October 31, 2023

#dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 30, 2023

The scene: Kindergarteners walking into my classroom. I was standing right inside the door welcoming them. Kindergarten girl (very loudly): I’m gonna be Batman for Halloween and I’m going to save the world! She then proceeded to run around the room striking Batman poses. #dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 27, 2023

The scene: me standing at my door welcoming kindergarteners to Drama… K: Oooh! You look like a fairy princess🧚‍♂️ that lives in the woods!! Oh, the conversations that were had as soon as the compliment slipped off of her lips and that we seemed to KEEP coming back to throughout the entire 45 minute lesson. The blue thing is what is on the mushrooms 🍄 that you sit on The mushrooms 🍄 are the forest of mushrooms 🍄 Your earrings are the lighty things that are around you 👻 Your boots 🥾 are the blue roots You should get in pose of a Fairy Princess 🧚‍♀️ I did get in a Fairy Princess 🧚 pose but sadly, I wasn’t recording this lesson…but it did happen. Also, I feel awkward about these bathroom pics🤷🏼‍♀️. #dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 26, 2023

Today in my first-grade class, we were talking about movies that have candles in them. There are actually a lot! One of the little girls shouted out Encanto! Then suddenly, the entire class started chanting LOU-I-SA, LOU-I-SA, LOU-I-SA over and over again, all while “kissing their biceps”. I still don’t know what in the world happened, but it was freaking hilarious. And since it was so random and so cute, I just let it happen for like one whole minute. #dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 25, 2023

Today in my first-grade class, we were talking about movies that have candles in them. There are actually a lot! One of the little girls shouted out Encanto! Then suddenly, the entire class started chanting LOU-I-SA, LOU-I-SA, LOU-I-SA over and over again, all while “kissing their biceps”. I still don’t know what in the world happened, but it was freaking hilarious. And since it was so random and so cute, I just let it happen for like one whole minute. #dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 24, 2023

These candles though!! This fourth-grade class is always open - to not only doing what I ask - but, going the extra mile, thinking outside of the box, and blowing me away! #dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 23, 2023

Tired eyes, but cute earrings! The scene: 18 first graders sitting in Actor’s Neutral on their stars, me, in front of the class. We had just finished our Rules & Tools. 1st grader: Ms. Karlyn, you have lifters on like me! Me: (not sure if I heard correctly) Lifters? 1G: yeah, the shoes that make you taller! Me: Oh! I guess you’re right. They probably add an inch or two to my height. Different FG: they do! You’re huge! All I can see in you is a Titan. Me: a Titan huh? Well, That's cool...I guess.

October 19, 2023

The scene: these kindergartners leaving my room, one pipes up and says, “Bye Grandma! I like your earrings!” After that one kiddo said it, then they all did. Each one separately, each one louder and more expressive than the one before… #dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 18, 2023

The scene: I’m sitting in the circle with all the sixth graders in actor’s neutral, minding my own business, When a student raises her hand hand says, Why do you have a limp? … Me: A limp? Student: yeah! Why do you have a limp? It’s my knee and my hips folks! I get up and down a lot, at least a dozen times a day, and that’s being conservative. I didn’t realize my age (and arthritis) is starting to show. I only limp AFTER I get up, and only for for a few seconds until the weird feeling is straightened out, then I walk without the limp. #dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 17, 2023

Today marks the first day back after fall break, and the first day of second term. Because of fall break, I decided to switch my lessons up a little bit so all my classes are on the same lessons next week… Today, instead of moving on to Marigolds, we combined our ancestors (Tableaux) and Skeletons/Sugar Skulls (Mirroring) and came up with this! This class had some awesome ideas, here’s a screen grab. #dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 11, 2023

This is a screen grab of me dying laughing while my helper was mirroring me. Me: I am a human. I am looking in the mirror at my….? I was looking for a choral response of “reflection”, but my helper looked me dead in the eyes and said… Your soul? This marks the end of term one, so I’m changing one of my hashtags!!! #dailyelementarymusings #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 10, 2023

Fourth grader as he’s entering my classroom: JESUS CHRIST! It looks like somebody died in here! #dailyelementarymusings #itsgonnabeagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 9, 2023

Okay y’all! Earrings will be making appearances on my musings. Today we introduced Sugar Skulls/Skeletons. We got into partnerships and did mirroring like skeletons, then created a class tableau in our dancing skeleton poses! I wore my new skeleton earrings and they were a hit! Check out this first grade class of sugar skulls/skeletons!

#dailyelementarymusings #itsgonnabeagoodyear

October 6, 2023

This week for Dia de los Muertos we were creating Tableaux of people we love who have passed away. I normally have frames so the kiddos can get creative with poses, and because on the alterar pictures are usually framed, but…I accidentally left them at my other school. UGH! So, for this class we did it without the frames. This fourth grade class is really incredible, I look forward to teaching them every week. After each group presented their tableaux, one of the students asked if we could create one with the entire class…and the whole class chimed in with excitement that they wanted to do it. This is what the came up with all by themselves, no help from me…I’m so proud. #dailyelementarymusings #itsgonnabeagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 5, 2023

I have this kindergarten class that has taken to calling me Grandma. To their little ears, Drama and Grandma sound the same. It started with them leaving class saying “BYE DRAMA!” It has evolved into “BYE GRANDMA!” And somehow I don’t mind🤷🏼‍♀️. Here I am…Grandma. #byedrama #byegrandma #dailyelementarymusings #itsgonnabeagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 4, 2023

The scene: 25 fourth graders sitting on their stars after just having watched - and moved to - this video: Three minutes before I had just finished explaining what a Tableau is and that in groups of five we were going to build some. Me: you might be wondering why just three minutes ago I was explaining how we are going to build Tableaux, but then I had you move to this music. Fourth grade boy (who happens to be Mexican): Nah, it’s because we’re Mexican and we just gotta move! Note: I will be doing Dia de los Muertos lessons all month. #dailyelementarymusings #itsgonnabeagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 3, 2023

I always said I’d never become one of THOSE teachers…but I have. I totally have. It’s because I’m in Elementary now and littles notice and love everything; my nails (fingers and toes), my socks, my shoes, my “matchy matchy” style, my jewelry. Everything. Today (and yesterday), it was all about my earrings. The ooohing and awwwing, and the compliments. It’s kinda fun being that teacher. #dailyelementarymusings #itsgonnabeagoodyear #focusonthepositive

October 2, 2023

Today was the first day of Dia de los Muertos Drama Lessons. Fourth graders were working in groups to create a Tableau with poses that represent their loved ones who have passed. It was suggested to do a pose that features something they loved or one of their favorite things (which can be difficult). After a couple minutes, one of them came up to me concerned and said, “My dad didn’t have any favorite things. I was his favorite.” I said to her, “Perfect! You can just be you then!” That’s what she did, and it was perfect. #dailyelementarymusings #itsgonnabeagoodyear #focusonthepositive