Been A While...

Sometimes you just don't feel like there is anything to post about. School has progressed in much the way that any other school would. The staff had an inservice, the likes of which you won't find outside the bush! And my students are slowly beginning to understand school life.
So many things are different here - I paid $13 for a frozen pizza!!! But so much is the same, go to work, talk with friends, surf the internet... I'm still working on finding that relaxing bit of time for me though.
One thing I love is that it is officially winter (one thing I do not love is that I am going to be dropping a chunk of change on winter gear) we have had snow now for two weeks. Viewing polar bears in the snow is perhaps the best of anything!
Today is turning out to be a major workday because I got so many ideas from the inservice. I need to fix my room arrangement and revise (once again) how circle time works. Plus I need to write some lesson plans for my next unit, finding a way to increase four year old learning, while providing something for the three year olds to do. We are almost there! I also want to get some work done at my house as it has been sorely neglected.
One last note, we are currently the animal-less house. This is saddening to me and I am considering getting a dog.

The Early September Classroom Re-Evaluation

I think it happens for many teachers. At least it is happening to the teachers here, you are a few weeks into school and have decided that this method doesn't work, that subject needs more attention, or maybe I should completely rearrange my room. No, I'm not rearranging (too many pieces of furniture that I can't figure out a better place for) and I'm not devoting more time to a subject (I essentially have a 90 minute program) but my methods are getting worked over. I think that I have been applying logic that I would use with older students to my littles. It doesn't help that I seem to top out at six students (I have 8 enrolled) and I have nine centers! Elementary is also coming together to add Daily 5 into our routine so I decided to have Daily 2. I'll read to them and they'll read to a buddy.
Outside the classroom my time has been getting filled with different community/ cultural events, polar bear watching, and lesson planning. I like all those things but I also need the small group cozy gatherings (we did have a game night!) and a little 'me' time. Now that I am falling more into the planning groove though I think that I'll get some unscheduled time to relax and read or write. I hope to get some paints up here before winter too.