Another Week

  I have enjoyed another week at school with my sweet 7 and 8 year olds.  There is nothing like it. They love to please and for the most part want to learn.  In their eyes I am the smartest, prettiest, funniest, and sweetest person alive (next to their Mommy).  You have to love the adoration.
   I know we start school too early, but I am so glad that the first 4 weeks are behind us.  The hardest part about starting a new school year is the establishing routines and building a sense of independence.  I have already finished bench marking the kids for their reading levels and have begun guided reading groups.  We are using Jan Richardson's, The Next Steps in Guided Reading.  Jan worked with several schools in our district while working on her book.  The schools that had more government or grant funding have been using this plan for quite a few years.  This is my second year using it and have found it to be very helpful.  There is a strict time frame which gives me problems, but I am much more comfortable this year.  I find it is helpful to see it in action as well as to read the book.  We are so fortunate to have had our Literacy Coaches taught by Jan.

The Kids Are Back in Town

Fun at Coolidge Park and the Market at the River Walk.  The kids are in the empty pavilion yelling so they can hear the echo.  Even Joshua got in on the noise.  The painted face lasted until Isaac fell asleep in the car.  Ella's was gone after 2 jumps in the pool at Pop's house.
I sure have missed these kids.  I hadn't seen them since the beginning of June.  Joshua was just barely sitting up then.  He is now crawling.
They are TOO far away.  I love them so much.
It was a great weekend.  Both Courtney and her family and Shelly and Will came this time.  Stan even got to spend some time with us.  It is wonderful to have the family together all at once.
Notice the new shoes.  Everyone except Joshua got new shoes.  His cute, chubby, little feet don't need shoes yet!!!

Oh my, how green I am. I just now discovered how to get to the page where I can add on to my page since the change a while back. We are starting our 4th week Tuesday. Midterm progress reports are already due this Friday. I am always happy when we get the first few weeks behind us, with the students finally getting used to the new procedures. We are heading strong into the Daily 5, math rotations, and personal narratives with Lucy Calkins.

Luxury Travel Mom/Office Candy Giveaway!

I feel like a fish out of water trying to keep up with the technology. I really want to have a wonderful blog like everyone else and do the cute and exciting things that I see. I am just not WORTHY! I made a blog button that turned out cute, but almost as big as my page! I am scared to try things like linking up to another blog. Who would want that WARSHIP size button on their blog anyway? We have just finished our midterm of the first quarter. It has been an exhausting one. We have a new principal, a new assistant principal that we all love but we have lost 2 teachers due to low enrollment. Our first week we started procedures and getting the new students adjusted to being 2nd graders. At the end of the day on Friday,actually about 4:00, we got 5 new students added to our classes because we had to lose a 2nd grade position. That meant we had to start all over with the newest new students and review procedures etc. I am ready to start teaching with gusto! I always have trouble the first 6 weeks getting things back into the grove because I forget they are not the mature 3rd graders that left my room at the end of the year. I have to adjust to the sweet 1st graders and turn them into 3rd grade wantabees.

I am excited about the HUGE give away at Creative Lesson Cafe. Check it out. //http://creativelessoncafe.blogspot.com

Working on the new year

I am sitting with Judy Niedbala at Panera wiring on our first week of school.

Pulling Together

Pulling Together

The Cat in the Hat

Hoerton Hatches an Egg

Hoerton Hatches an Egg

Yertle the Turtle

Great Video

http://youtu.be/GNpNfhpqDk4

New Idea for Brain Bubbles

Today I went into Factory Card Outlet to look for the long pixie stix to make the cute birthday balloons I have seen on many of the blogs.  I saw what looked like a giant vending machine capsule.  It is about 6 inches across.  The display said "Candy Ball."  I thought "Brain Bubble."  I am going to put quick answer questions in it to use as a class brain bubble for those times when you need something that will take about 2-3 minutes.  I will pull one out, (or 2 depending on time) and close the ball up for another time.  I have a book called Word Wizards or something like that at school.  You add or take away a letter to change a word into another word.  I think that may work.  I will put some examples here after I find the book.  When I get it all put together I will post a picture.  They had different colors but I chose green to go with my predominantly green, blue, and white room.

Beth's Primary Connections Give Away

Beth is having a TpT Give Away.
Check out her site.

http://primaryconnections-beth.blogspot.com

Updates to come

I am learning about blogging and as you can see, I have a long way to go.  I was proud of myself last night when I was able to post the pictures pre-set up.  It will take forever for me to get it whipped into shape because I think my classroom is a growing being.  I get one area working pretty good and then I look in a locker or cabinet and YIKEES!  Where did I get all of that stuff?

I have been lurking and blog following all summer.  I have found wonderful ideas from such talented teachers.  I am excited to see a 2nd grade group come together.  I hope I will be worthy.  Maybe you  have noticed the same thing I have about 2nd grade.  Sometimes it seems as if we are an island.  Workshops and books say "K-2", but mostly are geared toward K-1, and because value added doesn't start until 3rd grade, everything else is 3 -5.  (Oops, off topic, sort of)

I have put off entering the jungle that is my second home long enough.  Time to start setting thing to right.  I will post after pictures, when...when... oh well, it may take a while!

One week before school starts

Well, everything that I wanted to this summer has to get done this week.  I have been to the classroom to work and have a really good idea of how I want it to look.  Unfortunately, I seem to have much more stuff than room.  I wonder why that is?  Could it be the impulsive shopping for school?  After I retire I am not sure I will be able to pass a school supply set up in a store.  I have an addiction.

I am nervous about trying to get my blog going.  There seems to be so much I don't understand.  I have seen wonderful things on other teacher's blogs and I want to be able to share and participate.  I am going to try some things tonight. 

Where has the summer gone?

I thought by now I would have had time to study how to write a blog.  I just spend a lot of my computer time stalking other blogs.  I can't believe what talented teachers (and others) are out there.  I am amazed.

I spent most of June traveling the state of Tennessee helping present the Common Core State Standards.  In one week I was in West Tennessee on Monday and Tuesday and East Tennessee on Thursday and Friday.  I was so glad to be able to sleep in my bed again.

Summer's here

Well, summer is finally here, time to relax, right?  I still haven't finished packing up my room.  I don't think I will ever be able to walk out of school after the kids pick up their report cards.  That's just part of who I am.  I have one week to get everything in order before I start my summer training.  I will be finishing my 3 year Math Fellowship with TTU the first week in June.  After that, taveling around the state training lead teachers in the common core standards.

Our 2nd grade team will be changing a bit next year as one team member moved to 3rd and another is moving into her place.  We will make it a great team.