Octoberness

I love October. The crispness in the air welcomes warm, delicious coffee and fall-inspired brews. There are festivals galore here in the East Bay, baseball playoffs commence, apple-filled desserts and drinks, and Guided Reading begins. We haven't officially begun here in Week 7 (I've been finishing Beginning of Year assessments...yipes) but at least I'm pulling kids with (almost) no one interrupting me! Today I assigned workstation "experts" to help others. The listening station crew took their job very seriously and couldn't figure out a non-functioning tape for the life of them...but refused to ask for my help because I was invisible. HALLELUJAHHHH!
I am loving my students. They are forming a sort of family at this point, sticking up for one another (and, yes, tattling on one another...time to break out the tattle tricks...getting them to go tell Elephant and Piggie their problems instead of me.) I've filled our kindness bucket three times already, and the students continue to impress me with their kind words. I was met after Art prep with "I missed you!" today (it was 50 minutes, people). We are not without our problems...I had a student suspended for being extraordinarily disrespectful (telling me to shut up, refusing to leave the classroom to take a break when asked, throwing folders and kicking tables, etc.) I also have lots of friends who need intensive small and gross motor work.
Our room has become inundated with fall workstations and activities...enjoying this joyful time of year when things (dare I say it?) are beginning to come together.