That random day/week when everything is due...

I can hardly believe that I only have 12 days left with my third graders!! Where did the time go?! I am excited for kindergarten but nervous too! It will be interesting to see the differences between the ages of the children.
I am in the middle of my nonfiction unit/building block and the building block plans are due tomorrow!! We finished working on the key features of nonfiction so now it is nice to start working with nonfiction texts. Our project we will be doing as my "assessment" is a project with the name inspired by my supervisor! She was talking with me after my observation and I told her about the unit I was starting at the time. In her teaching she mentioned giving the students choices and ownership. She suggested making them become the experts and this word has stuck. I am planning on naming the final project of this unit, I'm the expert of... or something like that! I hope the kids have fun with it. The challenge I'm working on right now is how my lower readers can research anything they want to. Since the texts are limited for the lower readers, they may not have as many options as my readers who are above grade level for example.
Getting observed tomorrow for my last time at this placement and turning in my big project ahh! Already submitted my lessons and journal so that's a relief :) More to come later this week I hope before I head to Chicago with some friends for Kelsey's brother's wedding! Expecting to have a great time and tear up the dance floor even though Kelsey, Em and I can't take advantage of the open bar!

Beautiful October Week!

Last week was my first full week in the classroom! It was quite the experience! The toughest part was not having as much time to get things set up and things piling up on my desk. From moving around I would just set things there and then need to find the things for my next lesson under them, or I would find myself setting things down around the room too! After lunch was the biggest adjustment because after the kids come in from recess we have social studies, cursive writing now, and then reading. There aren't any breaks in here. We also had to sugary birthday treats last week that we had in the afternoon different days to try and break up the afternoon. I feel like I have adjusted well. There is no point to ever panicking because if I need to get something ready I just do it. The kids have something they can work on, usually from the last lesson we were doing.

I have also seen how important planning is. Someday I know everything I do and teach will be so natural, but currently I am figuring out what works and how to say things/demonstrate things for students. As a student myself, I know I don’t know everything and I enjoy learning everyday even if it means every lesson doesn’t go perfectly! Life makes those bumps along the way to challenge us and make us even better! I have already been learning when I have a few hands go up as soon as I finish explaining something that I may not think of all of the little details that the kids do. This shows me there is something I missed! When I make a mistake I am always quick to correct or explain. I think it's important for the kids to see that I am human and I don't know everything. It also keeps the kids on their toes. Sometimes I wonder if they are just waiting for me to get something wrong (or maybe they are just paying that good of attention!). A good one the other day was when a few thought I spelled important wrong. I guess to them it sounded like it should be spelled I-N and so on. 

While my friends not student teaching were getting ready to head home last Wednesday night/Thursday, I still had two days of school! It wasn't as bad as I thought. With being at school all day, running after I get back, dinner, shower, relaxing/working on things- my nights go by quick! Unfortunately that's why I find myself still awake past 11 most nights.  Anyways, THURSDAY was pretty great because after school I had a message from my mom on my phone...a little unusual. I wondered and listened to the message and my mom was telling me she had won 4 tickets to the Brewer game the next night! The game started at 4:07 so I knew I would be late since I usually leave after 3. My teacher ended up letting me leave earlier than usual and I didn't miss very much of the game! The Brewers ended up winning in the 10th inning and it was such a fun game. I joined my mom, grandpa and our good family friend Kim! I felt very lucky to be at such an important game! 

The rest of the weekend was very nice. I was able to relax a bit while seeing my family and running. My mom and I squeeze in about a half hour of shopping which is rare for us but I'm sure we will make up for it come Black Friday!

This is such a fun time even on the most exhausting days. Last week I had my first headache that was possibly from the busy-ness, maybe lack of sleep. I learn from the tiresome days and they remind me to value the days I leave school with some energy left!