Psycho-crazy Wednesday

Today did not feel like a Wednesday, and I was on-edge aLL daY...

Highlights/Low-lights:

• I hate having other professionals come into my classroom and judge me, my para, and my classroom instruction/set-up without constructive criticism.  HATE IT!! :(  I cannot work with "my way or the highway" personalities.  WAHHH!
• My para is so supportive of me and my instruction.  Sometimes, I think she gives me too much credit, but it's such a morale boost.  What would I do without her?
• My post-conference went okay today, but I can't help going on tangents!  We spent my entire 40-minute prep time discussing her observation; followed by my gripes about other things...Just because I'm a new teacher doesn't mean that I don't know the rules and that I don't know when my boundaries are being stepped on! >.<
• I am excited for the K/1 Staff breakfast tomorrow because I just like staff gatherings when everyone is more relaxed and can see each other.  I was happy to make and pass out the flyers for it...small touches mean a lot!  However, I wish the breakfast wasn't at 7:45 because that is my prime working time.  Oh well, it is what it is.
• Conference scheduling between the SEI classrooms AND ELL families in the mainstream classrooms is so stressful!  I hope my charts are actually helping teachers and not stressing them out...
• Owl presentation today...the kids LoVeD it, but some were terrified when the bigger owls flapped their wings and tried to escape from the presenters.  One of my little ones had to sit on my lap because she wanted to cry. :( Poor thing...
• I was at school at 6:25 this morning before the building was unlocked, and left at 6:40 at night...these days are making me sooo tired.  And I'm getting sick... (silent violin)
• I got a bloody nose at school today-- what the heck?!
• DRA on one of my first graders didn't turn out as stellar as I thought she would be...however, I'm glad others are helping me to assess my kids because goodness knows I need so much help!

Biggest concerns:

• Student evidence for p/t conferences
• The L in my room-- what is her purpose; what am I supposed to do to prepare for her; how can we plan for a whole week together when we only have 40 minutes a week to sit down and discuss?; why won't she take charge of a group and just own it?; what am I doing wrong/right?
• p/t translator issues...gonna be a doozy!
• Unit ELA/Math assessments for kindergarten and first grade as well as quarterly assessments due next Friday
• My videotaping for grad school that I have to remember to do tomorrow...wishing, hoping, praying that I don't forget!

Photos:

Owls "can, have, are" Graphic Organizer

Professional Development ALL DAY

Highlights/Low-lights:

• PD today was torture...it takes skills for one person to lecture a large group of people for that many hours...My brain is fried from sitting and listening all day.

Biggest Concerns:

• PT conferences
• Thanksgiving/Friendship projects
• Reach assessments
• post-conference tomorrow
• What was I thinking juggling my first teaching job with grad school, MTELs, and life? omg.  OVERWHELMED.

Mas o menos Monday

Today was not too shabby (for a Monday)!  Two common planning times in the morning with my kids in Specials; then literacy stations went pretty well today.  Maybe I am finally getting the hang of this thing...

Highlights/Low-lights:

• ORGANIZED and carefully planned literacy stations that allow the kids to be independent really work-- but it sureeee takes a lot of work to get it all ready!
• Sometimes it's better to keep you mouth shut.
• I have so many things to do with my kids to celebrate Thanksgiving-- I hope we have time!!
• Moving my number posters around so that the kids can look at them when they're not looking at me...
• My internet connection was down at school today-- I hope it works on Wednesday!!  Or else I am in big trouble...
• New books for the kids today after the huge library book sale-- yayy!! They were so excited, and I think I picked a lot of good ones that interested them. :)
• Lately, experienced teachers have been asking for the worksheets and posters I've made/found to use in their classrooms-- I guess everyone has to change their plans no matter how many years you've been teaching!  Also, the new videos I've been finding to help the kids with their alphabet and counting are also FANTASTIC.  LOVE them, and the OT at my school was also interested in adding them to her Favorites to use with her students...:)

Biggest concerns:

• Finishing informal letter ID assessments
• Some of my 1st graders need to reread leveled texts for fluency-- how do I find time to do that with them?  I want to teach them to respond independently to texts, too!
• PT conference times keep changing-- sooo stressful >.<

Photos today:

"All About the Number __" posters

Yesterday

Highlights/Low-lights:

• First grade journals in a small group works really well for them...they get support when needed, and I can help them with writing skills/concepts about print :)
• I love days when I don't need to meet for forty minutes-- extra prep! :)
• Literacy groups and the work planned for each one in piles works well :)
• There is no time to assess my kids individually-- ughh! :(
• HF words for first grade will be a huge challenge for some of them-- how can I teach them when we only have a 3-day week next week? hmm...maybe morning ELA reviews o__o
• Punching during lunchtime-- what to do what to do :(
• Owl prey project came out cute, and the kids were really engaged :)
• I like the "can, have, are" graphic organizers...they help reinforce these sight words and connect ideas to print :)
• Crazy afternoon when my para leaves early...glad the kids tried to work with me.  The kinders were able to work with pattern blocks and pumpkin letters for a loonnnggg time while I did a lesson with the first graders...
• Playtime at the end of the day is a nice reward for the kids...wish I had more time to do it...

Biggest concerns:

• P/T conferences next week-- I don't feel prepared
• Math assessments for Gr. 1 in small groups: QQ4; Unit 3 pre-assessment; Unit 2 test; 1st quarter assessment-- poor little ones...I'll have to bring in a treat for them next Thursday.
• Still need to finish letter ID and HF weekly with Gr 1 and Kinders

Photos today:

"Mr. Owl" poem, bordered by owls with their "prey"

First Formal Observation

Almost had a panic attack today about my first formal evaluation...eeek!  So nervous and busy trying to organize my chaos.  However, the kids behaved, and they worked really hard in their centers-- yay!!  I'm not sure when my post-conference is, but it's nice to know that 1/5 of my formals are done...the rest will be unannounced though...fml.

Highlights/Low-lights:

• survived my first formal observation, and the students were trying very hard to follow directions :)
• pulled another 6:45am-7:50pm day...EXHAUSTED. o__o
• I have #s 1-6 finished for my "All About the number" posters...only 4 more to go! :)
• My story map organizer came out so cute!  Teacher blogs are my saviors this year. :)
• Finally beginning to organize all the materials that Susan let me borrow-- or else the mess in my car will start spilling out the doors... o___o

Biggest Concerns:

• ESL and Early childhood MTELs
• my aide leaving after lunch, and me without a sub for the rest of the day...scary business!
• assessments, assessments, assessments...quarter marks are due in less than 2 weeks--- ay caramba
• number and letter ID for my kinders :/

Photos today:

Story Map with title, characters, and setting

Busy Busy

Still trying to adjust to the new month and new visitors in the classroom-- so many people coming in and out as well as changes to my schedule...this drives me nuts.

Highlights/Low-lights:

• IEP went well today-- love when parents are cooperative and seek what is truly best for their children. :)
• Cancelled meeting tmrw that I was unaware of and looked silly for being out-of-the loop for! merr :/
• SOO gosh darn tired today...driving home sleepy is so dangerous. :(
• Having one student absent changes the whole dynamic of a classroom...
• Owls hanging from the ceiling look SO GREAT...I'm really happy when my ideas work. :) The kids were creative and engaged in the activity.  This was also our first time using feathers for a craft...one student ate a piece from the rug-- disgusting...
• Math went smoothly today, but I'm not sure how much learning there was compared to how much learning there COULD be...
• CPT times without a time manager or concrete purpose are a waste of time...
• My first "mommmy" call of the year...so funny :)

Biggest concerns at this moment in time:

• MY FORMAL OBSERVATION TOMORROW...freaking out

Photos today:

"Mr. Owl" poem with faux-feathers

Happy November!

I was so excited for a brand new month beginning today, but I have to admit that I had a slightly crummy day. :( I felt rushed and unorganized today-- I haaate that...and I also felt ill-prepared and on-edge.  My kids feed off of that energy so much, and I felt bad for the couple of times I raised my voice...the poor little babies. It didn't help my mood today that I had class tonight as well as an IEP tomorrow morning and my formal observation the day after that...WAHH.


Highlights/Low-lights:

• Di-cut turkeys for the coat hangers came out cute :)
• First graders really enjoyed "Rainbow Writing" their sight words :)
• Literacy groups today were a HOT MESS...I lost a stack of copies made the other day, and I didn't have a project planned for the theme center! :(
• Meeting with one of the translators today to plan out my literacy periods...:/
• Fall leaves coloring with markers was successful :)
• The kids liked the 100 video I found...very mellow and calming :)
• Morning meeting first thing in the morning worked out well, and I think that after getting used to calendar journals, those will work out nicely. :)

Biggest concerns:

• Am I taking the right steps to help my K students meet their math benchmarks?
• What assessments should I be using for my first graders and Reach?
• Asking colleagues for favors
• Keeping up with everyone
• ESL and Early childhood MTELs...donde?!
• Owl projects for tomorrow while I'm at my meeting