Countdown to In-Service

I've been into my classroom several times, and one of the things I did this year (based on some amazing blogs I've read) is change the seating arrangement.  Kids traditionally have a desk with their own space, and I've been against that since my first year teaching (when I had to "help" the kids clean them out -- yuck!!), and I've always been a tables-teacher.  Kids have an assigned seat and they work together in table groups, earn table points, have a table captain, you name it.  This year, I've changed it around.  I'm going to have assigned seating for the first couple weeks so we can all get to know each other's names.  Then kids will be able to choose where to sit based on their needs.  So far, I've used this with sitting on the floor or at their desks, now I will be introducing (dun dun DUN) standing and kneeling/cross-legged.  I should have taken pictures when I was in my room today, so I'll try to remember when I go in again.  Come to think of it, I had both of my sons in today and the pictures would have either been of rubber bands and geoboards EVERYWHERE or me screaming like a lunatic for them to clean up.  Not pretty.  Anyhoo, as I was saying, the work spaces have changed, with 4 main tables for 6 kids at each (I know, I know, a lot!) and one standing counter for 2 or 3 kids, one sitting/kneeling table for 4 kids, a separate small group work space for 4 or more kids, and the carpet and reading area for sitting and using a clipboard or just reading.  I'm pretty excited about this change in my thinking, and I hope the kids respond well.  I really hope they respond well since I took the legs off of one table and got rid of one completely....!

Something else I'm excited about is the new Notice and Note for nonfiction -- the fiction version is so amazing, so life-changing, so inspiring!  (I don't know if I said before, but I wrote a review on Amazon and KYLENE BEERS - the author - responded!  WHAT???)  I pre-ordered using a couple of gift cards from my wonderful students at the end of the year, and all I can say is, come on October release date!  I'm also excited about my third and final class I took this summer that used the text "Never work harder than your students" and it was really good!  It was all about tips and tricks that "master" teachers use that basically anyone can do, it was like a guide to working smarter, not harder.  I really enjoyed chapter 7, which was about the principal named in the title, and it also talked about our jobs in the classroom.  Many teachers try to find a balance, or do too much or too little.  The author explains that a balance isn't necessary, but having correct roles that everyone understand and agrees upon is.  Wow!  There was some amazing talk about thinking for kids and controlling their behavior -- things I agree with, namely that you can't do either, and I'd love to show this passage to adults that work in my room to show them that my expectations are for the students to do the work and behave properly, and that logical consequences will be enough for them instead of the adults feeling guilty for kids' behavior.  (This is NOT how I feel about my own children, of course!!!! Ha ha!)

Well, anyway, it's been some fun and busy weeks, with trips to the pool, camping trips, and prep for school all mixed in.  I hope I don't fall off the face of the planet as things get crazier, but please forgive me if I do.  I'd like to keep you posted on some of the new things I'm trying this year, so maybe I'll at least manage to post some pictures.  In these last few days of summer, what else should I be thinking about?  Suggestions below!

Back to school ready in July!

Long time no blog!

I'm working furiously this summer getting ready for another wonderful year with my third graders!  Here's what's on my plate right now:

• Daily 5 - Second edition!
• CRAFT (instead of CAFE)
• PALS Reading
• PALS Math
• The new Everyday Math

I'm taking a few classes this summer, one is the new Daily 5, another is a short class on CAFE, (finished them both already!) and the last class I'm currently taking uses the book Never Work Harder than Your Students by Dr. Robyn Jackson.  It's making me think a lot about how to do all the work in less time, and that's my motto for the coming school year:

Be efficient, be thorough.

Why?  Well, for a few reasons: 1. I spend too much time at school and my kids are getting older and starting sports, I need to be there for them!  2. We are working on a data cycle this year, and I want to make sure I'm putting the necessary time into properly assessing and intervening, and I have to have my ducks in a row for that.  3. I want to synthesize several reading books I've read into a curriculum that works for me and is rigorous and pushes kids.  Those books are Daily 5 (second edition), CAFE (with CRAFT modification), Notice and Note, Reading with Meaning (I see now there's a second edition available!  Goody!), Making the Most of Small Groups, Practice with Purpose, and (eventually) Literature Circles.  I know this seems like a lot, but it's all stuff I either do or half-do, and I want it to be deliberate and less haphazard.

I'm going to also (you won't believe this) start doing MINDFULNESS in my classroom!  I went to a conference in June and it was so good, we practiced mindfulness for our own good, and talked about how important it is for kids' brains.  I'm sold!  So I'm going to try and take a course this year to help me practice it in my classroom, and hopefully a few other teachers from my school/district will go so we can be a small community to support each other.  I'm most excited about how this will help me be a better teacher by being a better person!

My next few posts will be about the process I'm going through to implement all this.  Remember, it's a lot:

1. Reading curriculum
2. Math curriculum
3. Data cycles with PALS intervention in both
4. Mindfulness

Last, but not least, I recently got the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo.  I had heard it was good, but that's such an understatement for a person like me!  Having lived in Japan and married a Japanese man (tidy, loves to declutter) this is a great book for me.  In addition, people I work with and love dearly are tidy declutterers and I always look at their classrooms in envy.  Now I've started decluttering at home and I'm excited about how this will work in my classroom and how to teach my students to be tidy -- not just how to throw stuff away, but how to really organize based on "KonMari"s principles.  (Let me just brag for a second: I threw away 3 large bags of clothing that didn't spark joy, and managed to fit ALL of my remaining clothing into one dresser and a few bins, plus a few jackets and aprons hung up -- that's it!  And I got two big bags of stuff from the bathroom, like lotion, cleaners, old stuff I've had "organized" in bins for years that were moved from house to house.  No more!  The bathroom cabinet is CLEAN!  Okay, I'm done.  For now.)

Thanks for tuning in!

A big break -- with snow!

Wow, we had a week-long break, two snow days and STILL it's been a month since I posted last?  Sorry!

Here are a few things I've been up to:

• Teachers pay Teachers -- I've been updating and posting new items.  I really like the fact that what I make helps others.  Plus, I add a bit more because it's not just for me.  I feel like now these are things I can really share with other teachers, whether they're in my building or around the country.  TpT encourages me to really have high standards for my work and also to add instructions so the items are standalone.  The kids all seem to like what I use -- but they never really seem to care, it's all the teachers' neuroses, right??
• Sewing class!  I'm teaching a sewing class to teachers at my school.  Real beginner stuff, like threading the machine, sewing a straight stitch, following a pattern.  I realized that I love sewing, I love teaching, why not put them together?  So we have a three-session class for basically materials cost with just four students so far.  I'd like to start teaching at the Rec department in town as well!  I created a website that has information for students and fellow sewing/crafting enthusiasts.  I'd love to expand this to an online community!
• Twitter -- okay, so it's been a long time coming, and honestly, it's hard for me to even admit that a) I'm not on Twitter and b) that I'm not comfortable using Twitter.  It's like my age group isn't old enough to say "oh you kids and your new-fangled technology" but at the same time I'm not young enough to want to add hashtags to everything I say.  There are those older than me or my age who use hashtags on a regular basis, and there are those younger than me or my age who don't know how to turn on a computer (practically), so there are exceptions, but I feel like I'm in a bit of a Twitter no-man's-land.  It's such a big jump, not like Facebook which is doable (on some levels) for every age.  Twitter....  Argh!
• Revamping my curriculum using Wiggin's & McTighe's Understanding by Design framework.  I've also been using Stephanie Harvey, Gretchen Owocki, and lots and lots of books on questioning, reading comprehension, workshop, and you name it I'm reading it.
• No Notice and Note!  We haven't met for our book group in a month, so I haven't been rereading and posting.  We were supposed to meet this week but we got snowed out.  Rats.  I'll post this weekend because I still love and treasure the book!!
• Birthday party for my son who is turning 5 was held at the city hall gym.  It was a blast!!  We invited the entire preschool class, but only the four or five kids he usually plays with, plus a few family friends and neighbors came.  Perfect numbers!!  We had scooters, balloons, face painting, tunnels.  You name it.  Oh, and cake and presents of course!  He's going to be in kindergarten this fall and our baby is going to turn 1 in two months.  How time flies.

Having written this list, I'm realizing just how busy I've been.  So thanks for letting me process my last month!  My ultimate goal is to be a great educator, but an even better wife and mother and all-around citizen.  Life-work balance is extremely difficult for me.  I'm an "all or nothing" sort of person, in just about every arena in my life and personality.  I want to figure out, even if it's hard, how to be present as my own children are little and also further my career and understanding of student development.  If anyone has any ideas, let me know!!!  Oh, and don't forget, I'm super social (read: external processor) so I use a LOT of time talking to people, both to connect and to process things.  How do you balance your work and home?  What gives?