Thursday, August 30, 2012

Time management

Well- I'm exhausted! Questions I'm asking myself- Am I unorganized? Am I unprepared? Am I unlucky?? 
It seems that I have NO time during the day. Once students come in it's go time from 8:40-3:35-- Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining- BUT where is my lunch going? What about my planning? I spend lunch putting all the morning materials away and setting up the classroom and prepping materials for the afternoon- by the time that's gone I MAYBE get to eat the yogurt I packed. Planning time? What planning time! I spend that putting away the math materials and getting writing and our word/letter of the week items out.  THEN the unlucky part? EVERY time I've been trying to use my Promethean Board or Actiview this week- it doesn't want to work- now I'm learned very quickly getting Kindergarteners ready once is tough, but then down time to restart the Actiview try to open a flipchart in a different way THEN get the kindergarteners ready is a CHALLENGE!  So am I unorganized, unprepared, or unlucky? You be the judge. 

Sunday, August 26, 2012

Preparing for the week

Well, I've dug into and have been taking notes for ideas about the curriculum for the week. I have some ideas that I'm excited to try and hope they will be positive experiences for students. I've spent some time today looking at blogs an finalizing my lesson ideas for the week. I'm ready for students to begin learning about our classroom library and how important it will be to them this year! Let the week begin- I'm wondering how many students will fall asleep in the afternoon with being at school all day now.... I hope I keep them busy and engaged so not many fall asleep. diving into the curriculum tomorrow means a list of things to do so I have all materials prepared and ready when needed. Organization is going to be key this year!

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Stressed? I am!

Well, we start full days of Kindergarten on Monday. I'm really stressed about it! I still haven't taught  all my morning routines for when students come into the classroom. There is a lot I hope to cover on Monday with a full day and that's not even including the reading, writing, and math curriculum I'll start. The last 7 days have been an extreme eye opener and a major learning experience for me. I have a student that last Monday I lost my patience with because he just wouldn't listen. Well, after a lot of thinking Monday night it dawned on me-he has never been to school, he isn't sure why he is here- so the poor little guy got in trouble because his teacher lost her cool! Well- 4 more days of teaching him to sit for calendar, how to stand in a line, even get a drink- and we have made huge gains! He may not even need to the behavior chart I made for him because now he is learning about his role at school.
    This first year is going to be quite the learning experience for me- but you know what- I'm ready to learn and it will help me be a better teacher!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Here we go!

After much discussion with our media specialist, I decided to bite the bullet and start a teaching blog. Thanks Lynn!! I'm learning about this as I go and I am so grateful Lynn is here with me to get me started.
As a 1st year Kindergarten teacher, I have learned so much in 5 short days. Before this I've taught the last 4 years as a special  needs teacher and before that 2 years as a 5th and 6th grade reading teacher.
I wish I would have started this blog as I was cleaning out and setting up my room. What an experience that was! My one lesson that I've learned and am continuing to learn is some of my students have never been in a school setting. How awesome is it that I'm the first one to work with them? I have loved every  minute as a Kindergarten teacher this year and can't wait to work with all 24 students this year. Thanks for following me on my journey as a 1st year Kindergarten teacher. It's going to be a learning experience for ME just as much as for the students. This blog will be used for triumphs, trials, and rewards of the school year. I am so excited to be on this journey of new beginnings!