Another One Bites The Dust Linky

Only 4 days left...report cards almost done...starting to pack...and thinking about what I will use for next year and what I plan to change.


Amber at Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher is having a linky and I'm a bit late to the party, but it's fun to reflect on the year and what's ahead.

Things that went really well this year:

My guided reading groups!!  I had four different groups this year as my kiddos ranges went from having some students who were reading at a 5th grade level and some who were a low 1st.  I really vamped up my centers and used these resources so much!!

    

I also used so many resources from Reading A-Z and fabulous centers from you wonderful ladies out there!!

 My students came so far in reading!! I had 6 ELL students who were below level when they came in and did so fantastic that 5 of the 6 were exited out of ELL!! I also had 3 SPED students who I kept with me all year. I really pushed them and they kept up with their peers and worked so hard for me. They still struggle, but their confidence is way up!!

 I also really pushed my upper kids with challenging, but appropriate reading material and enriching activities.  It was alot of work, but I enjoyed differentiating for this group.

I just purchased these to read over the summer:



Another thing that went well this year was our new Math Curriculum.

Our school purchased Go Math and I was sooo happy with it!! It was so much more kid friendly than Everyday Math and every single kid passed every assessment that we had!!! No tears, no "This is too hard!"  This was one of their favorite subjects, maybe because it was one of mine as well.

I had one little boy write in a journal entry:  "Last year I was soo bad at math, but this year I did awesome!!

The other thing that was so fantastic this year was discovering Pinterest and Teaching Blogs!!

I have become so inspired again even after 20 years of teaching!! All these ideas and the community I have become a part of makes me want to be a better teacher:))  Thank you to all your wonderful insights and enthusiasm for a rewarding, but tough profession!

Okay what didn't work out so well:

Our second grade team decided to specialize in a subject and teach the 3 separate classes.  I taught PE and my other colleagues taught Science and Social Studies.  Although all the second graders had a lot more PE lessons this year, and I received funding for new equipment, I really did not love teaching the same class 3 times.  I also felt the time was too rushed and I missed teaching Science and Social Studies:(  If we decide to do this again we need to rework the time and maybe switch out subjects during the year.

My classroom arrangement was also not my favorite.  I want to keep the students in groups and it often feels bunched up.  I also did not like my computer area, it was not as functional as I would have liked it.

The final thing that needs some work for next year is my parent communication/participation.  I kind of held my parents at bay this year because I really don't know what to do with them.  I just want to teach, not teach them how to teach.  I have so many parents who tell me they want to help out in the class, but I don't really know what I want them to do!!  I would LOVE any ideas if you have them!!!

So another year has come and gone and it is great to look forward to relaxing and slowly start thinking on the new year ahead!!

Don't forget to link up with Amber!!