My Little Readers

So I'm back at work and we're in full swing in grades K-4.  We're currently assessing our students in reading, as we do three times/year and I'm absolutely in love with the kids I am working with.  This year I am lucky enough to be working in two kindergarten classrooms, one first grade and one second grade.

So my kindergartners are precious.  We're not assessing them just yet.  But we are working hard in our language arts centers.  It's amazing to see what abilities they possess as they enter school.  Some are already reading and some still cannot write their names.  Some can sit still and listen, while some have never been to school before and are learning to keep their bodies in control and raise their hand to speak.  Let me tell ya though, they are all eager to learn and they are all so excited to read, sing and rhyme when I call them over to my center.  They are such amazing little people, and they're pretty darn cute too.  One little girl sang "Did you ever see a sheep in a jeep?" with such gusto and vibrato that I nearly fell off my little blue chair!  They are just darling and I love them all.  It's so nice to be with them in September and not be on maternity leave!

And then there are my first and second graders.  Again, I'm in love.  I get to see them one-on-one for a reading assessment and I just adore our conversations.  Yesterday I learned about one little boy who loves his cat so much that he snuck him into the car while the family was headed to Stop & Shop!  He said his mom was pretty mad when they got to the store!  Wow.  I complimented one little boy on his fabulous eyes and eyelashes and he told me, "God just made me this way, I just got ones that are betterer."  And a superstar reader in first grade who just moved into town blew my socks off with his reading abilities.  I asked him what brought him to Foxboro, and he told me "pods and moving trucks."  Duh, Mrs. Stow!  God, I love these kids.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm tired.  But it's my favorite time of year with these kids.  I'm getting to know so many new friends and getting lots of hugs from my old ones.  These are some pretty independent, funny, energetic, motivated souls and I'm so lucky to call myself their teacher.  Thanks for helping me LOVE MY JOB!  You are all superstars!  Let's READ!