"It's Already NOVEMBER!?"

Well, my time sure is flying by here... I can't believe it's already NOVEMBER (the best month of the year) Why..... IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!! And MY BIRTHDAY WEEK! And MY BIRTHDAY MONTH!! (Nope, you aren't getting away from that chant this year everyone.. still get to hear it from the other side of the world)! It's even better this year because it is my first SPRING/SUMMER Birthday and I GET TWO OF THEM! (November 7th in Aussie and November 7th in the US of A)!!! Boy, am I one lucky girl! So this week has been flying by at school and the PREPs & Juniors (Grades K-2) are still in taking their swimming field trip everyday! This field trip is such a great experience for me because it really tests my abilities as a teacher : 1. Make sure students eat a bit of their lunch before they leave. 2. Make sure each student gets dressed and puts all of their belongings back into their bags. 3. Make sure every student gets out of school and onto the bus. 4. Make sure each student is inside the Aquatic center. 5. Assist the students with swimming caps and goggles. 6. Take students to the toilet during swimming if they need to go. 7. Assist students in getting dressed and make sure they put all of their belongings back into their bags. 8. Make sure each student leaves and gets on the bus at the Aquatic Center. 9. Make sure each student gets back to school safely and finishes the rest of their lunch! Keep in mind- they only swim for 45 minutes each day, so all of that has to be done pretty fast! Woo- it's hard work being a teacher... My mind has to fly in a hundred different places all at the same time... "Help this one with their swimming cap and goggles, take this one to the toilet, tie this one's shoe, this one lost her bathers (that's bathing suit), etc... etc.... No wonder why I go to bed so early!" :) But, that's what makes it all fun, exciting and worth it... Everyday it's something new, which I LOVE!

November 2nd was the Melbourne Cup (I couldn't attend the races, unfortunately) but still placed a bet in the staff sweeps that were going on at school that day! Of course, I didn't go for the high rollers table, and just stuck with the dollar bets. I was nervous to spend a lot because you weren't able to choose your horses (it was a Sweeps) so you put your name down and a horse was drawn for you. But, I wish I would have put more down now.. because apparently I WON some cash! Which was exciting, I'm not exactly sure how much yet, but I'm sure I will find out tomorrow at school! I have been taking a lot more control in the classroom this week which is great considering I am supposed to have a four week transition period (which seems a bit long). I was really excited the other day, I was laminating books the kids made while they were out at recess and I looked up and saw my name had made it on the "S" word wall, with all of my S's underlined! (And, even with the correct spelling! GO PREPs!)

Earlier this week, I took the kids to the computer lab and did a lesson on WORD (we just wrote a paragraph about our weekend) which was fun... BUT, I definitely have A LOT more respect for computer teachers now! Every second, I heard "Ms. Salyers, my computer is doing this... or that?" Or "Ms. Salyers, mine doesn't look like that." Woo- talk about a work out! I also did a lot more morning introductions before we move into the reading groups. I taught a introduction lesson on punctuation and high frequency words. I got to be in charge of the guided reading groups, handwriting, and DKU (Deep Knowledge Unit) where we talk about things like how medicine keep us safe, or making a trust hand, etc... The little things in life that the kids should learn to keep in the back of their minds! My classroom management still needs a bit of improvement I would say, a few of the students are still trying to test me (mainly, ONE). But for the most part, they are all pretty well behaved and listen when it's my turn!

This weekend, I am off to Tasmania (or Tassie) as it's called here! Andrea (the other COST student at Bellaire) and I are spending a few days/nights there touring the Cadbury Chocolate Factory, a brewery, the coastline, and of course the markets! This trip wasn't really something I had planned before coming here but when we found the cheap flights, it was too hard to pass up! Especially since I am all the way over here, I better take advantage of every opportunity I can get ("When in Rome, right!?")! It should be a great weekend, getting to spend my BIRTHDAY in Tassie and seeing the world of Tasmania! I don't think I'm taking my computer with me so I won't be in contact for a few days (sorry: Edward, Sophie, & EVERYONE!) But, have no fear... you will be able to tell me Happy Birthday! I am returning back to Geelong on November 8th (which is of course my day of birth in USA) so, I will get on Skype, email, facebook as soon as I get back!! However, I will be expecting some already "Happy Birthday's" since my actual birthday will have already happened over here! Keep that in mind! (ha, just kidding.. mmm- no, no I'm not!) :) Next weekend, Carol has booked us a cabin in Healesville (sounds like Hillsville) which is located near Melbourne in the Yarra Valley. The town is surrounded by mountains, forests and hills as well as wineries, & fruit and berry farms! So that will be an exciting trip; getting a little change of scenery and staying in a cabin! I'm glad that I have this wonderful family to show me around all of Australia... it is so great being able to ask questions and ask what things are and know that I will have someone there to help me out whenever I need it! Same goes for my teacher at Bellaire that I am following... She is such a nice girl and a lot of fun to be around! She is pretty young, she is actually only 2 years older than me... so we are planning a few weekends to hang out and check out some of the wineries around Geelong. I think that's the update for now, nothing else has really been going on besides just teaching more (which is great), getting ready for Tasmania and Healesville, and LESSON PLANNING!!!! I forgot to mention that... I was put in charge of next weeks reading plans- So I had to plan eight activities for all five days for eight different reading leveled groups! Luckily, I have it all mapped out already and now I just have to work on getting the books ready and put in tomorrow! Hope everyone is doing great and I can't wait to see you all in December (which will be here before we know it)!!! Love you all!