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