I Survived the First Week Back at School

1. I started IEW on Wednesday with my fourth graders. I'm using the Grammar Fix-Ups ("The Nose Tree") as part of my ELD time because, as the new principal stated at our meeting the day before school started, "The only two subjects mandated in California are ELD and P.E." I guess that means I don't have to teach your kids math or history or anything else this year.
2. My students are loving IEW. Wednesday, we read "Sea Snakes" and made key word outlines. Thursday, we did public speaking with "Sea Snakes." And today, we read and did a KWO for "The Boy and The Nuts."
3. Our math program is new this year, so I feel like I'm one page ahead of the students (in some ways). It's pretty nuts. Each kid has two fat consumable math books. Volume 1 has 474 pages! I don't understand how we can possibly get through almost 1,000 pages of math in one year. Also, the books are so busy. They're lime green. And they have flash cards that can be torn out for every chapter, and foldables that can be torn out for every chapter, and everything is full color. We did the pre-test, made the flash cards, and started Lesson 1, but we still haven't gotten to the guided practice! Then there is independent practice, and finally a homework page! There are only 14 chapters, but at this rate, I'm not going to get to Chapters 10 through 14!!!
4. My students have gotten two compliments from the principal, one for how they were walking in the hall, and one when she walked in during math and everyone was participating in the lesson on place value. I told my students that when the class reaches 5 compliments, they will get a treat. This is the first time I've done this, but I want them to earn her compliments. It will make my year so much nicer.
5. I taught my students how to play National Number Knockout. Some of my students LOVED this game. One of my students even got up and taught the class about factorials! :)
6. I started the first art lesson in Drawing With Children, so we drew most of a bird. We will finish the legs and the tree next week.
7. I taught my students how to have a class meeting at the end of the day, and my students have been so sweet to each other (and to me). It's a big change from last year and I am so grateful.