Whew...1 week down...sooo many to go!!

Wow...I have survived the first week.  My class of 24 kiddos has finally come together.  Also, my other class of 23 kiddos are coming along really well.  I am teaching Language Arts & Social Studies to the entire 6th grade at my school.  I am spending the first two weeks doing review.  Review of nouns, grammar, reading a map, and getting into the swing of things.  It amazes me how much being out of school for 8-9 weeks effects the motivation of these students.  It is almost like everything they have learned, management wise has completely left their brain & having to follow procedures is a foreign expectation.  OMG!!

Then to add to the never-ending to do list at my school the principal wants lesson plans submitted 1 week in advance.  I appreciate this requirement because this helps in planning, as well as if there is ever an emergency and you need a sub in the classroom.  Things can continue as usual without much disruption in the teaching/process.  Also having another set of eyes or two can make sure all avenues which need to be address can be edited and amended before you actually try to teach the lesson.  But, boy does it ever add to the endless amount of work that never seems to be accomplished.

On a more positive note, I finished my reading bingo packet (shameless plug) ...which is for sale on my TpT page.  Even better I have even sold a packet.  I was so stoked.  I am a new teacher so coming up with some somewhat original activities to include in my store is a work in progress, so to sell something I created is really cool.  Here is a look at what it includes.

Even better my friends my project on donorschoose.org has been fully funded!!!  Woo Hoo!!  Thanks to my family and Wells Fargo my school will now be the proud owner of a 35 book class set of Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis.  I read this story with my kiddos during my student teaching tenure & they loved it...so I am extremely excited to introduce my friend Bud to this group of students as well.  

Onward and upward...I am ready to conquer week 2 and the rest of the school year.  This week Galileo/Benchmark testing, two less days I have to plan & I get the necessary data to ensure I teach the needed skills and build off of the skills my students already show mastery on.

Good luck on the school year my friends...I will try to post as time allows.