with twenty-five kids at a time, is a much better ratio, and you can teach so much more, than one teacher with twenty-five students all day. I have a lot to do to get ready for Monday. Of course the first days back are planned full of meetings and professional development. All I want to do is work in my classroom. I am going to go in tomorrow to get a head start. Goodbye summer.