Top 10 Things I Loved about the First Week of School

I really, really love my job.

Not everyone gets up and heads into work with a giant smile painted across their face. I know that. Boy do I feel blessed that I’m one of the lucky ones who do. I love my job. I mean, I really, really love my job. The first week of school confirms it once again. Yes, I am bone tired after standing on my feet for most of every single day. In fact, it’s now nearly 2pm on Saturday afternoon and I’ve just unglued myself from the living room couch to officially start my weekend warrior work. (That’s after an 8-11am journey to watch my cross country runners melt along the 5K course at Great Meadows.) As tuckered out as I am, I am smiley face happy. The first week of school was like rocketing out of the starting gate at the Kentucky Derby…exhilarating!

10. We made our own birthday cards…and wrote 10 things that make us unique and wonderful on the backside of our handcrafted cards.

Photo Credit: www.titanui.com

Photo Credit: www.titanui.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. We heard an inaugural address by Kid President and vowed ourselves to be awesome this year.

 

8. We made Big Plans together, sharing out our sixth grade dreams on the front and back of Crayola-colored index cards.

Big Plans cover

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. We watched the MazeRunner movie trailer – dipping our toes into a future of Book Talk Tuesdays. It’s true…the book is always better! 

 

6. We met the real Cynthia Rylant, the Newbery Award-winning writer who grew up reading drugstore comics–not library books–in poverty stricken Appalachia.

cynthia rylant when i was young

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. As we shared our first read-aloud, Rylant’s excerpt, The Prettiest, we were startled by Okey’s almighty hollerin’…and surprised by Ellie and her Dad’s unlikely bond in the midst of an early morning dawn.

 

4. We nibbled on books in a round-robin book tasting. We talked about falling in love with reading–and finding the “just right” book. We made Someday lists of books we want to read. We opened our classroom library, checked out books, and began another life.

 

3. We  visited the computer lab, changing passwords and setting up files. Some even explored this blog and began imagining the creation of their own student blog–which is coming soon!

 

2. We became desktop writers, using Expo markers to record our classmate interviews on our newly assigned desks. One student asked, “Are you serious, Mrs. Rombach? Can we really write on our desks?” Oh yes, we can! (Baby wipes clean instantly.)

photo 1-2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. We traded names, stories, laughter, and caromed through our first four days of sixth grade together. I am giddy with excitement about journeying through this year together. Sixth graders are awesome (especially the ones I’m blessed to teach).

 

Here’s to the inimitable story we’ll write together…

Mrs. Rombach

 

 

7 thoughts on “Top 10 Things I Loved about the First Week of School

  1. Happy Back to School! How lucky are you and your 6th graders. To have such an impassioned teacher is a blessing; to work at a job you love with people you love is a blessing.
    You certainly packed a lot of activity into one week! A visit from a Newbery author, similes, metaphors, hyperboles on desks, Kid President, The Maze Runner, Birthday cards…WOW! We look forward to sharing the story with you!
    ~Mrs. Donofrio

    • Let’s definitely connect in the coming weeks. I’ll be setting up blogs shortly, and want to make a class-to-class connection right from the outset. 🙂 Let’s trade emails so we can hook up our kiddos to share their year online. 🙂
      Thanks for stopping by! – Mrs. Rombach

  2. Hi Mrs.Rombach!

    I am not sure how to approve my comments any more, because I think that you have to approve the comments for me. The comments won’t show until you approve them, even if I click all comments. Thank you! Also, your new students this year are so LUCKY! I would love to have written on the desks last year! This year, since we have FACS we make food in class! Last year we smelled really good things in the hallways, they are cinnamon bow knots! I can’t wait to make those, what are you most excited about this year?

    Stay Happy 🙂
    Quynh-Thi http://eatsweet.edublogs.org

    • If you have any extra cinnamon bow knots, I know a few sixth grade teachers who are happy to consume the extras. 🙂 (hint. hint.) Let’s see. What am I most excited about? Spending a year with another extraordinary group of kids–people who one day soon with change the world just by being part of it. 🙂 I’ll check those comments, young lady. It’s been so crazy busy that I haven’t been on the blog as much as usual. That’ll change soon. It’s just all the start-up routines. 🙂 Hope you’re loving 7th grade! 🙂 — Mrs. Rombach

      • Hi Mrs.Rombach!

        Yes, it has been a bit of a crazy ride! I do love 7th grade, but I am overwhelmed with homework!! 🙂

        Stay Happy 🙂
        Quynh-Thi

  3. Hello Mrs Rombach!
    My name is Dia from Mrs Donofrio’s blog! I LOVE the book the Maze Runner, and my friend Sydney and I are waiting eagerly for its release into theaters. Have you read the sequels and prequel? They are equally exciting.
    When my teacher first said we could write on our desks, I was as surprised as your 6th graders! Although it is VERY fun, it sometimes creates a huge mess. At the end of the year, a girl brought in shaving cream and we cleaned the desks like that, which I highly recommend.
    On YouTube, there is a fun math-ish related video called doodling in math that is kind of like you cat video!
    Have fun with your school year!
    What is your favorite part of the school year?
    -DIA

    • Hi Dia!

      Have you read Girl, Stolen by April Henry yet? That’s one of my favorite books of the summer. In fact, if you read it and fall in love with the breathtaking intensity of Henry’s writing, she has a new book that’s worth exploring: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die. I haven’t yet dabbled in the MazeRunner sequels yet, though they are in my classroom library. I had to take a breather from the dystopian novels. I’m reading The Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings right now. LOVE IT. And I already read the follow-up (The Long Journey Home) by accident. I highly recommend these riveting tales. Please tell Mrs. Donofrio that we’re excited to connect with your class SOON! We’ll be setting up blogs in the next few weeks and look forward to trading comments. 🙂 Cheers-

      Mrs. Rombach

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