We're BACK!!!!

The first day back from the holidays is always a challenge for kindergarten students. They have to adjust to the school schedule and the school routine again. Half my class told me they were sleepy at 9:30 AM. "Sorry! We can't go to sleep. We're here and we have a lot to do. " Lunchtime is at 10:50 AM and then recess. It rained a lot early yesterday morning. It left the ground very wet. We couldn't go outside for recess. We had to go to the room instead. Someone had to cry. Not me, one of the students. Kindergarten lives for recess; even after two weeks of holidays. Rest time is at 1:00 PM after Music. By 1:30 PM 4 students were asleep and the rest said they were hungry. "I know! We'll have a snack after Social Studies."

The teachers also have to adjust to the school schedule and routine. The biggest challenge is adjusting your body to the restroom opportunities. Or actually the lack of restroom opportunities. Don't stand in front of the restroom doors after the students are gone. I am certain the water pressure in Waco drops drastically at school dismissal time. Fortunately dismissal times are staggered between elementary, middle, and high school.

Our campus uses the Voyager Expanded Learning Universal Literacy System for English/Language Arts in the early grades. One of the components of the system provides for highly structured and scripted lessons. In order to prepare for the daily lessons the teacher has to gather materials each afternoon for the next days lesson. I didn't remember if I had prepared for the lesson before I went home for the holidays. As soon as I got to school Tuesday morning I grabbed my teacher's guide and looked at the lesson and my materials. It didn't look as if I prepared so I set about to gather and organize. I finished and felt good. Later, I discovered I looked at the Wrong page in the guide and unknowingly prepared for next Monday by mistake. OOPS! I had already prepared for the lesson before I left for the holidays. Now what is it they say about the best-laid plans of mice and men?

© 2008 Barry T Horst


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