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Friday, June 15, 2012

Nothing can seem to stay the same in my life right now!

Well, just when I thought things were all in order for the next school year, I get an email from my Principal saying that my assignment for next year has CHANGED!!! I am going from 3rd Grade to 2nd Grade! Now as super excited as I am about finally being able to teach 2nd grade (that would be my first pick of ANY grade to teach) I am a little on the confused side as to why I was moved... It almost felt like she didn't have enough confidence in my ability to teach the grade level and content so she moved me to a younger grade with less stress on testing... 3rd is the first grade for our new STAAR testing!!! Now as happy as I am that I DON'T have to teach to the test she still sent me an email saying that I really needed to take this summer and prepare for what I was going to be teaching because this was my year to prove that I know what I am doing... This will be my first year at this new school and my first year not in Special Education... Now I didn't go to school for Special Ed which is what everyone keeps thinking about me... I DID go to school for Gen. ED!!! I do know how things are suppose to be ran and how a classroom does things... I am NOT stupid!!! I don't know if by her email she meant to insult me or make me feel stupid but that's just how I took it... My husband even said, "that doesn't sound that bad, she just doesn't know you"... Yeah Yeah I know she doesn't know me, BUT STILL!!!!

I don't know as HAPPY as I am to be teaching 2nd I have been preparing EVERYTHING for 3rd! So I have to start all over AGAIN!!!

On a different note; I am wanting to get a class pet for my room, BUT I was thinking about making the students EARN the right to have a class pet... So here is what I am asking... Do you have a class pet? And Do you think it is a good idea for the kids to have to "earn" the pet?
  Let me know what you think!!!

4 comments:

  1. I taught 2nd last year... you will love it :) I'm looping this year to 3rd with them. I think a class pet is a great idea. You can teach so many things with it beyond actual science knowledge... responsibility, kindness, etc. I think earning the pet is a great idea!

    Katie
    Dirty Hands and Lesson Plans

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  2. Hi Michaela, I feel your pain in having to start all over again, although I feel like I'm starting for the first time. Although this fall I was start my 3rd year, the first two (one and a half actually) were started under crazy circumstances. I'm interested to see how our "first" years go. I'll be following along to see! You can check me out at teachonalimb.blogspot.com.

    Jessica
    PS. My new bird themed blog has inspired me to get a bird for a class pet...not sure the admin will go for it though...

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  3. First, you will LOVE 2nd grade...I'm going into my 15th year (YIKES!) teaching it and couldn't imagine going to another grade!! The.Perfect.Age Don't let the principal's email bother you too much. Just go in with the attitude to "knock her socks off!" :) As for the class pet, I had 7 class pets (a zoo?) during my first few years of teaching and the children learned a lot of responsibility from it. Ultimately it became too much work for me, so as they passed, I decided not to get any others. But one class pet would be GREAT! :) I like the idea of having them earn it. You could even do a persuasive writing lesson using the book "I Wanna Iguana" and they could write letters to persuade you for a certain type of pet. Maybe you could even pull in a voting lesson, and a math lesson to graph/tally the results! Lots of learning possibilities! :)

    I have a new 2nd grade blog...drop by and join my giveaway that ends tomorrow night!

    Amanda

    Amanda
    Teaching Maddeness

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  4. That is so frustrating to get all ready for a grade level and to then have to change. You will LOVE 2nd grade though!!!! We are now following you and would love it if you want to stop by and check us out sometime!
    Katie & Lisen
    wearesecondgradesmartypants.blogspot.com

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