First Day of School

 Today was the big day!  We have been building up to this day since March!  I can't believe how well the three of us slept last night considering all of the unknowns for our first day.  (It was tough getting a good picture of the two of them together.

 They caught the bus just a few houses down from us at 7:20!  There are 21 school buses and each bus has an assistant.  Our boys were the only ones on the bus today.  I think most parents brought their kids.  Bryan met the boys at school (by bike) and helped them get to their class.  However, Carter had already made it to his class, so Bryan had to help other kids.  It was a little crazy getting off the bus for many of the kids.

 Our precious kindergartner!  I didn't have time to cry today thinking of everything I had to accomplish.  I am crying now thinking of how much he will grow this coming school year.  He was so excited about his day!
Carter's Point of View: My favorite part was writing.  I drew a slide but never wrote the word slide.  The teacher never told me to write slide but I like writing.  All my friends speak English! 

 I think I felt pretty good when this picture was taken, but about 2 hours later I was almost in tears.  Things should be easy since I only have 14 kids, but the routines and procedures here are so different.  I think about how I used to spend a few hours in a staff meeting going over a handbook of procedures.  I was never given a handbook here, just a bunch of emails and I am expected to have a grasp on everything.  At 9:30 we have Morning Tea, which doesn't involve tea!  It is snack and recess.  The 4 new teachers (me included) went out to the wrong recess area.  The rest of the school were on the fields.  We had know idea about this plan and figured we were to be at the place with playground equipment.  Oops!  We are expected to be glued to our email during the day.  Messages come all the time of things that need to be done.  This is not normal for me!  I never check my email  unless the kids are out of the room.  I had to spend 15 minutes looking up everyone's bus number on an excel sheet.  There is no one for me to call for this help.  I had to let my students draw while I did this task.  Hopefully I can train my assistant to help me with these tasks.  Also, I can only pronounce a few of the names in my room.  It was my first day and I felt a little blue after school, but tomorrow is a new day!  I think I am blue each year on the first day.  It is my least favorite day of the year.  Tomorrow I am going to introduce some familiar routines in the classroom and implement my reading style (Daily 5).  Hopefully that will feel normal!

 Cameron is two doors down from my classroom.  He loves his teacher and thinks she would make a great friend for me! She is also new this year and comes from Billings, Montana.
Cameron's Point of View: My favorite part was having lunch with my mom.  I also like recess but it was short. 

Carter's Classroom

 

Too Cute!

Mrs. Malik is Carter's teacher.  She is also new and has been to all the trainings with me.  I was delighted when he was placed in her class.  She has been International for most of her teaching career and raised her kids in International Schools.   Her children are called Third Culture Kids because they grew up in the International system.  I will talk more about that later.  Carter loves her!  I am so excited for his great school year!

Typical Johnson look!  They get this from their dad!

Day two tomorrow!  I will try and take pictures of my classroom!  Oh, and I will tell you about the third grade room cleaner.  She cleans everything all day long in our rooms and hallway!  Amazing!  I am getting really lazy living here.