Friday, August 2, 2013

The Importance of Blogging and The Start of a New Year

What kind of teacher would I be if I wasn't a blogger?  For me, blogging is essential to my teaching.  Blogging gives me a place to reflect on my teaching.  I'm not real good about keeping myself accountable, but having an audience seems to help me force myself to get my thoughts written down.  Sometimes I publish them and sometimes I don't, but reflecting in the frame of sharing with you all sure helps me to take the first step.  Blogging has also been a great way to connect with other teachers.  Learning from more experienced teachers and supporting other teacher-bloggers is important to me because it continuously fuels my fire for teaching.  Blogging is an important outlet and connection for me.  This is why I encourage other teachers to blog and why I value, dear readers, so much.  Thank you for reading! 

We are in for some exciting adventures as I begin my first year teaching K-2...all in the same classroom!  I must confess, I will likely only have 16 little ones (5 Kinder, 5 First, and 6 Second).  I still haven't received a class list or schedule.  I do know that the kids will get science instruction as a special and they switch into more rigid grade designations for math.  I'll have the second graders for math!  This is also going to be my first year doing Daily 5.  I have been reading and re-reading the books.  I really like the framework and hope that if I really stick to it, Daily 5 will be successful in my classroom.  I have always wanted a more individualized/workshop method for language arts, so Daily 5 seem right up my alley.  I am looking forward to sharing my adventures with you!  It's going to be a fun year!

5 comments:

  1. I don't have a ton of followers of my blog - but I find that I like to go back and read things I've written, or how I did something, or remember something. So I guess, for me, blogging isn't just for other people who read my blog, but for me, too!
    I think a mixed grade might be an interesting class. You could make small groups based on ability, no matter what grade they are.
    Enjoy the rest of your summer! Sara

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    1. Even if nobody read our blogs it would still be a great exercise to do. Les not under value the few readers we do have. Thank you for reading my blog, Sara! I popped over and read your latest entry. I am now following you and can't wait to read more. I love your honesty and style!

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  3. I really enjoyed this post because I agree with everything you said :-). I'm going to be doing a 1/2 combo this year and am very nervous but excited! I did Daily 5 last year for the first time and LOVE it because it's finally allowed me to not have to meet with all my reading groups so I can give more attention/instruction where needed :-). I added another component (computers) so it's actually 6 groups and it's fantastic! You'll love it!

    I also wanted to thank you or leaving a comment on my blog (Saturday Apps post) but I hit the wrong button and it erased it :-(. I still have the e-mail luckily, so I can check out the photo apps you mentioned :-)

    ~Jaime The First Grade Bloom

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    1. Thank you for taking the time to stop by and comment! I'm sure we will have a lot to share this year.

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