It's been a long time since I last blogged.  I've been busy! It's been a good kind of busy.  My first year as an interventionist has been so valuable.  Working alongside so many teachers has been a dream!  (Of course it is no surprise, because my colleagues are amazing!!) 

My year has been full of letter naming, sight words, reading with Pioneer Valley (their books are so fantastic!), and more reading..... counting, number identification, counting, writing numbers, and did I mention counting!? :)  At the end of the year, I found out I will continue in my current position with K and 1st, and add 2nd grade!  Our school is going to use a "reading lab" next year.  I will be blogging about it for sure!!

Visit me in the Bluegrass State some day!
Rebecca

Spend or Save...... Lucky Us!

Today we had the most amazing opportunity! A while back, I found a link to the St. Louis Federal Reserve which has resources for teachers to use!!  I just happened to click on an opportunity to sign up for a guest teacher for a lesson to teach student to save their money! We had the most sweetest visitor, Debbie Cotton from JCTC! She came to teach the students about money.  We are just starting our unit on Economics, and today is National Teach Kids to Save Day! Who knew!!??

Ms. Cotton came with a read aloud, Less Than Zero.   In this book, the main character wanted to save clams to pay for an ice scooter.  Clams! The students got right into the book and each time when he was tempted to save they started to holler, "No! Don't do it!!"  It just captivated them!  She also used a number line and a real penny (which each child got too!) and they moved it backwards and forwards as he spent and even borrowed money!  You will have to read this with your class to see if he finally gets his scooter!  Beware! He DOES really like ice cream!!!

After the lesson, Ms. Cotton reviewed words like borrow, spend, save, and interest.  It was such a productive lesson for the students to see.  I loved having her guest-teach and if you are ever contacted to have someone visit I would highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity.

I included way to many pictures of the event because I was just so excited about the lesson!  We had previously read Alexander Who Used To Be Rich Last Sunday, and this book also connected well to Less then Zero!  It was a fantastic lesson!!  Best of all, I got to keep the book, lesson plan, student copies, and pennies!!

Job Change!! ..... Out of the Comfort Zone....

Goodness.  End of the year madness with testing, testing, and testing... and now the joy, sheer terror to be exact, of moving my classroom out completely consumes me.  Why am I moving?? Well, I have the most amazing and most wonderfullest news!! It was the dreaded time of the year when budgets are formed and people are cut and added, cut and added... Our district has been in the implementing stage of RTI for years, but this year, certified interventionists (see that s on there ;) ) are being added at all grade levels.  So, as soon as the positions were announced, I was super excited to jump on it.  

Then, the dreaded happened....cold feet! I mean my feet were so cold they might as well be dead.  I can not tell you how many times I changed my mind about applying.  There were other's vying for the same position.  "I'll just let them have it. I am "comfortable" in my little classroom...." I told myself everything.  I seriously struggled with the decision.  I had to think, why was I so anxious to do it, then scared to death to interview for it.  I knew for sure, I wasn't the most qualified for it, so why humiliate myself in front of my peers.  The time came and I just had to.  I was a nervous wreck I tell ya!  

Not long after the interview, my principal approached me and said, "They chose you." She said it with a smile on her face.  I will never forget that sentence for the rest of my life.  The word "chose" sounded so much more.....picked.  Just think about your students.  Some you might have chosen to have because you knew their families...you knew their struggles from the previous year...and you chose them.  I desire to make children feel chosen because that feeling made me feel so special.  It also validated my initial desire, but I was to scared to see that I could have even gotten chosen.  So go out today and choose someone.  Don't forget to smile! 

Go ahead, leave a comment. When have you ever felt chosen for something?

Wow! What a wonderful meet up! I ventured over to French Lick, Indiana and met up with 200 of the most friendliest, energetic, and fun teachers EVER! This is my second time going to French Lick and Holly from Mrs. Ehle's Kindergarten Connections out did herself and we had an amazing weekend! It was filled with fun, lots of the 80's, inspiration, and sponsor giveaways!!

We had some amazing sponsors!!  Check out this picture snapped by The Scoop in Second Grade! In our bag was a wonderful opportunity for a HUE HD Animation Studio! Oh. My. Word!! I have requested mine and as soon as I get it I will let you know all about it!

This weekend was wonderful! It gave me an opportunity to reflect, learn, and build amazing friendships with many of my teaching heroes! I have never been around so many positive and welcoming teachers! These are lasting friendships for sure. I am already looking forward to next year's meet up!!!

Rooted in Reading - Looking at Lincoln

I stepped out from my comfort zone and purchased Rooted in Reading for February.  I heard a lot of buzz and wanted to try this for myself.  I love the amount of activities and the organization of the unit.  I am learning what I can fit in and what I can't.  You can find the Rooted in Reading sets in Amy Lemon's TPT Store: "Step into Second Grade."

I am very pleased so far with the unit!  Here are some pictures from today's directed drawing.  After their drawings were complete, they began their informational writing about Abraham Lincoln.  I forgot to snap pictures of their writing!  I blame that on the "New blogger syndrome!"  I also have had many parents comment to me about how much their children are coming home and sharing what we have learned and beginning to research questions at home! I was thrilled to hear that!

Getting Off The Beaten Path

I teach in a large school district in Kentucky.  I got to thinking about the students I have encountered over my 10 years of teaching.  They come from all walks of life and from many countries.  No two children are the same, therefore, the method of teaching them must be different.  It's like a beaten path....something that is out of the way, not popular or familiar to many.  After 10 years of teaching, the path has been muddied.  It's been walked many ways, may directions, and includes many paths that are branching off from the main one I created during the first years of my career.  But the one steady thing, I have created life-long relationships with families along each step I have taken.  

As I reflected on my practice, and realized I have connected with so many families, I longed to make those same connections professionally.  This blog has been years in the making.  As it is now coming into fruition, I humbly ask that you stay off the beaten path with me.  Consider the routes you take (I know there are multiple!) just getting a child to connect to learning or expanding their horizons.  Together we will smile, laugh, and connect our ideas. From my classroom to yours, I hope that you see something that you can take off the beaten path in your classroom! 

Much love, 

Rebecca