A mid-week funny!

My friend Kristan and I both teach ESL students so we get the great opportunity to watch children unlock the English language on a daily basis.  It often produces some funny results.  In this lesson, Kristan was helping Juan learn to use the word "use."

I use pencils.

I use paper.

I use erasers.

My teacher use coffee! (the little person is holding a coffee cup)

So cute!

Writer's Workshop

As I was sitting with my firsties today during Writer's Workshop I was thinking about how it realy is my favorite part of my day.  It took us a while to get into the routine but I feel like we finally have a system and I thought that I would share it!  Under the new Common Core for writing, we are mandated to work on writing modules but fortunately, they do not take up every day of writing.  

I have my writing binder...so much for the fancy cover, right?  It is green and easy to spot!

I conference with half of my kids each day.  I go to their tables and sit with them.  We start each writing time off with 5-8 minutes of "No Walk, No Talk".  I turn on the quiet music, nobody gets up and nobody talks, including me.  It is time to get started. Lovely.....

One of the things that I started with the kids in December was writing goals.  We looked at their writing and decided together what they wanted to work on for the month.  I then wrote it on a little post-it and we taped it inside their writing folder.

Ally's first goal was to check the letters that she most often reversed (yellow note). We just added the blue goal this week.  (Yes, that is Princess Leia in case you were wondering!)

Sophia has a problem getting started and finishing a piece of writing so these are her goals.

I have tried TONS of conference note forms and this seems to work best.  I take notes on the topic that the children are working on and notes on any mechanics that I corrected or did a teach point on.

At the end of writer's workshop we have a share time.  The children that share read what they wrote and show their picture.  Their classmates then offer 3 questions or compliments.  This has been a great way to end our morning and transition to lunch.

I would love to hear how you all implement writer's workshop in your classroom.

On a side note...this is a picture that is representative of my week.....take it any way you want to...you would probably be right!

Sunday SELF post!

My "One Little Word" for 2013 is SELF.

This is a toughie since I am Mom, Wife, Daughter, Sister, Aunt, Teacher and Friend.  I love all of those titles and sometimes SELF is not my priority.

SO....I have decided to dedicate Sundays to me. Or at least my Sunday post.  I am hoping that this will not scare away any hard-core teacher followers! I promise that I will continue to teacher-post during the week!

One thing that I did for myself this week was to spend 4 nights in a row in bed with a hunk named Ranger....

I love Ranger.

It was a quick read but was fun.  I have loved this series.  When I started it 3 years ago, I was taking the books out of the library 3 at a time and read the entire series in one summer!

I am sad to think that Janet is going to have to end this series at some point.

Another SELF activity this weekend was to go and see Les Mis (again) with a friend that had never seen anything Les Mis.  That was a great experience!  This movie is terrific.  I will definitely own it when it comes out....

Lastly.....this week contained the hardest workout that I have ever participated in.  Ever.  In my whole 43 years of life.
I did not quit.
I powered through the pain.
I did not throw up.
I am going back for more.

Take time for yourselves this week, my bloggy friends!

One Little Word

I have been thinking about this post for a while and went back and reread last year's OLW post.  Last year I chose the word balance.  When I went back and read that post, I realized that work has done everything in their power to make it so that balance is impossible to achieve.  I will keep that word but want to add the main focus this year to .......me.

My OLW is SELF.

In my effort to be everything to everyone, I have neglected me.  My health has suffered, my creativity is  fading and "I don't have the time" seems to be my mantra. I am afraid that if I wait too long then at some point it will be too late. 

Wish me luck. 

Happy New Year to all of my friends in Bloggy Land!

Enjoying break

I am enjoying spending my break with family and friends and I hope that you are all doing so too!

Happy holidays from my family....

....and my firsties!

See you in the New Year!

The best therapy

I am sure that I don't have to tell any of you that this has been a rough week.

Walking into school on Monday and watching MY first graders walk into the classroom with smiles on their faces was both uplifting and heartwrenching.  I spent most of my day just watching these firsties work and play in honor of those that could not.

My own 10 year-old daughter asked me on Sunday if I would put myself in front of my students to protect them from harm.  I had to answer "yes" and told her that her own teacher would do the same for her.

We had parents just walking in and hugging teachers.

A rough week indeed.

It was hard to feel my sadness in combination with the happiness and excitement that the children are feeling about Christmas but they need me to be Mrs. Faas.

The same Mrs. Faas that expects them to work on their writing.
The same Mrs. Faas that holds them accountable.
The same Mrs. Faas that has them re-do work if it is not their best.

I was not and will never be the same Mrs. Faas that I was before December 14th.
None of us will ever be the same.

I know that I will be a little more accepting of the "silliness" of 7 year-olds...
I know that I will take the time to listen if a firstie just want to "tell me something"
I know that I will be giving and happy to receive as many hugs as possible.

A rough week but...

I would not want to be working anywhere else...

Being with the children has been the best therapy.

Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary