Hello all! I know I have been a bit AWOL, but things were not happening for a very long time. Last I posted was that I had an interview at my current school. Unfortunately I did not get any of the available teaching positions. Including that interview, I have been on approximately 14 interviews, including 8 that I did at a teacher fair at my university.
Luckily, the interview I had this week, on Tuesday, went fantastically! I interviewed with the principal, the assistant superintendent, and was offered the position 2 1/2 hours after my initial interview!! I will be a 1st Grade Teacher starting MONDAY!
Now, the school I am joining is about 3 hours from my current location, so I am moving and getting everything right now! Fortunately, I have a cousin who lives in that town and am able to stay there until I find a place to live. This school began last week! They have over 30 kids in each of the 3 classes, so they are forming a new class: mine!
I'm excited and crazy nervous!! I don't know what my room looks like or what curriculum I'm using or if the team has a plan to do something all similar. So I'm going to have a severe learning curve!
Any suggestions, helpful hints would be wonderful! I promise to post pictures, and news as soon as I can!
Smiley :)
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Reading Suggestions
Hi Everyone!
I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for useful education books to read (i.e. teacher books)? Either gen ed or special education? I have free time on my hands and want to put it to good use. I've already read The Book Whisperer and am working through The Daily 5 again.
Thanks for your help! Hope all is going well in your lives and classrooms!
Miss Smiling
I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for useful education books to read (i.e. teacher books)? Either gen ed or special education? I have free time on my hands and want to put it to good use. I've already read The Book Whisperer and am working through The Daily 5 again.
Thanks for your help! Hope all is going well in your lives and classrooms!
Miss Smiling
Monday, December 12, 2011
Graduation
I've really been AWOL! I did not mean to be, but when one works, completes a practicum, and another class, one tends to get busy. All most all of that is coming to an end, so maybe I will be able to play catch-up!
Graduation is Saturday. This Saturday. WOW!! I only started grad school last fall. And now I'm going to be done! I just have one more paper to complete (due today, midnight..... yes, I'm procrastinating!) and then I have all my requirements completed (unless someone comes along and tells me otherwise, which I sincerely hope not!).
I really enjoyed my practicum in the resource room at my school! I learned so much from the teacher I was able to work with and from the kiddos in the program.
I'm truly enjoying my job as an instructional assistant, although at times I see and experience some of the kids not treating me with the same respect as a classroom teacher. I also feel much more ready to have my own classroom again. Maybe soon? Fingers crossed.
Ok, I guess I will stop procrastinating and get back to that paper. Hope all is well in everyone's classrooms and families, especially with the holidays!
Graduation is Saturday. This Saturday. WOW!! I only started grad school last fall. And now I'm going to be done! I just have one more paper to complete (due today, midnight..... yes, I'm procrastinating!) and then I have all my requirements completed (unless someone comes along and tells me otherwise, which I sincerely hope not!).
I really enjoyed my practicum in the resource room at my school! I learned so much from the teacher I was able to work with and from the kiddos in the program.
I'm truly enjoying my job as an instructional assistant, although at times I see and experience some of the kids not treating me with the same respect as a classroom teacher. I also feel much more ready to have my own classroom again. Maybe soon? Fingers crossed.
Ok, I guess I will stop procrastinating and get back to that paper. Hope all is well in everyone's classrooms and families, especially with the holidays!
Monday, September 5, 2011
MFC Part II (My First Classroom)
As promised, more of my first classroom pics! A few may be repeats, but I think we will be ok! :)
So come about January, I almost always get the urge to purge the classroom and rearrange a few things. Here is that process!!
| Here is the front of the room shot, without anything on the walls. This is about 2 weeks before school starts I think. |
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| Back of the room from the doorway. Can see our Saxon math meeting wall. Far left is library. Desks are smooshed up because I moved the kidney table to the back of the room (See next pic) and C L E A N E D all the junk out from under everything. Dust collects like nothing I've ever seen before! |
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| Part of side wall from door. Cleaning cleaning cleaning! Yes, there is a small "oven" on a desk against the wall. This must have been near the time I did the lesson on making cookies. |
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| Side wall with part of front wall. Job board is in purple under flag. |
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| Front of room. Far right of pic is where my desk was. Still smooshed because of cleaning! |
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| Trash PRE-major cleaning. Check out the recycle bin! |
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| Clean groups, cleaner and organized teacher area! Sweet! |
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| Check out my tidy rows!!! |
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| Front of room CLEAN!! |
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| Trash AFTER major cleaning! :) Ah, much better! |
Sunday, August 21, 2011
New School Year
Happy New School Year!
My new school started last week- we had a whole district meeting first thing last Monday, then broke off and met with our individual schools. Tuesday was a "day off" for everyone. And then Wednesday the kids came!
Let me just say, I LOVE my new school!! I know that I am not a teacher there, but as an instructional assistant I feel like I am just as involved, if not more, with everything. AND I love how kind and caring everyone is, including the students. Yes, there are a few stinkers, but overall, everyone is great!
I'm working primarily with the older kiddos- 4th, 5th, and 6th- and eventually will have a short time each day working with K/1 kiddos. All the kids I've worked with have been wonderful. All the teachers I get to work with are fantastic! They listen to ideas I have and really want to make me an asset in the classroom, not just give me busy work. :)
Tomorrow starts my *hopefully* last semester as a grad student! I am working on my practicum at New School and also taking a class on autism. I just got all the info on the autism class tonight- a bit nervous, but excited at the same time! Hopefully my book comes tomorrow so I can get started reading.
All for now. We have collaboration tomorrow morning at 7:30, so early to bed for moi!
Hope everyone is enjoying their new school year!
My new school started last week- we had a whole district meeting first thing last Monday, then broke off and met with our individual schools. Tuesday was a "day off" for everyone. And then Wednesday the kids came!
Let me just say, I LOVE my new school!! I know that I am not a teacher there, but as an instructional assistant I feel like I am just as involved, if not more, with everything. AND I love how kind and caring everyone is, including the students. Yes, there are a few stinkers, but overall, everyone is great!
I'm working primarily with the older kiddos- 4th, 5th, and 6th- and eventually will have a short time each day working with K/1 kiddos. All the kids I've worked with have been wonderful. All the teachers I get to work with are fantastic! They listen to ideas I have and really want to make me an asset in the classroom, not just give me busy work. :)
Tomorrow starts my *hopefully* last semester as a grad student! I am working on my practicum at New School and also taking a class on autism. I just got all the info on the autism class tonight- a bit nervous, but excited at the same time! Hopefully my book comes tomorrow so I can get started reading.
All for now. We have collaboration tomorrow morning at 7:30, so early to bed for moi!
Hope everyone is enjoying their new school year!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Guess What??
The missing pictures have been found! I'm transfering them over as I write this, so a MFC Part II is coming soon!
Also, I got a job! I didn't even apply for it, but went for the interview and the next day the principal called to offer me the job! I will be a part time instructional assistant for 3rd and 4th grade. In the afternoons I will also be able to complete my practicum for grad school which will allow me to be done in December, hopefully, as planned. :)
Also, I got a job! I didn't even apply for it, but went for the interview and the next day the principal called to offer me the job! I will be a part time instructional assistant for 3rd and 4th grade. In the afternoons I will also be able to complete my practicum for grad school which will allow me to be done in December, hopefully, as planned. :)
Saturday, July 30, 2011
My First Classroom Part I
Michaele over at Kindergarten's 3 R's posted about her very 1st classroom, so I thought I'd share mine! Now, you have to remember, my first classroom wasn't all that long ago- 2007-2008, although it does feel like a great deal of time has passed.
My first teaching job was in a charter school and my first year of teaching was the first year it was opened. The building we were in was one of 6 buildings on a 20+ acre campus for K-6 (at the time; now K-8). The buildings were previously a YWCA and (a long time) before that the buildings were part of a Catholic orphanage.
Here is from when I first was able to see my classroom, pre-doing anything!
Ok this was the only picture I could find before I had done anything, even though I KNOW I had a few other pics! My classroom had NO windows! (Actually both of my classrooms didn't have windows, but that's a whole other story.)
Both of the above pics show all of my teaching stuff I moved into my classroom. Let the record show that the hallways and other classrooms were still being worked on and many of us did not have doors and no one had air conditioning, which is a pain without a window! You all know how it is! The right picture, including the yellow bin, are ALL of my children's library books at the time. I have MORE now. Yes, I have an addiction to children's books. I readily admit it!
So I then attempted to find the best set up for my classroom:
The left picture is a merging program I used (can't remember the name of it; it's been too many years!) to show a panoramic view of my classroom. I'm standing facing the class from that one and the one on the right I am standing in the back facing the front of the classroom.
I don't have a ton of pictures from this year for some reason. (I'm going to have to search! I know I have them somewhere!) In the right picture, where the easel is, is where I placed my teacher desk. Up from on the left where the kidney table is alternated 2x during the year. When I started the year, I left the table there so I could work with small groups.
In the picture with the yellow bin way above, I pushed the long table against the wall and made that a Writing Station and called it "Fishing for Writers" or something along those lines.
Looking at the two above pictures, I'm trying to remember the placement because these don't make sense to me. I must have switched sides of the room for my library after I first started setting up the room, I just don't remember doing that. This is not good to be forgetting so much at only 27!! **Update! I figured out WHY these don't make any sense- these are from classroom #2! So I'm not losing my mind! WHEW! :) **
Facing the kiddos, in the back left corner is where I placed my library. I know part way through the year I received a roll-y storage thing (storage on both sides) which I loved because I was able to store our Saxon math manipulatives on it.
Part way through the year I ended up moving the kidney table to the back and the long table to the front. I placed mailboxes on that and used my kidney table for small group lessons (as I could teach them). I also brought those wire storage cubes from college and put them behind the kidney table to store my reading program materials (SRA's Reading Mastery).
I'll keep my eyes peeled/search out my other pictures from my first year. I know I took LOTS of pictures that year because it was my first year and I wanted to remember everything!
So stay tuned for MFC Part II!
My first teaching job was in a charter school and my first year of teaching was the first year it was opened. The building we were in was one of 6 buildings on a 20+ acre campus for K-6 (at the time; now K-8). The buildings were previously a YWCA and (a long time) before that the buildings were part of a Catholic orphanage.
Here is from when I first was able to see my classroom, pre-doing anything!
Ok this was the only picture I could find before I had done anything, even though I KNOW I had a few other pics! My classroom had NO windows! (Actually both of my classrooms didn't have windows, but that's a whole other story.)
Both of the above pics show all of my teaching stuff I moved into my classroom. Let the record show that the hallways and other classrooms were still being worked on and many of us did not have doors and no one had air conditioning, which is a pain without a window! You all know how it is! The right picture, including the yellow bin, are ALL of my children's library books at the time. I have MORE now. Yes, I have an addiction to children's books. I readily admit it!
So I then attempted to find the best set up for my classroom:
The left picture is a merging program I used (can't remember the name of it; it's been too many years!) to show a panoramic view of my classroom. I'm standing facing the class from that one and the one on the right I am standing in the back facing the front of the classroom.
I don't have a ton of pictures from this year for some reason. (I'm going to have to search! I know I have them somewhere!) In the right picture, where the easel is, is where I placed my teacher desk. Up from on the left where the kidney table is alternated 2x during the year. When I started the year, I left the table there so I could work with small groups.
In the picture with the yellow bin way above, I pushed the long table against the wall and made that a Writing Station and called it "Fishing for Writers" or something along those lines.
Facing the kiddos, in the back left corner is where I placed my library. I know part way through the year I received a roll-y storage thing (storage on both sides) which I loved because I was able to store our Saxon math manipulatives on it.
Part way through the year I ended up moving the kidney table to the back and the long table to the front. I placed mailboxes on that and used my kidney table for small group lessons (as I could teach them). I also brought those wire storage cubes from college and put them behind the kidney table to store my reading program materials (SRA's Reading Mastery).
I'll keep my eyes peeled/search out my other pictures from my first year. I know I took LOTS of pictures that year because it was my first year and I wanted to remember everything!
So stay tuned for MFC Part II!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Summer Sick
Don't you hate it when you get everything done and the first week of freedom you have, you get sick? Yep, that's me this week. Nasty summer headcold :(
Am working on getting some pictures, etc, uploaded in the next week.
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
Am working on getting some pictures, etc, uploaded in the next week.
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Smart Cookies
Mrs. Bainbridge's Class is hosting her first linky part on the unique sayings we use in the classroom, so I thought I'd join in!
1. Smart Cookie
I call my students smart cookies when they get an answer right, and I usually get a startled look or a "I'm not a cookie!" Then I eventually get smiles after I say it a few times. :)
2. Put it in your binder, take it home and.... "Show your parents how smart you are!"
After reviewing our morning work, I would have my 2nd grade kiddos put there morning work in their TEAM binders and would say this phrase- apparently repeatedly enough that they would start saying it for me or say it if I forgot, or to remind a neighbor! :)
3. How old are you? or What grade are you in?
Typically used when in line with my class, or when I've been subbing and a class is a bit unruly- most of the the time it works to get the line in better order.
4. Who's going to win... the boys... or the girls?
Straightens a line right up, especially as a sub!
5. You are so beating my 2nd grade class from last year (or the reverse, Hmm... I think my 2nd grade class did a much better job than you)
6. Hold your horses!
7. I'm going to change my name and not tell you what it is!
8. I am not Mrs. Smiling, that is my mom! And I am not my mom!
9. Unless you are bleeding, dying, puking, have a broken bone, or about to puke, you're fine!
10. A student comes up in tears or fake-tears, and I can tell they just need attention, they say, I hurt my *arm* holding it limply up to me. I have them shake it, and more or less do the chicken dance, saying, Oh no, we better call the hospital! And when they are giggling, I say guess no hospital!
There are so many more, but I've been out of my own classroom for so long that I've started to forget them! Since subbing, I've also used different ones than I did with my own kiddos. You know you use some of these a lot when kiddos start to repeat them or use them on each other!!
Smiling Teacher
***UPDATE: Just thought of #11:
We all know how little ones like to sit on their knees in the chairs, and a phrase I often use:
"Butt in the chair, not in the air!" :)
Another one!
#12: I have a rule about me "comfy" teacher chair in the group area (formerly a rocking chair). Students are not allowed to sit in it unless they have gone to college. :) They try to sneak in the chair and I often ask them, Have you gone to college yet? :)
1. Smart Cookie
I call my students smart cookies when they get an answer right, and I usually get a startled look or a "I'm not a cookie!" Then I eventually get smiles after I say it a few times. :)
2. Put it in your binder, take it home and.... "Show your parents how smart you are!"
After reviewing our morning work, I would have my 2nd grade kiddos put there morning work in their TEAM binders and would say this phrase- apparently repeatedly enough that they would start saying it for me or say it if I forgot, or to remind a neighbor! :)
3. How old are you? or What grade are you in?
Typically used when in line with my class, or when I've been subbing and a class is a bit unruly- most of the the time it works to get the line in better order.
4. Who's going to win... the boys... or the girls?
Straightens a line right up, especially as a sub!
5. You are so beating my 2nd grade class from last year (or the reverse, Hmm... I think my 2nd grade class did a much better job than you)
6. Hold your horses!
7. I'm going to change my name and not tell you what it is!
8. I am not Mrs. Smiling, that is my mom! And I am not my mom!
9. Unless you are bleeding, dying, puking, have a broken bone, or about to puke, you're fine!
10. A student comes up in tears or fake-tears, and I can tell they just need attention, they say, I hurt my *arm* holding it limply up to me. I have them shake it, and more or less do the chicken dance, saying, Oh no, we better call the hospital! And when they are giggling, I say guess no hospital!
There are so many more, but I've been out of my own classroom for so long that I've started to forget them! Since subbing, I've also used different ones than I did with my own kiddos. You know you use some of these a lot when kiddos start to repeat them or use them on each other!!
Smiling Teacher
***UPDATE: Just thought of #11:
We all know how little ones like to sit on their knees in the chairs, and a phrase I often use:
"Butt in the chair, not in the air!" :)
Another one!
#12: I have a rule about me "comfy" teacher chair in the group area (formerly a rocking chair). Students are not allowed to sit in it unless they have gone to college. :) They try to sneak in the chair and I often ask them, Have you gone to college yet? :)
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Followers, Library, Book, & Tutoring
Wow! Three followers! I've very happy to have 3 followers and have so many ideas and things I would like to share with everyone out there in the blogosphere!
However, I just finished a four class tonight on Emotional and Behavior Disorders, so my brain is a bit loopy at the moment. :) So, I'm planning on posting pics of my classroom library to go with the linky party at one of the blogs I follow- can't think of which one right off hand, but I will definitely link up when I can.
I also have a whole bunch of ideas to share from both my grad classes and what I'm using with the two students I am tutoring this summer. By the way, I am having a BLAST working with these two. One is an identified special education student who was in my 2nd grade class 2 years ago. She is spunky, and sassy, and a whole lot of fun, but definitely full of personality and keeps me thinking of ways to motivate her. The other kiddo is a general education student who I had just for math class 2 years ago, but had his twin sister in my homeroom. I just started working with him this week- he loves math, but struggles with reading and being motivated by it. So we are working to improve both areas, but especially reading.
Which brings me to... The Book Whisperer. I keep seeing all the TBA [Teaching Blog Addict] peeps post about this, so naturally I was curious and just picked it up from the library today. I am excited about it and can't wait to start it next week after my last summer class is kaput for the summer! [Only 1 group paper, a few discussion board posts, a self-eval, 1 class, and 1 final and I am done for the summer!] Then I get 4 weeks of no grad school classes! Excited! Also looking forward to hearing about my practicum placement.
So there is hopefully enough to keep my lovely readers captivated!! :) Hope you are having a wonderful, sunny summer so far!
Smiling Teacher
However, I just finished a four class tonight on Emotional and Behavior Disorders, so my brain is a bit loopy at the moment. :) So, I'm planning on posting pics of my classroom library to go with the linky party at one of the blogs I follow- can't think of which one right off hand, but I will definitely link up when I can.
I also have a whole bunch of ideas to share from both my grad classes and what I'm using with the two students I am tutoring this summer. By the way, I am having a BLAST working with these two. One is an identified special education student who was in my 2nd grade class 2 years ago. She is spunky, and sassy, and a whole lot of fun, but definitely full of personality and keeps me thinking of ways to motivate her. The other kiddo is a general education student who I had just for math class 2 years ago, but had his twin sister in my homeroom. I just started working with him this week- he loves math, but struggles with reading and being motivated by it. So we are working to improve both areas, but especially reading.
Which brings me to... The Book Whisperer. I keep seeing all the TBA [Teaching Blog Addict] peeps post about this, so naturally I was curious and just picked it up from the library today. I am excited about it and can't wait to start it next week after my last summer class is kaput for the summer! [Only 1 group paper, a few discussion board posts, a self-eval, 1 class, and 1 final and I am done for the summer!] Then I get 4 weeks of no grad school classes! Excited! Also looking forward to hearing about my practicum placement.
So there is hopefully enough to keep my lovely readers captivated!! :) Hope you are having a wonderful, sunny summer so far!
Smiling Teacher
Friday, July 1, 2011
Calendar Planner
Is it possible to be in love with your calendar planner?? Ok, maybe not "in" love, but.... :) I just got a new calendar planner for my classes and appointments and such, and it's just so cute!! :) It probably wouldn't work especially well for classroom planning and such, but I do believe there was a larger version at WalMart. Bonus: it was only about $4!!
I love that it has a larger calendar and then week-by-week! I LOVE the tabs- makes it so much easier to find the months.
How do you keep track of everything you have to get done?
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Comments
Can someone PLEASE tell me how to comment on another person's blog? I've tried openid and google account and NEITHER works and I've tried like 15 million times and am getting really frustrated!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Update, Grad School, Tutoring
I'm back! I've stumbled onto a few (ok, a lot!) of awesome new-to-me blogs and have decided to start posting again, and more.
I've just started my third summer class and will have a four week break at the end of the summer. Then I will be completing my praciticum and an autism class this fall. Graduating in December!
This summer I am also tutoring two students and am really enjoying it!
Ok, that's all for now since I have to get back to my book, Coercion by Murray Sidman for a class. About 60 pages to read today. Wish me luck!
I've just started my third summer class and will have a four week break at the end of the summer. Then I will be completing my praciticum and an autism class this fall. Graduating in December!
This summer I am also tutoring two students and am really enjoying it!
Ok, that's all for now since I have to get back to my book, Coercion by Murray Sidman for a class. About 60 pages to read today. Wish me luck!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Subbing
I finally was able to start subbing last week. It's a strange balance to work and work on classes. Very strange, but I'll get the hang of it.
Last week I was able to sub in a Kindergarten class in a district I subbed in 4 years ago. AMAZING. I wasn't even nervous!! When I arrived in that classroom, I realized I had subbed for that teacher before. She has a very structured day, but it works.
There are only 20 kids in that K class. 20!! More boys than girls. These kids were QUIET in the hall. I mean they were SILENT. And we passed other classes and those classes were silent too. It was so WEIRD. At my prior school it was NEVER quiet in the halls. Noise ALL the time. This was a wonderfully new experience.
These kids listened, they, for the most part, were well behaved. The biggest "problem" was one of the boys called another boy "stupid". At my prior school, we have kids who throw desks and chairs and hit teachers.
During lunch- yes, a LUNCH BREAK! 50 minutes! Shock! Awe! I was able to eat, not inhale, my food AND read a little bit for one of my classes!! Anyway, during lunch, one of the 1st grade teachers was talking about how one of her students was down in the P's office because she was "playing". I wanted to be all, PLAYING? PLAYING?!? I can't even form words that was so... I don't know what the word is other than out of the ordinary for me.
SO this week, I am back at my last school subbing for them. What they are having me do is sub in a 4th grade pull out room. They are pulling out 11 of the lowest 4th graders and having them work on math, reading, and writing. And this is the best part: I GET TO DECIDE HOW TO DO EVERYTHING!!!!!! I totally can't believe it! Granted, I have the math curriculum textbook to guide me on what to teach, but it is NOT scripted. Seriously wonderful. AND for reading I don't have to teach DI. Wahoo!!!! I'm planning a Literacy block (sort-of) where I'm going to have the kids work in small groups and have one group work on writing while I work with the other group on reading and have a spelling practice station. And when they come in, I'm going to have a review math problem on the board or a review sheet on their desk to get their brains started and if they need to go to the bathroom this is when they go. And then we start the lesson. They get the modified math homework, but that's ok. I think I will probably let them start the packet of homework, but they will still have some problems to do. And after both math and lit block, I want do board races/games to keep them excited and make it FUN. Because this should be fun for them, not a punishment or anything like that.
Woo. That was a long thought process. I'm only doing this sub job Mon-Thurs 12:30-3. Friday I sub in 2nd grade, and I totally know that curriculum, so no worries. And I hear this is a good 2nd grade group, so yay!
Next week is mid-terms. Ick. Not sure what to think, but excited that I can review everything I've learned and don't have to read anything new for a bit. AND I can work on my projects. YAY.
Ok I think that is all for now. Wish me luck tomorrow. I fear I am starting to get sick (sore throat, really tired, achy-ish body) so I'm doing my best to get better. FAST.
Last week I was able to sub in a Kindergarten class in a district I subbed in 4 years ago. AMAZING. I wasn't even nervous!! When I arrived in that classroom, I realized I had subbed for that teacher before. She has a very structured day, but it works.
There are only 20 kids in that K class. 20!! More boys than girls. These kids were QUIET in the hall. I mean they were SILENT. And we passed other classes and those classes were silent too. It was so WEIRD. At my prior school it was NEVER quiet in the halls. Noise ALL the time. This was a wonderfully new experience.
These kids listened, they, for the most part, were well behaved. The biggest "problem" was one of the boys called another boy "stupid". At my prior school, we have kids who throw desks and chairs and hit teachers.
During lunch- yes, a LUNCH BREAK! 50 minutes! Shock! Awe! I was able to eat, not inhale, my food AND read a little bit for one of my classes!! Anyway, during lunch, one of the 1st grade teachers was talking about how one of her students was down in the P's office because she was "playing". I wanted to be all, PLAYING? PLAYING?!? I can't even form words that was so... I don't know what the word is other than out of the ordinary for me.
SO this week, I am back at my last school subbing for them. What they are having me do is sub in a 4th grade pull out room. They are pulling out 11 of the lowest 4th graders and having them work on math, reading, and writing. And this is the best part: I GET TO DECIDE HOW TO DO EVERYTHING!!!!!! I totally can't believe it! Granted, I have the math curriculum textbook to guide me on what to teach, but it is NOT scripted. Seriously wonderful. AND for reading I don't have to teach DI. Wahoo!!!! I'm planning a Literacy block (sort-of) where I'm going to have the kids work in small groups and have one group work on writing while I work with the other group on reading and have a spelling practice station. And when they come in, I'm going to have a review math problem on the board or a review sheet on their desk to get their brains started and if they need to go to the bathroom this is when they go. And then we start the lesson. They get the modified math homework, but that's ok. I think I will probably let them start the packet of homework, but they will still have some problems to do. And after both math and lit block, I want do board races/games to keep them excited and make it FUN. Because this should be fun for them, not a punishment or anything like that.
Woo. That was a long thought process. I'm only doing this sub job Mon-Thurs 12:30-3. Friday I sub in 2nd grade, and I totally know that curriculum, so no worries. And I hear this is a good 2nd grade group, so yay!
Next week is mid-terms. Ick. Not sure what to think, but excited that I can review everything I've learned and don't have to read anything new for a bit. AND I can work on my projects. YAY.
Ok I think that is all for now. Wish me luck tomorrow. I fear I am starting to get sick (sore throat, really tired, achy-ish body) so I'm doing my best to get better. FAST.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Grad School
I've been a long time in writing, but a lot has happened.
At the end of the school year, I resigned from my position at that school. I was so stressed out and just couldn't imagine going back and dealing with all that drama anymore.
I spent a summer running around and just enjoying being free.
I signed up for graduate school in July. I'm working on my Masters in Special Education with add-on licensure in Mild and Intense Interventions. After having worked the past few weeks on 2 classes for Intense Interventions and 1 class for Mild Interventions, I have discovered that I far more enjoy and like the Mild Interventions class. I think the Intense Interventions is for a different type of personality than me and with my back problems I've had recently (and for a while), I don't think I am the best fit for that teaching area. I have definitely learned alot though and will finish the 2 classes I am currently taking.
I've applied for a few different jobs, but haven't heard anything back. I recently applied for a long-term sub position in a 2nd grade classroom. I've excited about that, just hope I hear something. In the mean time, I have training coming up for substitute teaching in the district I went to school in. It was a long time coming- 5 weeks! and I even had to get fingerprinted!- but I'm excited.
I was able to talk with a teacher/friend I worked with at my old school the last few days. She learned in July that she is pregnant with her 2nd child. She has asked the assistant principal if I would be able to be added to the sub list for that school and the a.p. said I would, and they even want to talk to me about an aide position. This friend very, VERY much wants me to do her maternity leave. I wish I could just say yes. There are a few things that are holding me back. 1) I'm out of that school, and I don't want to go back to all the drama that lives there! 2) She plans week to week, sometimes day to day, and while I am not the world's most forward thinker, I can't live like that! She would have to plan more in advance for me, especially since it is Kindergarten!! I did say I would think about it, I just don't want her to keep pushing it at me.
I've continued to read a few other people's blog posts, who are teachers, and I even went back and read what I wrote. I do miss the planning instruction and being creative with the kids. I don't miss the drama. Does a school exist that doesn't have drama??
I have a few projects for my classes I need to work on. Hopefully I won't be so long in writing again!
At the end of the school year, I resigned from my position at that school. I was so stressed out and just couldn't imagine going back and dealing with all that drama anymore.
I spent a summer running around and just enjoying being free.
I signed up for graduate school in July. I'm working on my Masters in Special Education with add-on licensure in Mild and Intense Interventions. After having worked the past few weeks on 2 classes for Intense Interventions and 1 class for Mild Interventions, I have discovered that I far more enjoy and like the Mild Interventions class. I think the Intense Interventions is for a different type of personality than me and with my back problems I've had recently (and for a while), I don't think I am the best fit for that teaching area. I have definitely learned alot though and will finish the 2 classes I am currently taking.
I've applied for a few different jobs, but haven't heard anything back. I recently applied for a long-term sub position in a 2nd grade classroom. I've excited about that, just hope I hear something. In the mean time, I have training coming up for substitute teaching in the district I went to school in. It was a long time coming- 5 weeks! and I even had to get fingerprinted!- but I'm excited.
I was able to talk with a teacher/friend I worked with at my old school the last few days. She learned in July that she is pregnant with her 2nd child. She has asked the assistant principal if I would be able to be added to the sub list for that school and the a.p. said I would, and they even want to talk to me about an aide position. This friend very, VERY much wants me to do her maternity leave. I wish I could just say yes. There are a few things that are holding me back. 1) I'm out of that school, and I don't want to go back to all the drama that lives there! 2) She plans week to week, sometimes day to day, and while I am not the world's most forward thinker, I can't live like that! She would have to plan more in advance for me, especially since it is Kindergarten!! I did say I would think about it, I just don't want her to keep pushing it at me.
I've continued to read a few other people's blog posts, who are teachers, and I even went back and read what I wrote. I do miss the planning instruction and being creative with the kids. I don't miss the drama. Does a school exist that doesn't have drama??
I have a few projects for my classes I need to work on. Hopefully I won't be so long in writing again!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
This week I am administering ISTEP to our SPED 4th graders. They put one of the aides in my room (for the majority of the time) while I was ISTEPing.
This particular aide is 8+ months pregnant.
When I found out she was going to be in there, I told my mom that my class would probably send her into labor.
She made it through today.
Her water broke on her way home from school.
Holy crap...
This particular aide is 8+ months pregnant.
When I found out she was going to be in there, I told my mom that my class would probably send her into labor.
She made it through today.
Her water broke on her way home from school.
Holy crap...
Monday, February 8, 2010
Power Hour Update
Last post I posted about our Remediation/Enrichment time (aka Power Hour). Here's the update:
Last week was our first week (for K-2). It was EXTREMELY challenging to begin.. very little direction, coming up with the focus of the time on our own without guidance, not understanding what we were expected to be doing (in terms of assessment).
After we started, we were THEN given direction on where to go. Actually after the majority of the week had passed we were given direction. How bass-ackwards can we get?
Today, I got to meet with my reading kiddos for Power Hour for the first time since last Wednesday. I did do a few things more spur of the moment, but had thought of them prior, just hadn't planned them completely out. During some previous lessons (with other groups), I have always found this works pretty well for me.
I have 16 kiddos in my group-- which I have to say I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! I divided them up into 4 groups of 4. I read them a book today, just to start of the session. I think I will try to do this every time. I also think it helps them process vocabulary and having someone read to you was always one of my favorite activities.
I then broke them up into groups and told them the centers they were going to be doing:
1. A partner reading center in the library. *I think I will have to adjust this one. I want to do something with a listening station, but haven't figured out quite how.
2. A word family station. They create a bubble map using the word family in the folder they are given. After they have a few words or so, they create a story using those words. Ex. -ug family: The snug bug slept in the rug. He said, "Ug!" when someone pulled the plug on his coffee mug. (Not my best, but you get the idea! :) )
3. An extension of the read aloud station. They were to take the book we read and find their favorite page. Then they were to come up with a different sentence for that page. Then they could draw their own version of the picture. *This may need to be adjusted. I think I may need to add all our read alouds and then they can choose the book they want to work with. This will reduce down time of them fighting over who gets to look at it.
4. The last center was working with me. I bought a book of small stories with reading comprehension stories from our teacher store. The stories are fairly simple and short. They include 4 comprehension questions. With the 3 kiddos I worked with today, it was PERFECT! I was able to hear these 3 kids read and we worked on understanding the story. We also worked on reducing the number of choices in a multiple choice question by eliminating obvious wrong answers.
After we went over the questions, there was still a little time left, so I had them flip their paper over and divide it into 4 boxes. In box one, they were to tell me a story (any they wanted- they had asked). In box 2, they were to draw a picture of their story. In box 3, they were to draw a picture of the story we had read. In box 4, they were to find any word on the word wall that they could read and write it down. (We have a LOT of words.)
What do you think so far? I like a few of the things I'm doing, but I don't feel like I ever have time to plan. My health issues this year have taken a toll on me. Not to mention the rough group in my homeroom. I'm just frustrated, but learning.
Any suggestions for other centers? Thanks!
Last week was our first week (for K-2). It was EXTREMELY challenging to begin.. very little direction, coming up with the focus of the time on our own without guidance, not understanding what we were expected to be doing (in terms of assessment).
After we started, we were THEN given direction on where to go. Actually after the majority of the week had passed we were given direction. How bass-ackwards can we get?
Today, I got to meet with my reading kiddos for Power Hour for the first time since last Wednesday. I did do a few things more spur of the moment, but had thought of them prior, just hadn't planned them completely out. During some previous lessons (with other groups), I have always found this works pretty well for me.
I have 16 kiddos in my group-- which I have to say I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!! I divided them up into 4 groups of 4. I read them a book today, just to start of the session. I think I will try to do this every time. I also think it helps them process vocabulary and having someone read to you was always one of my favorite activities.
I then broke them up into groups and told them the centers they were going to be doing:
1. A partner reading center in the library. *I think I will have to adjust this one. I want to do something with a listening station, but haven't figured out quite how.
2. A word family station. They create a bubble map using the word family in the folder they are given. After they have a few words or so, they create a story using those words. Ex. -ug family: The snug bug slept in the rug. He said, "Ug!" when someone pulled the plug on his coffee mug. (Not my best, but you get the idea! :) )
3. An extension of the read aloud station. They were to take the book we read and find their favorite page. Then they were to come up with a different sentence for that page. Then they could draw their own version of the picture. *This may need to be adjusted. I think I may need to add all our read alouds and then they can choose the book they want to work with. This will reduce down time of them fighting over who gets to look at it.
4. The last center was working with me. I bought a book of small stories with reading comprehension stories from our teacher store. The stories are fairly simple and short. They include 4 comprehension questions. With the 3 kiddos I worked with today, it was PERFECT! I was able to hear these 3 kids read and we worked on understanding the story. We also worked on reducing the number of choices in a multiple choice question by eliminating obvious wrong answers.
After we went over the questions, there was still a little time left, so I had them flip their paper over and divide it into 4 boxes. In box one, they were to tell me a story (any they wanted- they had asked). In box 2, they were to draw a picture of their story. In box 3, they were to draw a picture of the story we had read. In box 4, they were to find any word on the word wall that they could read and write it down. (We have a LOT of words.)
What do you think so far? I like a few of the things I'm doing, but I don't feel like I ever have time to plan. My health issues this year have taken a toll on me. Not to mention the rough group in my homeroom. I'm just frustrated, but learning.
Any suggestions for other centers? Thanks!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Stressed... the new four letter word
Is it possible for 'them' to ask us to do anymore???
We've added a remediation/enrichment time to our daily schedule. An HOUR.
As if we didn't have enough to do before, we have more kids to teach because the groups are based on their scores from a test they took.
We have to make goals with the kids about how to improve their scores. Yes, I have to do this with 1st and 2nd graders. 7 and 8 year olds! They don't understand what their score means. I don't always understand what they mean.
AND we have to make a pre/post assessment and assess every 2 weeks. EVERY 2 WEEKS!!!! If we are assessing every 2 weeks, when are we supposed to be doing the instruction that we are assessing??
AND we have to make a graph to put in the hallway to show how we are growing. WTF?!?!?!? SERIOUSLY!!!
UGH. Signing off now before I keep going. So ready for this school year to be complete.
We've added a remediation/enrichment time to our daily schedule. An HOUR.
As if we didn't have enough to do before, we have more kids to teach because the groups are based on their scores from a test they took.
We have to make goals with the kids about how to improve their scores. Yes, I have to do this with 1st and 2nd graders. 7 and 8 year olds! They don't understand what their score means. I don't always understand what they mean.
AND we have to make a pre/post assessment and assess every 2 weeks. EVERY 2 WEEKS!!!! If we are assessing every 2 weeks, when are we supposed to be doing the instruction that we are assessing??
AND we have to make a graph to put in the hallway to show how we are growing. WTF?!?!?!? SERIOUSLY!!!
UGH. Signing off now before I keep going. So ready for this school year to be complete.
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