Mi Amiguitos

Both TJ and Samyra were able to write I Love You on their cards with very little help, and Shakti wrote it without looking at it written out or any help at all. Ms. Taylor was so very impressed at how well each of her new friends were learning new things and using the knowledge they were learning. Today Ms. Taylor learned that sometimes taking things slow and having a little fun can help her to see where her students excel, that she may otherwise miss. Her new friends were teaching her so many things about teaching and being a teacher.

Dear TJ, Shakti, and Samyra, I am missing you all dearly. I absolutely loved my time with you, and enjoyed reading and learning with you this year. I hope that you all are doing well, and staying healthy. Please know that I hope to see you next year at school, but for now I wrote a little book of our time together for you all to remember the books we read and the time we spent together. I wish you all the best and hope that you will find your love for reading and books as I have. They can take you to places you can only dream of, and teach you so many new things! The time I spent reading with you has only strengthened my love and grown my knowledge in immeasurable ways, so thank you for sitting and enjoying many books with me! Sincerely, Ms. Taylor

This book is written for mi amiguitos TJ, Shakti, and Samyra.

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While reading TJ was having so much fun saying lines before Ms. Taylor could read them, and making different sounds throughout the book, huffing and puffing and the crash when the wolf jumped on the pigs roof. Shakti and Samyra were laughing with TJ and really enjoying the book. Samyra surprised Ms. Taylor when she asked what had happened to the wolf, because when they first saw the illustration of him, his arm and leg were wrapped in bandages. They all agreed he must have been a naughty wolf before chasing these three pigs.

It was time again for Ms. Taylor to return and read with her new friends. Today she brought Snowmen All Year by Carolyn Buehner. After they read the book and laughed at the silly things that the snowmen did, knowing that he would melt if he really went to the beach. Ms. Taylor asked TJ, Samyra, and Shakti to draw a picture of what they would do with their snowman.

Ms. Taylor was having so much fun with her new friends TJ, Shakti, and Samyra. For her next book she wanted to find a fun book. Ms. Taylor remembered reading The Three Little Pigs as a child and knew it would be a book her friends would enjoy. When she arrived she showed them her book, The Three Little Pigs by Susanna Davidson, and they looked at the cover and talked about what may happen in the story.

TJ drew a picture of him and his snowman playing a video game, Fortnite. Shakti drew a picture of her and her snowman jumping rope, and Samyra drew a picture of her and her snowman playing together. Ms. Taylor really enjoyed seeing her friends talk about the things they like to do and make connections with their world and the book.

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For their next meeting Ms. Taylor brought a book that would introduce her friends to some new languages. Together they read Say Hello by Rachel Isadora. A young girl and her dog walk through the city greeting the people in their native languages. Ms. Taylor practiced saying hello with TJ, Shakti, and Samyra in different languages as they read through the book. Next they traced their hands, cut them out and wrote Hello in a different language. Then they were able to use their hand to wave and say hello in a new language. 

Sadly, that was the last time Ms. Taylor was able to spend with her new friends. But during her visits with them she learned about super heroes, video games, their families, and most importantly was able to learn about the importance of reading and sharing books with children. Ms. Taylor will always remember her time with them and the lessons they taught her about reading. Her new friends showed her that children love books and the journeys they take through them. They taught her that even though they may get frustrated with a task that a little encouragement can go a long way, and that they themselves can do so much more than even they realize. Reading with TJ, Samyra, and Shakti allowed them to use their creativity and show that in their work. Ms. Taylor misses them so, but is so thankful for the time she was able to spend with them and share her love of reading!

Ms. Taylor had so much fun watching as her friends practiced the new languages and making their hands unique to use with their friends and classmates. She was also very happy when Shakti helped TJ by showing him we read books starting from the left and moving to the right and then move down the page. Ms. Taylor's friends were helping each other learn, she was so excited to see them work together because it is so important to use their friends as a resource in the classroom.

Ms. Taylor was starting a new journey. Her dream was to be a teacher and help children learn. But before she could have her own class she needed to study and learn how to be a teacher. One of her greatest memories was of her new friends TJ, Shakti, and Samyra from Jackson Creek Elementary School that she met while learning about books and how to share them with her future students.

As they read Ms. Taylor was so nervous, hoping that Samyra, TJ, and Shakti would also like the book. TJ was so engaged and kept talking about the book and his family. Shakti seemed a little shy but was also focused and enjoying the book. Ms. Taylor wasn't sure if Samyra liked the Gruffalo book, but what she quickly learned that day was that Samyra was a very bright student and also enjoyed reading. After reading The Gruffalo, Samyra picked up a Brown Bear book nearby and began reading it without any help. This made Ms. Taylor so very happy.

The time came for Ms. Taylor to return to her friends and for this visit she brought the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault. Ms. Taylor wanted to read the book with her friends and then practice looking at and writing the letters in their names. Together they read through the book, and sang the alphabet and then they drew their own coconut tree and wrote the letters of their names on their tree.

She was finally ready for the first day, and so excited to meet her new friends. But anxious at the same time. When she walked in she met a sweet young boy named TJ, and beautiful girl named Shakti, and an inspiring girl named Samyra. Each made her realize even more her passion for being a teacher. On their first day together they read Ms. Taylor's favorite book, The Gruffalo, by Julia Donaldson.

Together they helped each other practice new letters to add to their tree, letters they were still learning and practicing to write. TJ helped and encouraged Samyra as she tried to write a K in her tree and she was so happy once she was able to write it. Then, Samyra sang the alphabet aloud alone while pointing to the letters at the end of the book. Unfortunately Shakti was not at school on this day and Ms. Taylor, TJ, and Samyra missed her so much.

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Ms. Taylor had now seen her new friends a few times and learned so many new things about them personally and educationally. For her next visit she just wanted to have some fun since Valentine's Day would be later in the week. She brought a fun Valentine's Book, Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie Friedman. Together Ms. Taylor, Shakti, Samyra, and TJ talked about the people that they love just like Ruby Valentine in the book, and then they made a Valentine card for someone they love.

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