Still here

It's been almost a week since I last posted. I keep thinking about things I want to write and then I get home and have other things to do and I just don't do it. I made a deal with my advisers that I would have a final copy of my specialty paper completed by October 15th, so I am feeling the pressure and trying to work on that for at least an hour each day after work. So far it's going well and I have made a good amount of progress. Here is a little bit about what I have been up to and what's been going on in the classroom in bullet points.

• I got a new student last week, but he is adjusting well and hasn't shifted the dynamics of the group

• I am still loving my small classes and new groups. I was so impressed on Friday that they were working independently and I could grab kids that were finished to play a phonics game with them. 

• I have been working on getting assessments done and I was really pleased to see a few kids really connecting with the phonics lessons that we have done. A few kiddos don't know the letter names at all, but they knew the sounds that we have covered, which tells me they are tuning in and it's working for them. Yay!

• I am seriously in love with my carpet. It is awesome for management, organization, and saving time. Best. Purchase. Ever.

• I did choice time for the first time on Friday as it was the first week that the kiddos had to keep their sticks all week. I did it differently this year and chose 6 activities, which I put out on the tables. It went really well and felt a lot more organized than last year. I was a big meanie and took out the play kitchen that I had last year, so the activities available were all pretty academic (bingo stampers with sights words written in bubble letters, science trays with magnet activities, counting cakes, connecting cubes, stamping markers and regular markers for coloring, and a magnet/building activity). The kids were totally fine with the choices and had fun. I was so happy to not have the drama involved with everybody wanting the kitchen. Yes, I LOVE dramatic play, but we only provide 15 minutes of choice time, so the table activities are great. I am going to try to include math, science, sight words, and art each week along with something for building. Creativity can manifest itself in other ways with those choices. 

• I had a few parent helpers cancel this week, but I have been loving my Friday helpers who put together the kids' Friday folders for me. One less thing I have to do on Thursdays after school and a great job for classroom helpers. I am also LOVING my three high school helpers. One comes every day in the PM, which is absolutely fantastic. The other two come every other day, each for an hour. All three girls are terrific and I am finally at a point where having help is not scary because I feel like I am more organized this year--therefore organized enough to know what to have them help me with. The high schoolers are totally hands on with kids and it's wonderful to have extra hands and helpers. I had some technical challenges getting a video set up on Friday so I just passed a story to my helper and got the projector working while she was reading. What could have been stressful and chaotic was totally fine because of her help.

• I am starting to attend a writing group with other members of my cohort on Thursday. We meet for two hours each week just to write. I am hopeful that I will be able to get a lot done so my draft is ready in two weeks! I am really excited about my paper and have been continuing to read about reading instruction, curriculum theories, whole language, culturally responsive instruction etc. etc. I got two new books and they are both awesome. I just wish I was a speed reader because there is so much literature I need/want to read for my paper and I am short on time.

•  Speaking of reading, I started a new book club and we are reading Cutting For Stone. Anyone read it? I started it, but didn't really get super pumped about it. I have to read four chapters by Tuesday and I am hoping I can get that done.

• Last but not least, I had an ultrasound on Friday and everything is looking good. Baby Sneaker is looking good and the doc said we will be able to find out the gender at our next appt. I had no idea we would be able to find out this soon, but we are excited. 

Hope everyone has a great Monday!