i'm engaged!

Soo... Daniel proposed last Thursday night!!!  We are so excited!   We're getting married!  We're getting married!  We're getting married!  Yay! I didn't announce it formally to all my students (I think maybe I'll give some sort of big announcement during my classes tomorrow), but I did tell some of them and some of them even knew from their parents (who I am facebook friends with).  Haha!  There were several funny conversations about me being engaged and I'm sure there will be many more... The whole "engaged" concept is very hard for kids to understand!

we were so excited!!!

Let me tell you a story...

Here is how one conversation with a little kindergarten girl went on Friday:

Girl: "Miss Akins, are you really married?"

Me: "No, I am getting married.  Probably next summer."

Girl: "Oh.  Are you marrying Coach Brown?"

Me: "No, he is married to Mrs. Brown.  I am marrying Daniel."

She looks around the gym, very confused.  "But he's a little kid!"

I try to hold in my laughter.  "Not the kindergarten Daniel.  Not the Daniel in our class.  This Daniel is older.  He's a grown-up."

at our "engagement party" after his proposal!

So... in case there is any confusion:  I am NOT marrying a little kid & kindergartener!!  Come on... everyone knows he is a big kid. :)

compliments

Ok. Confession time: I LOVE COMPLIMENTS... I can't help it!  You know one of the best things about teaching elementary school students?  They give you compliments ALL. THE. TIME. :)  Man, if I had a nickel for every time a student of mine told me something nice, I could retire right now!!  I know that things like, "Your hair looks pretty today" and "I like your dress" and "I like your earrings" and "You look pretty" shouldn't mean as much coming from 5, 6, 7, 8 year olds, but it doesn't matter to me! 

Let me tell you a story...

So I was wearing this headband from Charming Charlie today and I must admit it is one of my favorite purchases from that lovely store.  Of course all the little girls LOVED my bow (I finally gave up on trying to convince them "Thank you, but it's actually a headband!") and they told me over... and over... and over:

"Miss Akins, I like your bow."

"I like your bow, too."

"I like your bow, Miss Akins."

I am starting to think they just like listening to themselves talk. 

Anyways...

The best/worst compliment award of the day would have to go to this sweet kindergarten girl who thought she was saying the nicest thing ever to me:

"Miss Akins, you look prettier than yesterday."

Yep. :)  So I replied the only way I knew how:

"Thank you."

i still like you

Let me tell you a story...

Last week, I was teaching and a first grade boy raised his hand, looked up at me, made direct eye contact and said to me very seriously,

"I really like you".

I kind of giggled to myself, and replied, "Aw thank you. I like you, too!"... and then I moved on.

Fast forward to today.  I was walking the first grade boys to the music room when I passed this same little boy.  He stopped me, and with a very serious and intent tone, he said,

"Miss Akins, I still like you.".

HA!  This kind of stuff never gets old. :)

it's a new year, after all

Well, the school year has officially begun!  One thing I love about my job as the music teacher is that I get the pleasure of teaching all the kids from grades Kindergarten through 2nd grade.  This makes my job of learning names and personalities and such for sooooo many kids (almost 250-300 total!) a little bit easier since I have a lot of the same students each year.  That is, except for kindergarten.  Those kids are ALL brand new to school and to me, and well... I think we are all adjusting pretty well to each other so far.  :) 

If there is one thing I have learned about children over the last 5 years of teaching (I'm in my FIFTH year, can you believe it?!), it's that every year is new and unpredictable and every child is different and unique. And yet... they seem to do some of the exact same things!!!  :)  Well, the story I'm about to share sounds very similar to the first ever blog entry I made last spring... Except it is a new year & a different set of kids! :)  Okay, here it goes.

Let me tell you a story...

The kids were being awfully loud as they entered the music room today.  Since they are kindergarteners, I try to correct these behaviors right away instead of letting things slide and later on in the year things getting out of control!  So there I was, giving the kindergarten version of a "lecture" about coming in quietly, keeping hands to ourselves, not shouting outside, not talking when the teacher is talking, etc.  The class was very solemn and quiet when a little boy raised his hand and said:

"Your hair looks really pretty today."

I just started laughing.  They all started laughing.

Oh well.  I'll try again with the "lecture" tomorrow. :)

Gotta love 'em!

queso

Ah, lunch duty.  My absolute FAVORITE part of my day.  *sarcasm*

But, seriously, sometimes the kids can say some really funny things.

Let me tell you a story...



Today, a first grader called me over to his table to tell me,

"Miss Akins, I wish that all the land in the world was chips and the water was queso so I could just eat it all up!"

Yep. We dream big at my school.





Ok, ok, that actually sounds really good. Can you imagine that much cheese?! :)

why i wear makeup

seriously... i hate washing my face!

Let me tell you a story...

At lunch duty, a little first grade girl asked me very concerned,

"Miss Akins, what happened to your forehead??"

I answered her a little sheepishly and honestly (I could have lied, but what would be the point?),

"It's a pimple".

"Oh, ok" was her sweet (and a bit embarrassed) response. .

And I WAS EVEN WEARING MAKEUP!!! UGH! Seriously! :)  Just another reminder why I should always wear makeup to work... I work with kids!

i am the beast

One part of my job is putting on "music programs" for my students.  Basically, they get to perform songs for their parents.  It's really fun and the kids always get really excited... but they are also very stressful to put together.  Our first grade music program was yesterday and I'm still recovering from it all!

Let me tell you a story...

There were a lot of kids SUPER pumped about our program coming up... it was so cute!  Yesterday, during the school day, kids kept telling me,

"Miss Akins, our music program is tonight!"

...Like I could forget! HA!

after the music program

Anyway, most of the kids told me they planned on coming, but there were those few kids who knew they weren't going to be able to attend. You know, those boys who had baseball practice. Or the boy whose dad is a high school coach and he had a game. Or the little girl who told me her grandma's birthday was that night and her family was having her party.  Even though all these reasons for not being able to come make me sad, I understand that it is only through the support of parents that a music program after school hours is even possible!  So any parents out there who are reading this, THANK YOU!  Thank you for supporting your kids and their school!  We GREATLY appreciate you!!!

Yesterday, at lunch, the little girl whose grandma had a party that night announced to me,

"Miss Akins, guess what??  My grandma cancelled her birthday!  I can come to the program!!!"

Music Teacher Glynis!

I believe she meant she cancelled her PARTY, but man... this was big news! Honestly, I felt so proud that this program meant so much to her that her family would rearrange their schedule.  She should feel so loved!!!

SO... the program went VERY well last night.  I was SO proud of my first graders who worked so hard to prepare for this!!!  I found out today one teacher told her class she had Chick-Fil-A coupons for those kids who were able to attend... talk about incentive!!! Thank you to the first grade teachers for all their support!

 Today, I got this note from a sweet, sweet first grade girl:

i am the beast music titcher

How many of you get notes like this at your job???  I feel very blessed today!!! :)