Wednesday

December is tomorrow and I am both excited and anxious about December festivities, responsibilities, and restrictions!  However, I know that whatever we end up doing will be fun and thrilling for my kids. :)

Highlights/Low-lights:

• 9am phone call: "What is today?" Today is Wednesday, today is Wednesday-- all day long, all day long.  "Today is Wednesday.  I thought you would be here at 8:30...as usual." -.-
• CPT for my 3 kids only... whoops!
• meeting @ 7:30 in the morning tomorrow as well as another one at 3:30 until 5 after school...hoo-ray. =/
• Math stations have been pretty calm and effective lately (I think).  The repetitive stations are comforting for students, and I think it gives them a small success at something they can do quickly and (sometimes) correctly.
• Literacy stations have been NoiSy lately...but is it a "good" buzz or just distracting? hmmm...
• Science director came in today to announce--> informal observation on Friday @ 12:35-- eeeek!
• Finally sent in my course approvals for next year's (maybe) lane change...
• November calendar journals stapled and in mailboxes for tomorrow!  Dec/winter themes start tomorrow.
• 1 out of 3 observations done with my aide...:) She's so helpful!

Biggest Concerns:

• What am I going to do for each "Random Act of Kindness"?  I swear I force myself into these stressful situations...
• completing my report cards...
• effective planning time and assessments...teacher-made assessments...how to collect data that leads to future steps to move FORWARD for kids
• mentor observation next week
• workshop for grad school next week

Tuesday

Highlights/Low-lights:

• It was nice to join the K ELA CPT again today, but it was bad having to rearrange my groups due to someone calling in sick today! boo.
• My student busting out and singing Nicki Minaj right before the beginning of math..HA!
• I fixed the copy machine this morning-- hooray for me!
• Almost forgot to bring the library card information sheets to the public library today-- that would have been horrible!
• I am reinventing how I do science, and I'm kind of excited about it!  Trying to be flexible and make it fun and accessible for my kids.
• "Rest time" is not very quiet in Room 24...
• I think someone poo-oopsied in his pants today during math-- kindergarteners are such babies.  Stinky Pete.
• The nurse told me that she always sees me smiling. :)
• I forgot to mention that a student drew a picture of me and my mother yesterday during Art class-- how charming. :P

Biggest Concerns:

• Gr. 1 report cards
• integrating literacy and science curriculums
• appropriate assessments for K and 1
• making time for my grad school coaching project and PD workshop within the next 2 weeks
• 2 observations are looming nearby-- I can feel them!

Photos: Projects "in the Works"

Science Vocabulary throughout the units

December/ Kindness Theme

Back to Reality

The day after Thanksgiving break killed me today!  Morning meetings injected stress into my day, and you know how those just throw me off for the entire school day...

Highlights/Low-lights:

• My kids were as energetic as ever today-- good thing/bad thing?
• meetings, critiques, judgments, THE PRESSURE.
• It's crazy how you can plan for a million activities when the kids can only complete one...very...very...very slowly-- bahh
• My principal is so supportive :)
• Asked about Christmas lights up in the classroom today-- TBD tomorrow...
• 18 school days until Christmas vacation!
• gave my first graders the wrong quick quiz today-- no wonder they all scored 100% ;-)

 Biggest Concerns:

• Report cards are due by the end of the week to be checked by the principal-- also my letter to parents needs to be translated in 5 different languages...fantastic.
• As always, I think I've bitten off more than I can chew...it's bad when you get to school at 6:30 and leave at 7:30...and still feel like you're not prepared-- fml.
• Everything is my concern right now. :(

Day before Thanksgiving

I feel a little guilty saying that I haven't lifted a finger since 3pm on Wednesday to work on school stuff...but at the same time, it was such a nice Thanksgiving break!  I relaxed and really enjoyed my family and friends, and now I'm more excited than ever for Christmas vaca. 19.5 school days left ;-)

Highlights/Low-lights of last Wednesday:

• Shaking heavy cream to make butter with the mainstream first graders was really fun today!  I loved the coloring activity for the kids while they took turns shaking their butter.  I made cornbread and pumpkin bread for them, and they were hits!
• One of my kids was knocked in the face with his chair while taking it down, and he got a bloody nose-- rough day for him. :(
• My aide worked with my kids to give a me a Thanksgiving present of a bracelet and ID case-- cute thought. :)
• We made turkey cards for the school principal, secretary, lunch aide, custodian, and nurse-- trying to teach my kids to think about others!
• Coloring page that I made on Tuesday saved the day because the kids had an activity to do while signing the cards. 

Biggest concerns:

• IEP on Wednesday
• meetings tomorrow and Tuesday morning
• bulletin board ideas for winter?
• Who celebrates Christmas in my class? not everyone...

Photos:

Banana, Cranberry, Corn, and Pumpkin Bread with homemade butter! :)

Finished my #1-9 posters...woohoo!

Thinking of doing "25 Random Acts of Kindness" with my kids for December :)

Thanksgiving Fever

Thanksgiving fever is buzzing around school, and my kids are in a great mood!

Highlights/Low-lights:

• ELL Thanksgiving celebration went well, and 3 of my parents showed up...yay!  The kids were well-behaved (for the most part) and they seemed to l-o-v-e the food served.
• The feather headbands came out great!  AND the pin/elastic combo really helped keep them on the kids' heads! Hollaaa...
• Family poem-letters are colored, feathered, and in mailboxes to take home tomorrow :)
• Fall poetry books are almost ready to go home tomorrow!
• A large turkey surprise for my aide today :)

Biggest Concerns:

• Grade 1 report cards
• Grad school PD workshop and coaching project!
• teaching some of my K their #s 1-10 still! oy vey

Photos from today:

Orange/Red #s 1-10 Patterned headbands

K Letter to Family Member

Grade 1 Letter to Family Member

Turkey Surprise!

Busy Monday!

Today was and still is quite busy!  I am currently baking cornbread and boiling potatoes for my mashed potatoes to bring to school tomorrow.  Our ELL program is having a special Thanksgiving celebration for our students and their families.  I am very excited to celebrate (and eat); but right now, I'm stressed about finishing my food and homework in time for the Pats' game!


Hightlights/Low-lights:

• Created (with the K team) and completed the K Unit 3 pre-assessments...it's nice to get things done (even if my students flunked the pre!).
• Working 2 literacy group blocks and then ending with a whole-class housecleaning craft was nice today...poor kids haven't been able to to finish many Thanksgiving projects! (We always start them, and then I move them onto the next activity!)
• No CPTs tomorrow and Wed-- woop woop =)
• Tried to stay late at school today planning so that I can work up to not planning on Wed!

Biggest Concerns:

• The food I'm cooking for people who have never tasted my food!
• Finishing my grad school work for tomorrow (observation and article)
• Grade 1 report cards
• IEP meeting next week

Photos from today:

"The Native Americans helped the Pilgrims hunt and grow food."

HF words, Patterns, and American History...oh my!

HF words ("the") for K, and content words for Grade 1 :)

On Friday...

What a crazy week last week!  I was so happy to make it to Friday, and I am so pumped that it's the weekend now!

Highlights/Low-lights:

• My p/t conference went well today...The mom and I talked for a half hour about her two boys, and she told me how one of them absolutely loves school...yayy! =)
• No playtime at 2:30; but the kids were able to play for 15 minutes before dismissal.  I was just relieved that the Kindergarteners finished their unit 2 tests! woohoo!  And my little girl who spoke no English at the beginning of the year and knew no numbers, shapes, or math vocab got a 19/20 on her test...I AM SO PROUD OF HER! =)
• My friend came in during math and said that everyone was so quiet...I have never heard that before..wow!
•  Yay! My internet was working again on Friday afternoon so the kids were able to watch their Alphabet and Counting videos-- oh, happy day...I am going to try to have my brother burn the YouTube videos for me so that I have them in case of emergencies!

Biggest Concerns:

• Finishing my Thanksgiving projects with the kids before the Christmas season kicks in!
• Baking cornbread and making mashed potatoes tomorrow for Tuesday's Thanksgiving feast
• Baking cornbread and pumpkin bread for Wednesday's churning butter activity with another first grade classroom =)

Photos from Friday:

We read Turkey Trouble today, and the kids LOVED it.  They asked me to read it again on Monday! :)