Utah's Newest First Grade Teacher...

...is me!

Yup. 

I accepted the job I was offered last week!

First Grade, here I come!

I can't wait!

Also.

I'm scared out of my mind!

Setting up a classroom? Making sure I have all the supplies I need? Planning thousands of lesson?

AHHHHH!

But it will all work out. 

You know how I know why?

Check out my secret to less stress in my last post here.

But still, if anyone wants to help out, PLEASE DO!

Any teachers out there? 

What's the best way to set up my classroom? 

What do I do on the first couple days?

How do I set up management?

Yes, I knew all these things once, but somehow a wall has been built in my mind and I can't remember anything!

Also- non-teachers!

Do you have any first grade level reading books? 

Please please let me know if you want to donate them to my classroom!

If you didn't know, teachers have to buy a lot of their own supplies, and books are a huge part of that.

I want to make sure my kids have a big selection to read,

as well as some fun books I can read to them!

Let me know if you can help!

Thank you!

Baseball Game and Sabbath Thoughts

Last night I went to a Salt Lake Bee's [semi-pro] baseball game with my roommates and friends.

[This picture wasn't taken last night, but a few weeks ago at a different game!]

It was nice to be with some friends. 

What wasn't nice was when a foul ball bounced off the rafters above us and when whizzing just inches over my head.

That. was. scary. 

Today in Sunday School at church we talked about this:

"Give us strength according to our faith in Christ."

We talked about how having faith can strengthen our hope and even help us to be less stressed. 

I thought about how scared I am for a new job this fall. 

How worried I am to have to plan lessons again, to manage a class of 25 kids, and to make sure they are all learning and succeeding. 

Being a teacher is hard, and quite frankly, terrifying. 

I realized, though, as I listened to the teacher, that I don't have to be stressed out about it if I keep Christ there with me. Yes, I need to work hard and do my best, but the Lord will step in and He will not let me fail. After all, my students are His children. I just need to always pray for them, and pray for guidance in helping them to succeed. He will give me strength. 

In which I lose my job and search for a new one.

So remember my job that I love?

Well, my boss called me into her office last week.

Last week as in also being the last week of school for the year.

And told me they were dissolving my program.

No more Early Head Start.

No more child care.

No more of my beautiful babies and adorable kids.

No more hugs from those tiny little arms.

No more.

I was crushed. 

I had been really looking forward to a new year, 

I had so many plans, so many great ideas.

Oddly though, I didn't panic. 

I was suddenly jobless.

And Miss-I-need-every-single-detail-of-my-life-planned-this-second didn't have a panic attack.

Somehow I knew everything was going to be okay.

I spend a few days this week helping clean out the classroom,

and may be doing more of that later this summer.

My wonderful, amazing supervisor whom I am going to miss dearly, has been so kind in this whole process.

She has emailed every principal she knows that has openings and raved to them about me.

And thanks to her, I got three interviews. 

I had two yesterday, and one on Tuesday.

And another at a Charter School that I got on my own.

[BTW, does anyone else feel like this in a job interview...]

But guess what?

I got an offer.

They liked me so much that a few minutes after I walked out the door

the principal caught me before I got to my car and had me come back in,

for "another question."

That question was:

"Would you accept if we offered you the position?"

I didn't accept on the spot,

I was totally caught off guard! 

So I'm waiting until Monday after another interview and after I hear back from my first. 

But.

I am so excited!

Dear blog,

I am sorry I have been neglecting you, and all my wonderful readers. I hope you can forgive me.

You see, life has been a little crazy and by the end of the day I just haven't had the energy or the creative capacity to blog. 

The craziness started a couple weeks ago, when I decided I needed to move out of my aunt's basement. I spent every evening look at houses to rent closer to my work, and finally found a fantastic one with awesome roommates! I moved in last Saturday.

I have no dresser (unless you count cardboard boxes turned on their side and stuffed with clothes) and so my room is a disaster. I have been spending a lot of time trying to thrift a dresser, with no luck so far. 

Work has been busy as well. I have been trying to plan the summer and let my employees know whether we will even be open. We still don't know. What a mess. I also have been dealing with some serious and very scary things with some parents, and have had to put on the hat of a case worker. Sad thing is, I have no training in that area, so I hope I, along with some colleagues, were able to point the parents in the right direction. 

This week, though, I pulled some strings (ok I just make on phone call) and got the Living Planet Aquarium to bring animals into my class! The kids loved it!

Then yesterday.

Remember, blog, how a few weeks ago my dear grandma passed away? Well, her and my grandpa had been living with my grandma's daughter, my step-aunt. So when she left us, my mom and her siblings decided to move my grandpa to California to his son's house. My parents were flying into town yesterday to pick him up and bring him to California. Well, grandpa got really sick. So my parents stayed and I spend much of the day yesterday (the time I had planned looking for a dresser) to help take care of my sweet grandpa. 

So blog, I again apologize for not spending more time with you, but after all, you are simply a program. I needed to change some things in my life, and I needed to put a lot of focus into some people that really need me. I won't promise to "write so much more" because I do not know what life will bring the next few weeks, but I will make an effort.

Love,

Katie

Teacher Appreciation Week- A Quote A Day

image via.

quote via. 

Teacher Appreciation Week- A Quote A Day

image vis.

quote vis.

Change the First Five Years, and You Change Everything

Warning: I'm getting on my soapbox here! I can't help it when I talk about my job...

I went to my first teacher conference today.

First thing I want to say.
I'm a teacher.
Not a babysitter.

Have you ever said or thought that anyone can do daycare? or even oh they just teach daycare...?
I teach Early Head Start (preschool) along with running a daycare, but I still have gotten comments such as "oh so basically you're just doing daycare."
It really gets to me, but I hold my tongue.
They just don't understand.

Here is your chance to understand:



I take my job seriously.
And I hope if you ever put your children in child care or preschool, you will take it seriously too.

I love my students.
I would do absolutely anything for them.

No matter what message my paycheck and the general population say about my profession,
I know it matters. And hopefully one day the general population, and especially  my paycheck [:)] will reflect that!

And just to make this post even more serious (sometimes I hate when I post serious things, I just like talking about fun things!) I'm gonna add this video.

If you're a teacher, an easy crier, and especially if you've ever had to call DCFS, have a box of tissues handy...

"Staying Healthy"

It was "doctor week" in my Early Head Start classroom. 

And here is one of the results:

I love my job. 

Just Another Day at Work

This priceless conversation happened at lunch with one of my precious kids:

Me: "Fabio, how old are you?"

Fabio: "5"

Me: "Cool! We have all ages here! Ju-ju is 1, Aiah is 2, Mehrad is 3, Aleah is 4, and you're 5! How old do you think I am?"

Fabio: "Probably 6."

I love his logic. :)

MIA.

Yes.

I have been MIA from this blog for quite a while.

My life is busier than its ever been.

I leave at 7 am. and get home at 9:30 pm, just in time to go to bed.

Why? I am student teaching and have a part-time job.

I love it, though! Yeah, I wish I had a little bit more free time, but my fourth graders make it totally worth it! :)

So friends and family, I will try to blog every once in a while [WHOA! a car crash just happened right outside my window! yikes!] but I can't promise anything. There are other things in my life that are more important, and other people who need more attention than my blog.

I will eventually come back to being a full-time blogger! But for now, I need to focus on my life!

I will leave you with this adorable puppy I will hopefully one day have:

image via weheartit

this is why i do what i do.

I got my first taste of the reason I went into teaching.

This comment is from a mom of two of the kids in my daycare class.

These two kids came into my class two weeks ago having never gone to daycare,

and wanting nothing to do with the place. 

The woman said this with such gratitude and sincerity that I almost didn't know how to respond. 

"They adore you. You have made such an impression on them.

Thank you."

To you that don't work with children, maybe this comment does not seem that impactful.

But to me, it was a reminder of why I go through the stress of taking care of children,

and why I am going through the hours of schooling to teach them. 

image via.

so much stuff, so little time

Sorry that I have been slacking on my blog! 

Working two jobs [9 am - 9:30 pm] and trying to have a social life doesn't really allowing blogging.

But here I am! 

With some time to breathe and catch-up. 

I love Sundays. :)

So my trip to Atlanta ended well.

I spent time with my family, and my puppy.

And I went boating. Man I miss being out on the water!

Sadly, all the pictures were on my little brother's camera, and he is inaccessible  right now [more later].

[me and Luke Skywalker]

After ATL I came back to my life. My job. Er..jobs. My roommates (yay!). 

I taught preschool again this past week.

We learned about the weather. 

Check out how cute my classroom was:

The kids cut out (or ripped) the clouds and painted the sun. 

This next week I am moving up, though, and away from my adorable and crazy 3- and 4-year olds.

This is sad in some ways, but also a blessing.

I was getting really stressed with trying manage THIRTEEN 3- and 4-year-olds.

So starting Tuesday I will be in charge of the Elementary Kids.

The plus: Field trips Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

LOVE.

And guess what?!

My little brother entered the Missionary Training Center on Wednesday!!

He is going to serve a prostlying mission (aka going to teach people about Christ and our purpose here on Earth) in Carlsbad, California. 

He stays in the MTC for two weeks and then heads out.

So this is why I can't get his memory card! :)

[He's a good lookin' guy, huh? Sorry, ladies, he is off limits for two years!]

Also,

look what I did last night:

Glass etching!

It was my first time, so don't judge too harshly.

I loved it, though, so I just might have to do it again!

I hope you all have a great week! 

And let's be real, I probably won't post again till the weekend.

Have a great Memorial Day!

Preschool and Spring Cleaning

First of all, the reason I haven't been blogging is because being a preschool teacher is hard and time-consuming.

I could go into the details, but I'll spare you. 

Just know I get headaches almost everyday.

I am stressed because I don't know what to teach.

And I'm worried that I'm not good enough.

That being said, I somehow still love it. 

I get to spend all day with adorable 3- and 4-year-olds [and sometimes a couple 2-year-olds].

The hugs and "I love you Miss Katie" never gets old.

Right now on top of teaching preschool I am also working my old part-time job.

The joys of a teacher salary.

Other than my new crazy job, I've been doing....hmmmm. 

I need to find some time do something.

Last week, BEFORE my job, though, I did spring cleaning!

I have THREE full garbage bags of clothes to take to D.I. [local thrift store].

Yay for clean rooms!

[yes, I have children's books on my shelf. what can I say? I'm a teacher.]

In other news...

I go to D.C and Atlanta in less than one week!

*I will try to be better at blogging this next week, but no guarantees with 50+ hours of work.*

Graduation, Easter, New Job

HOLY CANOLI! Sorry everyone I've been sort of MIA. I've been really busy and so I have chosen to spend my time with my family and friends instead of blogging. But here is what I've been up to!

Graduation

1. My boys: Logan, C-nug- and T-O-Double-D.   2. My bff and roommate, Jen and me.

3. Momma, little bro Ben, Big Bro Todd, me.    4. Everyone and families for a graduation feast at 5 Guys!

Easter

1. Cousin’s kids Easter Egg hunt.    2. Parker-This is the best picture I could get of this crazy kid.

3. Ryder constructing his masterpiece: Bunny Foo-Foo Cake.    4. The boys and their cakes.

5. Parker was completely obvious that a dollar bill was stuck to his foot.    6. Confetti-filled eggs...all over the place.

New Job

I got a new job! [Hence the title]

I am the newest preschool teacher at Just for Kids.

I will be given free reign to construct my own curriculum.

For those of you Elementary Education majors, you know how scary of a task this is! 

Elementary has a state core curriculum. Preschool does not. 

So this will be a huge learning experience for me.

But I am super excited! Wish me luck!

school teacher in a D.C. failing school.

4th Graders Say [and Do] the Darndest Things

Some of these are just hilarious, some maybe you had to be there, and some just ask yourself,

“would I be able to answer that question with thirty 4^th graders staring at me?” 

Let’s just say….awkward!

·         “Miss Haskin can I add you on Facebook?” [wait what, 10-year-olds have facebook!?]

·          “Ok, so around the circle this measurement is called…?”

“Circumcision!”

·         “Ewwww gross! They are talking about puberty! Wait, Thomas, were you listening? Ok good. You shouldn’t know about it. Its girl stuff.”

·        “Miss Haskin, how do babies even come out??”

·        “Smell this!”

“Whoa! It smells like fruit loops! Where’d you get it?”

[The boys all at that table proceed to go get the good smelling Kleenex and sit at their desks sniffing it]

“Oh no! Wait did you wash yours? Mine doesn’t smell like fruit loops anymore!" 

·         “Um, Miss Haskin, there’s a game online where you can test a husband and wife and see if you’ll get married, and Tristyn put in your name and Jimmer’s and there’s a 95% chance you’ll get married.” 

[part of] my class. you just gotta love them. :)

also, tomorrow is my last day. 

I'm going to miss them!

from the lunch room.

I came into the faculty room with my lunch and laptop with full intentions of working on a lesson plan. 

Then nobody else was in here.

So I did this instead:

Check out how official I am.

I'm all teacherified. 

So my kids started writing me notes from day one in the classroom.

First I was "Ms. Haskin."

Cool. Divorced.

Now I'm "Mrs. Haskin."

Better. But just a reminder that I really am NOT married. 

Maybe one of these days they will realize my name is up on the board and it clearly states "Miss Haskin."

Until then, I will just enjoy my 4th grade notes. :) 

hello, brain

dear creative juices in my brain,

please start working. come up with an activity to teach similes and metaphors. you've been struggling too much. i have other homework to do too.

thanks.

love,

me.

Waiting for Superman

(source)

I don’t normally suggest movies to people. In fact, I’ve never suggested a movie once on my blog.

I am suggesting one now.

"Waiting for Superman"

This movie should be seen by every single American citizen.

Don’t take the comment lightly, because I am not making it lightly.

Education in American is suffering. 

It’s a fact. 

But more than education as a whole…children are suffering. 

This is a quote from the movie:

“I want my kids to have a better life than me.”

The speaker was sweet Anthony, no more than 10 or 11 years old. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I never thought about my children when I was 10. I was never stressed about receiving a bad education, simply because I lived in the wrong place. I never even thought twice about my education. I simply went to school, came home, did my homework, knew someday I'd go to college and then get a career. Not every child in American has that opportunity.

Last summer I went to Africa as a volunteer. I will never take that experience back.

But before I left, I had no idea that my help was needed here in America just as well as in Africa.

This film is eye opening. I will say what I said before again.

Every American citizen needs to see this film.

I did not know a lot about this movie before I saw it, so I won’t tell you much. But I will tell you this-the public schools are not the problem. The system is the problem. The teachers are the problem. And, in my eyes, that problem still exists because of unions. Plain and simple. And the reason the teacher’s union is still there, even though it is failing children, is because it is the biggest contributor to political parties.

Keep that in mind.

Now that I’ve confused you with my rambling,

go watch the film and find out what I am talking about.

Become educated about education.

Because the education of America is what will determine America's future.

And maybe once the awareness is up, we can work together to find a solution.

“One of the saddest days of my life was when my mother told me ‘Superman’ did not exist…she thought I was crying because it’s like Santa Claus is not real. 

I was crying because no one was coming with enough power to save us.”

You can watch the trailer here. 

Or watch a short clip of why it is so very important here. 

science project

For my Science Methods course my professor wants us to be more familiar with invertebrate; not be squeamish, and know how we can use them in our future classroom. 

My group decided on meal worms. We picked them up yesterday and I am the lucky one that gets to have them first! I actually kind of like them (ok, you can start calling me weird now). I just like animals. Yeah, I know they're worms. But get past that. Just for two seconds while you read this post.

To document our observations my group has a blog, The Life of a Worm. You don't have to actually read that (unless for some reason you really like worms. or science.). That's just more FYI.  

So here are my new temporary pets:

I started naming them. and by "I", I mean my brother, Ben. 

Ike, Mike, Sike, Pike, Little Tyke....

[please don't let this scare you away from my blog. this will be the one and only time i post about them!]