I Am A Teacher

This statement really blows my mind sometimes. I can't believe it! Sometimes it's really scary to think that I am responsible for teaching these students all that they need to know in second grade. Whew! What a job!
Most days, I really enjoy my job. The kids are pretty good (with only a few that regularly cause problems, and I'm dealing with them) and I really like the team members that I work with. On Friday, we had our Valentine's Day Party. I gave the students a piece of paper shaped like a soda glass, with the words "Everyone likes you, and 'soda' I." I attached a mechanical pencil to the card and put it in everyone's bag. About 15 of the kids came up to me throughout the day and said, "Thank you thank you thank you for the mechanical pencils! We love them! Now we don't have to use the pencil sharpener anymore!" It was funny to see what a little pencil does to a 2nd grader!
I wanted to see what any of your memories of 2nd grade were. I remember learning to tell time on the Judy clocks (the yellow and red wooden clocks). I remember mean old Mrs. Harris who always yelled at our class, until she quit or got sick and Mrs. Lowry took over for a long time. She was nicer, but I don't think she knew as much.
Here is a picture I took of my class on Friday. They were being monkeys all day because of our party, and it was the last day before our 3 week vacation (I'm "off track" now, which means I don't have school until the 2nd of March. Instead of a summer vacation, I get periodic breaks during the year).