Playtime with Noam!

Playtime with Noam is so much fun! My mom pulled down a bunch of my old toys: a shape sorter, my Little People "Space Mountain," plus some new toys. 

 He gets so into his play! He wouldn't just pick up a toy and move on. He really played. He was able to use the shape sorter, and do it well! As in, getting shapes in the right hole on the first try!

 It was also so fun to watch him interact and think things out. With the peg toy, he realized it was toppling so he took the yellow ones off and stacked them somewhere else! That is super good for a 12.5 month old!

 And of course, there is typical toddler cause and effect! We built many a tower just so Mr. Noam can knock it down!

 And of course, because of teething, toys are for playing and chewing on!

I miss this little goober so much already! But am counting the days until we're reunited!

Scav Hunt Sunday: Noam and Thanks

Waiting:

At South Station, everyone waits in front of the time board to see which track their train is leaving from. I was just waiting to leave to get to Noam!

Foliage:

Nothing like a little fresh air before Thanksgiving. Noam had some fun playing with the foliage that is left on the ground.

Candid:

Noam just sat down and opened his book and was turning the pages looking for the "dundies" (doggies).

Knife, Fork, Spoon:

Eating pumpkin pie with a silver spoon, what a sophisticated 1 year old.

Thirds:

Those eyes. Get me every, single, time.

Let them eat pie!

We had a lovely Thanksgiving! We were lazy bums in the morning, starting on the cooking and playing with Noam. Avi and I ventured out to the gym, did some last minute grocery shopping, and we even played out on the grass with Noam for a bit.

As dinner crept closer, I pulled out the Turkey Day decorations and we set the table with the finest: china and silver and then, it was time to feast!

The Benjamin cousins popped in for a little visit and of course we seized the chance to get a Benjamin/O'Glasser family picture. Yona, Shoshana, and Aunt Lisa hadn't met Noam until this trip and are soaking up their time with the little goober.

After the family departed, it was really time to feast. And feast we did. We had such a lovely spread. vegetable stew with chickpeas, sweet potato fluff, bourbon maple sweet potatoes with mini-marshmallows, corn bread stuffing, balsamic mushrooms, and cranberry sauce. 

 Everything was just delicious and it was so fun to watch Noam digging in. Last Thanksgiving his menu consisted on a few ounces of milk, this year, he was keeping up with the rest of us! Of course, best laid plans to eat only a small amount were thrown out the window, but heck, it's a feast!

 But, of course, no matter how full you are, there is always room for pie! I used a new GF pie crust this year and it was so much better! I think it's the best pumpkin pie I've made, ever! The whipped cream, just added to it's yumminess!

Noam sure did love his pie! And Mr. Sophisticated ate it with a silver spoon! We actually think he had more pie than regular dinner! 

It really was a perfect Thanksgiving. A day full of family, relaxation, and super good food!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I have so much to be grateful for this year. In the craziness of life, teaching, and grad-student-ing, I may forget that I really have a life full of love and people who care about me. 

But today, I am surrounded by those I love most, my mom, Avi, Ben, and Noam. I am so grateful and so happy I have them in my life and that I can celebrate with them.

Happy Thanksgiving, may your celebration be delicious, and your time with loved ones precious!

24 hours!

 In 24 hours...

 I will be reunited with...

 This big one year old!

 And I cannot wait!

Auntie Mar is on her way, Noam! What a long 6 months it's been!!

Stop the presses!

Katz Gluten Free is offering a special offer to my blog readers today! With every order over $30 you can get a free (free!) bag of GF bread crumbs! Just enter the code GOBBLE at the checkout!

So, go stock up on your gluten-free pies, cookies, breads, and other baked yumminess for your Thanksgiving table!

Bon Appétit! 

Math coming out my ears...

I took my 5th MTEl this past weekend. I saved the best toughest for last, math. Now, this isn't your typical math, this is math you haven't done since 8th grade. Yes, I want to teach the early elementary grades, but this is the test for all potential 1-6 teachers...

I studied my heart out, at least a half an hour each night for several months, I felt like I was actually learning certain topics, for example I finally understand radicals and square roots. But I still didn't feel 100% confident going into the test. Seriously, if anyone can solve the question from the practice test (which I still don't get!) you can be my tutor! 

So this weekend was the big day, I had to schlep to Somerville High School, with my number 2 pencils  in tow. You get four hours for the exam, I took 3 1/2.  I left feeling pretty wiped, actually totally wiped. I know I did my best, but holy moly, I just don't know what to think. 

What I do know is that I am able to successfully teach first grade math. I know that whatever my score on this test is it isn't a reflection on me as a person or a teacher, I know I will one day pass this exam, and I will be fine no matter what the outcome is.  So tomorrow it's back to cross-number puzzles and addition and subtraction, because that I can solve and teach, well! 

Scav Hunt Sunday: Pencils and Pots

Mainly one color:

These little leaves caught my eye on my walk home one day. Their mostly red or mostly a creamy-white, all depends on how you look at it. Added bonus, the close up shot with my iphone makes it look like I added texture, nope, SOCC!

Around the home:

A simple Saturday night at home, catching up on magazines and drinking some tea.

Reflection:

What else does one do with a zabaglione pot? Why you hang it from a hook in your ceiling and take pictures in it?

Writing:

Number 2's anyone? I am typically a mechanical pencil type of gal, but my latest (and hopefully last) MTEL necessitated bringing out the handy Ticonderogas.

Water:

The window in my shower gets great am light and it often hits the shower water in amazing ways.

Outside my window...

Outside my window...a gray November sky, as sundown approaches and the rain beating down on the last leaf, hanging onto its branch.

I'm thinking...how ready I am for Thanksgiving break. Thinking about how far I've come since September and how much I've learned in just 48 days of school.

I'm hoping...that I can make it through the next four weeks leading up to the end of the semester, all while being able to enjoy life and get some time for myself in there.

I'm hearing...the rhythmic pattering of the rain on the leaf covered sidewalk. There is something about a constant rain that is soothing and comforting, as long as I am listening from inside.

Some of my favorite things...this time of year, the holiday cheer is building and I love the coziness and happiness that is floating in the air.

47

Yesterday my supervising classroom teacher (I have 3 supervisors, it's complicated!) was out all day at a training. This meant it was just me and the kids (and the sub). My head was spinning by 2:20, but I did it! 
This is my journal entry for the day...thought I'd post my thoughts on making it through a day as the sole teacher here too.
___________________________________________________________________________________
I learned...that I can successfully teach an entire day's lessons and manage the class!

Something great that happened was...I did it! I ran the classroom from arrival to dismissal, without my supervising teacher and only a sub, (who honestly wasn't more than a warm body).

Something challenging that happened was... essentially being the only teacher in the room. Having to deal with conflicts and behavior issues alone, and try to teach everything, somethings for the first time (when did handwriting get so involved!)

A question I have is...how in the world do teacher's run a classroom of 19 kids without an aid or an intern to be there as support?

I wonder about...if I really did well today, did they learn what I was trying to teach, did they understand my expectations...

To the moon

I love the power, the beauty, and the mystery of the moon.  I really don't even know how to describe the mystique I see in the moon.    

I'm fascinated by its cycle, the changing view each evening, the knowing that when I look up at night that the moon will be there.

Just like we look to the horizon on earth, not knowing what's next, to me, looking at the moon's horizon makes me wonder, what is on the other side of the moon?

Something so close, yet so far away, it really is magical and powerful.  It impacts the tides and even children's  (and adults) behaviors and in Judaism our calendar revolved around it.

One day, I would love to travel to the moon. I'd love to look down on Earth what a view that would be! For now, I am content with my view of the moon, in all its glory, rising in the sky outside my window.

Denial.

Scav Hunt Sunday: "Eats, Shoes, and Leaves"

Before and After:

I am not a huge photo editor person. I like my photos au natural, I may from time to time convert to B&W or kick up the color, so this was a stretch, but, oh I love how it turned out!

Bokeh:

Okay, so it's not custom, but I am just happy I naturally got a bokeh!

Opposing Lines:

I just love how the lines of the atrium windows reflect off the base of the Chihuly sculpture at the MFA.

Shoes:

I really only wear my fun dressy shoes on Shabbat, since I wear some sort of sneakers (helps with running walking around the classroom) to work. So I love figuring out which pair of fun shoes will go best with my shabbat clothes that week!

Little Features:

Avi gave me these adorable glass hedgehogs as a birthday gift one year, I just love how tiny they are!

Take that grammar.

45th day of school!

How can 1/4 of the school year be over? I'll be honest, sometimes the past 45 days have whizzed by and on other days it feels more like 450 days. But, still, wow how has 45 days gone by!? 

 And I'm loving it. I love my students. I love the school I am teaching at.  And I love the opportunity to work with and learn from the other educators at the school.

 I have taken on many teaching responsibilities. I teach math once or twice a week, I lead my reading group three times a week, and I teach phonics a few times a week.  I am also planning for and leading my student's session in the Learning Center. Just writing all that out, makes me amazed at how far I've come since September!

 I've sat in and participated in our students' conferences and I am a part of our weekly team consult meetings where I bring my insights and ideas to the table regarding a few of our students with special learning needs.  I've even spoken up about what I have seen in a certain student and that insight has been valued! I really feel valued, even as an intern!

I really am loving me experience as an intern.  To me, I know I am loving it when I don't mind (99% of the time) getting up at 5:30am. I am excited to get to school and see what the day holds for all of 1L.

I really feel like I am coming into my role as a teacher. I can't wait to see what the next 135 days of school hold for me and the class!

But, for now, bring on the 3 day weekend!