Bought my first house ! And of course I had to make a space for my memories and gifts during my time as an educator. There’s so much more, but this wall helps me remember why I love what I do!

Going into my 5th year of teaching, and hearing from my former Kindergartener 2 years later right before a new school year starts gives me the boost that I needed. I am leaving positive impacts on kids’ lives and I am doing the right thing. I LOVE my job.

Feeling so blessed that I’ve been able to see and spend time with almost half of the students my class this summer! I had the best kids that want to keep in touch and the best parents that let me continue to be in their kids lives! Look at my little gymnast! ❤️ #2036Olympics

Spending this first week of break in Honduras, and of course what’s one of the first places I want to visit? The local school! Such an amazing experience to visit Jose Trinidad Reyes Primary School in Atlántida. I can’t wait to show my students what 1st grade is like in Honduras

Big celebration in 1st Grade today! One of our Panthers has won the battle against leukemia! Thank you to his incredible teachers for planning such a special celebration! @SMelgarElEd @olatheschools

This child has overcome more than you will ever know and is stronger than you can imagine. I LOVE my first graders. Truly love. 🎗️

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Started a new initiative in my classroom for April &May —Mystery Reader Monday—where I invite a parent every week to spend time with us and read to the class. All languages welcome and celebrated always ! The kids LOVED it. 🥰

Love my first graders!! ❤️❤️

My firsties! 🥰❤️

Happy Black History Month! I always make a display every year because I am always one of, if not the only, Black teachers in my building so I have to represent! You know I’m teaching my students all about Black excellence this month & year round. This has always been the message

My intern ROCKED her first subject area teach. The visuals, ELL strategies, and inclusion of ALL students in my bilingual classroom made my heart beam as a mentor. ☺️☺️She will be an amazing educator! So proud!

I am thrilled to be a mentor to an ESU student teacher, in the same building where I student taught… 4 years later. So proud to be a mentor in the school that made me into the teacher I am today @RV_Panthers 😄 Ms. Tizzard had a fabulous, fun first day! Slime party and all!

These weeks before break we’ve traveled to India, Vietnam, Mexico, Puerto Rico and more to learn about Nochebuena, Día de Los Reyes, Diwali, Tết and other holidays. Peep our Flores de Nochebuena/ cuetlaxochitl and great holiday reads for K-2 #Mirrorswindowsandslidingglassdoors

First field trip of the year with this group!! We loved the (bilingual) Animal Amigos puppet show @JCCCtweet

One of the things I love about first grade is seeing students develop as readers. After working on the ch and sh digraph this week, one of my reading groups got to read our decodable to a stuffie. They are becoming so fluent !! So so proud! ☺️☺️

In my benchmark reading intervention group, I try to make things fun for my readers. We are working on the digraphs ch and sh. Students read two words, and have to compete to make a goal with the word I say. We call it “hockey.” We also love matamoscas!

Happy Indigenous Heritage Month. This first week of November, I taught my Ss what Indigenous means: The 1st peoples in ALL of the Americas—from the Seneca of the North to the Mixteco of Mexico, Lenca in Honduras, and more. We also read, made, and ate fry bread together 😊

Had the BEST time tonight at @RV_Panthers Family Fiesta! An abundance of thanks to @kasmultimedia and the Department of Culture and Belonging for helping RV to make this night a success for all of our families. We are so grateful for you!

In 1st grade, so far we’ve learned what heritage means and how we’re all unique. Then we learned a little bit about all of the countries represented in our classroom and discussed and wrote about our favorite thing about our own heritage. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!