One month down, two to go!

It has been awhile since I have blogged! I think about it often, but my first few weeks of school were hectic and draining. I come home every night, shower, change into my PJ's and watch some TV with Marty on the couch. At 8 or 8:30, I relocate to the bedroom and fall asleep to a movie. Recently, my Netflix has been constantly streaming Howl's Moving Castle - one of the best love stories ever, if you ask me.

I will keep this brief - it's 6pm and I still have some ironing to do before tomorrow. In the spirit of reflective teaching, here are the top 5 things I need to work on:

• Gaining the student's attention - I really need to work on having good hooks. If I don't get their attention in the beginning, chances are I won't ever gain it!

• Behavior management - they behave very well for me most of the time, but I usually loose them after recess. They become overly chatty and up getting themselves into trouble. 

• Keeping the stragglers on task - I have three or four kids who just do not keep up with their work. One of my special kiddos (not special ed, mind you - just special) just sits there and stares for hours and hours. Another very bright kid just makes origami figures all day. I've got to figure out something to rope those kids in and get them to do their work.

• Not getting flustered - there are times when I make a mistake, or when the kids are talking too much. I get frustrated and I'm sure it shows. 
• My goal for this week: whenever I feel frustration creeping up, to have kids turn and share their answers with a neighbor while I regain my focus.       

• Staying later in order to have free weekends! I have been leaving at the same time as my wonderful cooperating teacher and have enjoyed four weeks of getting home relatively early. However, that strategy is killing my weekends! 
• My goal for this week: to finish grading and planning anything I can by the end of the day, even if it means staying until 5 or 5:30. This way, I wont have to spend my whole weekend grading papers!

Well, that's it for now. I'm hoping to have some changes coming to my blog pretty soon, and hopefully find more time to write posts! I bet with my new staying-later-during-the-weekday plan, I'll have more time! 

I'll leave you with my idea for gifts for my kids for V-Day.  These are from the Blonde Designs Blog. Aren't they great?! My kids are obsessed with mustaches, I'm not sure why but I'm not one to argue! I'm going to pick up the supplies tomorrow after my math workshop. Tuesday is going to be super crazy, and I can't wait!