I made it a week....Almost!!

Well, I am one day away from making it through my first week of second grade.  It's funny.  People ask me, "So Missy, how's first grade?" My first response...."eye opening".  I have always admired the 4K and Kindergarten teachers of the world, because I know I could never do that job.  I love little kids! I love all kids, but I know I could never do what our Winskill 4K/K teachers do-first grade would probably be a stretch too. I can teach basketball skills to anyone...in fact, it's the littlest group of Little Arrows I enjoy the most.  But this is a different story.  I pretty much left my fourth graders last year as fifth graders and I walked into second graders who are really closer to first graders. 
What have I learned this week? What haven't I learned this week?  I have learned that we MUST leave the house before 7:30am so that I can get to school and breathe before my kids come walking through the door. I've learned that they don't get my humor....yet!!!  I have learned that there is the huge gap in abilities that are present in every learning situation.  I have learned that even though the content of second grade is easier and less detailed as fourth grade, the delivery of the content must be perfected before I teach it. I have learned that second graders (even the boys) love hugs!  I have learned that second graders are AWESOME!!  I have been trying to convince my kids that we are the best class in the school.  Little do my kids know that I tell that to every class.  But today, I think they are starting to really believe it!  They have done a tremendous job with our PBIS-today, all my boys were in the bathroom....ALL 10...and all I heard was water, paper towel rollers and the quiet sound of feet.  It was INCREDIBLE!  We made it 3 minutes and 57 seconds with our reading stamina...which for some may not seem like a great feat, but you weren't in our room the first two days---I was hoping we'd break a minute....so the moral of the story? NEVER underestimate your kids.  They will rise to the occasion as long as you expect them to and believe in them.  Once they know you believe in them, you got them!  I know tomorrow won't be flawless.  I know I will still have those frazzled moments...but I'm beginning to think I can really do this!  I got this.  And I'm jacked!