Friday, May 9, 2014

Five for Friday

 Doodle Bugs
Doodle Bugs Teaching
I'm finally linking up with Doodle Bugs' Five for Friday linky to share five random pictures from my week.



1. I've been enjoying a wonderful Teachers' Appreciation Week!  One of my thoughtful parents delivered this yummy lunch yesterday.  Italian food is my favorite!

2. Not school related, but Tuesday night my husband and I went to see the incredible Bruce Springsteen.  I have been in love with The Boss since my freshman year in college.  Each time I attend one of his concerts I am blown away by his energy.  His shows are amazing!


3. I totally scrapped my plans yesterday after I found this adorable poetry/visualization activity while doing my every morning blog surfing. Our Green Giants turned out so cute!  The activity was from One Extra Degree and the printed poem is from Welcome to Room 36.

 


4. We have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first grade chicks. They started hatching on Monday and by Thursday, each classroom was able to have some feathered friends.


5. I am so excited that my new book from Laney Sammons arrived yesterday.  It was backordered on Amazon, but it's here now for me to start reading this weekend.  I hope it's sunny so I can sit by the pool!

OK, I have to add a 6th picture.  Since it was Teacher Appreciation Week, I received a lot of sweet cards and drawings from my class, but this one just cracked me up! (I am a HUGE Steelers fan and my kids know it!)
If you can't read the words it says "You stole my heart.  You get it?  Steelers "stole" my heart!"  I love this little guy!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
post signature

Monday, May 5, 2014

Looking Ahead


I could start off with excuses for why I haven't blogged in more than a month, but all I'll say is that, until this school year is over and I am relaxing poolside, I will most probably be a "once-in-awhile" blogger.  It's just been one of those years, folks!
Anyway, because it's been kind of a rough year, I find myself looking ahead to next year.  I like to have a focus for the summer to guide my professional learning.  For the past couple of summers I have worked hard to get math workshop and guided math up and running in my classroom, and I have to say I am really happy with the way it is working in my room right now.
Reflecting on my teaching so far this year, I realize that for whatever reason, Daily 5 hasn't worked as well for me as it has in the past.  So this summer I want to read the revised version of the book and explore some variations of the format.  It is definitely time to spruce up some of the reading materials and supplies I use as well!  I did buy this really great caddy to organize some of my small group supplies:
I bought this at my husband's favorite store- Harbor Freight!  He was thrilled when I said I wanted to go with him on his last visit!
The other subject area I want to focus on is science.  I feel like science gets overlooked sometimes in my classroom.  Scheduling usually puts science instruction time at the end of the day, and I will confess there are many days when I use that time to catch up on language arts or math work.  We read a lot of science related books or watch videos, but I need to give my kids more time to explore and "do" science.  Science classes were never my favorites in school, and I've always said I just don't like science.  But thinking back to my childhood days, I realize that wasn't always true.  I loved going on hikes and exploring the woods near my home.  I had a rock collection.  On our annual trip to the shore (the beach to most of you!) I gathered seashells.  I pressed leaves and flowers and made scrapbooks identifying them.  It wasn't until science turned into reading chapters in textbooks and memorizing facts and formulas that I lost interest.  I just finished reading this wonderful book, A Place for Wonder by Georgia Heard, and I am super excited to start letting my kids do what they do best, wonder and discover!  (And with perfect timing, my school will be setting up a primary science lab for next year!)


Oh yeah, as I say EVERY summer, I'm going to work on being super-organized next yearl!   I probably just need to face the fact that I am never going to be one of those teachers who has everything laid out for the week in wonderfully color-coordinated folders and tubs.  But a girl can dream, can't she?


post signature