Where, Oh Where, Has This Little Blog Been??

Well, for all my good intentions, I totally fell off the Blog-Wagon sometime before Christmas and never managed to get back on it...until now.  I don't even really have a good excuse, like:  "I had a baby", or "I was working on my Master's and just couldn't find the time", or "I found out I was suffering from an incurable disease and was trying to deal with that"...oh...wait...I've been there, done that...so I guess I can't use that one again!  Nope!...I have no good reason.  Part of me felt like I didn't really have anything blog-worthy to say...but that wouldn't really be true because I just finished an incredible first year using Daily 5/CAFE!  But with summer here, I'm planning to plunge into the world of blogging again, with a recap of my Daily 5 experience, my plans for next year, and who knows, what else?! So, stay tuned.

SMARTboard...the Good, the Bad, the Ugly

WARNING...this post may turn into a rant. LOL

I'm starting with the Bad and the Ugly because those are what are prompting me to write this post and I need to get it off my chest!

I had a SMARTboard installed in my classroom at the end of the June this year. . . Spent a day in the summer learning about the software and how to create your own lessons. . . Spent the summer downloading potential SMARTboard lessons to use in the Fall.

Eat your heart out Red Green!

This is what the LCD projector connection to my laptop-that runs the SMARTboard software-that is supposed to make my lessons more interactive for the kids, currently looks like. . . actually, right now, the duct tape is not on my laptop because IT keeps coming undone! And even though the purple is pretty. . . it's just UGLY.

Now, you might be wondering why I would have to duct tape a brand new, freshly installed system?. . . well, it seems that the projector connection does not fit the connection on my laptop QUITE RIGHT. . . ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! How can you spend thousands of $$$$$ on a system and the connection doesn't fit?  And why, with all this wireless technology, couldn't they give me a wireless projector, so I could actually move my laptop (imagine that...moving a laptop...) around the classroom instead of having to keep it on my desk near the cord?!?! AARRGGHH!! . . . So, I emailed our techie guy, sending him the above photo, and explaining the situation.   Is there an adapter out there, that might fit the laptop, I ask???  The answer was, I needed a docking station (at $150) which, of course, no one was willing or able to pay. . . that is just BAD.

But despite these aggravating conditions, I LOVE using the SMARTboard.  Last week, I decided I was just going to deal with the plug falling out all the time (I rigged it a bit, so it's not AS bad).  Yesterday, I used my SMARTboard throughout the day and it was GREAT!  Words Sorts with my Word Study groups, an interactive lesson on Landforms, and because it was a rainy day (something that happens quite a bit on the 'Wet'coast), and we couldn't get outside for DPA (Daily Physical Activity) we did an aerobic session using my Fit Kids DVD. . . that is just GOOD.

Daily 5/CAFE Update

Wow!...it's been quite some time since my last post.  So much for a once-a-week blog post. LOL  Thought I would let you 'see' where we're at with our Daily 5/CAFE.

 We are into Day 19 of implementing Daily 5/CAFE (following the schedule from Daily 5 for Dummies) and I am TOTALLY AMAZED at how well it is working!  Granted we have a really great group of kids this year (eager to learn and well behaved with no major behaviour kids), but I know that this structure would work with those crazy challenging classes we sometimes get.

Here's where we're at:

• In Read to Self we have reached our goal of reading for 20 minutes.  The kids are so good at quietly getting their book boxes, finding a good spot in the room that works for them, and settling down to read, that I sometimes look around the room in awe (as do any visitors to the classroom) at the general harmony in the class.  I have one student who is struggling with his stamina (and yeah, you guessed it, he's my behaviour child).  We just keep reinforcing that sense of urgency with him.  
• In Work on Writing we are up to 11 minutes (our goal is 20).  I was concerned that writing for such a long time would be a challenge for many of the kids, but surprisingly, they are sooo disappointed when their writing time is up! However, I have a handful of students who are struggling with not 'sharing' their writing during this time, which has slowed our stamina progress.
• Read to Someone is a favourite with the kids.  We are up to 12 minutes.  I was a little worried that it would be quite noisy in the class with ALL the kids reading aloud at the same time, but again, surprisingly, they remember to use their "partner" voices and there is just a nice hum to the class.  Some students need reminders to remember to ask their partners to 'Check for Understanding", but overall, I am pleased with how this part of Daily 5 is going.
• Listen to Someone is done through our daily read aloud.  We follow the read aloud structure described in Sibberson & Szymusiak's book, Day to Day Assessment in the Reading Workshop.

• Word Work is not up and running, as we are incorporating Words their Way into this part, and it has not been addressed yet in Daily 5 for Dummies, AND, it is the one part of Daily 5 that has caused me the most anxiety(?) trying to fit it into the structure.  Bottom line...a bit of procrastination on my part. :)  I'm thinking we will start Word Work before the end of October.

We are still in the process of assessing all the kids using DRA.  I hope to be finished by next week, so that we can start our small group strategy lessons and individual conferences.  I feel that the assessments seem to be taking sooo long, but we had to do some district assessments for reading and writing that took up a chunk of the time we would have spent doing our DRA assessment.  So, I don't feel too bad.

Our class has generated a lot of interest from other teachers in our school.  I have had a number  of teachers stop by after school to ask me about Daily 5 and take pictures of our CAFE board or I-Charts.  This Friday, I am presenting a morning workshop about Daily 5/CAFE and how it is working for me, to some of those teachers.

All in all, I'm feeling really good about how this structure is working in our class.  Once we start the small group and individual conferences, I'll do another update.  

Thirty-One Giveaway

I <heart> my Thirty-One tote bag!  So when I found out about Growing Firsties' Thirty-One giveaway, I just had to enter and so should you!  Check it out...who couldn't use a new custom lunch bag??

Daily 5 Startup

So this year my teaching partner and I decided we were going to take on implementing Daily 5 and CAFE full-on in our classroom.  We both spent the summer reading/rereading the books, participating in the book study and watching numerous videos from the Sister's website (I used some of my Pro-D money to pay for a year's subscription to their site...best $60 I've spent!).  I spent hours trying to figure out how it might look in our classroom and how to integrate it with the Words Their Way spelling program.

We are now in Day 4 of implementing Daily 5 and CAFE together.  We would not have been able to do this (well, OK, we probably could have, but not without majorly stressing) without the help of this marvelous little booklet I found somewhere on the internet...Pinterest? Blog? Lesson Planet? The Sister's website?...it doesn't really matter WHERE I found it...just that I did, because it has been a stress-saver!  The publication (and it's FREE) is titled, Daily 5 for Dummies, and takes you through the first 24 days of setting up the Daily 5 and CAFE structure in your classroom.  I absolutely <heart> Jayne Haenel, the author of this little gem!

So far, we've been working on Read to Self...we're up to 7minutes, I think?  The kids are enjoying it, my teaching partner and I are LOVING it.  I am sooo excited for this class.  When it's up and fully running our Daily 5 (it's actually Daily 4...we do read aloud together) will have this structure:

Round 1 — 5-7 min. Focus Lesson (Comprehension)
                    20 min. I-Work

Round 2 — 5-7 min Focus Lesson (Reading Strategy)
                    20 min. I-Work

Round 3 — 5-7 min. Focus Lesson (Writing Strategy)
                    20 min. I-Work

Whole Group Share/Review — 10 min.

Students must do Read to Self & Work on Writing daily, but choose either Word Work or Read to Someone for their 3rd choice. (Although the way I've structured it, sometimes they will have to do Word Work on certain days)...so not as much choice, but I think it'll work.

This structure fits nicely into our day, although ideally I would have liked more time for I-Work, but we don't live in an ideal world, so it is what it is.  Most days we will get 2 rounds of Daily 5 in the morning before recess break and then pick up the third round after recess.  I'm happy with it. :)

Fitting in Words Their Way caused the most stress for us, but I think we've managed to create a very doable structure in that regard.  Here's how we are planning to structure that:

•  2 week cycle
•  1st week of cycle meet with 2 lowest groups on Monday (using one round of Daily 5) and then meet with next 2 groups on Tuesday (using one round of Daily 5)
• Plan to meet each group again the following week to touch base
• one Daily 5 round every 2nd Friday is set aside for spelling assessment
• Students receive 2 word study packets (one for homework, one for in class word work) that will be handed in the 2nd week of the word study cycle

 The WTW assignments will be done during Word Work.  I have a feeling that many will finish a word work activity in the allotted time, so I'm thinking I will give them the option of doing word work for 1/2 the time and handwriting/book exchange the other 1/2 of the time.  Book exchange will be on an assigned day.

I'm really hoping that once Daily 5 is up and running, it will be less onerous for the teachers as far as prep goes, because I have spent an inordinate amount of time planning how this is going to work...but then, isn't that what makes a successful program? :)

Off...And Running...With a Classroom Reveal...Finally!

I wanted to link up with Teaching Blog Addicts Open House Linky Party for Tuesday's Classroom photos but, as you may have guessed, I missed it!...in fact, I didn't even get a chance to take pictures on Tuesday (which I had intended) because it was such a busy first day!

So yesterday, I arrived super early to school (hubby had to drive me to work because my car needed some fixing...I know...bad timing, or what?!) and managed to snap some pics of my class before the kiddies arrived.  So without further ado...Welcome to Division 6!

View straight in from classroom door.  This is the class library area.

Student book recommendation board...not the greatest picture.

This is my biggest BB...it takes up almost the entire wall.  This is the reading genres section...the other half (not in photo) is currently empty but will be used for SS and Science stuff.

My book boxes...still have to label them (our class configurations weren't finalized yet)

The cloakroom area...I absolutely HATE the pink cubbies! Yuck!

The back wall...more ugly pink cabinets...and why did they have to put the sink in the middle???  The blue recycling container is for juice boxes, the blue bin with yellow handles is for returned library books (needs a label) and the little blue basket underneath the soap dispenser is for used paper towels...we're trying to recycle as much as possible.:)  This area definitely needs some work!

The other half of the back wall...more ugly pink cabinets :(  Although I do really like my "12 Ways to a Happy Classroom" board.  More book boxes (with the notebooks ready to have covers inserted)

 

Ugly pink cupboard which will hopefully be filled with Bucket Filler anchor charts.  The white shoe organizer will hold each students bucket (which are waiting to be labelled).

This is part of my Word Wall/Reading Nook area.  The white bins contain picture books.  Definitely need to put something on the wall of my storage unit.

The other side of the storage unit.  This is where I keep the Word Work supplies (which need to be labelled) and my frequently used math 'tools"

Shape of the Day schedule posted on my new wall of whiteboards (bye, bye chalkboards...finally!)

Gathering area with CAFE board all set up and ready to go...along with my re'new'ed director's chair, my makeshift chart stand, and Macgilla Gorilla :)

Our Star of the Week board

My SMARTboard!! (I heart my SMARTboard) with Hand Signal signs (courtesy of Clutter Free Classroom)

Clip Chart (need a sign, I think?)

My desk area...which already looks cluttered and the day hasn't even started!

Another view of the desk area with Homework Basket and a peek out the front door.

View of my room from the SMARTboard.

Meet the Teacher: Open House Week Linky

   

I am linking up with Thinking of Teaching's Open House Week. Hard to believe that tomorrow is the first day of school!? Where did the summer go?? This will be my seventh year at the same school and my seventeenth (OMG!) year teaching...wow, where DID the time go??

This year I have a grade 3/4 combined class.  At the end of June it was a 50/50 split, but over the summer, our school had quite a few new registrations, so it looks like my class will be more of a 60/40 split with more grade 3's.

I am really looking forward to this year, more so than in the past.  Upon reflection, I think there are a number of reasons for this.  First, I'm implementing Daily 5/CAFE this year and am SUPER-excited about that!  Secondly, I got a SMARTboard installed in my class and am SUPER-excited about that too!   And lastly, but probably the main reason why I am so psyched about this year is due to all of you, my Blogger friends! TRULY... blogging has been the BEST professional development I could do.  I have been inspired, energized,  and encouraged by all the wonderful educator/bloggers out there...and have come away with so many wonderful ideas and resources.

So...here's to a terrific, teaching year, everyone!