ReBoot

Ok, so you can see why my blog is called Me & My Bright Ideas--I had this great idea to create a blog last summer...before I found out, last minute, that I would be teaching a combo (with fidelity) and beginning my Master's Program! Duh! Bright idea, huh!  I had no idea what I was getting into with either of them. 

So, I have decided to start over with more energy this time. (A least, I am 99% sure I won't have a combo!)

I will re-introduce myself as if today was the first post ever:
My name is Tracy, I am a SoCal girl, born and raised!  I absolutely love it in San Diego County and I will never leave, despite the cost of living!  I love the beach and all it entails, and teaching!  I have two girls, one will begin high school in the fall and one is going into sixth grade, and a supportive, loving husband.  I teach second grade and have taught 2nd (in some form) for 12 of my 17 years teaching. (what!-NO way!)  I am finishing my Master's in Educational Technology in December (all online-it is absoulutely awesome! Yet, exhausting!)  Which is how I got here...

I thought that with an emphasis on EdTech, I should delve into the world of Blogging and after BlogStalking for a few months, began my own--then life took over!  I had NO (I mean NO) idea how much work a Master's Degree would involve and add to that a self-contained combo!  Therefore, no blog posts! 

Now, I have two weeks (sob) before reporting back to work and I can safely say I have accomplished nothing!  How is that possible??  I feel like I have been busy...but I have not:
1. read several novels
2. planned cool new stuff for next year
3. scrapbooked to be up to date
4. read the professional book I inteneded
5. done the research for my Master's Project
Shoot!  I'm not even tan! So I can't even say I sat by the pool all summer!

The to do list goes on, and on!  What have I been doing?! Get this, I have been kidless for almost a week, and still....  My oldest spent a week at camp and I saw her for only 2 hours before she went to Oregon for a service trip with the church youth group.  I haven't even spoken to her for 11 days!  But, don't worry, they were told to leave the phones at home and the adults are maintaining a short but sweet blog on their adventures.  I am looking forward to her return on Wednesday!  My younger daughter has been at camp since Sunday and will be home tomorrow-yay!  I have enjoyed my husband's company and we have a nice dinner planned tonight.  I think I'll go shopping and find something cute to wear.  If I am smart, I can double it up as a first day of school outfit or for Back to School Night and cross that off of my list right!? Besides I have some deals that are only good until this weekend so I need to go soon!

I'm off to shop!  Thanks for granting me a fresh start!  I have now added Blogging to my official to do list.  :)

Little by Little

Well, I think I have completely overextended myself! I am exhausted, running on 6 hours of sleep a night and now working through my lunch break.   I have had a combo for two weeks now (we restructured two weeks into school).  The kids are settled in and our routines are more or less in place.  I teach one group then send them off for independent work, then teach the others--pretty much all day.  I have found it difficult to keep up with it all!  I know my 2nd grade curriculum but 1st is all new.  Our district requires us to teach the adopted curriculum and we are not supposed to vary.  This means I plan two different curriculums and try to teach both in the same amount of time I used to teach one.  I'm not sure how much longer I can play this game...  It seems it would be a lot easier to sit down and completely create my own curriculum and teach both grade levels, occasionally pulling kids for grade specific tasks and mini lessons.  I feel like I am "on" all day!  I really don't know what my kids can do since I never see them work independently. 

On the bright side, I think that how curriculum is delivered to students in combo classes may be the topic for my research inquiry with my master's class.  Maybe someone has a brilliant idea out there that I haven't found yet.  Then I can present it to my principal and cover my tail.  Part of the problem is that 6 & 7 year old's really aren't developmentally ready to be fully independent for any lenght of time, in my opinion. 

As for Daily 5 (my first attempt, by the way), the kids loved the shoe lesson!  They thought it was hilarious.  The other day they wanted to know why I was wearing my hiking shoes to school! (Because my dogs were barkin'-I tell you!) We have only done a few read to self practices but they have a book "bag" that seems to work and have done an OK job with good fit books.  I'd love to hear suggestions on how you all manage book shopping.  I was letting them do this if they completed work at independent time but it is getting too crowded and noisy.  I can't wait to get the Daily 5 going as I think it will give the kids more to do at independent time (some are done super fast!) and I really need some small group time for reading tasks. 

Getting Settled

Well, after a rough start all around I have: 
*enrolled in and completed most assignments for this week's master's courses in addition to learning the university web portal, several new programs, and overall how online courses work! 
*checked Back to School Night off the list of getting back to school!
*know for sure that I will be teaching a combo class starting Tuesday!

Now, I just have to figure out how to restructure my class to make it all work and organize my life schedule so I don't go insane!  :)
Tips are always greatly appreciated!

Week One

Well, we made it through week one!  It has been a bumpy ride.  It appears we will have to reorganize but we don't know when.  That means I will be a 1/2 combo. We thought it would begin on Monday but the district has to approve it.  Now it looks like we are waiting until after Labor Day.  Back to School night is next week, I don't think the parents will know by then.  As a parent I would be upset if I wasted time in a class finding out about the teacher, expectations and program only to have my child moved out a week later.  As a teacher it is very difficult to get routines into place when half of your class doesn't exist yet (on paper).  I'm not sure how I'll run the combo yet either, our district is in requires us to stick to the curriculum very tightly.  How do I do that with two grades?  I can fill all my time with just one set of standards!  Yikes.  I am planning to begin Daily 5 and I just found some info on BUILD for math.  I am open to any suggestions and/or more info.  :)  Being in flux is messing with my head!  I can't wait to get moving ahead!

Here we go...

We made it through the first two days!   I love starting mid-week because we I do a lot of talking and getting to know each other activities as well as get an idea of the basic classroom routines.  On Monday we will fall into the required curriculum.  I only have 27 kiddos, 32 is the max.  It still looks like we will reorganize.  :(  I am the winner of the 1/2 combo; probably with an equal split.  Hopefully we'll do that soon!  Based on this group, I have already adjusted my behavior plan after day 1-did I tell you I decided to try a completely new one?  My feet hate wearing shoes (especially new ones) after flip flops and tennis shoes all summer.  I am exhausted! (Funny how starting the year always does that to me)--and we haven't even started the "work".   Good news in the end...I was accepted to my graduate program!! Yay!  It looks like it will be a very busy year!

Here it begins...

Okay so it is Tuesday, late, and I'm getting around to blogging from last week.  Today was the official day to report back, kiddos come on Thursday.  We may probably have to reorganize, which means I'm not sure what grade I'll be actually teaching.  The hard part is... what do I teach in the meantime...because I have a feeling probably half of my class will be different--hopefully sooner rather than later!  I am excited to start Daily 5 (only teacher on staff doing this), new "rules", and some new routines. 

I even participated in  4th Grade Frolics' Monday Made It: (even though its Tuesday)  PS Thanks Tara for teaching me how to do this but I think I'm missing a step.   :)
http://4thgradefrolics.blogspot.com/

I made these cute "seats" that I saw here:  http://grade2happenings.blogspot.com/search/label/milkcrates

And a Bucket Fillers board that came from here: http://mrsshirey.weebly.com/bucket-filling-program.html
I used paper cups and tiny rope to make the buckets so I could staple them on my board;  of course the buckets still need names, but I don't know who will be on my final roster. 

Tomorrow I have tons to do and the workday always goes by so fast!  I better fill in my plan book so I can figure out what materials I'll need.  Goodnight!

The Last Hurrah!

Well, here it is, the last week of summer vacation.  :(  I've read a lot!  My family and I went on a mini-vacation, we knocked out many appointments, I did some scrapbooking, I've done a lot of thinking about my classroom; but I still have a giant "to do list"!  I went into my classroom last week and got some things started but I will be in a least one day this week, we need to finish our Back to School shopping (I have a 5th grader and an 8th grader), and a play with my mom is scheduled, too, but it is the "Last Hurrah".  We report back on the 14th and the first day is the 16th.  It always seems the summer goes so fast.  I am looking forward to a new year, new kiddos, and a fresh start as always...let's see how all of my great plans turn out.  Now, time to get busy!