First Year Stupids…

I hope you all are lucky enough to have a best friend that understands your job like I do! Thirteen years ago, I went to a PDAS training and met this girl at my table. We had just been hired to teach at the same school- her in second grade and me in first. By lunch, we had decided to be best friends! I was so grateful that I had found somebody to share the ups and downs of this new career with and I honestly believe that we were put at that table together for a very special reason.

Over the last thirteen years, we have been in each others’ weddings, delivery rooms, there for kids’ baseball games and birthday parties and have pretty much shared the ups and downs of life together. She is the most dedicated mother and teacher that I have ever known and I am the teacher I am today because of her. Which brings me to today’s post:

A “first year stupid” is what my BFF and I call anything we did our first year  teaching (or after)  that is either ridiculous, ultra-time consuming, or just plain “stupid!” Now please know that I’m not saying that anyone else out there has done anything like this, I’m merely telling my story. Which brings us to the picture. Yes, those are unifix cubes. And yes, those are alphabet letters written on them. In Sharpie. On. Each. Side. That’s four sides times however many dang cubes are in that box. Seriously…

What? My kids needed an opportunity to build words…

One of the most important things I’ve taken away from the Daily 5 and the Daily CAFÉ books and Teaching With Intention (Debbie Miller) is that you should focus your time and energy on things that really matter. The cubes don’t. So, Katie(new baby teacher across the hall from me), I have a tub of First Year Stupid for you. You’re welcome.

Do you have any FYS to share?