2nd Grade

So I teach 2nd grade. I am really starting to enjoy it. I was really hesitant there for awhile about whether I even wanted to come back and teach next year. The following are a few reasons why I am loving teaching right now (for the most part anyway).
Exhibit A:
We just started out "Mighty Mini Mealworm" science unit. Pretty gross, but cool too. The kids absolutely LOVE being scientists and most of them aren't freaked out by the worms at all. They have been asking everyday if they can play with their worms and are having a great time with them. They are kind of like caterpillars in that they form a kind of chrysalis and then turn into a beetle. The kids are really excited about it.
Exhibit B:

Field Day. We had Field Day "Fun Day" on Wednesday and we had so much fun. We did all kinds of relay races and climbed the rock wall in our gym and did DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) in our "Active and Healthy" room. Our school got a huge grant to help promote active and healthy lifestyles, so we have a whole room devoted to the DDR game that was purchased with part of the grant. The woman on the left is one of my student's mom, not a very tall 2nd grader. This is a picture of them presenting the grant check to our school. Yes, it says $97,488.Exhibit C:

Skateland Parties! Our school had a Skateland Party Thursday night and Jake came along with me. He is so supportive and my class absolutely LOVES him! He comes in to the class all the time and the kiddos get so excited. Me too! They always ask why he doesn't kiss me when he leaves- I guess they don't understand the inappropriate aspect of PDA in the workplace (which the DJ and one of the workers at Skateland didn't understand either, apparently!). Which brings me back to Skateland. We had a lot of fun and I felt like I was in 6th grade again, only this time Raylene didn't have to drag me over to skate with my crush during the "couples skate"- which by the way, they don't even do anymore! We had to make up our own couple skate. The best part about the Skateland extravaganza came after the Guerrero Elementary party was over. As we were waiting for all of the kids to get picked up, all of a sudden these scary women started pouring into the skating rink. They were covered in tattoos and piercings and were wearing short skirts and fishnet tights. It took me a few minutes, and then I realized, "Oh my! It's a roller derby night!" I didn't even think those things actually existed- especially in lil' ol' Mesa! I guess they were having tryouts or something because they all had numbers on there backs and were videotaping them and having them show how fast they could skate. We didn't stay too long- Jake was getting a little scared. But it was amazing! We were laughing so hard (but tried not to show it- those ladies could have beat me AND Jake up!). This picture is a little blurry and don't do their scariness justice, but you might be able to see the roller derby chicas. Exhibit D:
I have one student who is a total "brown noser." She is very bright and a cute little girl. The other day she had a little free time on her hands, so she decided to draw a picture. This is what she made. Isn't it lovely? I'm sure a quote from Napoleon Dynamite is coming to your mind at this very moment. I suddenly became frightfully aware of my mustache that could probably use a good waxing. But then the next day she presented me with this masterpiece, putting my worries a little at ease.
She told me that this was a picture of me (I don't know who the last picture was supposed to be, but I am sure that they are beautiful). This picture does actually have hair, but my scanner just didn't pick it up very well. I think my favorite parts about the picture are my teeth, my nose, my fingernails (on my right hand only?!?), the off the shoulder straps, and the lack of a mustache. Yes- I am one good looking teacher!

So I like 2nd grade. However, my principal told me on Friday that he is going to move me to 3rd grade next year. Which just means that I'll get to have a few of my "angels" next year!