Conference Week

Hallelujah, Glory Be - I made it to Conference Week!!!  This is a HUGE accomplishment.  This means that in two weeks and three days, I get a four day weekend.  And then one week after that, I get Thanksgiving break.  And you all know what comes after that so I won't even tell you or write it down here because that actually FREAKS ME OUT.  But I've made it.  WHEW.  From here on out, the year is broken up into nice little pieces.  This is big for a girl who was used to a year round schedule and is supposed to be going off track THIS FRIDAY.  (little tear just rolled down my cheek)  Also, I know I can express to all of you that I love my job but I need a break.  I think it's because we put SO MUCH OF OURSELVES (like, actual blood, sweat, and tears) into our kids that we end up working MORE than the average human being.  A long, long, long time ago I switched schools.  And I went from a traditional schedule to a year round schedule.  So I got out of one school year in the middle of June and started a new school year at the beginning of July.   I'll wait for you while that sinks in.
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I KNOW!!  I only had TWO WEEKS between school years and I had to move my whole entire classroom like hundreds of miles away (or maybe like 35 miles but at least an hour away with traffic) and it was HORRIBLE.  I did not get a break.  If I was talking to a teacher about it, I always got the sympathetic nod and clucks and shoulder rubs and "hang in there" and "you poor thing".  But if I was talking to ANY OTHER KIND OF PERSON with ANY OTHER KIND OF JOB, I always got "All I ever get is two weeks of vacation so shut it."  (maybe that last one was more my husband but you get the jist)  The point of all this rambling is that I know I can tell all of you that I am SUPER EXCITED for a four day weekend in two weeks and three days.  And I know you get it.  


Parent Conference week is actually really nice (besides the fact that I have to talk to 29 families and act like I know what I'm doing and that I'm in charge) because we have MINIMUM DAYS all week.  It's teaching at high warp speed.  I don't slow down.  The kids arrive, I start talking, and I just keep going until I'm chasing them out the door telling them just ONE MORE THING.  Seriously.  Here's the schedule:


8:45 Arrival
Do some stuff.  
Have recess.  
Do a little bit more.  
Have lunch.  
Recap.
12:32 Go Home


It's beautiful, isn't it?  :) :) :)  Nothing seriously bad can happen in that short amount of time.  I don't think anyone will have time to throw up on their desk and/or pee their pants in that short amount of time.  (both of those have happened TWICE this year and I am proud to say neither were me!!)  It's just beautiful.  I am filled with glee.   


Obviously, instead of starting a new Theme, we will be doing lots of review in Language Arts this week.  One thing we'll be doing is reviewing what Houghton Mifflin calls "clusters with r".  Not sure what you call it but that's what my kids are calling it these days.  So we're going to do this cut and paste activity.   

I imagine once we're almost finished gluing these down, it will be time to go home.  Beautiful.  (PS  I always copy the pictures onto colored copy paper so that students can get their supplies easily and there is {almost} no confusion)

Just click the pic to download it.  If you grab it, please leave me some LOVE.  :)

Did anyone watch Part 2 of the New Jersey Reunion??????  Holy Macaroni and Pasta, it was so fun!!!  I'm telling you right now, I will not leave my first graders unattended.  You can bet your bottom dollar on that.  :)