It's this phrase and the one from Finding Nemo that keep running through my mind this week: "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming"!  Today, it was humid enough that it almost did feel like we were swimming!  

It has been a week of endurance for all of us.  The kids are doing great hanging in there, but after about the first 45 minutes to hour, they start wilting.  The challenge of talking/listening over the fans, the sweat rolling down our faces, and the overall uncomfortable feeling of it all takes its toll.  

I am trying to get through all our core subjects every morning.  We start off with our big chunk of reading with both Mrs. Kaisand and me teaching.  It's been a modified version, as we would typically do a 25 minute slot each afternoon as well, but we are making it work.  I then try to get the Vowac lesson taught before they go out for recess.  When they come in from recess, it's hotter and more difficult to concentrate, so I try to get as much teaching in as possible before then.  

Today, the temperature in the room shot up two degrees as the students re-entered the room from recess!  We are thinking of modifying our recess plans for tomorrow, which is forecast to be even warmer (is that even possible?!?!?).  

Today Mr. Alons brought in bags of ice cubes for the students and teachers to use, so after recess, we took our waterbottles to the freezer and filled them with ice and fresh water.  The students who did not have waterbottles had time to get some nice long cold drinks.  We then headed to the air conditioned library for our 20 minute slot of coolness.  It was a good place to get our Vowac worksheets done.

We were then able to come back to our room and get our math problem solving worksheet completed.  We had to work hard to get through it, but we did it!  

We ended the day by watching a sight word video while I listened to memory verses. I turned off the lights and the students were able to sit quietly and learn some sight words (we call them "outlaw words" in first grade!").  I was just tickled that I was able to hear everyone's memory verse before we went home...and I was tickled that most of the students did EXCELLENT!  Way to go!  

Please do keep us in your prayers tomorrow...it has been a long and tiring week--I'm sure you can see on your child how much the heat affects them.  We as teachers are also wearing down.  Please pray that we may have one more day of energy to teach these precious kiddos!  

Many thanks for all the feedback and comments!  Right now, it looks like there are five in the drawing for the DAIRY QUEEN GIFT CARD!  I will draw for the winner tomorrow afternoon!  

WOW!  I can't believe it!  It has been such a crazy hot week, but I am so proud of my first graders!  They have done an AMAZING job, particularly today, of working VERY hard despite the 90 degree temperature in our room!  It almost looks like they have been in first grade for months!  Please tell them to keep up the good work...I am a very proud teacher!!  

Please do take a look at the "Home" page for a few updates!  Do remember to read the updates...there will be info on a new memory verse and our first reading log!!  :)  

Sorry for not posting a blog sooner...I know some of you are waiting so that you can comment! :)  

For those who comment on the blog this week, your name will be put in the drawing for a DAIRY QUEEN gift card!!  COOL TREATS sound good to me this week!!

Stay cool!

Blessings, 
Mrs. Stam

RUTH D.J.!!!  Congrats, Ruth!  Look for your $5 WalMart gift card to come home on Monday!

Thanks to everyone for reading and writing comments!  We will try for another drawing next week.  

Remember, all you need to do is read the newest updates and the blog and comment on the blog and I will put your name in the drawing for a treat!  I will let you know what the new incentive is soon! Have a great weekend! 

Just thought I'd quickly touch base with those of you checking in!  

Today was...shall we say...a challenge for most of the kids!  Not only was it the first full day of first grade, it was a very warm and humid one!  They did great...but I could tell after that final recess that they were all starting to wear down.  I think there were a lot of hot and tired kids!  

The first full day of first grade is always tough.  First grade is so much different than kindergarten: More seat work, less "play" time, no restroom in the room, and many brand new things to learn and remember!  I am proud of the students!  They hung in there as we went through a fairly normal Thursday schedule.  We even managed to get in our first art project at the end of the day!  (Hopefully pictures coming soon!  I need to get them hung up first!)

In reading today, we talked a bit about building up our reading stamina.  I explained stamina by using the example of an Olympic swimmer.  We discussed how those Olympic swimmers didn't just hop in the pool one day and swim really far really fast; they had to slowly build up stamina.  We will be doing the same thing in these coming weeks with reading independently.  First we will read only a minute at a time, and slowly work up to...twenty minutes!!!  WOW!  So please do ask your first grader about stamina tonight!!

Mrs. Kaisand came in during our reading times today, which she will do every day.  Students will be divided into two groups, and will rotate between the two of us throughout the week.  We are looking forward to teaching reading together another year!

Alrighty...time to get busy!  Have a great evening!  

Blessings,
Mrs. Stam

Well, it's official:  The first day of first grade is history!  I was very impressed with my students this morning!  It's always tough the first morning, because I want to start some fun activities, but I have learned that first it's best to cover some classroom procedures and policies.  If I don't do this first, I spend more time answering questions than teaching!  

SO, it was a busy morning, filled with learning what all that "stuff" is around the room!  

After recess, we were able to start work on our time capsules.  We try to document what we are able to do when we first come to first grade, and then the final week of school, we dig them out and open them up to see how much they have grown and changed!

Included in our time capsules are:

• A copy of their best handwriting and spelling
• A self portrait
• Their best coloring
• A piece of yarn as tall as they are
• A picture of them on the first day

The kids don't always understand exactly what they are doing now, but come the day they get to open them, they LOVE it!  It is always amazing to me how much they grow and learn in nine months!

On a different note:  I also wanted to thank you all for coming for Back to School night.  I apologized if it's busy and crowded!  I try to keep it short to keep everyone moving.  I am hoping in these next few days to really get to know my students better!  

Well, off to enjoy some air conditioning for the rest of the day!  Blessings to you all!

Mrs. Stam

Well, if the blog shows a timestamp, it should indicate that this is being written well past my back to school bed time!  I've decided to enjoy one final Sunday evening past 10:00 p.m., as I know those days are done now for awhile!  Now it is time for early bedtimes and early wake-ups!

I am hoping that Back To School Night doesn't get too late for any of us tomorrow, so everyone can get a good night's rest before the first day!

I am looking forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night.  You are welcome to come with supplies and even backpacks (they may stay the night at school or come along for that first morning of first grade!).  

Our time together will be spent organizing and putting away supplies, as well as going over the website and how we can stay in touch this year!  

I will try to be as effecient as possible to get everyone on their way quickly!  

Thanks for checking in!  Bravo to the three of you who have gotten your name in the drawing for little treat!  

Also, I need to give a quick but HUGE shout out to my parents who so generously gave of their time to tear and organize our workbooks for this year!  They are almost all in my filing cabinets and are ready to be used!  Your volunteering saved me many many hours (DAYS!) of work...all of which could be used to work on other projects for our class!  MANY THANKS!

Get a good night's sleep!  See you tomorrow evening, 6:55!  

Blessings,
Mrs. Stam

Again, this website and blogging business is new to me and my classroom this year; please be patient with me!  

I am giving this blogging a try; how much I blog will, in large part, depend upon how much response I get to it.  I have not decided how often I will update it...hopefully fairly often.  

I think to motivate you to read, I might try something fun. (Parents like fun, too, you know!) 

I'm thinking that perhaps I might take everyone who has commented on my posts each week and put his/her name in a drawing for...I'm not sure yet...something fun!  Does that sound motivating?  :)  (Don't expect big...but a treat of some kind!)  This would be my way of saying thank you for keeping up to date, and making my time doing this worth while!  

So....here is your first chance!  Comment here!  Please let me know your thoughts on the new technology for first grade this year!

Have fun!

Blessings!

Each May, as I pack up my classroom and head home, I am so ready for our summer break.  However, it only takes me a week or two, and the wheels in my brain begin turning for how to prepare for August.

This summer, I kept telling myself, and everyone else, that I was "Going to stay away from school in July...that's my month off!"  However, it was hardly a week into July and, behold, Mrs. Stam was in the school building!  I had to...my brain had so many ideas going, I couldn't sleep at night!  I think Caleb was ready for me to go back and get things done so I wouldn't keep him up every night with all the thoughts I had to share!   :)

So, I've been in and out of school all summer, and it's been nice.  I am now not in a panic or in a frenzy trying to get ready; the trim is painted; the posters are up; the name tags are on desks and baskets; and my schedule and lessons are being reviewed already.  

The next few days are days of meetings for us teachers.  We will be planning out the details of the year, to hopefully make it a smooth one for all!  Prayers are appreciated as we work together as faculty and staff towards one mission:  To assist you as parents in educating these covenant children as they grow spiritually, academically, and physically!

Enjoy these final days of summer as a family, as we continue to prepare for your students!  

Blessings!