My First Linky Par-Taaae….Sort Of: Next School Year, I Am Definitely Going to…

Okay so it’s not actually my first, but it’s definitely been a while since I’ve linky partied!
I’m joining Kim over at Finding JOY in Sixth Grade. I give mad props to middle school teachers! I teach in a K-8 school and I look at them in awe everyday! I. Could. Not. Do. It.
Anyway she’s having a What Will You Do Differently linky party, and it just so happens that this has been on my mind, now that I’m ending another school year. So here it goes!

I must admit that writing workshop has not been my forte. No cute anchor charts or writing folders full of wonderful writing. So I’ve purchased a few resources to help in my journey. This summer I will eat, live and breathe Writing Workshop!

                 


For seven years of my teaching career I was a Reading Recovery teacher. When I returned to the classroom, I somehow got it in my head that because I was out of the day to day workings of the classroom, I needed the foundation of the basal….some direction.
So what started out as a yearlong crutch, became a permanent fixture! I’m not slamming the basal, but I also know  it’s not the end all be all. So this year I plan to include more literature based units of study coupled with good solid reading comprehension, and word study.

For the past three years my focus has been on organizing for student’s benefit. That meant finding a place for everything, making my classroom child centered and inviting, and making supplies easy and accessible for my students.
This school year my focus was on organizing my teaching materials and resources. This kept me from taking the ten minute search to find something, or forgetting where I put something and using up my prep time searching for it! I know I’m the only one who does that right? This year was so much smoother because I developed a system, and had a place for everything! This summer I’ll be working more to organize my teaching resources.

This ties in with letting go of the basal. I want to make small group time really beneficial to my students, especially my strugglers. I’m thinking of going deep and not wide. I heard this from Debbie Diller during a workshop of hers I attended a long time ago. Last year I tried to see 4 groups each day, which really didn’t leave lots of time for student’s reflection, my own reflection or sometimes, meaningful learning. It just seemed like the rush to get the next group in. I’m really thinking hard about lessening the number of groups I see each day, in hopes of giving my students time.

So there ya go! Who knows how successful I’ll be, but I’m sure going to work hard at it! Any questions, comments, or moral dilemmas….I had a sociology professor who used to say that at the end of every class.
Join Kim in her linky party! Oh, and she’s having a giveaway too! Thanks for hosting this Kim!!