Field Trip to Carkeek Park

I went back to see the kiddos at my main placement today as they were going to Carkeek Park to observe spawning salmon. I created a 22 person human magnet, as I was mobbed by 1st and 2nd graders excited to have me back ("are you back for good now?"). Even the kids in the cooperating teacher's class remember my name. It was a great feeling, and got me really excited about returning in January. Plus, the field trip was fun (although the naturalists need to work on scaling their language down a little for the kiddos)...

The reality of the classroom dynamics set in soon after. They're still a chatty bunch, after all they are still 1st/2nd graders. There are still the same behavior challenges. I've got a cadre of 3 boys that glam together like they have one of those invisible fences is set around them. I had all 3 on the field trip, and thought I was their personal chaperone. There are still some of the instructional challenges too, with the blank look of "what is this paper in front of me for?" and low phonemic awareness.

But gosh am I excited!