good thing I don't teach middle school

[pointing to my armpit] ...Hey Ms. Haley, you got something on your shirt.

Did I mention my school is a toasty mass of cinder blocks?

ms. clark?

My kids are still learning my name. To get my attention, they say things like --

"TEACHER! TEACHER!"
"Umm...excuse me? Mr. Haley?"
"Ms. Clark?"

...What? There isn't even a Ms. Clark in the building.

On another note, thank you so much to everyone who has donated supplies or offered support to my classroom. I cannot even express how important it is to feel that support while A. kicks and screams on the floor.

WE ARE HALFWAY TO CARPET LAND!

in less than 12 hours...

I will have my very own Kindergartners. Twenty-three of them, give or take.

In the past week I have worked relentlessly to make my room go from this:

To this:

It still needs a lot of work, but we are finally getting there. Soon the walls will be covered in student work and projects.

Maybe you're looking at the floor thinking gross? If you are willing to help furnish my classroom, we still need a rug for carpet time! Please go to Donor's Choose to give.

I am scaredexcitedterrifiednervousthrilled to start this journey, to be responsible for the emotional, academic, and personal well-being of 23 little people. Most of all, I am humbled to have this opportunity. Here's to nine-months of everyday new-beginnings, learning to read, loving to learn, and of course, exploration! Here's to The Land of I Can.

thank you

So much. Over the last week or so I have been so happily surprised by the outstanding response that I have received -- calls and emails came in from all over offering to send me supplies. I've gotten boxes and books and notes beyond my wildest expectations.

You all warm my heart. Thank you for your glitter scales, your caps, your too-full mittens. I am inspired and hopeful knowing that my twenty-three babies just gained an entire network of support through me. I couldn't do this without all of you!

a call for help!

As many of you know, I have been hired to teach Kindergarten very recently. I am absolutely thrilled that I will have my own classroom, that I get to teach the babies, and most importantly, that I am hired.

However, I am also in a bit of a pinch. You see, I don't really have any books for my library...

Many people have asked how they can support me as I embark on this endeavor of teaching, so I would like to make a call for help. I have this vision of filling my classroom with very intentional items that make sense to me and help me feel the support of important people in my life who are far away. Therefore, I would ask that if you had a favorite "first book" or author, something that made you love reading, and you have $5-10, that you would be so kind as to send me a copy for Room 205.

If you hated reading, but still want to help, there are a few other options for helping me that I would greatly appreciate:

• Send me your old books. You hated reading anyways.
• Send me my favorite beginning reading books. I am especially fond of Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, and Shel Silverstein. 
• Send me money. I will choose a book and let you know what I've picked.

If you are willing and able, shoot me an email so that I can send you my permanent address and make sure that I don't end up with any duplicates. 

I hope to hear from you soon!

who would have thought...

I would get so attached so quickly? Here are two of my babies.

Before I joined TFA, I read a blog post by an educator who argued that one of the many evils of the movement was the subjection of thousands of children to unprepared teachers. I was consistently preoccupied by the possibility that in my own quest for knowledge I would deprive my children of greater opportunities.

I speak for one experience, in one classroom, at one school, in one state, but after a month of teaching I can honestly say that I believe that we made an impact. I saw it when K went from unpredictable and gloomy to smiling and engaged, after answering 23 multiplication flashcards in 30 seconds. I saw it when two of our boys shook hands after 45 minutes of conflict resolution. And, I saw it in the data.

Two weeks out, I'm worrying that we did not make transformational change -- and that is what I hope to do this coming fall.