Fall Break

Last day of school with 1st graders was definitely a lesson in patience. Wow! Soon it was over and here I am the next morning - all in one piece and ready to enjoy a 4 day weekend.
Haven't decided just what would be the most relaxing, enjoyable way to spend these days. Lets see . . . . . . .

1. Scrapbooking
2. Reading a new book
3. Organizing the closets (you know, if you haven't worn it or used it in the last year) send it to Goodwill.
4. Working on the flowerbeds and preparing the Towle yard for winter.
5. Cleaning the 21 windows and 10 door windows in this house (which didn't get cleaned this summer and reallllllly need it)
6 . Cleaning house - doing the extras that don't get done every week.
7. Or - maybe . . . . . just sitting, doing nothing and daydreaming.

Better yet - I know - I'll do a little bit of all of the above.

ENJOY your

Finally Did it!!!

Checked again today. I am able to put the correct name with every one of the 84 Harris Elementary First Grade students. Yea!!!!

I even do reasonably well with Nathan & Noah - the twin boys in Angle/Bryant's classes. I check each morning to see what color shirt they are wearing and then I am good to go with them for the day. When I have a moment of forgetfulness I look to see what class is surrounding the particular boy I want to call and then I can put the correct name with the correct twin. Is that cheating? No - surely not!!!

Kitchen Faucet

The Towle house needed a new faucet - well the Towle House has needed one for a loooonnng time, but money being in short supply a lot of the time, a kitchen faucet was at the bottom of the list.

The time finally arrived to look for one. One was located at Menard's that the Female half of the Towle house really liked. To make it an even better purchase, it was on sale for a very good price. The Female half asked the Male half at the Towle House if he could install such a faucet. Without hesitation the answer was yes. The purchase was made.

Then the real problems started. The Male half indicated he would need eyes and the Female half stated "No problem". She would be the eyes. Three hours the first day was spent - the old faucet was removed and the new one was out of the box. Yea!!

Day two of the installation dawned and Male and Female halves were on the job early by 7:30am. Broke for lunch around 11:30am. Finally at 6:30pm the faucet was installed. There were only a few problems.

Female half asked at a minimum of 5 - 7 times "Are you sure you don't want me to call Derek or Brett to come help?"

Female half stood in the kitchen praying a lot of the time while the Male half was half in under the sink talking - not to the Female half - just talking. Never did figure that out.

Male half said, guess we have to take the sink out to get this installed. That created another problem all by itself. The sink was originally installed 32+ years ago and really didn't want to come out. With persuasion however the sink finally complied - it was removed - the faucet was installed - the sink was re-installed and the water was turned on - there weren't any leaks and the the Male half said - "Well that wasn't as easy as it used to be." No kidding was the Female half's comment.

14 hours to install a faucet that when the Male half had good eyes could have probably been completed in an hour - check. Faucet is really nice - check. Works great - check. Female half not sure she will ever ask for another home improvement in this lifetime - check. Keeping all this to herself - without a doubt - check!!

All's well that ends well!!!

Old mind - new things to remember!!!

When school started I had 83 new students in 1st grade to put names together with faces. It is so much easier when there are problems to be able to call a name rather than "Hey you, Boy, Girl, etc" when I need someone to look at me.

I have been working on it. Some are easier than others. Those kids that constantly do something they aren't suppose to - their names are learned quite quickly.

Yesterday I had the time and opportunity to test what I have mastered and what I need to work on. As 1st grade filed in from the lunch line to the tables where they were suppose to sit, I had time. As each one came past me, I looked, said a name and waited for the next student.

When all were seated, I knew I had 10 children that were nameless in my mind. I'm thinking that isn't too bad for an old mind and 83 names to learn. Of course it was 4 weeks ago that I started, so guess I better move a little faster. Then as Jaylen W came through and I looked at him he asked me "Do you remember who I am?" I have had trouble with his name (there are only 4 Jaylen's in 1st grade). When I came up with his name, I felt proud of me.

Also there is that set of twin boys who are so alike that the only way I know who they are is if they tell me who their teacher is. Occasionally when I try to put a name to their face, I will say both names and most always they will tell me who they are. But - - - they are learning I can't tell them apart and they are beginning to use it against me - so I must learn and fast -is it Nathan or Noah?

Knowing who everyone is makes this busy year at school
just a little easier. So my new motto is - -

175 Days Left

It is a day to relax. Well....I would like to relax, but now that school is back in session - Saturday is the only day I can get all that housewife "stuff" done.

So ... I have done my weekly food shopping - put it away and have started my weekly laundry - 6 loads worth this week. And it is only 10:30am. After laundry there is still this hugh house to clean.

I may actually make it through to the end of Saturday and have everything done. That would be a blessing.

This has been a tiring week. Guess I really am getting old. I don't remember last years 1st week wearing me out quite as much as I feel this time.

I have 83 1st graders to learn their names which is daunting in itself, then add trying to get the reading theme copied for all those little ones before the second week starts. Also add the Everyday math copies needed and walking my usual 5-7 miles a day at school and I am one tired 'old' lady. The only thing that makes me feel better is that all those young people I work with - teachers, IA's, etc are tired too! So guess I will try it one more week.

I am reminding myself - there are only 175 more days......

Scrapbooking

My newest passion is my way to relax - scrapbooking - what fun and relaxation in making a scrapbook.

This summer I created my 1st school scrapbook. First Grade 2010-11 at Harris Elementary. This was one of the largest I have done - well the second largest.

I took it to school to show everyone what I did over summer. One of our retired kindergarten teachers is a scrapbooker. She made a scrapbook of all the classes she has had over the years. 40 years worth of classes. I have been waiting for Pat to be at school (she is one of our regular volunteer's) and check out my scrapbook. Today was the day.

She looked at it and gave me an A+. Whew! Glad that is over and I am so excited she thinks I did so well.

Indiana - Number Worlds

Number Worlds - sounds like a fun thing. . . .well I am still trying to decide if that is true. Yesterday I went to a Math Orientation at Harris for a new program Greenfield-Central has purchased for our school system this year.

Last year we started a new Math Program - Everyday Math - and even at my advanced age, I was able to get it all together and perform as needed in 1st grade Math with Everyday Math. Now. . . . .they have purchased a program to enhance the Everyday Math - Number Worlds.

I am getting better with "numbers" every year. Math never was a comfortable subject for me when I was in school and certainly not now. I am learning. So now I am going to learn even more - sounds like a fun thing. . .we will see.

I will let you know more later on regarding Everyday Math (last years program) and the new introduction of Number Worlds (this years addition.

August 3, 2011

I heard a quote recently that makes me think. . .

"Life is all about how you handle PLAN B"

Hmmm. . . . . makes me wonder how I am coping with all the things that have been happening in my life since December 10, 2010. . . .hopefully with grace and as much dignity as I can.

Life is interesting!

Last Day of School 2011

School is over for this year. How quickly these 180 days of instruction have passed by. I keep telling myself I notice it more because I am getting older. But then when I hear some of the young teachers and assistants saying the same thing, I realize it is not all because of age.

I was forced to take this last week of school off. Physical problems made it difficult to work. So not really forced, but it seemed easier to be at home resting rather than at school walking and stressing. Therefore my principal encouraged me to take the week off which I did. Fortunately I still had personal time to use and I was able to get paid for these last 5 days.

I went to school on Thursday morning to see all my 1st graders one more time before they are "big" second grade students. Also I had made a scrapbook of each class for the teachers and I wanted to deliver those. To school I went - and I had so much fun. There just isn't any way to describe the feelings of accomplishment in seeing children who in the last 9 months have learned so many things and are on their way to becoming the adults of the future. To have had a small part in that education is most rewarding and I am blessed that I have been given that privilege.

First Grade

How quickly time flies....it doesn't seem quite possible that another school year is almost over.

The 88 - 1st grade students that I have had the privilege of working with and getting to know a little more about every day will very soon be in Second Grade and on to bigger and better things. I will certainly miss each one of them.

I will miss the many fun comments made to "Mrs. Towle" by these little ones like.....

Gabrielle who said one day, "Mrs. Towle, I really like that shirt you are wearing, but that thing on top is really a mess" - which was a sweater vest I thought looked quite nice.
- - - - - - - - - -
Miles who told me, "Mrs. Towle, you are the prettiest 'old ' lady I have ever seen"
- - - - - - - - - -
Robbie, who when he is doing something wrong, sees me coming toward him to remind him to make good choices, will smile, hug me and say, "I love you, Mrs. Towle"
- - - - - - - - - -
Austin, who doesn't like to read and I have books that he has to read to me will say, "Do you have any candy to give me if I read today?"
- - - - - - - - - -
Avery who has a lot of trouble being quiet and not talking out, and when I have told him for the fourth or fifth time during RTI to be quiet will tell me, "I'm really trying Mrs. Towle,
but it's hard, cause I'm a boy". I haven't figured out why being a boy makes it harder to be quiet, but according to Avery it does.
- - - - - - - - - -
Or Keeley who will ask every time I am reading with her reading group, "Let me be first, please, please, please?" It is difficult to look into those blue eyes and remind her that we have to take turns being first.
- - - - - -
One class told their teacher when I was off for a week following surgery in December. Can we make cards to send to Mrs. Towle. She allowed them to make those cards and another teacher brought them to me. How special each card is to me!

It has been a very rewarding year with 1st grade. I have enjoyed all 161 days we have had together so far. It is a learning experience for me and hopefully I have been able to help each one of them in their education this year.

I am somewhat sad about them all moving forward, but life does move on. I will be delighted to see them in the hall on a daily basis. And I will be looking forward to meeting a new group of first grade students to work with in August!