The von M Family: September 2011

I have been a crappy blogger since school (work) started. I feel like planning for my first graders has taken over my time. When I went back to the classroom, I was a little scared of teaching first grade since I was used to working with Kindergartners. Actually, I got used to mainly working with adults (being an instructional coach), but I had taught third grade for two years and Kindergartners for five years. I wasn't really sure what to do with first graders...most of them already know how to read (unlike K). What the heck do I do with them when they already know how to read?! I am figuring it out, though, and I am loving it! I love my class--they are a bunch of sweeties!
So, as for my own kiddos...they are doing fabulous. Well, except for a few of the notes we have gotten about B-man. The other day his note said that he "pestered" a friend. I asked what that meant and the teachers told me that he didn't really do anything bad, he just followed a friend around for a while (very close) and "bothered" him. Apparently, he followed this kid around and barely touched him, but just bothered him for a while. Hmmm. Okay. So, today, Erick picked him up from school and when he got home, he looked at his notes and there was a form that was filled out that said that B had bitten a friend for no reason. Greaaaat. Right away, I wondered who the "friend" was...hoping it wasn't the daughter of the ONE parent I know in the class. And guess what I found out? It was her. So, he bit the one person (not that I want him to bite ANYone) that I did not need him to bite. Even more fabulous. The thing is, he doesn't do it at home. And when saying that, I feel like I am one of the parents that I talk to that says, "I have noooo idea why my kid did that at school. He neeevvvver does this at home." And as I teacher, I think (but don't say), "ya right." But B really doesn't bite at home. So I don't even know what to do to help at school. Erick and I are concerned and I wish I could be there when it happened so I could do something about it. So. That's that. I really pray that it doesn't happen again! I know he doesn't do it to be mean...he just doesn't know what to or what NOT to do.
So, enough about Brecken. Ava, on the other hand, is pretty much the perfect student. Her teachers tell us how much they love her and how well behaved she is at school. Her main teacher told me that she is starting to really come out of her shell...starting to actually eat more of her lunch (she is a VERY picky eater) and play with her friends at recess. For a while, when we picked her up, the kids would be outside nd Ava would just be standing there, holding the teacher's hand. I continued to talk with Ava about how important it was to play with her friends and not just stand there. She kept saying, "But Miss So-and So said it was okay to hold her hand." I talked with her and told her that I really wanted her to play on the playground and play with her friends and make new friends. And guess what? She has been listening! When I have picked her up lately, she has actually been playing with kiddos on the playground. One day, she was with another girl playing in the sandbox. When Erick picked her up today, he saw her dancing outside with a couple of other girls. AND she has been eating more at lunch. Yay! Her teachers tell me that she behaves so well at school that they can't even imagine her getting into trouble EVER. And that is great! Erick and I are so glad she does so well at school! BUT. Yes, there is a but. I have come to the conclusion that she holds all of "it" in until she gets home. She doesn't misbehave all day...until she gets home. And the misbehavior or sassiness has been happening so often when she gets home that I have grown tired of it. So, this week, she got Sassy Sauce. I have been threatening Sassy Sauce (learned about it from a friend) most of the summer and I told her I wouldn't give her anymore warnings. So, Tuesday, when she went to time-out for hitting her brother on the head after about two minutes of being home...and after she continued to tell and scream like a crazy woman while in time-out, I decided now was the time. Sassy Sauce. She DID NOT like the taste of it at all. Actually, half of it ended up on my bare foot because she tried to spit it out. Her face turned red (not because it hurt her--just because it was gross tasting) and she kept making a spitting and gagging sound. I told her that she should never act like that again, because the Sassy Sauce would go in her mouth again. Only the future will tell us if it worked or not. Like I said, I had been threatening it for quite some time, she had never tasted it, and it was working. I guess she needed to know that I was serious.
So, after all of that info, I have lots of pics to share! Happy Looking! :)