Breath, Exhale, and Repeat

It has been a long time since I have posted. Is anyone out there?  Hello?  Hello? I've missed blog stalking and putting my two cents in too.  School and life have gotten a bit hectic but I told myself I would post during the break.  So here I am.

First off, my school hasn't fallen to pieces since we have taken on the "new" reading program.  New to us since the rest of the district was using it long before we had to.  I can't say we have wonderful morale either. I'm so not a fan of it but I try my best to adjust and not gripe too much.

I call the program "Success for Some"  so it might give you a hint of what program I'm talking about.  When I started teaching in 2000 I taught it and knew that it didn't allow for differentiation.

Reading hasn't been too exciting for the students and I think we won't be having a Reading Week this year.   I'm going to try and do some fun reading things with my homeroom class.

In hopes of trying to implement some of the programs management parts I went ahead and made an apron.  I'm not use to using tokens and sticks throughout my lesson.  I'll have a pocket for the tokens aka team points and  another pocket for group sticks and numbered sticks.  That way I can easily call a "random reporter" to share out.

I followed a tutorial that I found on how to recycle an old pair of jeans to make it.

I would have loved to buy one on Etsy but we are strapped for cash in my household. Here is how mine turned out.  I'll see if it lasts since I trimmed it with cheap dollar store ribbon.

I'm pondering if I should make a change from second grade to kindergarten.  When I taught it I loved it but I don't know if it would be either all day or a more traditional A.M./P.M. since it hasn't been decided yet.  I would either have 25 students in the all day kinder or 50 total in the AM/PM classes. I only had 20 at a time when I did it.  Also kinder basically teaches the above mentioned reading program all day unlike the 90 minutes that I teach it at my current grade level.

As for my little home, we have been doing great and loving how my son has come along way from being diagnosed with Autism.  We have our ups and downs but life is good.  We went to an Easter event yesterday and he did great.

Our super dog continues to try and keep up with him.

I have been so happy to have made some money from Teachers Pay Teachers for the few things I made last summer.  We have been able to put that to good use with paying for some respite care.

Sorry if I have rambled on and on.

I will be back with how I'll be using Picturing Writing: Fostering Literacy Through Art.   I received a grant from Donors Choose.org  and I'll be using the those materials to get my students to use writing and art together. Also, I'll be giving a bit of information on Autism and my experience since awareness month starts tomorrow.