New Year Update

Happy New Year! It is hard to believe it is already January and that I survived my first semester as a teacher (and at one of the most difficult schools too!).  I absolutely loved being at home for Christmas and it was a very relaxing break filled with lots of fun family time and catching up with friends as well. Two weeks was just enough time to get some work done (not too much) and feel like I could start fresh with my kids after the break.  And that is just what we did.  It is absolutely amazing what a few new systems (like my awesome new pencil management I am very proud of implementing-thank you free TeachersPayTeachers downloads...and a new book checkout system-thank you Pinterest!) can do to help and change a classroom.  Going back last week kind of felt like we were starting over again in August except that I already knew my students and there are only 5 months instead of 10!!  We also had several school wide changes in scheduling that have really helped my students stay focused.  I am really excited about having an assistant teacher for our 2 hour reading block each afternoon (shout out to the 2nd grade teachers for letting 3rd grade borrow your AT's!!) to do some intervention and fluency practice with my students.  It has really helped having smaller center groups to manage now that there is another teacher in the room during that time.  I am really looking forward to the rest of this year and hoping that I can help get these kids where they need to be.

In addition to the first week back at school, I also started my second semester of grad school.  Last semester was quite interesting as I had professors with very different styles.  It is all online and it definitely took me a while to get used to the online learning system Delta State uses.  (Suggestion to any first year teachers: WAIT to start grad school until your second semester!!!) My classes this semester seem to be pretty work heavy but at least I already know how to maneuver the system and have a better handle on my classroom than I did in August.  Because I received 9 course credits for my summer TFA institute at Delta State last summer, I should finish with my Master's of Elementary Education in December of this year!!

In other exciting new, Angie and I successfully hosted our second party at our house this past weekend for our TFA friends in Hazlehurst.  Since most of us were in our respected states for New Year's, we decided to throw our own New Year's Eve party a few weeks late.  We had a blast "shining bright like a diamond" and counting down to midnight (we actually only counted down to 11 because teachers don't last til midnight on a Friday night)!  We also visited a new church in Fondren (a section of Jackson) and really loved the more contemporary worship and challenging message the pastor brought. We love FBC Hazlehurst but there just isn't anyone really our age.  I'll keep you posted!!

If you haven't already, please check out my DonorsChoose website (http://www.donorschoose.org/alyssa.nobles) and consider making a donation.  I am trying to get some new books and a listening center for my classroom.  If you want to know more about DonorsChoose, you can check it out here!

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Monday and has not had any intruder lockdowns or bomb threats like our school did!!  As they say..."Welcome to Hazlehurst!"