I survived.
Sunday, May 31, 2009 at 
4:16 pm ()
At times it seemed I wouldn’t, but I DID manage to survive my first year as a first grade teacher. Teaching first grade is a lot different than teaching second, third, or computer lab (which is what I have previously taught). I have to say that overall I really love first grade. Now, I definitely had a TOUGH class this year. One student was diagnosed as EBD. That student and another were both diagnosed with anxiety disorder and ADHD. (Another student was also diagnosed with ADHD.) I had kids throw chairs, scream at me, yell and cry every day, crawl around the room, etc. I am happy to say that I was the only teacher who had all of her students in first grade at benchmark (on grade level) in math at the end of the year. I learned a lot this year and became a better teacher in many ways. 
My last day with the students was on Friday. Since we missed so much school due to the ice storm, the teachers have to work until June 9th. We have three days of district curriculum mapping to get through and hopefully the rest of the time I can spend organizing my room and making preparations for next year. I am already excited about next year. I will be at a disadvantage next year in one way. This year I pretty much know most of the kids in my class from having them in computer lab. Next year I will know a couple of students by name, but I don’t really know what to expect from them. The kindergartners were a rough group this year. A LARGE group too. So large in fact that a second grade teacher is moving down to first so we’ll have four and a half first grade classes.
Since my summer is pretty close to actually beginning, I am hoping to have more time to work on my websites and to blog more often. I had to attend a school webmaster training the other day and they gave us a new digital camera and flip video recorder that I am dying to put to use.
Oh, in other news, Colin and I have found a house! 
Now, nothing is totally official yet (we’re still waiting on the final news from the bank and for the loan to go through), but if all goes as planned we could move into our house on July 19th! I really hope everything goes okay with the loan. I guess it’s freaked the bank lady out that she found out Colin is Canadian. 
Whatever.
Hopefully I’ll be able to catch up on the blogs I like to visit and get back in the swing of internet things. It’s going to be a busy summer!
9 comments
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Filed in: Education, Personal Stuff, Work ()
9 Comments so far
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Michelle scribbled this note on May 31st, 2009: [ Quote ]
Yay! Congrats on a successful year! It seems like just last week you were posting with photos of your new classroom, and now the year is over.
Glad to see you’re still excited for the next one, don’t lose that! -
Why would your husband being Canadian have anything to do with you getting a loan or not? Hope it ends up on your favour.
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Congrats, Ashley! especially on surviving the school year
and of course on getting the house! I hope all goes well for you -
Congrats, Ashley! especially on surviving the school year
and of course on getting the house! I hope all goes well for you I meant (hopefully) getting the house. Darn typos, hehe.
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YAY! YOU DID IT! Time for a party… I’m thinking barbecue, with chicken and potato salad and yummyness is in order!
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Woot
I hope you have some time to relax too now and charge yourself for the next year. And good luck with house! -
Oh, wow! That sounds like a tough year! I really hope you get that house, too. I get all excited about that stuff.
I’m going to start college this fall to become a teacher. I really want to teach second grade. How was it like for you?
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Congratulations!! I’ve also been meaning to tell that you that what used to be cup-cake.net as since been moved to pinkdiary.org, so ya know if you ever get to updated that links page of yours..
I hope you get the house!! -
hi!! is’nt it great it’s finally summer?
:ninja: :content: :star: :crazy:
tacocat scribbled this note on June 9th, 2009: If this is the first time you have commented on RainbowStuff.com, your comment must be approved before it is made public. Please refrain from profanity and cruel or ignorant remarks.