CANDY CORN

My students have been working very hard, and needed more fun in their learning.  I came across the idea of  using candy corn to teach contractions, as my second graders were working on contractions.  But then I realized that the candy corn would fit perfectly into what both my first and second graders were doing in Math!  It turned out to be a great informal assessment as well.  It was easy to see who understood the concept, and who would need more practice.

First Grade worked on making parts of ten.  First they had to count out 10 counters, and decide how they wanted to make two parts of ten.  Then they decorated their candy corn.

Second grade was working on ordering two-digit numbers.  They were each given different numbers on three post-it notes.  They had to put the numbers in order, and then decorate their candy corn.

Both grade levels enjoyed making the candy corn.  I gave each student some real candy corn to try, as some of my students had never eaten any. That was a real hit!  

COMBO CRAZINESS

We are 7 weeks into the school year as a First and Second Grade Combo Class.  The routines are in place, and most days are good.  The most frustrating part for me is the lack of time.  Because I am teaching two different grades, I have to teach them both in the same amount of time that traditional teachers have to teach one grade.  

Last week I was faced with the most challenging part of this job.  My first graders were struggling with subtraction (a new concept).  They were all engaged and really wanted to "get it".  I glanced at the clock and realized that we had already gone over their time, but we still weren't finished with that day's lesson because they needed extra time to understand it.  I was faced with a difficult choice.  I could stop teaching and try again the next day, lose the teachable moment, get behind from where the district says we're supposed to be, and send them off to the Math Centers so I could teach the second graders their lesson.  Or, continue to teach them and cut short the lesson for the second graders.  Ultimately I decided to give them a little more time until we came to a better stopping place, we would continue that lesson the next day, and my second graders did have a much shorter lesson that day.  I face these decisions more often than I like to.  It is a constant struggle to be fair to both grades, to make sure that both grades get the instruction and attention that they need.  I guess it all balances out in the end, as some days the second graders need more time.  I would like to think that most days they get equal time, as long as I am organized and stay on my toes.

By the time summer comes, I may be completely and utterly exhausted, but I will rest assured that I did what was best for my students.  I pray that it will be enough to make them successful not only this year, but the next year as well.  As for me, I am planning a fantastic summer vacation to the "Happiest Place on Earth".  I think it will be a very well-deserved vacation!

PET PROJECTS

It's been awhile since my last post.... the joys of being a Dual Grade teacher means so little free time these days.  :)  And then there's my new "little" pet projects on top of all that!


#1- Math Committee Chairperson.  We are in the midst of planning Math Night.  Thankfully I have a great Math team and all of the pre-planning is done.  Date set, rotations set, volunteer list 1/2 way complete.  Just need to do the purchase orders for the food and the door prizes, as well as gather the materials for my assigned rotations.  Whew!  It's going to be a fun night!


#2-  My biggest pet project is our United Way After School Reading Camp!  I am really passionate about getting this program up and running.  It's a 2.5 hour x 3 days a week program after school for struggling readers in grades 1-3, using the Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Intervention program.   It is highly organized, and designed to increase the student's reading level each 10 days of instruction (every 3 1/3 weeks!)  Incredible!  First, the students get a snack, and then they go through 3 rotations: Intensive Reading instruction in a class with one teacher for 3 students at a time, a homework rotation, and a Literacy Activity rotation.  It's very exciting!  The only drawback is that it lasts sooooo long! The students are released at 5:30 pm (school starts at 8:00am)  It's a long day, but hopefully it will produce the results we are hoping for.  Today was our first day, and I ran the Homework Rotation in the Computer Lab.  While I helped get it up and running, now I can relax and just sub when they need me to.  I knew I couldn't handle teaching it every day with everything else I have going on right now, but I'm more than happy to help out when I can.  I can't wait to see the growth in my own students who are attending the program!


So, now that my pet projects are underway, I really do need to spend more time planning and prepping for my own class.  But that's a post for another day.  :)