And they are off!

Yes, my kids started back at school too. Apparently it's a new tradition in New Brunswick that it will rain on the first day of school so my pictures are all early morning indoors with dreary lighting.

My oldest suggested this Beatles circa 1963 shot on the stairway, I think of it more as a Brady Bunch 1970's pic.

Don't ask me how my lovely daughter got this cool hairflip to match her model pose at 6:30 in the morning.  She started at her new daycare.

My 6 year old was pumped for grade 1.

My 9 year old really didn't want to smile for any pictures, but I made him laugh and caught it.  Look out grade 4.

My 3 ready to go

On the way to the bus stop.  Charlie wants to go too.

First day of daycare.  Her new daycare has preschool elements to it and she is loving it.

It was a little weird sending the boys off to school.  Their school is the one that I have taught at the past couple of years.  There are pros and cons to both.  It is nice to not have the dual role of parent and teacher on staff at the same school, but I miss seeing my teacher friends and being part of that community.  My new school is in town so there is a little commute and slightly different hours. The kids' school runs from 7:45 to 1:10 (K-2) and 2:10 (3-8).  My school runs from 8:30-3:00 (I teach grade 4). My school has been very welcoming to me and I do feel right at home there too.
My oldest is in an intensive french program (it's a grade 5 program for all NB students not in French Immesion.  He's in a 4/5 split so he will get it for 2 years).  He is loving it.  My husband was really amazed at how much french he was rattling off during the Open House night this week. 
My 6 year old is loving grade 1.  He's in a 1/2 split and tells me about all his adventures on the new school playground.  Apparently they have nicknamed the merry-go-round the puke express.  Lovely, I know.  My 3 year old is thriving in the preschool based daycare that she is at and is excited to go each day.  So far, a great start of the year.

 

The beginning of school and all of that.

The first 6 weeks of school for any teacher is pretty insane.  In my case I'm starting at a new school and a new to me grade.  So there was the moving, both my stuff from my old school to my new and from the old grade 4 room to the new one that I currently occupy.  I'm getting to know a whole new set of kids.  I spend a lot of time in the first 6 weeks reading student files, benchmarking and assessing where they are at and how they learn best.  I also spend time teaching routines for the kids to follow and playing with seating arrangements to find one that will work best for the students I have.

My classroom was pretty empty when I first moved in - the boxes are mine

My classroom after a lot of work

Ready for students

I really do love the classroom I have been given.  It is the largest one in the upstairs wing.  This means that I can create difrerent areas for learning to take place.  I chose to place the students in desks in order to give them their own space.  Rather than traditional rows, the desks are on a semicircle of rows facing towards the Smartboard.  We have two areas of black and white tiled mats.  One is in front of the Smartboard for comfortable seating.  The other is at our Meeting Place in our book corner by a window. I love that there are 2 tabled areas for students to work at.  One of the tables is kidney shaped.  The students face towards the literacy wall and is a great place for teacher time.  The other is 2 trapezoids pushed together for group work.
I've had a great start to the year and am happy with the way things are going.  I'm happy to say that I've finished all of the "where to start" assessments of my students and have a good idea of my students' needs.  Looking forward to a great year!

My Class, the first day of school