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How can a two week vacation feel so impossibly short? Yes I had my share of relaxing but last week I spent most of my time at school
This year has had it's share of surprises, the first one being that my class is ginormous. I know, I know, every district in California is feelin' the low budget love, but honestly I do realize how lucky I have been to have had twenty or less students for the last thirteen years. Today, twenty five Little Darlins showed up rarin' to go, just like they have for the last 84 days. But this time, I was READY!
Incredible as this may sound it has taken me this long to realize that twenty five students do not divide up well into three groups. I have been teaching to three small groups for. ev. er. You would think I had laminated lesson plans or something the way I was clinging so stubbornly to this method. This week we began the Golden Groups: five groups of five. So simple! So beautiful! Golden.
For Math, we are still working in two groups, but somehow the lovely Golden morning of Golden Group work casts a spell on them and they focus. Just look at the Little Darlins here, you'd think those Math books were video games.
Today was funny because it seems the new structure and routines I have introduced have suddenly transformed me into The World's Best Teacher. Whenever I explain a routine or reinforce a rule there is a chorus of compliments. "Ms. Ray, I like your bracelet." "Ms. Ray, I like your scarf." "Ms. Ray, I LOVE you." "HUGGY!" (There's a lot of huggers in this group.)
Have I been starving them for structure? Maybe. All I know is, I like my new role as the Rodeo Queen.
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