When Avalon and Nolan went to the Montessori School they never had days where the parents could come in and help out in the class. They had a few holiday parties. But usually I could not go to those because I could not get the time off of work. Plus, by the time that I would find out about the parties they always had tons and tons of other moms that had already volunteered. Even the whole ONE field trip they took. I asked if they needed any moms to go and they said they were covered. I assumed that meant only the teachers were going. But, turns out that they just had almost as many moms as kids and could not fit anymore. My kids were always sad that everyone elses mom went and i never went. Luckily for them for a lot of the holiday parities that i could not make it to, my mom went and helped out in the class and celebrated with them.
So, I was so super super excited that Avalon’s teacher last month sent home notes saying they needed mom volunteers to come “teach” in the class three days a week. Avalon’s teacher on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, from 1:00 to 2:30 breaks the class down into 4 smaller groups. Then there are 4 tables the groups go work out. The tables are called “Centers”. The purpose of this she explained is so that she can work more one on one with the students on their reading and writing. The kids in the room are all over the place. Some kids are way to advanced and can do everything in that class without thinking and probably should be moved up to another grade or something. And some kids in the class are struggling to just pass and are so far behind the other students they are in danger of being held back another year. And then there are kids at all levels in between.
So, the teacher wants more one on one time to get all the kids where they need to be and keep the one group of kids from falling to far behind and keeping the other group challenged still. Or source she explained it much better then I am doing. lol. Anyways, The teachers center is reading. Then there is a student teacher. Her center is computer lab. Then there is another mom that came in and her center was also reading. sorta. I totally remember these in school. Do you guys? The kids all have the same book. And they go sit with headphones on and listen to a tape where the tape reads the book. And its supposed to help you be able to read or recognize words or something. I don’t know that point of them. But i remember doing that in school. lol. And then there was the “Parent Center”. Tuesdays is one mom, Wednesdays is another mom, and for now on Thursdays it’s me!!! 
) I get to teach them letters and phonics and writing letters. So yesterday I had little worksheets and I had to help the kids sound out the pictures. Like, there was a picture of a cat. So we had to identify the picture: Cat. Sound it out C-A-T and then decided what letter came at the end: T. Phonics wise. Like Game. The right sound at the end was the letter M. because the E is silent. Get it? Then we would have to write that letter down. Of course I am not a teacher, and this is just my opinion, but, I thought you could really tell whose kids had parents that worked with them and who’s parents, i thought, probably never helped them with their homework at all. A lot of the stuff we were going over has been part of Avalon’s homework for weeks now. And some of the kids could not recognize any of the letters or the sounds or even knew how to write a letter. So, those kids it was sooo much more exciting when by the end of center time they could identify a few of the sounds and letters. I would get so excited and they would be so excited. lol.
In our family, we all grew up reading. Reading was always stressed as not only being very important but very fun. You could learn about anything by reading it in a book. During the summers when we would go stay with my grandparents they would enroll us in the summer reading program at the local library. We thought that was the funnest thing ever and as kids we looked forward to it every year. You got prizes each time you read a certain amount of books. My sisters and I were always trying to out do the other one and read the most books. Plus, my grandma watched All My Children every single day from 12 to 1pm. Every day! lol. And you could take a nap, or go in your room and read a book. So we always chose to go read a book. Reading was just a way of life in my family. Even my mom was always reading the newest V.C. Andrew’s books when I was a kid. lol. Everyone was always reading something.
So, for me, it is totally normal that Avalon is reading Dr. Seuss books by herself, or that she can read and write out all of her sight words. She can read just about any book in her room right now. I don’t think anything of it. But, working in her class yesterday and listening to some of the kids who could not read at all and were really struggling with it a lot made me realize that Avalon really does do an awesome job. And of course we know she is smart. lol. But she really is smart. She is one of the top kids in her class. And I think that Dan and I need to tell her more often then we do how proud we are of her and how great of a job she is doing.
I don’t know who had more fun. Me, or the kids. Some of the kids oh my gosh!! They are sooo smart!!! All the kids were so nice and so funny. lol. If we got done early with a group they were telling me jokes and stories and about the 100 day party. One little girl asked me my name. Out of habit I said Tiffani. Then she was all “noooooo…I mean what is your teacher name?” Oh. lol. Mrs. Wagner. Avalon was so excited I was there. And she did so good the whole time I was there. I was so proud of her. I can’t wait till next Thursday to go back and do it all again!! )
Happy Birthday Aunt Pam!! Aunt Pam’s birthday was actually on Sunday. But i forgot to post it. 
We drove out to Orange to go have a very nice family dinner with the family in honor of the big day. Gma made an awesome heart shaped cake. It was so yummy. And it was just nice getting to spend the day all together and just having fun hanging out. 
