Arts and Crafts

That's what Lyndsi told Dylan she did in school all day on her first day of second grade. Now I know it sounds cute but, to a teacher, it sounds horrifying! We have a short 180 days to teach our little darlings some pretty major stuff and they have a mere 180 days to learn it! So there is no time to spend on "arts and crafts". I was shocked to hear that Lyndsi spent a full 7 hours on "arts and crafts"! Consider my further alarm when I realized that I was Lyndsi's second grade teacher and she was talking about what I had planned for my new students to do on their first day of school! Pure mortification! What are all the other kids telling their parents?

Actually, I did get quite a giggle out of this because what Lyndsi didn't realize was how much knowledge she was actually applying through those "arts and crafts". I giggled a little harder when I remembered that those were the same words my dad used when he was trying to describe my Master's program to my sister. Lyndsi didn't know I was assessing how well she could read and write, how much she understood about the workings of graphs, what kind of knowledge she had of numbers....the list goes on! AND I was able to assess every one of my 24 other students in the same way. After my initial shock of hearing those particular words used in reference to my teaching, I realized that the implication was that Lyndsi was enjoying her learning in a way that she wasn't used to. This is exactly why arts integration is becoming more and more important to me as a teacher. It's tough to do but so worth it!

Our first day of school! Lyndsi is in second grade and Dylan is in fifth grade.

August 30

Ah - the life of a coach's wife. I thought Steve said practice would be over at 5:30. It's now 6:21 and dinner is trying it's best to stay warm closed up in the microwave. Sigh....

August 31

I think my classroom is ready! I hope my stamina is!

September 1

First Day of School 2010! Lyndsi is a second grader and Dylan is a fifth grader at Virginia Grainger Elementary. This is Dylan's last year at the grade school - yikes!

September 2

Our pharmacy is closing. This makes me sad. This pharmacy was owned and runned locally. Very few of those left. This is one of the sad sights in our small town - closing stores.

September 3

First Okanogan Bulldog home football game of the season. This is one of the fun parts of living in a small town. I'm to the point in my life here that I know many of the players so I have a personal connection to the game. I still find that I can't keep my mind on what's going on on the field but would rather people watch in the stands!

September 4

I love these tractors (combines?)! Don't really know why, other than they remind me of Frank from the move "Cars". We pass by these guys on our way to and from Spokane. They are on Highway 2 and have been for a couple of years. I don't know thay they ever get used!