Almost done with the big week!

Phew! We've made it through wednesday! A big chunk of the busy week is over and was AWESOME! All that is left is tomorrow's full day of conferences and then it's a 3 day weekend for me! (well, if you don't count waitressing friday night. haha.) Of course I forgot my camera cord at school, so most of the pics will have to wait until tomorrow. But here is a quick update :)

5 little pumpkins

Monday we made a picture to go along with the "5 little pumpkins" poem. I love this one and was having a hard time deciding what to do about my students who didn't celebrate halloween. I decided to talk about how not everyone celebrates halloween and that pumpkins that grow in the fall and how they are used to decorate even if they weren't carved. We talked about how we were going to see pumpkins at the pumpkin patch at that children could choose if they wanted to make the poem or 5 pumpkins at the pumpkin patch. One of my students was still concerned that she couldn't make the craft, so I reminded her that they were not halloween pumpkins and that she could make hers on blue paper for daytime instead. She was happy with this idea and it went well! The other child made her picture on black paper and I reminded her about how they didn't need faces and next thing I know she has made 5 jack-o-lanterns. Oops! I talked to her parents today at conferences and explained it to them, which they handled really well and we all got a chuckle out of it. I think the best part was when the dad told me that in the end what she decides to do is her own decision and that with their help they will guide her and be supportive of what she decides. Awesome parents!

Pumpkin Patch

Mom and daughter sack lunches :)

Tuesday we went to the pumpkin patch and had a blast!! My mom came along and met the kids (she was subbing for me the next day) and we had a lot of fun! All 4 kinder sessions and their families come and it was a great turn out! We ride the bus 45 minutes away to a patch where the kids can ride on a boat, see a petting zoo, learn about wheat, pick out a pumpkin, play in a hay maze and ride a train. I love this place and so do the kids!!
 The only problem we had the entire day was a child who is having a really hard time separating from his friend. He's cried a couple of times because he couldn't find her on the bus, but he usually calms down pretty quickly. I've talked to mom about this before, and we both agreed that the best way to handle it was reminding him what was happening (maybe she is sick, it's ok to have other friends, etc) and that we should not encourage the behavior. Well, this trip was a BIG problem in his eyes. He was happy every time he was with her, but when they were separated on the bus, train or in their groups the world was ending! I'm talking alligator tears and bellowing wails! HUGE deal. Parents thought I was crazy for ignoring it, but I had to reassure them that he was ok and that his mom and I were communicating about this and had a plan. Talk about unnerving. Well, on the bus ride home I had each child who had not gone home with their parents in their own seat so they could rest if they wanted to, and he was sooo upset. He cried for the entire ride home, even after I talked to him. I could hear him from the back of the bus. What was interesting was that he would stop crying when we got to train tracks and would get louder whenever he made eye contact with an adult....Hmm...I emailed him mom and said that I was really concerned about this (in a kind and loving way, of course) We are going to talk at his conference tomorrow but hopefully we can figure something out!! Have you ever experienced this??

Tuesday night I also had a shift at the restaurant. Can you say long day??

petting zoo

learning about wheat

great pumpkin!

enjoying the boat ride

hay maze

Mrs. Sneaker and I :)

Wednesday Sub/Conferences
Today my mom subbed for me while I held conferences. I love having my mom in the room and getting her feedback with the kids, and it was even more fun for me when I got to pop in and visit on breaks. She is an amazing teacher and the kids love her! :)

It was weird not being with the kids while they were at school, but conferences went well and I am excited to meet with the rest of my families tomorrow!!


What has your week been like?? Is it conference time??

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Field Trips!

Don't you all just love field trips? Or, like me, do you love them and dread them all at the same time? Last year I ran a marathon right before our big field trip, and ended up missing the day of school because of an injury. I was sad that I missed it, but was also relieved to have someone else handle it for me :) (Did I just admit that? hahahaha)

We go on 2 field trips in kindergarten. The first one is in the fall to a pumpkin patch. It's not your ordinary pumpkin patch, though! The bus ride is about 45 minutes and they have a mini petting zoo, ferry boat ride on a small lake to the other side( with fun stuff that pops out of the water), pumpkins, a haymaze, a lesson on wheat AND a train that takes you back to the front! It's so fun! We take 2 buses, 1 for am/pm teacher, Mrs. Sneaker and the other for the full day teacher and my am class. Once we get there, we each begin at a different station and rotate. It is a blast!!

learning about wheat.

train ride. 

 the kids get to pick one pumpkin to keep, the only rule is that they have to be able to carry it.  We have been fortunate to have the Container Store donate bags for the pumpkins to go home in so we write their names on them beforehand and then the bags are super sturdy. 

Riding the ferry

The other field trip that we go on is fishing is the spring!! It is so much fun!! We go out to the same area as the pumpkin patch, which means a big bus ride again! As a team we think it is a fun and special experience for the kiddos to ride the bus all the way out there, even if there might be somewhere closer. We have chosen places that make their lessons educational and kid friendly. And seeing the kids excitement is well worth it!! To read more about our fishing trip, check out Our fishing trip, a blog entry written after our trip last spring. For now, here are a few pics!

having fun

this is what kindergarten fishing looks like! so cute!

Happy Fisherman!

What field trips do you go on? Link up with Kinders On The Block and share your experiences!!

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