mommy's school

I started packing up my classroom today. It was the saddest I think I've been this whole process. Just kind of hit me that I'm actually leaving an amazing job that I've loved for ten years. I mean, I'm totally stoked (do people still say that?) about my new job, but today was just tough packing up ten years of teaching memories.

I won another grant a few months ago and used the money to buy some new treble clef rugs for my room (and the bandroom). The kids love playing note games on those things! In this blurry pic, I call out the letter name of the note and the first person there wins. Pretty simple but they could play it all day if I let them.

I've been taking Audrie to school with me a couple days a week. I love spending the time with her, she ADORES going to 'mommy's school', and my students are always begging me to bring her.

I love watching her adapt the lesson to fit her ability. Here the kids are playing through some chord progression changes every four beats and Audrie just strummed the open strings over and over- but she kept the beat and strum pattern with the students. I was proud of her!

I also used the last of my budget money this year to buy a sweet trapset for my classroom. As you can imagine, the students think it's the bomb. Audrie does too!

Audrie always makes a best friend wherever she goes and this girl, Hannah, has stolen Audrie's heart. (Hannah painted Audrie's face in art class in this pic.)

I know it's hard to fathom, but Audrie likes 'playing teacher' and bossing the kids around. She tells them to please sit down, be quiet, and make good choices. They eat it up.

I have another group of girls that always beg to take Audrie out to recess with them. Free babysitting? Sure!

And when Audrie needs a break, she knows where my candy stash is and hooks herself up to sesamestreet.org to play games online.

Last week was especially fun with Audrie in my classroom, because the kids were working on a songwriting project and they had to sing their songs for the class. And I've figured out that if you let the students dress up with dorky props- they perform better. Something about hiding behind a costume that makes them brave.

So, of course, Audrie jumps right in the middle of things.

She was the self-appointed mascot for every performance.

Then she got enough courage to go solo.

Here is a little video clip of one of the MANY acts she did all day.




"Teaching" really wears this girl out...

Better stick to terrorizing Annie and the kitty. :)