Back tracking
A few days before spring break I had one of my worst teaching days ever. I had the kids put their heads down multiple times, I lectured them non stop. I honestly don't remember what EXACTLY was so...
View ArticleFirst days using WBT
4/ 2/ 11Week 1: Implemented class/yes and the scoreboard. For this week they won the scoreboard. I made sure of it. At the end of each day we count the tally marks - whichever has the most then gets a...
View ArticleWBT warning:
WBT side effects: Loss of sleep from giddyness, extra smiling from you and students, shock and awe among colleagues and parents, higher test scores, curious glances, jealousy among colleagues, your OWN...
View ArticleTo be or not to be (...yet)
Last week I found out that there is such a thing as WBT interns. If I wasn't giddy enough about WBT, I find out this juicy piece of news! Within seconds, I emailed WBT founder, Chris Biffle and he...
View ArticleWBT inspired writing lesson
On the WBT forum I discovered some people use Nancy Fitzer to guide their writing instruction. I had never heard of her but I did some quick research. The main component of her writing instruction is...
View ArticleWBT with a new student
I take attendance at 8am. I got a phone call from the office at 7:50 a.m. saying I had a new student. I didn't have anything prepared for this kiddo. It was so nice, with my WBT procedures and...
View ArticleCompliments
I had a para professional in my room yesterday. She pulled me aside as kids were packing up to go home and told me that she would never want to teach kindergarten, but if she could teach it the way I...
View ArticleLove/hate relationship with WBT some days
Okay...most days it's a love relationship, but on the nights I go to bed at 11pm because I am perusing the forums or deciding what aspects of WBT I will implement next...that's when my love for wbt can...
View ArticleMusic and songs
I have been thinking a lot lately about how to keep the kids engaged. I came across WBT expert, Deb W's video for doubles. The video is great to watch for class rules too. My kids are all engaged when...
View ArticleUh-oh - WBT overwhelmed!
As I'm digging more and more into WBT I realize how many aspects there are to WBT. This week I chose to implement the sock less hand puppets after participating in last Saturday's webinar. I realize...
View ArticleA day off!
We get one personal day a year and if we don't use it, we lose it! I am taking today off and starting my day off with looking through some WBT blogs and trying not to worry about how my class is...
View ArticleYikes!
I know the scoreboard is supposed to make it "fun" when the kids are rowdy and redirect negative behavior, but I have to say I just lost it today. I am quite dissapointed in myself and it's just the...
View ArticleA weekend at the beach....
11 teachers took a mini-vacation and headed to the Oregon coast on Friday the 13th! It was a fun filled weekend full of pizza, margaritas, and lots of talking! We went to "get away" but what did we...
View ArticleLost it!
If I'm going to be completely honest in this blog I have to admit that I screamed at my class yesterday. Of course I'm embarrassed and ashamed. Part of it is due to how the classroom is structured...
View ArticleTHANK YOU!
I received some encouraging and supportive responses to my last post. It is so nice to feel part of a team. THANK YOU!To update - things went UP hill after that post. I went to school with a postive...
View ArticleThe countdown begins
And so it begins - 10.5 days left of school. My school's population is such that the anxiousness of summer has less to do with excitement of being out of school and free from reading, math, and...
View ArticleBuh-bye Kindergarten - HELLO 3rd grade!
We found out our teaching assignments for next year. I have been asking to get out of kindergarten and it happened! There will be a lot of changes at my school and I'm so excited to be with a group...
View ArticleAnd I'm Back!
School ended in mid June here in Oregon. My parents went out of town, thus leaving me to dog, house, and grandma-sit for nine days. During this time I wasn’t able to get back into my school because I...
View ArticleSummer School
My summer school job is a dream job! It's a Literacy Academy; it's a grant funded program for struggling readers, specifically our "bubble" kids. It's a 4 week program, M-Th, 9 am - 1pm. As the name...
View ArticleDay 1 of summer school
Summer school is only a total of 16 days and only 3.5 hours of instruction each day. Today was spent assessing for most of the time. I did find time at the end of the day to go over the rules,...
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