Sunday, August 30, 2015

Weeks 2-4 + New, cool TPT products! (1 FREE!)



Wow -- time is flying by! I can't believe the 4th week of school is already over. Only 32 weeks to go! ;-)

I wish I would've updated this blog each weekend, because I've already forgotten what we did in T1 during weeks 2 and 3...oops. But here's the general rundown:

  • Meeting with groups:
    • I have been meeting with a group in every grade level except 5th (Because there are only 3 5th graders on our list, and 4 T1 staff members!) 
    • My groups for K and 3 are Resource groups - kids I won't be working with after TI officially starts.
    • I have been doing guided reading with every group except K. I am starting to get to know the kids I'm working with and I'm feeling good about the dynamics of our groups...
    • Unfortunately, these groups will only be in place for 2 more weeks. Then...real Title I begins! Which will be great, as well, but I'll miss my current groups.
  • Helping with things:
    • NWEA testing was this past week. We helped the teachers get their kids set up, helped troubleshoot issues, and helped put computers away and cart them around the school.
    • Car rider duty, as always
I've been using planbook.com to help keep my plans organized, and it's great! I make all of my guided reading lesson plans on Google Docs, share them with my team in case they need plans for those reading levels, and then attach the links to my planbook. I print them all out each morning, staple, and I'm ready to go. 

One issue I've been having already is with traveling around the school. It's tough for me to carry everything I need for multiple grade levels at a time, and to move quickly enough to use every minute I can to teach. I need to invest in a basket to help me carry all my supplies. I also hope that we, as a team, can map out semi-permanent meeting spots for each group. It would be great if we could each have our own space to store a big easel with chart paper and a whiteboard...a place with a table and chairs...and silence...wait, pinch me, I was just dreaming there ;-) 

We usually use the tundras/vestibules in each grade level, and certain rooms are typically empty, like the leveled library or the psychologist's office. But, other than that, it's the hallway. If anyone has any tips for using lots of materials, keeping kids engaged and focused, and being an effective teacher in the hallway, please let me know! I've found it challenging thus far just because there is always so much noise in the hallway, and the kids have to sit on the floor, which makes them get wiggly. But hopefully we can each find a small room to work in - that would be ideal! 

Overall, it's been a great start to the year and I'm excited to see what's next!

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I have some new products on TPT! Hope you like them! See below for links and descriptions.

Teacher Goal-Setting Sheet
As a teacher, it's so important to set goals. This is a goal-setting worksheet with ideas on how to write your own SMART goals.

These are great for small groups. Each of these products is a set of cards designed to be laminated and put on a key ring. The HOTS cards will help you ask questions in your groups that require higher order thinking skills. The formative assessment cards will help you vary your methods for informal assessments.

I also added a free resource - an objective/expectation poster! I laminated one for each group and I always write our goals in with a dry erase marker. YAY FREE!

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