ABC, 123, Yes & No, Because I Said So!

We had some fairly major events in the world of Kindergarten this week. On Tuesday, we had our very first fire drill. Oh yes, walking outside in an organized fashion at the same time as.... oh, pretty much ANYone else (especially the whole school), is a major event. 

In my head, I foresaw this going one of two ways: 

Scenario A:

Scenario B: 
We all make it safely and quietly to our designated area, and the principal doesn't feel the need to acknowledge our presence.

Now, because the drill was happening first thing in the morning, I figured my odds were about 50/50 for getting either one of these outcomes. You see, on the up side, the kids are generally really quiet and well-behaved first thing in the morning, but on the down side, we didn't have much time to go over what was going to happen/what was expected of them, and in Kindergarten: Front-Loading. Is. Everything. Plus, given the large number of Middle Eastern refugees in my class, I was slightly worried that I might have a screaming, crying, The-Russians-Are-Coming type mass-exodus on my hands. BUT! As it turns out, one brief conversation about the loud noise that would come from the "red box on the wall", and one heaping stack of jumbo-size "Good Job" stickers later, we were all lined up, quiet, and marching like a regular infantry! Say whaaaat?!! Three cheers for Scenerio B!!! The jumbo sticker I gave myself says, "Good Job! You earned a cocktail."

After surviving the fire drill, the rest of the week had its ups and downs and I'm quickly learning that one day is great and the next day leaves me feeling like I will literally fall over if I have to say, "Uh-oh! We keep our hands to ourselves!" just one more time. But all in all, I see much improvement from all of them each and every day, and for that, I am very proud.

This afternoon we had a Parent Orientation meeting in my classroom to go over curriculum and expectations, so all week in preparation I have been repeating to myself, "I am not afraid of parents. I do know all the answers. I can do this!" because truly, it was something I was sort of dreading in fear that I would choke under the pressure of an audience, slip up, and reveal the classroom-teacher inexperience that I try so hard to conceal with poise, grace, and "Fake-It-Til-You-Make-It-ness." But somehow, when the time finally came and all the parents started filing in, I was surprised by the overwhelming calm that came over me. It turns out, I did know all the answers! I wasn't afraid of parents! I could do it! Plus.... it totally helped that all of my parents were incredibly nice and seemed to be completely enraptured by every word I said. By the end, I was downright putting on a show and wishing to myself that I could shrink them all down, put them in my purse, and get them out every time I need a confidence booster. 

So, we made it through our first full week and I have to say, I am so very proud of my kids. I have a couple who are still testing the boundaries, pushing the envelope, and throwing out the occasional sass, but little by little they're starting to shape up. Every day they are becoming more and more adapted to our routines and procedures, and they are showing me how very capable they are (or sometimes aren't.....) of completing new tasks. We are all learning a great deal. And I just love them. Even the ones I don't always like, I love. They're such neat little people in so many different little ways.

This Week's Lesson: The tone and volume of a Kindergarten Teacher's voice has two levels: High & Loud, and High & Outside-Loud. This can be hard to turn on and for your throat to adapt to, but once you get used to it, it gets hard to turn off.....