I'm Struggling.

I am having a really hard time planning for the week today.  My Language Arts block has been a little schizophrenic this year and I am having trouble getting to everything in my plan book (go figure...). I must admit that teaching Language Arts is not my strong suit.  I am a math girl.  And I have definitely been struggling all year just to get through my Language Arts block.  I have wonderful ideas, but I tend to get sidetracked.  You see... I am not used to planning with a TE, let alone six of them.  In my experience student teaching, I did not even see a TE. My mentors used the state standards and Common Core Standards as their guides.  Their combined experiences, professional books, textbooks, and the internet were my guides.  Not to mention, these books are brand new to my school and 2 of the 3 third grade teachers are brand new to the profession.  So here I sit, reading through all of the ideas and activities in my TE and trying to piece it all together.

For those of you that use Daily Five and CAFE strategies, how do you blend those with your basal readers?  Aaaannndd... how do you incorporate all of the amazingness found on TPT? I could really use some help!

~dani~

UPDATE: My husband had a brilliant idea and suggested that I take a walk or a nap.  I did both and woke up with a new attitude.  I love that man...

Well, here goes...

I decided while procrastinating this evening that I would start this blog (my brain is not ready to leave Winter Break).  I have been tossing the idea around for the past few weeks, but just haven't quite had the time.  I figured that it would be a good idea to give a brief overview of the past few months.  I am in my very first year of teaching and I have a very full plate.  So far, things have been great.  I have a lively group of third-graders that are up for anything and we have been busy doing all sorts of blog and pinterest-inspired projects and activities along with our regular curriculum.  Needless to say, it has been a whole lot of juggling along with countless hours of planning and replanning.  I'm also attempting to incorporate Daily 5 rotations along with CGI math strategies.  Some hours have been tremendously successful (I look for small victories...) and others have left me feeling like a complete failure.  All of that said, I LOVE MY JOB!  I am excited each and every day to go to school and work with my kiddos.  Being in the classroom has changed my life in the best way possible.  I have also had the ol' BTSA ball and chain following me around.  Just what we first-year teachers need... more homework, right?  It does seem to be quite a bit of extra work, but I have found that it is helping me develop and nurture good habits of reflection, communication, and documentation.  I'm sure I won't dislike it as much when I don't have  to do it.

I'm sure that I've rambled on long enough here.  I promise I'll get much better at this!

~dani~