Teaching is a Rollercoaster

Some days are up, other days are down.

I am getting into the swing of things and (slowly) my students are too. Many are still in summer mode and come to school really tired.

I am finding out who can not sit by who, and who needs to be close to me.

Highlights:

A second grader came up to me before school the 2nd day and hugged me and told me that she missed me.

Kids compliment EVERYTHING: my hair, my shoes, my clothes, my voice. It's lovely.

Half way through one class a little boy asks "Can we do music now?" I said "What have we been doing???" I still have no idea what he meant by that.

99% of my students sang a little solo line all by themselves on day 2.

Most successful songs, rhymes, activities:

- "There was an old lady who swallowed a fly" book which I sung to the class.

- "Chop Chop Chippity Chop" fingerplay/action rhyme

- "Hello There" this was out of one of the Kindergarten music texts. But for some reason they just thought this was hilarious and everyone wanted to take a turn to sing into my magical microphone.

- "Frog in the Meadow" with those little frog guiros.

-"Rain Rain Go Away" with a rain stick

-"Itsy Bitsy Spider"

- "I'm a Little Teapot"

- different types of voices: speaking, whisper, calling, singing

-Keeping the beat (Feierabend CD)

Each day has been different. I am starting to learn a lot of names (I have about 350). We will make some progress really soon. With kindergarten it's just an accomplishment if they can come in and find their spots and we can get started without anyone crying. There has been a lot of crying in the kindergarten halls this week. Hopefully things will only get easier!