My new classes

So, as I've said before I started a new semester recently. My classes are going well. I feel like I'm finally getting into the swing of things. I have three classes. One is called basic reading. This consists of seven and eight year olds who are just learning to read. I really love this class because I do a lot of the same things that I did when I taught first grade in Las Vegas. I have really tried to expand the curriculum that we are given and give the kids more time and opportunities to learn through games and other activities. They seem to really enjoy it. I have six kids in that class. Their names are Rainie, Isabella, Ginny, Alston, Charles, and Ivan. I love them all. I wish I could take all of them back to America with me.

This is Ivan, Chloe, Isabella, and Charles. We were talking about huts and they were building one.

This is Isabella. A character in our book had a birthday party so we celebrated for him.

Then there are my first graders. They are crazy but I love them. I only have four kids in that class. We have a lot of fun together. We can do that because there are only four of them. Lately we've been working on a natural disasters. We have made hurricanes and tornadoes and we are working on a volcano right now. They are having fun that's all that matters right? I really do love this class. They are the reason that I teach on Saturdays.

This is Immy with her tornado.

This is Ray and Coco with their tornado.

We are also making picture memory books for our natural disasters unit this is Peko working on her

This is Ray. When we were learning about hurricanes they built their own houses and tried to knock them down with wind...aka their own breath. They actually really enjoyed it.

My fifth graders have been a struggle this semester. At the beginning of the semester I started with six kids. They keep adding more people to my class. One boy that they added is far below my other students. I have to stay after every day to help catch him up. It is frustrating when he continues to try to get me to feed him the answers instead of thinking for himself. I know he knows more than he wants me to believe. The other boy that they have added is the class clown. He doesn't listen, he is always out of his seat, and he tries not to do the work. It is frustrating because every thing he says makes the kids starts to laugh and they get distracted too. I have tried everything and I don't know what to do next. I started a new behavior system on Monday I hope that it will continue to help their behavior. I used to love going to this class. The kids are older so they know how to communicate better. Now I dread going to that class and it is the worst two hours of my day. I really hope that it gets better or the next three months will be miserable. Luckily I have a four day weekend this weekend so I will have a break from those kids. Don't get me wrong, I really do love them. They are just super stressful. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of them this semester because class is so stressful that I don't have time or the desire to take pictures of them.

I'm sorry that I sound so whiny this has just been a stressful couple of weeks. Hopefully my next post will be happy and encouraging. Until then, stay safe in America and I will see youin 95 days!