Update

>>I changed my background to halloween-y type. I thought it was fun, and I needed a change. I needed something new. I am still learning blogspot, and how to tweak things so I like them, but I'll probably never get it perfect. "grouch-aid" (as she is so nicely called) had her last day friday, and the new I.A. came and learned her way around. She was AMAZING so far. She is new, so she's fresh and not jaded. She wants to do things correctly. She took the science book home to prepare for next week. She offered to take papers home to grade because she rarely sleeps (She said insomnia) After school she asked me what she was supposed to do? I told her, "well, now you can go home?" She was so surprised! She asked if there was anything else she could do. THIS WAS AMAZING. she came out in the hot sun, and played basketball with us. She took the students to the bus. Helped the kids get their lunches. Stuff I did, but really shouldnt have done. LIFE IS GOING TO BE AMAZING if this continues. It is nice to have someone who WANTS to be there. Someone I dont have to tiptoe around. Someone I don't have to WORK to show them how amazing my kiddos are. That is what I deserve. I don't deserve to have to make someone's life easier just because they don't want to work in my classroom. That's how it was. I GAVE into too many demands from her, when I never did that before for ANYONE. I didn't do some lessons/work that I BELIEVED IN, because she complained how much she hated that type of stuff. I regret this. I should never let anyone dictate how I teach. I did so much for my students last year, that I regret not doing what I could have for this last month. Things will be different now.
>>I have this new curriculum called SIPPS. My goal this weekend was to organized and learn the first few lessons so I can start to teach it this week. Of course it is now Sunday, and I put it off, but I still have today, and I will prepare and learn it. This program may be a LITTLE too advanced for some of my kiddos, but we'll get them there. It really focus' on phonic sounds, which pairs with sight words, gibberish words, weekly spelling lists (Even though I already do this). Hopefully I can supplement additional stories that match with the sound for the lesson, and I can extend one lesson for a whole week. I am excited. I am excited to start fresh, and prove what I can do.