MY classroom! :D

I have been in first grade one week.  I began with the help of a wonderful woman who has experience teaching first grade.  I went back to 'Student Teacher' status.  I watched, helped the class and set up my classroom while she did the planning and the teaching.  I was very grateful for this help and it was nice to have a break to set up my room and get in the groove. It was also difficult not be in control.  I understand that the school has been helping me, because fourth grade was sort of a disaster.  I am SO ready and SO excited to start teaching all by my self next week.

The teacher who had the room before me left most of the classroom set up.  She is letting me borrow a few things that she doesn't need in Kinder, but I am trying to give it my own style and create my own stuff so that I can return all of hers.  First grade is AMAZING!  The are so sweet, so eager to learn and easier to manage.  Of course their are naughty kids but somehow, even when they are naughty, they are super cute still!  I have 23 students and only 5 girls!

The curriculum is different.  I am not teaching science.  We focus mainly on language arts and math.  We have set up small groups for intervention that we start next week. The kids have procedures down pretty well but there will be things that I will change.  I love having a rug in the back of the room.  We are always going from the desks to the rug, standing up, sitting down, partners, games, circles.  First graders have short attention spans and I try to switch up the activities every 10-15 minutes.  On Friday we sat in a circle to practice of short a sound.  I have a Mickey Mouse doll that they got to pass around. They loved it!

It is interesting to get to know a new grade level team.  They are very organized and my team leader has been a huge help in getting me all the files that I need.  We meet every day for a little bit after school.  It is very nice.

I am stating my first year teacher stuff soon.  I have a mentor that I work with.  I need to begin creating an electronic portfolio and I even have to take a video of myself teaching!  Yikes!

I am very excited for next week.  It will be fun!