First Day of Preschool!

Today was Audrey's first day of preschool...and Mama's too!
I recently accepted a position to teach in the 3 yr old class at Temple Emanuel of Tempe. A friend I taught with at Guerrero is now the director and called me a few weeks ago to tell me she had an open position. I applied, interviewed and am now embarking on a new teaching adventure! Of course, as you know, I am not Jewish, but Leslie has assured me that anything religious in their curriculum in certainly something I can learn easily and well enough for 3 yr olds. I will have lots of help so I am not too worried, and they have had non-Jewish teachers and assistants before. I am excited to teach preschool because this was my intention when I chose to get a degree in Early Childhood Education. Things didn't quite work out that way and I did love teaching 2nd, 3rd & 4th, but am excited to try this. I have LOVED staying home with Audrey, but I think this will be good for both of us. I will have kids Mon-Fri from 9am-1pm. I have 12 kids on MWF and 6 on TTH, and a FULL TIME assitant. WOW! It will have it's own challenges, especially changing teachers in the middle of the year, but it will be soo much less stressful than teaching in a public elementary classroom. It will be nice to teach what you want, when you want and do what your kids want ALL THE TIME! No politics, YAY!

Audrey will go with me everyday and be in the 2 yr old class. Today, she was shy at first (as usual), but warmed up playing some activities that were set up on the tables. She didn't cry at all when I left! I was so proud of her. She even saw me once through a glass door when her class was coming in from playing outside and my class was getting ready to go out. I didn't know how she would react, but she just smiled and pointed and said "Mama!", and continued to hold the rope to keep her spot in line. It was so cute! There is only one other little girl working on potty training in the class, so she is a "big girl" in the class. She did great with that too, she really LOVES the little kid-sized potty! Both teachers raved about her day! We'll see how long this honeymoon lasts...haha ;o)

Today I was just supposed to meet the kids, hang out for a while, do paperwork and look at plans with Leslie, but we both ended up being in the classroom all day with the assitant. Right now they have a substitute who took over when the previous teacher left the week before Thanksgiving, well this morning the substitute's mother passed away. We had to wing-it, but as a teacher I have to admit I am not new to that! It was nice though to be with them all day, learn their names and start feeling out their personalities...it's pretty easy with 3 yr olds! I will go in tomorrow and for a bit on Friday too but start officially next week! I will then have 2 weeks off for Winter Break and go back on January 5th and be there until May.