01.07.2003 | 10:35 pm

I have seven more report cards to finish and I just can�t drag the black pen across another column to write another grade tonight. I guess it is "Early to rise" for me in the morning. The little squirrels were terrific today. They were sweet and relieved that I made it back to their tree. Since I had done all the preparation ahead in anticipation of flight delays, I went in today needing to do nothing...no copies to make, papers to staple, or patterns cut. All was in perfect order. It seems as though I was not the only person getting cut off by the substitute line during the holiday. The whole district was in disarray and didn�t get any substitute assignments made for the first day back. Every school secretary was scrambling to fill in the gaps.

I have always known this, but after the Winter Break, the little first grade squirrels come back much more mature and ready for a full day of learning adventure. In other words, their attention span has increased...they have developed...matured. This change is most noticeable in their ability to understand difficult math concepts. Before the break they were all having the most difficult time understanding number sense and order. Basically that means they �didn�t get� ones and tens. I had given a test the Thursday before we dismissed, in which the majority of the class had failed. *grumble...guilt...bad teaching* Today we reviewed the same concepts and I set the little darlings to work on an independent practice. To my amazement, as I roamed the room, so many were merrily jotting down their numbers in all sorts of difficult number patterns: 2, 12, 22, 32, 42 or 8, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58 and so on. *BIG SMILE on teacher�s face* They were doing this without batting an eyelash, which is very unlike our experience before break. At that time, all I could see before me as we delved into the numbers were moans and groans, sagging and dragging, sighing, and dying. Today I could see the glimmer of understanding shinig through in their little faces! Oh, joyful glow!

Upon retuning home, I found my kitties were completely out of cat food and so they got TUNA. Poor kitties :) Speaking of kitties, I am seriously coveting erlenweg6's new kitten. Watch out!

I got to the market this afternoon and filled the refrigerator and the pantry with things that had mysteriously disappeared while I was away. Hmmm...I wonder if some of my offspring came over and nibbled at "my house" a bit during my absence.

catsnapples~ in first grade and at life

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