re-post

I just had to post this Facebook status from a student's mom who teaches 4th grade at my school:

I had to laugh at Nico's pre-K homework..."Draw a picture of your school," it said. Nico draws a door, a window, his teacher, himself and a pillow..."Why a pillow, Nico?" ..."So I can sleep over with Ms. Toll, of course," ... of course. silly me.

 

Love Nico. 

anything you want

The day Phil Anaya attended pre-k

There comes a time in every 4-year-old's life when they are presented with meaningful and important career options. Information is given in hopes that they set their minds on something magical and fulfilling to pursue for the next 20 years. Yes folks, 20(ish) years ago your pre-kindergarten teacher was planting the seed of success into your mind. And yes, even as you entered college at 18 years old it was still a terribly difficult decision. If I were to have become what I wanted to be at 4-years-old right now I would be lighting up the big screen. Thank the lord that isn't the case and that I am happily nestled in a classroom full of eager and energetic 4-year-old helping them grow into awesome little people. Presented to you now is a time-line of "When I grow up I wanna be a(n)...."

...actress

....author

...teacher

...veterinarian

...artist

...actress

...pop star (ah, sigh...)

...veterinarian

...architect

...lawyer

...lawyer (thank you "Legally Blonde")

...architect

...lawyer (thank you "Legally Blonde II")

...psychiatrist 

...pediatrician

...veterinarian

...architect

...Victoria's Secret model (WTF??)

...history teacher

...advertiser

...interior designer

...psychiatrist

...journalist

...product package designer

...teacher

So I guess I have a certain pre-kindergarten teacher somewhere to blame this long obnoxious list on. But honestly I am so thankful for it.

I can't express how happy it makes me every time one of my my students tells me "I want to be a teacher, like you Ms. Toll..." or like Hunter today: "I want to be a teacher." Me: "Why?" Hunter: "Just so I can teach people." I love that he is straightforward.

But it also makes me so happy that so many of them want to be doctors, or firefighters, or police officers or bankers because at the beginning of the year I was a bit nervous when they told me things like Transformer, or race car, or even the most popular answer.... Spongebob. Yes, a mere 8 months ago many of them looked up to the yellow sponge in the square pants who flips burgers at the Krabby Patty. I love looking down at their little faces and imagining how amazing they will be in 25 years. I am so relieved and comfortable knowing now that they do not aspire to be Spongebob Square Pants.

Mr. Phil paid a visit to inform the youngsters about reporting for the news. They were so in awe and so inspired, it was awesome. I can't wait to be watching the news one day and see one of them on there....

Cheers to your childhood dreams. Feel free to make a time-line and reflect on all the funny (yet uber important) aspirations you once had. Is your list longer than mine?? Embrace your inner child and naiveté for a moment's time, you'll be surprised to see how happy it makes you. And if you still feel inspired by your childhood desires I urge you to read (or re-read) Randy Pausch's "The Last Lecture" because that man is my "childhood dream" idol.

It's ooooon.

SPRING BREAK

The best gift ever.

Oh my gosh I am desperately in need of a break. I can't wait. The worst part about it? I feel as though it is already over.

Well, after SB I have only one more quarter with my kiddos. That means I'm 3/4 of the way done with them. I think this is supposed to freak me out, it does a little, but I am so impressed with how smart they are confident that they will do very well next year. A little of what they know so far:

20 letters and letter sounds
11 words
Time to the hour and half hour (a first grade standard!)
Counting to 30
Spatial reasoning (in, out, under, above...)
8 shapes
10 colors
and so much more....

they are just so stinking smart. They soak it all up like little sponges and make me so happy.

I'm looking for graduation ideas if anyone has any For sure I MUST play Rascal Flatts "My Wish" I mean, it's the perrrfect pre-k graduation song in my opinion.

Pen Pals

Our class pan-pals... At the writing center I had the kids pick out their pen-pals from the wall and then write a letter to them. Larry kept telling me "ask him if he can come to my house, ask him if he can come to my house Ms. Toll!" Then it was so cute when Larry left the writing center and I heard him tell a few other kids in the class: "guys, I went to writing and I made a new best friend!"

Oh, I love cupcakes so much that I bought one from Juliana at recess for $33.60 from her cake shop. That was the most I had ever spent on a (make-believe) cupcake (although I only paid with wood chips).