Lex has started a weekly comic strip, to be published on Mondays. Its about two students who arrive at school, but upon entering the building find themselves standing on a platform in outer space. He needs a little work on his illustration technique, but otherwise I think he’s onto a good thing here! :)
Lex’s Valentine to Alan. :) They have been doing science experiments with electricity lately.
I “taught” 5th grade today! I put “taught” in quotes because there was very little actual teaching involved. Mostly just guiding. They did lots of reading, and math worksheets, and a test, and a video. I was like the cruise director, making sure everyone was where they needed to be at the appropriate times. However, the point of the post is that it was fun! I was dreading the day (a bit) because my last time in 5th grade (a different class) went very differently and was pretty much no fun at all. :/ Today was much better! Maybe because of the class, or my confidence, or the fact that I was there all day instead of coming in mid-way though the day. I’m not sure exactly what it was, but I had a good day. Thought I’d share. :)
One kid even said I was the best substitute of all. I’m pretty sure he was sucking up so I’d give him good marks on his behavior sheet, but I don’t care. He behaved well all day and I’ll take the compliment!
This is a game Lex has been thinking about for awhile but hasn’t had the chance to get to. He’s talked about it all week. I was thinking of taking them out after school this afternoon, but he had a bit of a meltdown this morning because he REALLY wanted to set up a home bowling game, so I decided to head home after school and let him bowl!
He has “pins,” ball, a start line, bumpers, and even a ball return (orange race track along the hearth). We played to 100 points. He kicked my butt! :) After a few tries on his knees he decided to stand. He did much better standing.
Good times on a Friday afternoon!
I grabbed a few photos right at the end of his lesson today. I also chatted with his teacher (and forgot her name moments after I asked, I need to work on that bad habit!) and she said that he is growing so strong and confident, compared to when she had him for lessons last summer. She was impressed with the changes from then to now.
Ready, set…
cannon ball!
I love this kid!
I’m getting excited about this teaching idea. Excited and nervous. Last time I tried to find a career it ended before it even began. I hope I make it a whole lot further with this one!
I’ve started telling people. Lots of people. Everyone, in fact. Maybe the more people I tell the more likely it will be to happen. I even asked my principal and one of Lex’s former teachers for references. They both happily agreed. I have essays in the proof-reading stages and references on the way. I need to order transcripts and send the whole thing in. Then hope I’m happy with the decision I’ve made! Eeek!
(This was much longer and more eloquent as I was composing it in my head while snuggling with the kids tonight. However, now, hours later, I’m tired and all eloquence has left the building. Check out the photo in the post below and you’ll understand!)
Did I mention that Lex is taking lessons now as part of a free deal for 2nd graders? They bus the kids over after school. They play for an hour, then have a lesson, then have a snack. Not the order I would have done things, but I’m not in charge. Anyway… Eve and I have been going over after school as well and swimming. The first day of lessons I noticed that two of his classmates, boys that he really wants to play hockey with, were having their lesson in the competition pool. I watched for a few minutes and saw that Lex can swim just as well as they can! During the following week I put on some mommy persuasion and encouraged him to try the big pool with his classmates. I reminded him that he can’t play hockey with them because he can’t skate well enough yet, but he certainly can swim as well as either of them! I guess he was feeling brave at his second lesson because he did it! He got right in and swam in the big pool. The staff there is pretty amazing and I had talked to them about it ahead of time. They had tried to take him in that pool a year ago when he was doing lessons last time, but he wasn’t up for it. They are kind and encouraging with him.
He has since done two lessons in the competition pool and seems pretty confident! Another mother told me last week that he was jumping off the start boards! I wasn’t there as Eve and I took the week off to stay home with a recovering Alan. When I asked Lex about it he was all nonchalant, like of course he was jumping off the board, why wouldn’t he?! :) He told me they were comparing splash heights of their cannon ball jumps!
Today we went swimming and I was eager to get pictures of him in the deep pool and jumping off the board. Sadly the lifeguard said you’re not allowed to use the start boards during free swim, so he couldn’t show off that skill, but we did have a great time in the big pool! Lots of jumping in, not a lot of lap swimming. Eventually the lifeguard kicked us out, claiming the lanes were filling up. I think he thought we were bothering the actual lap swimmers. Oh well! We moved back to the kid section and met up with some friends and had fun there too!
I’ll try and get some pictures of him jumping off the board during his lesson this week, but for now… into the big pool!
Easy peasy, right into the pool. It wasn’t even super cold today!
I talked them into doing laps. We made it to the other end and they were done with laps.
Eve
Lex, doing the crawl stroke.
We spent the rest of the time jumping into the pool. It would have been a fun day to have an underwater camera! :)
Ready… set…
Go!
We got home and they were drawn to the tv, like moths to the light. I let them watch Colbert with Alan while I made lunch for everyone. I took this picture just because it’s so cute how they’re sitting together.
Hey Mema – someone’s enjoying the new physics book you sent!
Alan likes it as well, but he hasn’t been doing much reading this week.
Eve has a secret friend. Her friend left her a secret note under her pillow the other day.
A note from a secret friend.
She was pretty excited!
Eve, showing off her note.
She thought and thought about to do and then remembered an episode of Super Why that the had seen recently. When the Super Why guy got a secret note, he wrote a note back inviting the friend over to play. Eve did the same.
A note to her secret friend.
Can you guess who it might be?