Positive Fridays - Week of April 1st, 2013

I hope everyone has had another great week.  The children here are back from Spring Break.  That means this year we had to go through April Fool's Day.  Luckily for me the kids didn't pull any pranks on me.  Just one who said something silly about himself and then said April Fools.  I hope you enjoy reading my positives for the week and I hope you will share yours too!

Monday, I subbed in that sweet 2nd grade class that I subbed in before break and have subbed for them several times this school year.

• I received many hugs from the children and several other children said hi or gave me hugs from other classes as I let the children in.
• They worked on 4 Square Writing about Spring Break and I helped teach them how to turn it into a paragraph.  They also worked on silent letters in reading and phonics.  In Math, we worked on finding the rule in patterns and odd and even numbers that were 2 digits.  
• I got these great brag tags that I will be posting a review on in the next couple of days and I handed them out to children for Best Effort (a child that sometimes whines, but did all his work without me begging him to do so!) and Kindness Counts.  The kindness one was so hard as she has so many super sweet children.  I gave it out 2 who went over and beyond with their nice words to me, sweeping the floor without asking, hugs, etc.  One girl who is always amazing was upset with me she didn't get one (I tried to focus on some children who don't always get rewarded) and it broke my heart too much that I put a Best Effort on her desk and I was told the next day she was grinning from ear to ear).
• They were well behaved and worked hard.

Tuesday, I didn't work.  Wednesday, I worked a half day in 2nd grade at another school that I frequently sub at for a class who I subbed for a half day earlier in the year.

• Many of the children smiled and said hello.  Most remembered my name!
• I had a behavior analyst in the room watching a couple of children (I didn't even know who) and she was super at helping to make sure procedures that I may not have known were followed.
• The children worked on poetry, nonfiction, literacy stations, and measurement while I was there.
• They were well behaved and cooperative.
• A couple even told me that they loved the math because it was fun!  I told them I like to hear things like that.
• I gave a brag tag to a boy who is autistic for Best Effort.  He did all of his work without me having to prompt him.  I was very proud of him for his effort!
• The teacher was happy I had her class when she looked it up because she told me she knew that I would not throw the work at them and I would actually teach the children!

Thursday, I had a wake up call bright and early for Kindergarten (the only Kindergarten group I haven't had at this school) at a school near by that I frequent a lot!

•  I am always thanked for picking up sub jobs at this school, which makes me feel good.
• Another teacher came in with the lesson plans and helped find the work for today.  She's a great friend of mine and I have subbed for her a couple of times.
• The children came in very quiet and I also met a couple of parents who were very kind and wished me a great day!
• It was individual picture day so the ones getting their picture taken were dressed up and looked very nice.
• The children were quiet during the story we read and participated in the activities for the day.  We did some phonemic awareness, worked on addition with a story problem by drawing pictures, did literacy stations, took a paper and made flaps for the days of the week and what The Very Hungry Caterpillar ate each day, etc.
• They were cooperative, kind, and used quiet voices.
• I also saw many other Kindergarten children who was so excited to see me and gave me hugs at lunch or on the playground.  I surprised one of those children with a brag tag for Kindness Counts because in the past she has begged and begged her teacher in front of me to have me back to sub for her.  She says I used to be her teacher and she wants me back as her teacher. So sweet!

Friday, I'm at the same school I was at Wednesday, but this time in 5th grade.  First time in 5th grade at this school other than having 5th grade, 3 times for an activity class.  I'm looking forward to it.

Leave your positive comments for all of us to see!  Let's fill more buckets!

Thanks for hoppin' by Hopkins' Hoppin' Happenings.  Keep on smiling!