Those were the days...

During this time of the year, the stress always manages to build up. No matter how hard we try to take things one step at a time, there is just SO much to do. Just as we have thoughts of our to-do lists all day long, we are competing with our children’s thoughts of Santa Clause, Harry Hanukah and all of the presents that will soon be opened. How do we compete with this and win?

Daily Five and CAFÉ are great ways to keep things moving in the classroom and engage our students in learning. In CAFÉ 48 we’ve been spending time reminding our students about the correct Daily Five behaviors and how to stay on track, while there mind may be somewhere else… inner voice anyone? (Hmmm…. presents… new videos games, etc. and my teacher really wants me to sit hear and write a story!). I think I just thought of a great mini-lesson for next week!

I have to be honest, just like the student’s, I have gotten in to my own routine and allowed both Daily Five and CAFÉ to become somewhat robotic. I know I need to motivate myself and enhance my mini-lessons in order to keep the children engaged. But how…?????

Well first, as I said I’ve gone back to the beginning. We’ve started modeling our behaviors and remembering back to when Daily Five was the best time of our day. The days in September when my students would sit down on the carpet, before me having to tell them to do so and their eagerness to learn was contagious. The days when all I could talk about was Daily Five, CAFÉ, and the amazing results I was seeing in my classrooms.

Ah, those were the days… and I need them back!!!!!!!

In the upcoming weeks leading up to the holiday break, I will reflect on the past few months. Here are a few of my reflection questions. Join me and reflect on your own experience….

What worked and what didn’t?
What have the kids learned and what still needs to be learned?
How can I keep the excitement going?
Should I change the “A” for Accuracy to Awareness of genres? (A suggestion from a PT user).
Where do literature circles fit into daily five?
Keeping choice while also meeting the demands of independent work.
Re-visiting and creating mini-lessons for good-fit books.
Creating new reading goals

Happy holidays!!!!