I have survived my first full week of school! We have really gotten into the swing of things, starting the first unit for each subject, and I am having so much fun.

We have been working with compasses and drawing designs with circles which has been quite a challenge for them. I have a couple left-handed boys (actually four) who really find this a challenge. But they have been doing a great job, which was so exciting to see!

We have also done a couple science experiments, which are fun but they are pretty stressful for me. The students get so excited about them that they have huge problems listening long enough to hear all the directions, so they end up having to do something over. But I think from now on, all the materials will stay out of their hands until they get all the directions and can repeat them back to me... lol.

In social studies we have been doing fun geography challenges too, although the following directions thing has been a little bit of a problem there too. They have been improving recently, though, so that's good.

My class is so unique, so different from any class I have ever worked with before. I don't have many issues with disrespect, which is likely thanks to the strict guidelines the students have been learning beginning in kindergarten or preschool. But they are just so chatty, they really never stop talking!! I am still working on figuring out the best way to persuade them to keep quiet while working. They do well some times and others not so much. I may start some kind of reward program for when they do a good job listening and working without chatting. We'll see! The fact that my biggest problem is my students wanting to share their lives with my and the class is pretty good!

This week we have a couple stressful things coming up - open house on tuesday and an observation by a nun on thursday! eeek! but hey, I have handled all the stressful situations that have been presented to me so far, so I can do it. I am doing a much better job realizing that worrying over something is really not worth the energy that it takes.

What else... oh, Buddy the turtle bit my uncle (Father Justin), which I think is hilarious. he picked up the turtle with his hand around his head when he thought it was around his behind. the turtle latched on! so he has renamed the turtle Chomper. the best part was that my class gave him such a hard time about how he should've read the note on his tank (which says don't tap on the glass or reach in or I may bite you) - lol.

That's all for now! pictures of my classroom will be coming soon! :)