Book List and Bread!

Hello! 

I'm feeling better since the last time I blogged. Things are changing at our school and it threw me for a loop (My head teacher is leaving)! I cannot imagine what the school will be like without her (leaving at Easter to have a baby)......hopefully the change won't be too bad.

 

Anyway, I've got the OK to update the books at our school-now I'm just not sure where to buy them. Scholastic, Amazon? Some of you gave book ideas and asked for my ideas. I've attached a google doc with the list I've created so far. Of course I may move around the books, depending on levels, etc. Many are British authors (since I'm in England)...anyway, I hope this helps. This list takes into account the books we already have (lots of Michael Morpurgo, Anthony Horowitz, Jacqueline Wilson, J.K. Rowling).

I'm also on the lookout for any good British comprehension assessments with links to levels (2c, 2b, 2a, etc)??!! Let me know if you've got a recommendation!

Aside from parent conferences this week (2 nights, very short, not too bad), I have had a "good" sinus day and even managed to get the gym! Our Bible study group has our Christmas party tomorrow night which I'm looking forward to and after this week I will have 2 weeks of school left until Christmas break!!

Here is my latest math notebooks/journals resource that is nearly finished:

I will end with a funny photo-I was the elf at our 'Santa grotto' on Friday for our Christmas fair!

Oh and also-this bread is soooooooo good! I make my own applesauce in the blender and cut down the sugar.

Happy Thanksgiving week to everyone in the States!

How long will you teach?

Sometimes I wonder how long I will teach and what job I might do next. Do you ever feel like that?

After a looooong week of reports and making a mistake on homework I sent home and a seriously low student that is never on time (missing lessons!) and teaching English 'Club' every Friday until 5...sometimes I don't know. I love my students, and I do have very small class sizes, but. There's still so much to do. I enjoy (mostly) the added responsibility of English Coordinator, but someways I feel like I'm getting burned out. Again.

So how about you? Do you ever think you might go for a different job at some point?

Guided reading book ideas?!?!

Hello! It's been awhile...I'm two weeks back into school and four weeks away from Christmas break! Have I mentioned I love how our school does holidays???? 6 week half terms work so well for me!

Anyway, I'm back at it, trying to develop this English/Literacy department at my school, slowly but surely. I started with spelling and found a more differentiated approach that is fairly easy for teachers and students to follow. Currently I'm working on creating PowerPoints for Year 3-Year 6 (second through sixth grade) that has a daily starter for the VCOP part of our Big Writing program. VCOP stands for vocabulary, connectives, openers, and punctuation and is a huge focus at our school. Anyway, more on that when it's finished.

The next thing on my list is to sort out the (lack of) guided reading resources for Years 3-6. I've researched books and come up with a good list for the school to buy, but need a bit more. I've got everything from Charlotte's Web to Holes, Skellig and Goodnight Mr. Tom. Please give me more book ideas!!!!

Speaking of books, I've really enjoying the break from using a basal series. I like aspects of using a basal, but really enjoy the curriculum here at the moment. I do wish we had more time for literacy though as it's hard to fit it all in. On the other hand, I'm happy to get away from the 3+ hours a day of literacy I had to do in Arizona.

I will be back soon with pictures of some things we've been up to in our classroom...until then, have a great rest of your week and weekend!