What's a Normal Day?

Let me start off this post by saying that while last week was crazy, this week was the true definition of chaotic! This week I really got to see all of the staff at school exemplify NCTCS 5C. We had to adapt quickly to unscheduled changes and function effectively in our environment.

It all began on Monday when our principal came across the loudspeaker at 8:30 and announced that due to possible bad weather, we were going to dismiss at 10:00. As I am sure you could guess, my students were THRILLED to get out of school early and didn't really care too much about doing any work until dismissal. But, we pushed through and I got to lead my very first guided reading center. I began by doing a short lesson on figurative language and my students really got a kick out of listening to different idioms. Then, I was able to work with my students in small groups as we began reading nonfiction texts.

Tuesday was lesson planning day for me. The students were out of school due to ice on the roads, but we had a workday. I got to sit in on my very first PBIS meeting. PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support and it is what Washington uses as a way to monitor and reinforce positive behavior in the students. This system really helps us provide a positive and nurturing environment for each student. Instead of focusing on negative behavior, we are rewarding students for positive behavior. It was really neat to get to hear some of the ideas that the staff had for rewards this upcoming semester.

Wednesday we were FINALLY back to normal and on schedule again, but we called it "ketchup day" since there was so much to get caught up on! I got to continue my guided reading groups and having these guided reading groups really helped me understand how to plan instruction that was appropriate for my students. I did completely different things with my groups depending on what their reading level was. Having these groups was a great way for me to see differentiation and really begin to get comfortable with doing it on my own. It was also very rewarding to see my students come up to me and tell me a new fact they learned about the animal they have been reading about because it showed me that they were excited to continue learning.

Thursday we had a PBIS field trip. I have been on one field trip with my students before so I really enjoyed getting to have another one. We went to watch Inside Out. This was a reward for students who have done really well and earned at least 85% of their Dojo Points. It was so exciting that all of my students got to go on this trip.

Friday we had yet ANOTHER crazy day because it was an early dismissal day where the students got out at 1:00. Because of this, we had to shorten our schedules a good bit. I got to complete my guided reading centers though and it was exciting to go through the whole week reading through the books. I feel that my students really learned a lot from spending a whole week working on the books. As I continue to do guided reading groups in the future, I plan to reflect on what my groups did this week so that I can make my lessons more effective for my students. As I move into next week, I want to continue planning guided reading centers that are meaningful for my students. My next step in this is to begin some professional development by looking at how other teachers do their guided reading centers.

Since this week has given me more free time than I am used to, I have really dived into making headway on my portfolio. I have my behavior management plan figured out and beginning next week, I am going to start collecting data. I have also gotten my resume completed and all I need now is to get it approved. Finally, I have created my class website and am beginning to look at technology tools to include. Overall, it has been a very productive week and I have made a lot of progress which will help once I begin student teaching in two weeks. Right now, my CE and I are both feeling confident about the weeks to come and we don't need support in one particular area. Going in to next week, I feel prepared and ready to go! I hope everyone else can feel the same!