We did a level switch today, so all the Resident Teacher’s from Lower Elementary went to the Upper Elementary today. I ended up in a first/second grade class. Unfortunately I was experiencing the opposite of yesterday: Too much sleep. You know when you’ve slept so much you have a headache? Granted, I needed to go to bed at 8:30pm last night, I hadn’t slept a wink the night before. We had a total of three trick or treaters. The last one was a teenager with no costume, just a backpack and a starter jacket. Kris asked him, “Hey, where’s your costume?” The kid shrugged and said, “I don’t have one.” We gave him candy for his honesty. Josh insisted we watch horror movies all night. That’s fine when it’s something goofy like Nightmare On Elm Street. It’s not cool when it’s Resurrection of Halloween, or whatever one has Michael roaming around in his white mask. When I left Josh he was deeply involved with Scream 2.
So anyway, I showed up to school in a daze. It rained passionately all day and all night, the winter slowly invaded the day with premature darkness at night and eerie light in the morning. I observed a few things about the first and second grade:
1) The Math is a little harder and the expectation is much higher. Gone are the days when you could just write down the numbers and call it good. These kids are required to map out the entire equation using base ten rods, single units, and hundreds cubes. They have to draw these components on the paper along with the numbers. Granted, many of them are still remembering to put the day’s date and their name on the paper. I was impressed…and relieved that much of the math was not over my head.
2) The weird kids get even weirder…one girl is dead set on the Goth Path. It’s like she was made for black make-up and fishnet gloves. Never have I met a gloomier seven-year-old. Another girl, who reeked of cat urine, told me I would make a good vampire for Halloween.
3) Teacher worship is fading with first graders. They’re quicker to judge, defy, and ignore you. I’m used to the four-year-olds flinging themselves at me for hugs and reassurance that they’re fabulous.
4) I came out of class significantly less sticky.
5) Gone are the toys…no lincoln logs, legos, constructobots, and other fun stuff. First grade contained only the bare essentials, like books, plants, and a fish tank.