- We are moving to a mastery system.
- We are implementing a new ELA program.
- We have a new instructional model.
- We are starting learning labs.
- We have mandated running records on every child.
- We have a new spelling program that blows my mind (I'm not sure if it's in a good way or not)
- Not to mention that I'm constantly revising & improving my math flipclass.
All that being said, I am really enjoying this year. Part of that may be that I am connecting really well with the majority of my class. Part of it may be that I am being hyper vigilant about being productive. But if I'm being honest, the biggest part of it is that I have a student teacher this semester. I LOVE having student teachers. I love learning from them, and helping guide them into becoming great teachers. I cannot speak enough to the fact that having 2 bodies in the classroom helps me reach double the students!!! It probably helps that I don't view having a student teacher as an opportunity to not be with my students, and hang out in the lounge. I view having a student teacher as an opportunity to double student contact. Thus far it's been fabulous!
Of course there are always things that aren't going so well...lots of little piddly things, but my big one is that I can't find enough time in the day to fit in everything I need to fit in. When I break down my mandated time to teach the core subject areas, my specials, my lunch, and my intervention time, I literally have 5 minutes to spare...and that doesn't include a time for Words Their Way, which is a totally new method of teaching spelling...here's what I know about it so far - it takes more than 5 minutes a day (okay, I know more than that, but I'm struggling to fit it in). It would be easy for me to quit/give-up/throw-in-the-towel/etc. Instead, I keep trying to tweak things just a little to make things run more smoothly. I haven't found the perfect schedule yet, but I'm confident that at some point I'll manage to get everything squeezed in that I need to...right?!? There's got to be a way!
