year 4

 

Another year bites the dust. I'll say it every year...but I CANNOT believe I'm entering my [5th] year of teaching. It's just kinda nuts. Teaching is super rewarding especially after 3 years deep and more in the groove. This year I was teaching the new Common Core which changed the way I sequenced out the year. I really love the new math core curriculum and got high praises from my principal from my students test results. At the end of the year I was very happy with how I planned things because I ended up having a very productive end of the year with my kids. They were learning and engaged till the very end. I completely adored this group of 1st graders. It's one of those years where classroom management was under control and the kids and I could let loose and laugh and really enjoy each other. I am honestly sick that they have to leave me for 2nd grade. I always get nervous about a new batch of kids.

Things I learned in year 3:
+importance of explicit teaching
+children are so forgiving
+using Dr. Jean cds were a game changer.
+admit to the students when I am wrong
+using parent volunteers to their strengths and interests
+making class books after Language Arts units was a great post-assessment activity and they loved reading them
+we worked really hard this year, but I still feel like there was so much I didn't get to teach them
+the value of teaching speaking and listening skills
+having students keep their own data from their test results causes them to really make the connection with how they did on the test. I had them graph their test percentage in a notebook. Some kids really understood what that meant in terms of how they did on the test. clutch
+teachers pay teachers is a great resource
+Annie Belle introduced me to Adventure to Fitness -- a real life saver for the snowy and rainy days with no outside recess.

++++++
year 3
year 2
year 1

pool time

Teen came into town for the 4th of July and it was the best ever. As always. But seriously, this week was the best week above all Teen visits.

We had a few afternoons spent at Steiners pool which is slim offerings compared to all the beaches Teen lives by. It was a great place to meet up with some friends starting with Jimmy and ending with our girlfriends.

Jimmy was in town from Portland for the weekend. We freak out for him. Best guy.

We treated our boy Alex a snow cone on his birthday. This guy is our main.

Lindsay was in town and we had a pool afternoon with Courtney, Lezlie, Maggie, and Annie. 

(Lezlie had her baby 2 days later!)

birthday family dinner

We get together with family for a Sunday dinner when it's someone's birthday. I am so happy and lucky to have Egan and Annie living near. I super scored this birthday cause my mom was in town too. She asked me what I wanted for my birthday dinner and that's a silly question when your mom is cooking who happens to be your favorite cook in the entire world. But salmon was decided, and salmon we had. Check out that fruit salad, it's what dreams are made of. Annie always has a birthday crown and makes a bday girl feel like gold. I wish there were more photos of everyone else, darn it.

fancy sandwiches

For Maggie's birthday that fell on a Sunday we had "fancy sandwiches"! There were all the fixings which made it challenging to make the perfect sandwich (you really only have one shot). We had such a good dinner we didn't save any room for dessert, so the angel food cake had to wait a day.

Maggie's 27th Birthday

Saturday we went to Bruges Waffles with Bethany and Lindsay who were both in town. (score!)

We headed off to the pool after for a nice time at Steiners with friends. I loved having my Rexburg girls by my side.

We met friends at Myung Ga for korean bbq and then headed to the drive in. We had a blast. I'm so happy drive ins still exist and we have one close. We watched The Purge and Fast 6. The Purge was totally scary but a perfect drive in choice. And Fast 6...no brainer, love that movie.

Sunday, Maggie's actual birthday, started out with almond oat waffles and ended with fancy sandwiches which I will share in a later post. 

Love that Mags.

28

snap chat from Egan

snap chat from Teen, duh

waking up to breakfast goods from my roommates!

treat basket from Egan

 

 

Roots cafe for breakfast with my mom! (who happened to be in town! lucky me!)

afternoon snack, cause my birthday lands on Donut Day!

Bees game with friends

flowers from a cute boy

6/7/2013

I took the day off work and that always is a good idea. I woke up to texts and face time with Benson and Lindsey who are all the way over in Australia. My roommates had sweet goods on the kitchen table for me which made me smile so big. My mom picked me up and we had breakfast at Roots cafe. She brought me a plant and a balloon and gosh I love her. Next up, Amber and I got pedicures and then headed to the pool. After pool, Mags, Amber and I ate Banburry Cross donuts in honor of Donut day. Then we got ready and met a few friends for tacos at a taco stand on State st. We finished the night at the Bees game and had the best time with the best group of friends. 

The next day I ran a Utah Valley Half Marathon went out with a boy who brought me flowers and took me to Chunga's for dinner.