Bitter-Sweet

BIG News:  I' moving to 2nd Grade next year!  Woo-Hoo!  

The journey in 1st grade has been a wonderful ride.  One full of soaring heights and scenic views to some pretty big pot holes and speed bumps along the way.  I came into 1st grade looping up with my precious Kindergarten class.  [I'll have to post another time about looping and the pros and cons (not many).] 

 It was a big transition from learning through play, home centers, dressup, and naps to homework, tests and grading.  Don't get me wrong, we did some serious academic learning all through Kinder but without the stress of homework, grades and tests.  And let me just give a shout out to all Kinder teachers, who I think are the hardest working teachers on the planet.  Physically the work is so taxing. You are constantly bending, stooping, picking up, and running everywhere.  And your prep time is like no other grade.  Although you want to let your students do all the work, in reality you have to do so much ahead of time for them to be successful.

In first grade, the children have to make the largest leap in their reading levels than in any other elementary grade.  Meaning it's harder to get those kidos on level by the end of the year.  In first, you also get away from being "theme" driven to making sure you are crossing your t's and dotting your 'i's with every TEK. (TEK's are similar to Common Core Standards)

As much as I have differentiated for my high learners in 1st grade, I feel like moving to second will be a smooth transition.  I've got a lot to learn but am so excited about this new journey!  It is a bitter-sweet time for me saying good-bye to first grade.  I've grown and learned so much as a teacher.  I'm sad to go but Uber pumped to be starting the next level of learning.  :D