Sunday, August 29, 2010

Mission First Week of School COMPLETE!

Well I made it out of the first week of school alive. Its wonderful! My students (there are 22) are very FULL of life and it is so exciting to get up every morning to go and be with them. I could not ask for a better first class. They have already started to challenge me with their chatty ways but I think that once we get settled in and take stalk of each other things will be great.

Some quotes of the week include

"Miss Ewin I just have to go home and get my sleeping bag!"
yup. Thats right. I have a student who can't say the R in my name but you know what? I LOVE IT! This moment was because I had some students who were dawdling to get ready to go home and I made a comment that some of them were acting like they wanted to spend the whole night at school with me! I told them that as much fun as that would be Miss Erin needed to go home and so did they. Maybe some other day kids.

"There is a man in my computer!"
So this week I was in charge of getting the second graders all tested on the computer with the reading and math program. Well...it was sort of a debacle. No one could sign on the the computers. And that was temporarily fixed, until a class signed off all the computers. So our wonderful wonderful computer geniuses were helping me by signing them on via remote access. (they saved my sanity!) However, you can imagine how a bunch of 7 year olds reacted to their computers doing stuff "all by is self!" It was amazing. But then they got one one of the computers to I-Chat and ask what computers still needed to be signed on...and how was I alerted to this? By the voice of little Sam telling me there was a man in his computer. I was very concerned at first but once I realized who it was I could not help but laugh. In the end everything was taken care of...It was just wonderful.

We did not have school this Friday because we took the day to observe a funeral. A 2010 graduate of red cloud, and the computer teachers daughter, was tragically killed in a car accident last weekend. It was really hard to have to attended the funeral of someone so young, and from what I hear, so very full of life and love. I think that the most difficult part for me was not only having to see Betsy so devastated over the loss, but to realize that this was probably just the first of many funerals I would be attending this year. (but I can always hope it will be the last).

My students asked to write letters which I found so wonderful, and looking at what they had written almost made me cry. They are so full of love and support and so frighteningly familiar with death.

Friday afternoon Jackie, Amanda, and I went to do the house grocery shopping for the week. It was nothing short of overwhelming. We had 3 shopping carts full of food and spent more money that I had ever spend on one trip to the store. I can't even begin to tell you. on the bright side, we should have plenty of food to get us through the week!

Friday night we had a concert at the house which I regrettably missed because it took so long to do all the shopping in Raid. When I got back some people were heading out to a casino...and I had never been to one...so I figured why not go for the fun! We drove 2 hours (it was off the reservation) to a town called Deadwood and I am pretty sure their only source of industry is casinos, and maybe a few bars. There were many wonderful shiny lights and I lost about $10. (no more gambling for me! I can not make an informed decision to stay away). Kate won $40 while I was sitting next to here which was pretty awesome...for her. hehe.

We left at about 2:30 which meant that we got back at 5 in the morning...and guess who drove the whole way...YAY for not going to bed on time!

Yesterday and today I spent a lot of time lesson planing and trying to figure out various and assorted programs the school has in place...It has given me a massive headache.

Here's to hopes of an awesome week 2!

2 comments:

  1. I've been to Deadwood! My parents and I had lunch or dinner there.

    I'm glad that your first week went so well, Erin! I hope it continues to go well!

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  2. Becky and I were right- your students love you! And you didn't even need to embarrass yourself the first day to win over their affection. Sounds like you're having fun, I can't wait to visit you!

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