March 28, 2024

To say today was hard really is an understatement. It was hard. Very hard. At least I have these kindergarteners who keep me on my toes! #dailyelementarymusings #fourthterm #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 27, 2024

It was this class’s turn to play Hitchhiker. They took on the ‘personality’ of a mom in the car with her teenage driver. 😂 I wish you could see their faces because they’re comic gold. #dailyelementarymusings #fourthterm #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 26, 2024

It was all about my earrings today! I cannot tell you how many kiddos had something to say about them. Specifically linking how much I love Coke-Cola to my earrings. Yeah, even though I only see them once a week, they KNOW what Coca-cola means to me. #dailyelementarymusings #fourthterm #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 25, 2024

This little Kindergarten friend of mine STRUGGLES with transitions. He only recently started staying at school all day, so my class is still a little new for him. I know he loves to draw faces. So today during Rules & Tools, he drew pictures on my board. All while sobbing. By the time we were done, his crying had subsided and he was comfy. #dailyelementarymusings #fourthterm #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 22, 2024

These fourth graders are playing Hitchhiker. They took on the personality of the Hitchhiker…a licensed nail technician. 💅😂🤷🏼‍♀️ #dailyelementarymusings #fourthterm #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 21, 2024

First grade girl: Ms Karlyn, you look like you’re playing dress-up with the Ladies from the Eighties! I’ll take it! #dailyelementarymusings #fourthterm #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 20, 2024

I think I had a first today. I’ve had elementary kiddos tell me I look pretty and cute, but I don’t think they’ve ever told me that I look beautiful. I don’t know what was so different about me today, but FIVE little girls told me I looked beautiful. One said, “you look beautiful today with your outfit, but especially with your glasses.” MmmmK Look how beautiful I look today!😂🤷🏼‍♀️ #dailyelementarymusings #fourthterm #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 19, 2024

Today I had the same guest BTS teacher who came to my other school yesterday. Her specialty is Art. She had the second graders make book covers for an awards ceremony at the district. Today, this one caught my eye. And we all know why. I did a double take because…second graders. Then I said to the student - even though I could totally see it (was trying to make sure I read it correctly because of the spelling); “I don’t have my glasses on, what does this say?” They answered really quietly, “This is a Rainbow Pride” I just replied, “super cool!” They smiled huge and said, “Thanks…by the way, I LOVE your tattoo” while pointing at my Rainbow tattoo that I got for my Gaybies. #dailyelementarymusings #fourthterm #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 18, 2024

Today I had a guest BTS teacher. Her specialty is Art. She had these first graders make book covers for an awards ceremony at the district. I chuckled when I saw this one… The Pigin wants COFFEE. Now, you maybe asking if that is one of the Pigeon books in the series. Nope, it’s not. #dailyelementarymusings #fourthterm #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 14, 2024

On Thursdays I have morning and afternoon duty. This morning I saw something I haven’t seen here before. After these girls raised the flag, they hopped up on these cement thingies and sang the National Anthem. #dailyelementarymusings #secondsemester #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 13, 2024

During a lively game of Freeze (or Freeze Tag - whichever you prefer) these two had me cracking up to the point I shot Coca-Cola out my nose….🤷🏼‍♀️ They were ‘old people’ who kept falling because of their EVER ACHING BACKS! #dailyelementarymusings #secondsemester #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 12, 2024

It seems that my Tuesday/Thursday school has bagels every Tuesday and Thursday morning. I could be making this up, but I swear, when I go into the faculty room those mornings, bagels are always there. And, they have this super cool contraption called a Bagel Slicer! I guess I didn’t eat enough bagels to know about it…I do now! Even the little things - like bagels & their slicer - help to make me feel appreciated. Also, can you believe that 4th term starts on Monday? Wut? #dailyelementarymusings #secondsemester #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 11, 2024

Back at n 1995, I bought this belt to match a pair of mesh type shoes (the looked like All Stars). Piper kind of inherited it when I was chubby and it didn’t go around my waist, but I have it back now. Piper can borrow it whenever, BUT… If I am wearing this belt, the kids say something. Apparently it’s pretty neat. The following words were used to describe it today: cute, neat, see frew, vintage, old, weird looking,. Along with about 100 ‘I like your belt’. #dailyelementarymusings #secondsemester #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

These puppets are Daisy and Daisy. They are BFFs and they enjoy kissing each other. This was what I overheard when these kindergarteners were in line waiting for their teacher. They don’t know I snapped a quick picture. #dailyelementarymusings #secondsemester #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 7, 2024

This is my most recent tattoo. I think this looks so freaking cool! I’ve been getting tattoos about two times a week from two different kiddos who freaking love art. They’ve both told me that their grown-ups don’t want them to be tattoo artists…so, I foster that dream for them. 🤷🏼‍♀️ #dailyelementarymusings #secondsemester #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 6, 2024

This is one of my favorite communication activities to do with the older kiddos. I think if you just look at the pictures, you’ll know the activity. If you don’t, the kiddos sit back to back while one describes to the other how to draw (without explicitly telling them, or giving them any hints) the picture. Some of these made me laugh to the point of tears. Can you guess which drawings go with with picture? This is not all of them, just some.

March 5, 2024

While in Santa Fe, we discovered a little shop called Doodlet’s - apparently it’s a community staple - this is where I finally bought myself a glasses chain, isn’t it adorable? Anyway, when I was doing roll call with my first graders, it kept getting tangled in my hair because I kept taking them on and off…because I need to see the paper, but then, I also need to see the kiddo… they were laughing. I said something along the lines of, “I’m still getting used to getting old.” Then my friend Oliver piped up and said, “You’ve been old for like 19 years!” That means I was 29 when I was first considered old. I also need bifocals. #dailyelementarymusings #secondsemester #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 4, 2024

Today, while helping first graders clean up their puppet messes, a little girl with beautiful, black, shiny, healthy, long hair past her bum said to me, “You look much better with your hair down than up.” Then she flipped her hair at me and walked away. #dailyelementarymusings #secondsemester #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive

March 1, 2024

Y’all have seen the finished paper puppets, here they are in the beginning stages. The third graders at this school have been begging me to make these puppets since the fifth and sixth graders made them. So, I designed a second/third grade paper puppet unit. Day 1: Make Puppets It did take the entire class time because, small hands take more time. My favorite was all the comments about how it hurts their hands to scrunch the paper up WITHOUT rolling it. Yep! Sometimes Art hurts. #dailyelementarymusings #secondsemester #itsagoodyear #focusonthepositive