First of all, this is NOT my own personal website, so somebody else better start posting!!! And yes, Jean I did not sit in the waiting room reading magazines while my daughter got her braces put on! I worked on those four blogs for part of it!

Anyway, I just went to my first curriculum meeting and I have to say that I'm impressed that we are working towards creating a curriculum for Special Education! And one of the best parts is that some funding ($) [just not sure how much] has been attached… Continue

If there is one thing that I have taken from Chapter 1 of this book; it would be the reminder that our kids, who struggle with reading, show amazing courage in showing up every day. When I sat back and thought about that statement "I believe we must celebrate the courage required to walk through the doors day after day of a place that is designed to reward those who can read when you know you are one of the ones who can't." (pg. 6-7) it truly made me stop and think.

I began to wonder, how can w… Continue

I feel like Chapter 1 is a good reflection of what Reader's and Writer's Workshop is all about. It is letting the students guide you into finding out what they need help on, what are their strengths and weaknesses, and where their passions are. Even though I have been doing the workshop model for several years it is always hard for me to make sure that I give enough instruction to cover items (like periods, nouns, silent e, etc) that students will be building on every year. I sometimes have a ha… Continue

OK, I loved the chapter on organization. Prior to reading it I considered myself well-organized, although Danielle far surpasses me (she gives me goals to work toward) now I can see my own areas that need improvement. Just like Crystal stated, I keep shuffling papers trying to find a way to feel comfortable with new job responsibilities and make organized sense of the chaos I call a desk. I think the author would approve of the arrangement of 207 (Thank you Kelly Lock!!). You can definitely tell… Continue

Organization! Very nearly my favorite subject! Okay, actually reading is, but I have a compulsion (as you've all noticed!) for organization. If any of you ever saw an art project of mine when I was little! Ronda, are you shaking your head? My idea of a collage was lining up all the pictures (which should roughly be the same size) and placing them in some sort of pattern or "organized" in some fashion. Throw pictures on a poster board with no pattern? Unthinkable!

Actually, most of my ideas for… Continue