Sunday, August 26, 2007

First Day of School



Me in first grade!
One of the things that I love about teaching first grade is getting to have that first day of school feeling every year! The little ones are so excited! I love the new sharpened pencils and the pointy crayons.....The whole new feeling. There is a whole year in front of us full of possibilities.


I didn't go to kindergarten. So, my first day of school was the first day of first grade. My teacher was Mrs. Thomas. She was a really funny lady who was laughing all the time. She was a bit scattered as well. She had used my first name on my name tag which is so not the name I go by. So I am a little OCD about name tags and name spellings to this day.



I lived way out in the country. There weren't many kids around. So I was relieved to see my neighbor, Ellen, who lived a half mile down the road was in my class. She and Jill were my best friends that year.


I really started teaching that year. I had figured out how to read from some books my mom gave me....(My reading teacher still made me sound things out. ARGH!!!!) There was a little boy who sat next to me who was so not getting the whole school thing. He wouldn't do his work, so after I finished mine, I pointed to the problems or helped him make letters. I didn't ask the teacher if I could and I don't think she cared. I'm not sure why little Anthony wasn't getting more help in the class. I know he left for Plan A (which I'm sure was some form of Special Education) but he seemed ignored in the classroom. I remember thinking that that was just too sad.



When I teach, I see all the different children who have passed through my lives in the faces of the kids in my classroom. I want to make sure that every child gets what he or she needs and I try to teach them with love and compassion. I hope that my sons and my nieces are getting that same love and attention from their teachers.




I do have a few picts to show you. This first pict is a name plate that I have made for the outside of my door. My room has a definite bee theme. I want everyone to "bee" kind, "bee" polite, "bee" creative, etc....




This is the header for my weekly newsletter that does home.






This is the card that I will be sending home with each of my kids! I made it for a challenge at Scrapbook Chalet. I think they will like having a little welcome!
I would really love it if some of you would share some first day of school stories to inspire me. Happy stories and sad stories help me understand what my students might be going through!

Thanks for looking and sharing!

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautiful items you have created and you sound like a wonderful teacher!

Cricket said...

Wow, those are fabulous things you've done for you students! As for my first day of school, I just remember seeing who would be my very best friend for years, Katie, riding around the playground on this tricycle! I had Mrs. Gable and I loved her! I remember the felt board (I loved that thing) and our rugs we had for nap time and the coat closet..whoa...the sink where we cleaned up after finger painting, and the long hallway that separated us from the rest of the elementary school!

Good luck this year!

Smiles,

Didi said...

How fun! I bet you are a great teacher...one of the ones that stand out in your students memories into adulthood. Kids know when they are genuinely cared about and loved and that means so much.

Hmmm...memories about early school days. Kindergarten was no problem at all, my teacher was a family friend from church and the only trouble I had was remembering to call her Mrs. E____ instead of Pam! I do think that even that early on little groups (I hate to say cliques) were forming that stayed in place until high school. I'm not sure what the teacher could have done really to help ALL the kids get to know each other and include everyone and mix up things so kids who maybe have lived next door forever can meet kids who live in other neighborhoods and find out they are nice to be with too!

The other memory is a 1st grade one...I just remember all of us crowded around the teacher one day as she was teaching us a new word....being so interested and excited and wondering HOW to pronounce it...trying out different things under my breath, we all were...and then finding out the word was "Oh"...and that Aha Moment....Ohhhhhhhhhh!!! Very exciting.

lam said...

amazing items you made and you look so cute in first grade.

Brook said...

I tried to post my comments on your blog, but couldn’t (user error, I’m sure!), so I’ll post them here.



You are such an awesome teacher! I hope my boys' teachers are as nice and thoughtful!



My first day of kindergarten was a mess! I was so scared and I didn't know anyone. We had just moved to Germany . There were 107 kids in my kindergarten room- all in one, big room! There were several teachers, but it was a bit crazy. I was quite overwhelmed and Mom had a very difficult time getting me to the bus stop for day two. I was also VERY shy, so being in the big group did not work well! I don't even remember the teachers, but I remember being upset that year when the Easter Bunny spoke to us in German. We also had to wear a tie-dyed t-shirt with our name on it over our clothes everyday when we got to school. Now, first grade was a different story. I had just moved to England , so I didn't know anyone again, but I was in a "normal" size class and had such a sweet teacher- Mrs. Thurtle. I loved her. She was so kind and I always remember how she would share stories about her family. I think I still have a picture of her somewhere. My least favorite elementary story was a teacher who would call on us to read or answer a question, and if we got it right, she tossed a piece of candy at us. I felt like a trained seal. I hated that SO much!



I hope you have an awesome year! That goes for all the teachers out there!!!

Marne

Kath W said...

Your kids are extremely lucky to have you for their teacher!

I don't remember too much from my first day...only being upset that Barbie couldn't come, too (lol) and feeling sooo nervous until our teacher, Mrs. Kriston, came over and smiled at me. I knew I'd be okay then. When she smiled, it reached her eyes, not just her mouth. I knew she was for real & not just faking in front of the adults.

Kris said...

You know i hate to admit it. But I dont remember my first days of school. The only thing I remember about school. is always feeling scared and intimidated by everyone. I was a loner, and it took me a while to bloom into the social butterfly that I am today. I will be happy to share my sons first days of school since he is starting first grade this year. Sure wish he had you for a teacher!!!

hi!monkey said...

ahh! the first day of school! my pencils neatly tucked into my pencil case and a brand new pack of crayons chock full of possibilities!

Scrappy Moments said...

Oh Your Kids are so lucky to have you as a teacher. What fun things you created!

I remember the first day of first grade an older kid, like a 3rd grader got me in trouble and had no idea what I had dome wrong until someone explained. It was depressing. I also remember my first grade spelling bee, I spelled DOG wrong, TWICE!!! LOL! I have never done well in crowds.

Karva said...

Hello Mrs Campbell - I so did not know that was your name.
Thank you so much for the award, I know I have been a very bad blogger!!
so the long long long vacation is finally over, oh dear!!! (do you guys get 3 months like the teachers in Ireland)
The only thing I remember about my first day in school (and I'm sorry this is a bit grouse, but you did ask) it's seeing lots of pairs of coloured tights lined up on the radiators to dry as all the little girls had pee'd there tights with the fright of seeing a nun!!! LOL
Brook I bet you are such a wonderful teacher and I bet you make the little ones feel right at home.
enjoy being back in charge, adored by all the little small and grubby ones and just think they are all probably at home now saying and mrs campbell said this and mrs campbell said that!!!

Have a good day.
Karen
xx