Breakthrough Week

        This week has made me proud to be a Kindergarten teacher. I watched as several of my struggling students made significant academic and behavioral breakthroughs. It started off with Miracle. Each month we learn 12 new sight words that our students are supposed to memorize in an effort to help them become better readers. When they learn their 12 sight words they earn an ice cream scoop on their sight word ice cream bowl. So far only 7 students have earned their first scoop. I hadn't tested Miracle yet but I wasn't expecting anything spectacular since she struggles with reading because of an eye problem and speech impediment. Against all odds, she spouted off every sight word on the first scoop list. We celebrated her success by stopping the whole class to give her a cheer and watch as she put her scoop up on the board.
         Miracle's unexpected success would have been enough for the week but then math meeting came and I again was surprised by the progress that is happening in my class. During math meeting I give jobs to each of the students, several of which involve leading a song. One job is to sing the date (Today is Sunday, November 11, 2012) and have the other students repeat it back. My Chinese student who is still learning English ended up with this job last week. I expected to help him sing his part for the other kids to follow, but he blew me away by singing the whole thing by himself. I was so proud of his courageous efforts to try a language even when he is not sure how it is supposed to sound I almost cried. Again my co-teacher and stopped the class to have Shifeng repeat his amazing performance.
       To top the week off I had two students finally take responsibility for their own actions and apologize for their previous behavior. During Writer's Workshop Dontez (a student who is habitually absent and tardy) told me he was sorry for taking my things (permanent marker that got all over his hands, pencils, left over change, etc) and that he was going to stop taking them. Then Jamari (a student who never can keep the same pencil for a day even with it tethered to his desk) raises his hand to tell me that he is not going to lose his stuff anymore by keeping it in his pencil pouch.
       Despite the long hours, pressure from administration, and the overwhelming nature of this work I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than teaching these kids, this year, at this school. Here's to more breakthroughs! Way to go God.