I spend basically all my time with kids now. Sundays I work in powerhouse, I act for all of the K-5 and teach the 4th and 5th graders. Monday through Friday I work at Avalon Elementary in extended day with the 5th graders, 4th too, but the 5th graders are my actual students. Most Wednesday nights I work in Crave with the middle and high school kids. And finally, every other sunday night I spend babysitting for the adult community group.
So, basically everything revolves around kids now, all my stories are about my students, and they all have these incredible personalities, all of them (yes all, even Keaton!) have good qulities about them and all of them can make me smile like nothing else. So, now I’m writing a list of things that kids have said and done lately that have made me happy.
+ Andrew bringing his Powerhouse work back, signed and completed.
+The look Maddie gave me when Rachel wouldnt share her scissors in the new classroom.
+Jason calming down and letting me help him with his homework.
+Nate coming to the cafeteria every day to say hi and give me a hug.
+Jason running in yelling “Ms, Katie! Guess what? Remember those sentences you helped me with? I got a hundred and my teacher said they were excellent sentences!”
+Every drawing my kids have given me, they are all up on my bulletin bard. 
+Hearing the powerhouse kids laughing when me and Don are up on stage.
+Keaton calling me Bob, because he doesn’t know me very well yet, and I should give it a week for him to call me my real name. Hilarious. (He’s calling me Ms.Katie now!)
+My 5th grade boys finding out who was putting the backpacks in the toilet. My little sleuths kick butt.
+Rachel saying that she likes Ms.Katie better than Ms.Kayleigh 
+The way Alex always twirls around in her seat and waves when she sees me.
+Seeing Sarah throw a football like a pro. And Jason teaching me how to throw one properly.
+Giving Hunter a history quiz and 5 more boys asking to be quizzed.
+Keaton finally trusting me as a teacher, and throwing the football around with me.
+The kids asking if I remember thier nicknames… Polly Pocket, Mojo, Coony, The Wave, Little One, C Note, etc.
+Chrissys shower becoming the “tornado room” when the kids are over.
+The girls always showing me thier cheerleading skills.
+Hunter proclaiming he really really wants to come to Powerhouse with Nate soon.
+Watching football highlights in the computer lab with Keaton and Jason.
+Being picked first in sports when playing with 5th graders.. it doesn’t happen with people my own age so that is awesome.
+And my absolute favorite thing, is that I know my kids well enough now to know how to have fun, help them with school work, and keep them in line. Each one is totally different, some more difficult than others, but all different, and I can officially say I understand how to handle all of them now.
I love my students at Avalon like crazy, and I’m going to be way bummed when the year is over and they head off to middle school. But, they are all great kids and I know they will go on to be awesome in life. I’m proud of them all and I can’t wait to see them again on Monday. Jason is camping for the last time as a Cub Scout this weekend so I know he will have tons to tell me.
