Days Are Flying By

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is Thursday. The weeks seem to be going faster and faster lately.  With my grade going on camp in March, I only have five weeks left in the classroom before returning to America. Where has the time gone? 

School continues to be a positive experience each day and I have really embraced the staff camaraderie that I encounter on a daily basis.  I feel connected to several of the staff members and can see that there are strong friendships within the building.  Work is always more enjoyable and relaxing when you have these relationships and know you get along with the people working around you.  This is especially true with the 5/6 team and I am fortunate to be working with such great people.  Each week the different areas meet before or after school to share ideas and go over any new news that individual committees have met about.  This is a great opportunity to both share activities you have tried in your own classroom, and also learn new things from other people who are working with the same concepts.  It gives you different view points and can be great help if you are stuck on a topic and need something new and fresh.

I have now observed complete literacy and maths rotations this week and will be taking over all of maths next week.  In America there is typically a group lesson everyday for these subject areas, but here in grade 5/6 the students are introduced to a new topic or may revisit a previous skill towards the beginning of the week.  The students then split into either ability or mixed groups and have three to four activities that they rotate through during the week.  This may include independent work, computer activities, handouts relating to the topic, games, websites on the Interactive White Board, etc.  Students are able to complete tasks using different approaches to learning and the teacher circulates during this time or may just focus on an activity or group for that particular topic.  

Other responsibilities I have taken on in the past week or two include reading and responding to the students weekly journals, checking over maths work to see what students need more instruction on for next week, reading during "Fruit and Serial" time, assisting in Maths instruction, integrating the IWB (Interactive White Board) into lessons, and working with small groups of students during literacy rotations.

One project that I have taken on this term is setting up a PB Wiki for 5/6 L to use as a communication device for the students.  Lauren (my cooperating teacher) and I will post a monthly calendar with reminders about events at school, homework dates, sport practise and competitions, etc.  The students will also give us input on what to include in the Wiki and have the ability to comment back and forth with each other about things happening at school.  Eventually the students will contribute to the blog and we may be including student work and photos as well.  I am very excited about this and hope the students enjoy it as well.

I look forward to the teaching opportunities to come in the next few weeks and will be sure to keep you informed on how the lessons go, as well as the progress on the Wiki.