My Whole Brain Teaching Year Has Begun!

Well, school has begun and I feel like I am finally coming up for air. The first two days have gone well, but – as is usually the case – it has been hectic. Teaching sixth-grade in middle school, the poor darlings don't really know where to go or where they should be. Changing classes is new for them, and in one hour I had 16 people that did not belong in my class! Oy vey! Amazingly, by day two things went a lot more smoothly...and by smoothly, I mean no more than three kiddos in the wrong class per hour. 

I have been so busy with new school procedures, new administrator lists, and just the beginning of the school year that I haven't been planning"W.B.T." I covered the five rules, class/yes, and passing out papers on day one. We also discussed multiple intelligences and filled out an M.I. Survey. I had grandiose plans of getting to so much more. Ha!

 

I popped in for a Twitter #wbtchat last night, and Nancy S. was quick to remind me of a few things that would help me easily get back on track! So, scoreboard was today for day two! It was a huge – and I mean huge success! Also, I reviewed the class yes and rules, and added the teach/okay. They loved it! There was even one student teaching the rules to his shoe!  Hahaha!

I want to mention that I had our ELL teachers translated the 5 WBT rules into Spanish and Marshallese! Has anyone else translated them? Does anyone need them? I'm happy to share!

So...I'm tired. My washer at home broke.  My A/C in my classroom went out. I have lunch duty this first week of school. My voice is weak. My legs are nearly numb. My brain is fried. But, in all honesty, I can say, "I LOVE MY JOB!!!"

Power to the Teachers!

Cathy

Student Walk-Through

I am tired. My feet hurt – I have a blister on my foot from new "big girl" shoes I wore yesterday (and only 6 hours). I've spent late hours both in my classroom and at home reading, preparing, researching. But I am not discouraged.  I am not hesitant. I am not sorry to see the end of summer. On the contrary, I am excited about this school year! 

We are anticipating +\- 180 sixth-graders this year--one of the largest Longfellow Middle School has seen. Yesterday our sixth-graders were invited to LMS  to walk through a mock schedule.  You see, they weren't able to your the building in the spring as fifth-graders because the building was under reconstruction. Sixth-grade teachers were discussing that a turnout of 80 would be great.  Yesterday somewhere around 125 showed up! I think the kids are excited about this school year, too!

Power to the Teachers!