PD...

After PD days my brain feels like mush... felt like crying for no apparent reason randomly later on in the day... Is there such a thing as too much PD? I feel just a little bit panicky every time I sit and learn something new... there is only so much NEW you can incorporate in a year with out losing your sanity. I will share some links a little bit later on in this post that I either learned about today or was reminded about... 

I was teacher watching today as I walked around... you know... people watching but they were all teachers ... I got to thinking... wow if I ever have children I would not want some of these teachers teaching my child. Or any child I know... they way some people were talking... scared me a bit... 

My PD was part of a city wide PD with a bunch of different sessions. I was at the Math PD. I had a session on Problem Solving in the am and Place Value in the pm. I just gotta say I love having an ipod because I could look up things and find things that fit with what the presenter was talking about on Pinterest or just online. Some of the Links I discovered today... I havent pursued them futher yet but have them all book marked:) Some are math links and others are just the rabbit trails I tend to go down:P

http://www.teachersnotebook.com/product/MoffattGirls/base-ten-blocks-1-20#

http://www.pepnonprofit.org/uploads/2/7/7/2/2772238/five_finger_phonics_block_letters.pdf

http://zeekszoo.blogspot.ca/ This blog looks great! Just downloaded some tags for Daily 5 Word Work that I just started this week!

I also heard the name Debbie Diller. Never heard of her before... but her book that was passed around during our session looked interesting. Will be looking more into her stuff in the near future:)

http://kindergartenrhode.blogspot.ca/search/label/Math Haven't explored this blog to much but looks interesting...

http://www.schoolgirlstyle.com/category/classroom-themes/ I could get some ideas from this site :)

http://resources.sparkleboxres.co.uk/sb3036.pdf these are adorable! I completely forgot about Sparkle Box!

Hopefully some of these links can be helpful for you! Have a fabulous weekend!

Have you ever grieved for a fictional character?

Today was a day of many emotions. My sister wedding shower was this afternoon. I was all in a state of nervous panic before hand... it went very well. To a state of relief that everything went well and that the shower was now over... to coming home exhausted... looking forward to watching the latest episode of my favourite tv show... so sobbing... literally shaking with sobs over the death of one of my new favourite fictional characters... now this may seem petty or down right stupid to you reading this... but my heart feels deeply... I am all heart... I get attached...I love... I've only cried a few time over fictional characters... the authors should congratulate themselves on excellent writing... the first I can remember was Matthew Cuthbert from Anne of Green Gables... the 2nd or most recent that I can remember is Dumbledore from the Harry Potter series... and now Lady Sybil from Downton Abbey... and I'm technically not even supposed to have seen this season yet in Canada. But with the wonders of the internet... so right now I am grieving... I feel a loss... and honestly I don't know what to do now... ha Of course I don't mean I will cry all day or actually mourn like I would if someone dear to my heart past away but I do feel pain... how so very strange to me that is... the power of words... If these words I have read or the words that actors portray on tv can effect me so deeply... then how deeply do my words affect the lives, hearts, and minds of my dear little students I have the privilege of teaching each year. I am trying to be very careful with my voice and volume control this year. I have learned over the course of my teaching career that a soft spoken rebuke or reminder to follow the rules etc is met with much better results than a harsh tone or yelling...

Pinterest links:)

I thought I would throw up my Pinterest link for all my teacher finds:)

http://pinterest.com/hockeybabe3/teaching-ideas/

I found some really cute Fall freebies today:) Enjoy!

New Pictures

I'm just realizing I NEED to upload some new pictures of my classroom and bulletin boards... I shall try and get to that this weekend. I need to go in and spend some time there on Monday... Get my head on straight for the week so I don't feel so Scrambled...

Being away 3/5 days this week... I feel all scrambled up inside...

So I have been away 3 days this week at various PD workshops. My kids had 2 different subs but seemed to manage quite well. I however missed them TERRIBLY!!! I was there on Wednesday which felt like just a check in and then today... Today my amazing friend Kelly came and volunteered this morn and I had an EA of and on all day. There was so much house keeping stuff to do and clean up and out... it was amazing to actually be able to sit at my desk for more than a min to tackle some of that stuff. I am so thankful!!!

So now where do I go from here? I had a child that doesn't normally talk to me ask me if I was going to be there tomorrow. Meaning that she was asking if I was going away again... my heart broke a little. I spent today just doing little things with kids. Like letting them help me decorate one on one and spending the time individually with them helping them shop for books. That means the world to me that I am able to do that with my kids. Spend the little moments with them. They were SOOO excited that I was spending time with just them. I'm very excited to start meeting with them one on one during our Read to Self time every day. We are up to 17 mins and I am very proud of them! I had no idea how Daily 5 was going to work with Grade 1 but I am really enjoying the way that it is set up and the modelling really does help them. I'm concerned about getting them writing without have mini lessons on things like punctuation and knowing exactly what a sentence is... some of them have no clue. Others are so ready:)

I have all my students using RAZ kids as our home reading program and wow its so good for them. I have some students already on level F on the program. But I have yet to check that they can actually read at an F level. Once I start reading with them I will have a better idea of where we are and who my strugglers are. I know a few already but I want to know about all my 19. I don't know how some teachers can teach without really getting to know their students. I want to do everything and anything possibly to help my kids learn as much as they can. I was looking at books at VV tonight and found 2 books that I know specific kids will go crazy for. One of my kinders from last year reminded me of a book I had found specifically for him about Motorcycles last year. He's obsessed with them and the colour orange. He can't get enough of it. I have really enjoyed keeping my 6 k's from last year and seeing them bloom as a grade 1 student:) Warms my heart! They remember the little things:)

I can't wait to get going on October things. I am obsessed with all things FALL! I love Halloween (Although we can't do anything with the holiday at my religious school) so I find my way around it by doing lots of things with pumpkins and owls and all kinds of wonderful Fallness things:) I can't wait to see them get excited when I start bringing pumpkins in!

I hope you have all had a magical week:) Oh has anyone out there heard of the PAX training system? I had a 2 day PD on in this week and not sure what I make of it yet.

Have a very blessed and happy Thanksgiving long weekend:)

Ciao

Thoughts on blustery Friday night...

So this week there were lots of joy moments and frustrating moments... My kids are LOUD... so we are REALLY working on voice control. It's interesting to me because when it gets too loud some kids start complaining about it. Very interesting because they are sometimes the loud ones. This is something I continue to work with them on...

Some of my kids were very cheeky today. I have 6 students in my room from my k/1 split last year. So this is their 2nd year with me. Most of them are great but a few are really struggling to listen when I get serious about their behaviour. They kept smiling and giggling... I need to get mean I guess... Also I need to rework my table groups. I have a few STRONG bossy kids that need to be separated... and some goofy kids that just are not a good combo... today one of my k's from last year... now grade 1 came and told me that I need to separate a few girls at the table next to her who were fooling around. ha she is a little miss wannabe teacher.

Daily 5 is going pretty well I guess. My little autistic guy really has trouble staying reading his books the whole time. We reached about 9 mins. Some have trouble with the whisper voice but most are great at getting lost in their books and lots forget they are even in the classroom. I am thinking about adding Work On Writing next for Daily 5. Ha I need to clarify the Read to Self to my kids more... they think Daily 5 is just reading. ha. And oh do they love modelling... hahaha I had one little guy come over and whisper in my ear that he had a GREAT idea for when it was his turn to model the wrong way to do Read to Self.... I love that they are thinking about what is right and what they are not supposed to do... and the self correcting and the self evaluating they are doing when we check in really amazes me.... not all of them are quite with me but lots are...

I really need to spend more time writing about the wonderful things that happen in each day and the struggles. I started to at the beginning of the year but haven't had much time or energy at the end of the day. I don't have much time during the day to sit at my desk and write. Constantly on the move.

I am REALLY blessed to have a Grade 12 student working with me this year as part of her Christian Service Hours. Basically volunteering in my room. But it's fabulous. She is great with the kids and I get her on Tues and Fri for an hr and Wed all afternoon. I have 3 half day EA times which is so helpful when I need to try and circulate with other kids and they can be helping my strugglers. I am very blessed & thankful!

I have a little guy in my room who is an EAL student. I had him last year and he REALLY struggled with his English and communicating and his work, but I had a full time EA to help him. He has REALLY improved with his communication but now we are getting to the point with some sounds where he needed one on one help again. Its so cute when they really appreciate the help and don't take advantage of you helping them.

I had some very cute moment with my little Autistic guy today.Let's call him J. He was actually trying to joke around with me today. He's so polite and tries so hard to stay on task. He's very good at Math and constantly is telling me which number we are on for number of the day or anything math related in his own broken little way. I love him to pieces. My other little guy that isn't labeled autistic(lets call him C) but shows many of the tendancies is a sweetheart also but VERY distracted by playing with his pencils or pencil crayons. always making with fly around. when you call his name he snaps out of it and will try and stay on task but then is off in his own little word again. My class is so patient and understanding with them and often will see they are struggling with something and will come over and help help. J can't remember their names but he tries to say thank you. Calls all of them his friends. Its so adorable.


My struggle I have is needed to take a mind break in the evenings from teaching. I can't seem to turn my brain of and am constantly searching for new idea on Pinterest or Blogs or on Twitter chats with amazing teachers from around the world. It's all good I guess because I want to learn and keep learning and that is great but my brain hurts sometimes.... anybody hear me?

I am finding blogging through this year is really helping get out my struggles, beautiful moments and questions and sometimes rants. Thank you to my Twitter friend Karen for inspiring me to start blogging again. It was a great pleasure meeting you this summer. Thanks!!!

Well have a great weekend:) Thanks for reading. And even if nobody is... it doesn't really matter... it's helping me clear my head:)

Ms. J:)

Special Moments...

     Today was like any other Tuesday... Did a bit more teaching than normal with my overhead projector... burns my eyes:( (That is the extend of the technology in my classroom.) But my kids are slowly getting better at following along and coping down their little bits of work. Some have real trouble paying attention though. Even when it's quiet...

   I love teaching Grade 1. As many struggles as there are in teaching this grade there are also many joys. Today while I was standing giving them instructions about something one of my little people randomly came up and hugged me. And then a few more came up and hugged me. They are so stink'n cute. Then later one of my other little fellows radomly told me " If you need a massage Ms.J I'm your guy." Then he cam over and gave me a 3 second massage while I was working with another student and then as he was walking back to his desk he listed off what kind of massages he does. " Feet, Head, Back, Shoulders" ha I said your mom must love you. "Yeah" he says hahahaha oh Grade 1... he's full of little sayings like " time flies when you're having fun!" he told me today...

   Anyone have any tips on how to keep a child on task who isn't labeled autistic but is constantly playing with his pencils instead of working and makes noises, scared of any sudden or loud noises and gets frustrated really easily. I had a speech clinician come into my room to observe today and she told me she might give me some suggestions so I wont have to constantly be reminding him to stay on task. he's a very bright little guy. can read already with expression. I've heard him reading to himself the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems. Thanks!

Goodnight all:) A very chipper Wednesday to you all tomorrow:)

Reflections on this week...

        This was my first full week of school with my new crew. Some days they are starting to fall into form... Thursday I wanted to beat my head against a wall... Friday was much better. Honeymoon stage if officially over... and tired kids means quieter more behaved kids. Actually I think a big part of it was my sending a note home about parents sending healthier lunches with their kids for school. I sent home a note asking parents not to send candy or sugar drinks and send more fruit and veggies. I understand that sometime not all parents can't afford lots of fruit and veggies but they sure try. One child in particular had a FABULOUS day after eating grapes instead of 3 candy sugary things in her lunch. And talking with her mother after school, to praise her child, the mom really was encouraged and was enlightened to find out that the sugar could actually affect her child's behaviour!

        We also illustrated a book this week. I told one of them before I told the rest of the class and he very animatedly told me he couldn't possibly be a REAL illustrator. It was quiet funny. As he was very dramtic about it. They were so excited to add the illustrations to the books, followed the instructions very well, and once we finished our books we added them to their Daily 5 book boxes. The book was called Rainbow Hair. I got it free off TPT. http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Rainbow-Hair-Emergent-Reader Thanks so much to Deanna Jump for sharing this book. She also has a fabulous blog where I have gotten many other great ideas from. Thank you so much Deanna!!! http://mrsjumpsclass.blogspot.ca/2011/09/d-my-name-is.html

     I decided to spend this weekend doing nothing but resting. I had stayed unil 5:30 or later almost every night after school this week. I'm trying really hard to be more organized and keep my room cleaner. But I also am realizing that I need to have a life outside of my job. Because it will affect my sanity and my ability to teach my students. I actually got a video of the Daily 5 to see what it is supposed to look like. So I will be watching that at some point today but other than that I am not thinking about school.

     Has anybody else noticed that there is not enough time in the day to get everything done? I was looking at my September plans and I am already behind in trying to get the alphabet done. I teach Grade 1 but I always find that starting with a review of all the sounds helps my kids gain confidence for when they are trying to figure out words they don't think they can read.

    I'm also trying to figure out when I can do mini lessons about how to sound out words. With Daily 5 it just doesn't seem to lend time to group teaching some of the phonics they need to know. Anybody else struggle with this?

    That's all my brain can put together coherently today folks. Thanks for reading.

Ms. J:)

Recap of my first week back...

My first week... I always block out this week and never remember for the next year I start with the recently graduated Kinders. Always asking for play time. Everything is really hard because they are not use to it. Summer is still on the brain... I hear them this year though... I feel like I am flying around in circles... I have 2 students in my class especially that need help. One has been diagnosed with autism and the other has all the tendencies. I have no full time EA as of yet so I have been spending most of my time with them. They both are very sweet super polite boys. But can not do anything independently. I need to have meetings with both these parents and see what we can do. I feel bad for my other 17 students who need  my attention also. Tough situation. I have a very sweet group otherwise... I find it really hard to express myself in this post after chatting with people so much about my class this weekend... I need to always make the most of every weekend. To rest... save my brain power... recharge... I'm supposed to start Daily 5 tomorrow... That was my plan... still don't feel totally comfortable about the set up of it all... but I am going to try... I really hope my kids get it... I'm really nervous...

Classroom pictures. Pardon the mess these were before I was completely finished setting up.

Scattered thoughts... Rabbit Trails... You've been warned...

SOOO... My new Twitter friend has inspired me to start a blog. I have no bloody clue what I am doing but it might help me cope with the millions of thoughts currently rattling around in my brain...

I am nervous about school.... I have a little Autistic boy coming into my room on a trial basis until Dec. This child didn't go to Kindergarten, just day care. I teach Grade 1. We don't have the resources in my private school to help this child. I am scared that I won't be able to meet his needs as well as the needs of my other students. I have 6 students I had last year in K that I will be keeping for this Grade 1 year. They all are great students but one of them REALLY struggles with English and understanding instructions. I was so blessed with a full time EA last year who could work a lot with this student. I only get her 2 half days a week this year and a different EA another half day. First I'm SOOOO thankful I get to have my EA back for any amount of time. Mrs. M was FABULOUS last year. So blessed I got to have her with me as I tackled a split  K/1 class.

Yesterday I was in my classroom until 8 pm. My challenge this year is to keep my room cleaner. I was told by my VP:S My desk is so pretty and clean right now... I wonder how long it will stay that way...

I decided yesterday as I attempted to plan my first day that I would not be killing myself trying to get everything done... I had forgotten how much there is to teach a new crew. I'm wondering how many times I will here from 6 returnees "we didn't do it like that last year"

One other thing that is really bothering me... As a staff we were told in June that we would be doing Daily 5 this year and given the book to read over the summer. I read and studied and thought about this all summer. At my 1st staff meeting nothing was said about it. And in talking to some other fellow teachers 1 for sure HASN'T READ THE BOOK YET... I'm really frustrated... I am all for doing things to the best of my abilities and if I am told I need to do something I do it. But alas there is seems to be very little accountability in what is expected... that makes my heart sad...

I will be doing my best with the Daily 5 reguardless of what others are doing. I have a great crew in the other Grade 1 class and the 2 Grade 2 classes that I can share my struggles with or fears or CELEBRATIONS ha

So I think that's all for now... I feel better... strangely lighter... off my chest... Thanks if you read this and if it goes out into cyber space and no one reads it, that's ok too:)