We’ve immersed ourselves in the story of the Three Little Pigs these past couple of weeks.

Here are our first video productions! I was proud, happy, and excited with their work.

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I’m now the Instructional Resource teacher for K-3 (plus a few sweet 4th graders).  Most of my teaching career has been in the service of exceptional children, so this is familiar ground for me. I am busy getting to know my students– scheduling, testing, planning and teaching.

Oh, I moved my classroom to the former Spanish room, in the 1st grade hallway next door to Mrs. Hill.  Moving the Spanish room out and my room in has been an interesting challenge. I forget how hard it is to move until I am in the middle of it! I’d say I’m almost finished, but certainly finished enough to begin seeing children.

I’ve updated the page about me, and will add new pages and information soon. Welcome to the resource room!

Since it is summer, and I’m not reading and writing my National Board entries, I have some relaxing time on my hand.  Yes, it is time for family and friends and leisure, but teachers know it is also a time to reorganize, think, and prepare for next year.  Which practices will I keep?  Which need tweeking?  Which need to go to the recycle bin?

A good friend of mine is going to be teaching 4th grade reading, language arts and social studies to optional and traditional students next year and was interested in some of the websites I gathered last year during my National Board application work. First I thought I’d just copy and paste the sites in an email, but then I remembered  delicious.com.  (It is a social bookmarking/storage site.) I registered and then did some poking around. I typed in “Special Education” and received a whole bunch of new and I might add, exciting sites to explore and make my own.  As members save sites, the sites are tagged with the pertinent categories (literacy, teaching, recipes, politics, etc). Having explored all this, I began transferring my personal favorite Google , Firefox and StumbleUpon bookmarks to delicious.com, tagging each.  I will be adding more daily until school starts, and then I’ll add them as I find them. You should be able to access my bookmarks by clicking on the link(s) below.  If you’re a teacher going through the National Board process this year, or just a teacher preparing for next year, you may find some useful information for you and your students.  I hope so.

A favorite book this last school year was Koko’s Kitten by Dr. Francine Patterson. It is the remarkable story of a gorilla (Koko) who communicates in sign language.  Koko wants, more than anything in the whole world, a real kitten.  It is a sweet, interesting, true story.  Since I am always reading during the summer, and I am always looking for good stories, I stumbled on this little essay about one of my favorite philosopher/Children’s TV host, Fred Rogers, and his meeting with our favorite gorilla, Koko (misspelled K-o-t-o). Click below to read the story.

http://dailyroutines.typepad.com/daily_routines/2009/01/fred-rogers.html

Stay tuned for a list of our favorite books!

I just sent in my National Board Certification application “blue box” full of a lot of thought about and work with my children.  I have to say that the video taping was not fun for me.  I’m one of those who likes to be behind the camera. When I looked at the videos, I was so surprised by what I saw- a glimpse of my students like the proverbial fly on the wall.  I saw Lukas turn and sweetly pat his friend, Sri, on the back after Sri answered a tough question.  I saw Myron throw his hands in the air when he (precociously) realized that he could think about art in two different ways–the print made him feel happy because of one thing and sad because of another. Alencia and Matthew had a serious discussion about the elements of art in a painting they had never seen before.  I could go on and on.  Maybe I can upload some video highlights soon…

TCAP for 2nd graders will be different from previous years.  The new test, called the SAT 10 is longer and involves more critical thinking than before.  Also, the first day will be an 80 minute math test.  (All children need their Wheeties.) We are practicing and preparing. TCAP Saturdays are Apr. 4 and Apr.18.

I remember pulling my hair out trying to help my son with reading a real clock. (By the way, he did finally figure it out without failing math.) Today, some 10 years later, I stumbled on this interesting site that has combined the digital and analog clocks into a visual thing of beauty. I wish I could add it to my blog. Visit the site with your child!

We are rockin’ away with School House Rock!

The new President and Vice President will receive gifts from the American people on Inauguration Day. Click on the link to read about them!

Watch our blog for inaugural news and activities!

Students are busy this week writing letters to President-elect Obama.

January 5-9, students in 202 will be responsible for reciting the pledge and leading morning announcements.  We will use this opportunity to talk about the pledge and what it means.