Four on the Fourth {or seventh}

One of my favorite things about being a teacher is that every year brings new kiddos and new chances to try out ideas, designs, and strategies. It is certainly never boring! I could never have a desk job!
I am linking up with Mrs. M’s Four on the Fourth linky party. Name 4 new things you are going to implement this year.

1. Math class-I will be upping the ante on guided math. I dabbled in it last year. Two days a week we had rotations while I had small groups. I want to do it daily this year. I think I can…I think I can…I need to read the book, too!

I will be doing calendar math. After reading about Stephanie’s setup and how she incorporates so many objectives that are meaningful into her calendar time {in 5th grade, no less!} I began working on a version for my little people. I am almost ready to share it!

Source {teaching in room 6}

2. I will be using the Power Pix from Whole Brain Teaching. I love these! I downloaded them over a year ago and never really looked at the program. I will be using my CC ELA cards and Ginger’s CC math vocab cards rather than the large pix from wbt. I can’t wait to show you my board!

3. 7 Habits of Happy Kids. Our Building Leadership Team {ummm, BLT yup!} is reading Leader in Me by Stephen Covey. There is a kiddo version, too-7 Habits of Happy Kids. This book shows kids how to live life to the fullest and be happy about it! Two of our teachers visited a school in SC that has fully implemented the program, but our district will not pay for it. So we are doing our best to implement it ourselves. I know this really doesn’t work, but if I can do it in my class-it’s all good! I made this poster set for my room and purchased the children's book. I want to purchase the other smaller books, too. I have been reading it to my 2 littles this summer!

4. Last, but not least, I want to revamp my writing time. I read No More I’m Done last summer and was all set to dive in. It’s not for me. I like minilessons, but not conferencing. I think they learn more from writing with me. I love the saying “don’t write on their level”. I think they need to see how I write. See how I think. I will again go to WBT for my writing time.

and since it’s technically the 7th, here are a few more things I am diving in to:

5. brain breaks {I already use Energizers, but just sporadically}

6. I am moving the front of my classroom to what was the back…

7. I am going back to trying all 5 in our Daily 5. This year was Daily 2! They did wonderful with Read to Self and Someone {they are very social} but I dropped the ball on the other 3. I did well my first year, so if I model, model, model, we are set! I think I was too nice in the beginning of the year! =)

I’d love to know what you are trying out! Link up with Mrs. M!