Opportunities

Anyone who spends five minutes with me or on this blog knows my love of reading.

That being said, I'm excited for a new opportunity at my school site.

I have mixed emotions about starting at a new school.  I'm excited for the change and my new grade level.  I'm excited that I get to keep teaching fifth grade because I love the content and maturity level of the students.  While I think kindergartners are precious, I don't want to teach them and commend those brave souls who do.  I don't want to deal with an excess of tattling and other tasks that come with the adorable little ones.  I know myself well enough to know I lack the patience that's required for the little ones...although the smaller class sizes would be nice!  I like that most of my students are working on comprehension, not blending.  I like that we get to read books and talk about them.

I like that my new school has a consistent reading tracking system that is used K-5.  I like that the students know their reading levels and the data is transparent.  Reading trackers line the hallways and students own their growth, which is wonderful.  This does mean I need to level my library...

I've started!  Kind of...

Each book will have a sticky label inside with my name, the book level, and the AR quiz number.  On the spine will be a colored sticker indicating the book level.  The entire school is leveled this way which helps the students pick a "just right" book.

I am excited to move stuff into my classroom (and B is excited to get the spare room back).  This is currently our third bedroom:

One part is going to my classroom, part is going in the garage and the rest is yet to be organized. I've got time, right? I don't go back until the 11th...plus I'd rather finish reading The Mark of Athena?

I am so excited to organize and set up my classroom.  It was nice to go through all my teaching supplies and weed through the ones I really want to take in and use this year.

On the subject of this year, I'm excited for a new opportunity.  My principal asked if I'd like to be a math site leader.  I jumped at the opportunity to learn more about math instruction and the leadership opportunity.  I held a lot of responsibility at my last school and had to learn to share the work load (once I had a team I could trust to not only do their jobs, but do them splendidly).  At my new school, I know my new team is qualified. I don't want to step on any toes, but I also don't want to come off as a slacker.  So I'm excited that I get this chance.  I report to training on the 11th and have four days of six hours of math instruction and strategies.  I'll also have eight Saturdays throughout the school year and lead trainings at my school.  While the trainings start at seven am, I am excited that the training site is about ten minutes away!

Teacher Shout Out: Mr. B

At our school, we enforce "HALLS":

H: hands to yourself
A: all parts of body facing forward
L: low speed
L: lips zipped
S: space between you and me

I was outside my room DRA-ing students while my co-teacher taught writing when we were interrupted by a rowdy bunch of third graders.  They were waiting to enter another teacher's classroom since we switch students to differentiate based on their needs.  I went down to remind them about our school's expectations and then told their teacher that they needed to work on their voices.

He spoke with them and they were so much better today!

What impressed me even more was this delivery:

I love that he talked with them about personal responsibility and had them take ownership of their actions.   He had them write apology notes for their voice levels and disrupting our learning.

I appreciate that he took the time out of his day to use this teachable moment to talk about how to behave appropriately and be functioning, considerate members of society.  

Huge shout out to him!