Precious Moments!

I just wanted to share something with all of you that follow our class blog!

These last couple of months before Summer break is a rough one for Special Education teachers. We have many meetings to prepare for and conduct as well as many other demands. This year has been especially difficult with the talk of budget cuts, job loses, etc. However, we continue to work hard and do our best, as we should, simply because WE LOVE OUR JOBS!

Today, I was reminded why I do what I do everyday! When we returned from lunch today, we had a 1st grade class come to our room to share in music time with us. As we were waiting for them to arrive, I was sitting at my desk filling out agendas and organizing homework to be sent home. Out of the corner of my eye I saw someone walking towards my desk. When I looked up, I saw Enoch standing beside me. Many of you know Enoch. He is such a precious child. He is nonverbal and has the most beautiful big brown eyes. As I looked at Enoch, he inched closer and closer to me. Immediately, he put his arms around my shoulder and gave me a hug. It was a very soft hug (he was careful not to get to close), but it meant the world to me. No one had prompted him. No one had told him to come over and do it. When I returned the hug, Enoch simply and quietly just walked away and sat down with the other students.

Somehow Enoch knew that I needed that sweet gesture at that very moment. In that moment, that required no words whatsoever, Enoch reminded me why I live for this job, why I love my students so much, and why I do what I do!

Love, Ms. Malcom

Work in Progress!

Next week is one of our favorite weeks of the year, Special Olympics Track & Field events. We have our Parade and Opening Ceremonies on Monday. In preparation for these events, we have been hard at work on South Salem Elementary's banner! I guess you will have to wait until Monday to see what it looks like. However, below are a few pictures of our students working on the banner!

Happy Earth Day!

We had a wonderful Earth Day celebration and learned so much!

We began the day with a lesson on recycling. We learned to recycle plastic, cans (aluminum), and paper. We even practiced "cleaning up" our classroom!

Later, we discussed ways that we can protect our Earth. Each student got to choose a picture of something that they really want to help protect and add it to their coloring page! It was so interesting seeing the pictures that each student chose!

Lastly, we put our painting skills to the test and painted a huge version of our Earth! We love to paint and had so much fun!

On Earth Day, we learned how each of us could do our part to protect this planet that we call home! We ask that you do your part as well!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Testing...Testing...ZZZZZZZZZ!

This is what happens when you try to test someone during rest time! Ha! Ha!

Reading is so much FUN!

Below are a few pictures of our students during class reading time! Too cute and so studious!

I am so proud that our students have gained an appreciation and love of reading! That love as well as their determination is a definite recipe for success!

Grass People!

In Science we have been learning about plants. So, of course we had to do some planting! :-)

For our plant project, we got out magazines and cut out faces that we liked. Then, we glued them on our cups!

We then filled our cups with potting soil!

Next, we added some grass seeds to our cups as well as a top layer of potting soil!

Throughout our lessons, we learned that plants need water to live. Therefore, we added water to our cups!

We also learned that plants need sun to live. We placed our cups in a window seal and waited for our grass to grow!

When I checked on our projects today, grass was sprouting from many of the cups. The purpose of adding the faces to the cups was to make "grass people", with the grass looking like hair! It looks like it will be another week or so before our "grass people" will need a hair cut! :-)

Another Group Picture!

Popsicle Fun!

One of our favorite custodians, Ms. Charlie, was nice enough to buy popsicles for our class to enjoy!

Eliana and Enoch greatly enjoyed their popsicles!

DeAsia enjoyed spending time with Mrs. Higdon! :-)

A class picture!

A class picture with Ms. Malcom!

Thanks Ms. Charlie for being so kind to us!

Egg Hunt!

While the rest of us were busy enjoying our picnic, Mrs. Higdon was busy hiding eggs for us to hunt!

Below are a few pictures from our egg hunt! Enjoy!

Of course we couldn't get through the egg hunt without a hug from DeAsia! So sweet!

A group shot after our egg hunt!

As you can see, we had a blast!

I hope that everyone has a HAPPY EASTER!!!

Love, Ms. Malcom

Spring Picnic!

We had a very special day planned last Thursday. It was Spring Picture Day. However, it was also the day that we planned our Spring picnic and Easter egg hunt!

Baby Blair also came by to share this special day with us!

In preparation for the picnic, all of our students were required to make their own PB & J sandwiches!

Some of them couldn't wait to eat their sandwich!

Our whole group heading to the front of the school for our picnic!

Mrs. Dubois, our Principal, and a few of our other friends from the office, came out to enjoy our picnic with us!

We laid out blankets and Ms. Malcom passed out the sandwiches!

DeAsia didn't have much of a sandwich left! She had already eaten most of it before we left the classroom! Ha! Ha!

DeAsia opening the rest of her PB & J!

It was a beautiful day for a picnic and great time with friends!