Mel's Box of Chocolates

I honestly think this has been the longest I have ever gone without writing anything. Hopefully a few of you kept me in your readers!! Although I have plenty of stories to tell, pictures to share, and posts already written in my mind I just can't seem to find the time to write them down. Teaching 5 th grade has been quite the experience. I am in love with my big kids and enjoy the conversations that we can have. I am gaining confidence that I am truly smarter than a 5 th grader. However, I feel like I've gone back in time to my first year of teaching and just trying to survive. I clearly took for granted all the work I had created in previous years for 3rd grade. No wonder I felt like I was becoming bored in 3rd grade. All the work was ready for me. The past few weeks I have been working later than I ever have. Even my custodian commented about how late I've been at work after he had watched me leave right at dismissal for the past 4 years. I'll get there ag...

Zoe has been very frustrated with herself because she can't read. She knows the words say something and often she just makes up her own stories which I always tell her is a way of reading, but other times she gets mad because she wants to know what they really say. I have been trying to make some time everyday to work with her on reading and of course we read books together as much as possible. Her favorite thing lately is to cuddle up with Dylan and ask him to read his homework book with her. The other night I snuggled with both of them for their regular reading time. I was so proud of what I heard... D - " Ok Zoe tonight the book is called 'Smokey'. Before we read we have to make some predictions. Look at the cover. What do you think the story is going to be about? Z - "I see a train." D - "Good job, Zoe. You are right it is about a train. Look at where the train is. What do you predict is going to happen to the train." Z - "The tr...

Tuesdays are daddy and Zoe days since Dave is off and keeps Zoe with him instead of sending her to daycare. They always seem to find something fun to do on these days and this past week their adventures took them to an arcade on the boardwalk. The most excitement seemed to come when she was playing skee ball. Evidently the game was giving tickets when you would win and some friendly people gave Zoe their tickets so she could get a prize. As soon as I got home she showed me her prizes and told me all about everybody giving her tickets. This is our conversation: Me - "Wow, those are some cool prizes. You are so lucky that those nice people gave you their tickets." Z - "I know. They must have thought I was beautiful." Me - (thinking - vain much?) "I'm sure they thought you looked like a nice little girl who would enjoy getting a prize." Z - "Well it was boys who gave them to me so I think they must have really liked my dress." Well then. ...

You may just have seen how much, had I left the original title up, which read "5 th Grade WHERES me down." No worries though cause I caught it before you all began judging my ability to teach, especially spelling. Week two of being back in school is now history and I suppose the term "back to school" isn't really relevant anymore. Everybody is pretty much settled into their routine although Zoe doesn't officially start her preschool program until next Tuesday. She will continue going to the same daycare where she has been these past two weeks though, just a different room and new teachers. She is very excited about her new teachers and has been counting down the days till she can join them so I'm thinking this last transition is going to be pretty smooth. I am having a blast in 5 th grade and every day they amaze me with what they know. I swear that this year the kids are probably going to be teaching me way more than I teach them. Starting with ...