Savor the Sweetness of May!



May 1st...already!  While some teachers are counting down the days until the end of the year, I choose the savor this month, in all its sweetness.  As I look around my classroom, I choose to see all the hard work and persistence of the last 8 months paying off, instead of rushing to summer vacation. I choose to see all those personalities I know and to enjoy each day of this month.  Here are my top 3 reasons to LOVE May:

1.  I know my kids.  Yes, August is exciting with it's newness, but May is like my favorite purple fleece sweatshirt, broken-in and cozy.  Yes, the zipper is broken and it's got some cat hair on it, but when I put it on, it feels so familiar and safe.  I know just how it feels, what to expect.  I can relax. That's just how my classroom feels now - well-known and loved.  The kids and I have established a rhythm to our days - we all know each other - what to expect, what motivates each person, when to joke around, when to be serious; when to push, when to lay off.  I know who will probably be late, who gets annoyed with noises during reading time, who will try to get me off track, and who will walk in with everything done ahead of time.  

2.  It's Get Caught Reading Month.  This is our second year of celebrating reading in May.  Teachers send me pictures of kids caught reading by choice.  We put them up on a bulletin board in the hallway and enter all the kids in a drawing for a bookstore gift card.  We also have teachers write short book suggestions for the announcements in the morning - my email is flooded with notes from teachers who want to share really good books.  I love this reminder of all the readers I work with!  We also do a week of trivia on Young Adult books - the class who answers correctly first win candy.  This month-long celebration brings out the life-long readers from all over our building.  Book love is everywhere!

3.  Many kids wake up and WORK.  I know this one is annoying to a lot of teachers, but not me.  I choose to see my procrastinators with hope instead.  You know, those kids you've been after all semester because they're behind, the ones who are constantly in danger of failing.  But now it's May with the end of the semester looming, and they scramble to get things done.  I choose to make the best of this, to capitalize on this energy, and to let kids do work and turn things in.  My deadline for work to be turned in is a real deadline - the day my grades are due.  I choose not to play the "I'm not accepting that anymore" game with kids.  If they're are willing to write that paper that was due in February, I am willing to help them and grade it.  I'd rather have them do it than not do it.  I don't choose to see it as disrespectful, or about me at all.  I'm sure that kid has reasons for being late.  I choose to celebrate the fact that it's actually not too late learn.  Ever.

I strongly believe in living in the present moment and cherishing where I am right now.  May has so much to offer!  Enjoy these last sweet moments of the school year instead of wishing them away.

Happy May Everyone!



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