Saturday, April 16, 2011

April Showers Bring....SNOW?

I can't believe that I am looking at snow!  We are suppose to be warming up and getting ready for all spring has to give us.  My daffodils and tulips are waiting to appear and it is still around 32 degrees today.  Brrrrrrr.  This shall pass and before we know it, summer will be here! Yay!!!

As the school year slowly winds down, I realize this year has brought a lot of challenges and triumphs.  It almost seems like we were just starting the new school year yesterday.  The Daily 5 and CAFE menu, for reading, have been a wonderful success this year.  Technology has brought an enthusiasm to almost all the Daily 5 rotations.  The kids blog for work on writing and they use Tumble Books, BrainPop Jr., and Raz-Kids for listening to reading.  The Mimio Software allows the students to practice their spelling and word wall words on the computers and interactive board, while Spelling City reinforces their spelling skills in many fun and interactive ways
This has even transfered to student-learning at home!  I often receive emails with spelling words submitted in creative and colorful ways.  They also attach spelling certificates for me to see.  Students also frequently blog at home!
My hope is that the kids will continue this learning journey throughout the summer too.  I found out that I will be taking on a new challenge next school year too.  I will be teaching a 1, 2, 3 multi-age class.  It definitely will be a wonderful learning experience!  I will be observing classrooms with the same format later this school year.   I look forward to any feedback that you have for me too!