Are You There, Spring Break?

It's me, Jill, and I could really use you right about now.......

You know, until today, I couldn't really commiserate with people who were saying they couldn't wait until Spring Break. Things had been going just as well as normal - not perfect but I wasn't pulling my hair out.

However, we have been having lots of physical aggression issues. Like, unprovoked punches to the stomach, scratching, whipping of necklaces into other kids' faces... it is incredibly frustrating to me. The saddest thing, really, is that the "victims" have all been my very well-mannered, kind kiddos who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I checked this book out from the library:

I reeeeally hope it helps. We have had more conversations than I can count about being kind and making good choices and being a bucket-filler. We wrote out a bunch of kindness hearts when we were being kind... I am really at a loss!!!! If you have any words of advice, I would appreciate them. :)

Okay, that is enough of being a Debbie Downer! Here are some things I am happy about!

1. I started teaching the "counting money" unit to my second graders and found out that they are LEGIT AMAZING at counting money. It is unbelievable. So we skipped straight to the test today and they all rocked it. I think this will be incredibly helpful when the first graders start their money unit. 
2. One of my first graders, who sees a Title I teacher every day, is becoming a great reader! He was a little low to begin with, nothing really alarming, but the extra help is really making a difference. Today he brought back this tiny book from his Title I teacher, mostly made up of CVC words, and asked if he could read it to the class. I snapped a phone picture of him reading to us and sent it to his parents with a little note, and his parents were SO EXCITED. And so am I. I'm glad things are clicking for him!
3. My parent club is going to pay for me to go to a Kagan workshop! I am really excited about that. We don't really do any professional development at school and I want to be a better teacher!!!
4. Two of my second graders were "caught being good" at recess and it was such a relief because I thought the Kindergarten teacher was coming down the hall to tell me that they were beating up little kids. Whew!!!!!

Happy almost Friday!!!