Hello Family and Friends! Wow has the last couple months just flown by. I can't believe the colors are already changing and fall is settling in! So as falls settles in we have finally found ourselves getting into the comforts of school again. Although this time around, school is just right out my front door!
I am loving teaching this way, I love the kids and I love the challenge. I am teaching five kindergartners and four second graders, and it is wonderful. The time that I am able to spend teaching these kids is great and we have really built a great classroom. Rylie is in kindergarten with us and doing amazing! I was a little worried that maybe I was pushing my little four year old too hard, but I have found out that I am not. (So going off on a mommy brag: My class had to go to the library to meet with a public school teacher to take this test called DIBELs. She checked the kindergartners on letter recognition and they needed to know 10 of the letters in one minute and then the second part of the test was they looked at pictures and she would ask what the pictures began with or she would give them a letter and they would have to point to the picture that began with the corresponding letter and to be ready for kindergarten they needed to get 8 correct. Well, the day was coming to an end and Rylie was there playing and I asked her to test Rylie for "fun". Remind you Ry is 4 and not "legally" in kindergarten, but she tested her for me. Rylie scored a 27 in letter recognition and a 16 in the picture sounds! I am such a proud mamma!)
I am loving teaching this way, I love the kids and I love the challenge. I am teaching five kindergartners and four second graders, and it is wonderful. The time that I am able to spend teaching these kids is great and we have really built a great classroom. Rylie is in kindergarten with us and doing amazing! I was a little worried that maybe I was pushing my little four year old too hard, but I have found out that I am not. (So going off on a mommy brag: My class had to go to the library to meet with a public school teacher to take this test called DIBELs. She checked the kindergartners on letter recognition and they needed to know 10 of the letters in one minute and then the second part of the test was they looked at pictures and she would ask what the pictures began with or she would give them a letter and they would have to point to the picture that began with the corresponding letter and to be ready for kindergarten they needed to get 8 correct. Well, the day was coming to an end and Rylie was there playing and I asked her to test Rylie for "fun". Remind you Ry is 4 and not "legally" in kindergarten, but she tested her for me. Rylie scored a 27 in letter recognition and a 16 in the picture sounds! I am such a proud mamma!)
Here are some pictures of our classroom. The first picture is what the garage looked like on Saturday the 15th and by Monday the 24th we were ready to roll!
This picture isn't updated, but now on top of those storage bins I have made a cushion seat with pillows to hide classroom storage. This is where the listening area is at, so its nice and comfy :) In the corner on the table there are three computers for the kids to use that we have connected to the internet. 
These shelves are filled with books that I have collected over time and also games, and art supplies. We had to utilize every area for storage and organizational tools!
Overall, I am amazed everyday that we have a classroom in this garage! Our next project is building "fake" walls on the outside of the garage doors to help insulate and keep us warm during winter. I am not sure how this works but I have AMAZING parents that have stepped up and said they would love to build these walls so we aren't freezing and I'm not paying an extra large heat bill!
So this is our classroom in a nut shell! We love you all and next update will have pictures of these growing kiddos!
With Love!!!
The McCabe Family
