First Day 2012

Wow, so far, it seems that I lucked out this year.  I seem to have a really good great class!!  It was probably one of the easiest first days ever for me!  I did arrive (for the first time ever) well before most of the parents.  I usually have a hard time finding a parking space very close to any entrances.  I got a lot done BEFORE I had a crowd of worried parents and kids at my door.  In fact, this year, I really didn't have that many doting parents.  Maybe my class is more mature???  or maybe mom and dad are so glad school started they just dropped them off.  I'm going with the mature factor. (I hope I am right)
I have one little girl that literally read everything I put on the Promethian board, all my charts that I referred to, and most anything else I put in front of her.
I started the year with the usual first day -- procedure, procedure, procedure followed by demonstrated poor choices and resulting clip move down the scale and good examples with movement up the scale.  I was actually with-it enough to remember enough student names to use their names in examples.  We practiced procedures and they even ALL earned a positive move up the discipline scale.
After lunch, I read "The Night Before First Grade" and "First Day Jitters".  I also used a flip chart by Clarissa Miles I found on Promethian Planet.  The kids did a great job listening and answering the questions that I asked.
When we finished both books and discussion, I had them illustrate and write about how they felt last night.  I thought that they did such a great job sounding out words and working so hard.  I even posted them on our bulletin board outside our room.  I am so proud of my peeps!!!
I can't wait to start testing them and seeing where their levels really are.

First Post!!

This is my first post and my first try at blogging.  I am a first grade teacher in an inner city school.  We started new teacher orientation yesterday.  All staff is beginning professional development tomorrow.  I have been busy trying to get my room ready for a new year.  We had to hire 9 new teachers this year.  It took us all summer to get them all hired.  I also heard today that the teacher we hired back in May took a different position, this week.  She already had her room ready and some lesson plans done the way I understand it.  I have one new member on my First Grade team this year.  I am looking forward to working with her.  It sounds like she had a raw deal last year.  No help, no information.  She said that just this morning she has already gotten more information than she had all last year!!  She told one of our other teachers that more people have talked to her here than all last year.  I feel so bad that she had such a bad experience last year and will do all I can to make sure she has a much better year this year.
Anyway,  we have five first grade teachers on my team.  Four of us are planning to flex for reading instruction this year.  My fellow teacher across the hall and I flexed the last nine weeks of last year and really saw the benefits and the potential benefits to doing it all year this year.  I will keep you updated on the progress as the year goes on.