Better Today

Today was a well-organized and just overall better day for me and the kids.  Moods (and colds) are so contagious in our room...when I'm happy, they're happy; when they're sick, I get sick...like right now. :/

Highlights/Low-lights:

• My Counting and Letter ID videos are WORKING!!  The kids were singing along today, and they recognized the tune and lyrics (obviously just counting 1-100 and the ABCs)...SOOO exciting!  I had to video record them for a big of the Big Number Song video because they were just so gosh darn cute!
• My L respected my lessons for the most part today, and I think we will be able to work out our differences over time by reaching a compromise about the "right" instruction for these kids.
• I can't wait to get my Math Wall updated with the student glossary pages I found the other day...It will help expose students to math throughout the day (whenever eyes wander and aren't paying attention to me!).
• Assessments are on my brain, but at least the kids are getting better at doing small group assessments and each others privacy (for the most part). 
• Parent/Teacher conferences start on Monday at 3:30 for me; then 1-3 and 5:30-8pm on Tuesday-- gonna be a long week, my friends!
• Thanksgiving activities are so much fun-- love getting crafty in my classroom! :)
• My aide videotaped me for my grad class today during read aloud and story mapping, and it is so funny to see the lesson on the flip-side! HAH! I am still cracking up while watching it.  Tooo funny.  "Where does the story take place?  What is the setting?  Where are the characters?" "In the chicken?" Oh goshh.

Biggest concerns:

• Quarterly assessments for K and Grade 1
• ZPD of students...making sure that I'm helping them to progress!
• P/T conferences obvi-- I hope I have enough student data and that I say the right things!

Photos today:

(Fine motor) Owls with 2 chalk circles and shredded construction paper