This Year's Classroom

I put streamers up for Meet the Teacher Day and took them down for the first day of school. Enjoy!

This is the view from my desk area. My students sit in groups of four to start the year.

My classroom library contains 2500 plus children's books. The library was "under construction" until I could teach the kids about proper care for our books.

The carpet area where we have our morning meeting and regular read-alouds. The crate stools are homemade. I got the idea from another first grade classroom. They will hold our tools that we need for mini-lessons that take place on the carpet.

My Art Center and Buddy Reading located behind it. Notice the bags hanging in the background. Each one of those contains two of the same book so that kids can practice reading together. This picture is a little bit dark because it was taken facing the huge windows in my classroom- another amazing blessing.

My Guiding Principles

I was recently inspired by Debbie Miller after reading her book, Reading with Meaning, to type up my guiding principles of classroom reading instruction into a list. These, in turn, will guide my instruction each day in my classroom.

1. Learning is Thinking. "The one who is doing the reading, writing, and talking is also the one who is doing the thinking and the one who is getting smarter!" (Miller, 12)

2. Students need to spend lots of time in literature in order for them to learn.

3. My thinking can be revised because I'm a lifelong learner.

4. Children need skills and strategies to actively engage with literature.

5. Know where I am going... having both a big picture in my head as well as a day-to-day plan will help my students to learn the targets of instruction.

6. Plans are adaptable. I need to maintain flexibility to help my students to learn what is relevant and most helpful to them in their current skill level.

7.  I believe in a gradual release of responsibility. This means, I teach, then guide, then allow for students to complete their work independently with lots of feedback.

8. I believe that in order to grow as a learner, both my students and myself, will need to engage in regular reflection.

9. Our classroom community is one of kindness and care.

10. I need to give intentional and specific feedback to my students to help them grow.

11. I use assessment for both myself to guide my planning as well as to show my students how to reflect their understanding.

12. This is not my classroom, it's ours.

13. We read because it is an amazing blessing to learn and grow. Ultimately my students will be able to read God's Word, and be effective followers of Jesus Christ.

We Re-read a Great Book... 3 TIMES!

I read Open this Little Book to my students today... 
3 TIMES because they loved it so much!
Check out this great book. It's one to own. I promise; a real crowd pleaser.

The Real First Day of School

Officially yesterday was the first day of school, but it wasn’t what I expected the first day of school to be like. Truly, I only got about 2 hours with my students. This meant I only had time to read a few books, work on a craft, and enjoy a snack with them. Then I spent twenty minutes teaching them how to leave my classroom, and then they actually left my classroom.

I left the day feeling a little sad.

But then my significant other pointed out that the kids that came into my room yesterday, well you see, I was expecting them to be like the first graders that left me in May. They only left Kindergarten in May, and I get to help them transition into first grade.  And my expectations affected my mood when I came home. This was something I needed to fix.

This morning is likely the only day this year that I woke up before my 5:30a.m. alarm. During my time reading my Bible I discovered my promise for today:

“Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles; They will run and not get tired; They will walk and not become weary.” Isaiah 40:31

This spoke to my heart today. I was reminded that the Lord wants great things for my classroom. He promises me new strength as I wait on him and do my best to teach these kiddos.

And it was a great day filled with some wonderful moments. Here are some of my favorite ones:

*Random hugs from a few of my students. Let’s be honest, when a six-year-old makes eye contact with you from across the room, and then walks over to give you a hug, it is a precious moment!

*One student who seemed lonely and a little sad yesterday announced at 2:30, “Mrs. MacLeod, I don’t want to leave our classroom.” What a change from his sad expression yesterday.

*A few students offering to help me with organizational things around the room instead of playing. What sweet girls!

*Students fighting over books. This just speaks to my heart. I mean, duh!

*A shy student who I expected to take at least a month to raise her hand to share, raised her hand to contribute more than once. I called on her every time!

So now I sit, the real first day gone by… (my scratchy throat is reminding me of that). I must say, I will wait on the Lord for strength for each day. This is going to be a fabulous year!