Friday notes

Somehow I made it through the week with the coughing and the aches and the restless nights. The kids were understanding. There were meetings after school and one night of PTA meeting. What started as a head cold has moved lower, and I feel it in my chest... it always follows that pattern: head, throat, chest, stomach, intestine, and then it's gone. Like the virus is  working it's way out. Literally.

Friday. I'd celebrate if I hadn't brought the week's planning home with me. After making copies, holding an IEP meeting, completing the paperwork on it,  then straightening up my classroom, I packed up two tote bags with the books I'd need to plan for next week's classes. I couldn't stay in the building past 5:00 today.

Two things I found exciting happened this week, well, actually three, but I can only talk about two of them.

First, an author of a book I'd been reading with my students, Marjorie Cowley, responded to my email this week, and gave me permission to make paper copies of chapters from her book until I could get enough books (I need about 8) for a small reading group (well, technically, a small group should be no more than 6). The book is called "Dar and the Spear-Thrower."

I've been using the book to teach reading comprehension skills, and have pulled their spelling words from selected chapters. I've written lesson plans for each chapter, complete with assessment questions, and have kept them in a notebook so I could do the same next year.

I checked out her website, and guess what? She has a teacher's guide with lesson plans already written up for all 22 chapters! The main difference between her lesson plans and mine is that hers are directed to a higher reading level (6th grade) than I'm teaching. I may go back and visit her site and see if there are any ideas I can adapt for my reading group.

Second, I found out yesterday that the VBS training party we're planning for our church for the 8th of April is going to be attended by at least 34 VBS volunteers from five area churches. What is so interesting (for me) about this piece of information is that I had not even expected more than ten people to sign up for it. What little faith I had! With so many in attendance, we are sure to have a VBS event that excites those who are planning for their own churches. Including our own volunteers. For those who are planning or involved in their church's VBS, and are curious about which program I'm referring to, it's Group's Fiesta VBS. To learn more about it, click on the link provided.

I can't believe that I'm this involved in planning vacation Bible school in March when school isn't even near it's last week. Our VBS is scheduled for mid-July. Usually, I start thinking and planning for VBS after school is out. After I get a week or two off. After I start to feel like I'm getting a summer vacation for myself.

If it wasn't for the training party, I wouldn't be thinking about it this week. I guess that's what training parties are for.