So, my first year of teaching feels like a HUGE MESS!! Today was a complete disaster and I vented to a colleague today. I feel like I do not ever get anything finished! I feel like I can plan maybe 3 activities/lessons a day and barely finish them.. I figured it up and I have my kids for 1 hour and 25 min in the morning, the same in the afternoon after lunch and the same after recess and snack! I know that there is a way that I can make it work so I went on a HUNT tonight for a way to make it work. My biggest problem is my literacy block!! I want to do the daily 5 and I want to do (need to do) guided reading groups! I also want to do a whole class activity-- also a must do. So... on my hunt I did find some great ideas. I re-did my lesson plan template for the.... 7th time now? Ugh!! Hopefully this one works... I was using notebook and paper--writing out my times and specials every time... no thank you!
So, on Deanna Jumps blog I saw her lesson plan template... Love it so I am trying it. Here it is:
So, I am hoping that this template will work..
My next struggle has been the literacy centers... I want my students to be accountable for their work and work independently.. I have been trying to jam all 4 stations (minus listening to reading--do that during snack (;) in one day and wanting students to get each task done at each stations... keep in mind only 10 minutes at each station... If students did not finish their work then they put it in their work folder to work on for tomorrow but here is the catch--- there was something new because other students need something to do because they are done with the work from yesterday. So, now I have another problem... students are behind and how am I supposed to catch them up? BAHHH It makes my head pound!
So, SOLUTION to this problem (I HOPE) Deanna Jump again! Thank you!!
She has a name for each of her groups. I was so creative with mine this year. They're 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. ha ha. Next year when it is not my first year of teaching I will think of this before hand! Basically what she does is put up the group names on the wall then puts a picture (station) under the group name. The first picture is the station that they go to first and the most important station: meaning they have to get that task done before they can move onto their next station -- the next picture under their group name. This is where the fun but essential stations can fit in-- that I never seem to be able to fit in. So, I will switch the first station each day for each group then hopefully my students complete the work that I really want them to complete. In my perfect little mind I see my students doing this and on Friday they are all finished with all of the required work ;)... I hope this works!!
This is Deanna Jumps class: this is where I got the idea from...
Then I also have a TEEENY room... like literally the size of someones bedroom. There is room for 4 desks... barely my desk... and some shelves. Oh and a rug that the desks are on... yah thats safe? lol
SO, of course Deanna Jump again she claims to also have a small room-- does not look near as tiny as mine but anyway. She puts the station icons (pictures) on the plastic drawers. Then she places the stations activity in the drawer. The group has a captain that is in charge of taking the drawer to where ever they are working. The kiddos complete the activity and when done; they return the drawer! bahh!! amazing!
I was having trouble with this because I was trying to lay out everything in my teeny tiny room and basically it just did not work and students got confused and so did I! I will put her pictures on here in case you are also having these same problems.
Also, if you are not already following her blog then, well you need to. She is saving my life right now :)
http://mrsjumpsclass.blogspot.com
