Back By Popular Demand

I started this last year to remember all of my first year. My goal was to record all the triumphs, struggles, the little details etc. Now I would do anything to forget that year...so I'm trying again. I don't think anyone other than Kat or my parents actually read this but I figure eventually I will want this written down.

So for starters...the entire nation is about to revamp their method or assessing students/teachers. With the new Common Core beginning in 2014, my charter is well under way in preparing for it. It basically will require a lot more written work in all classes. To get our students ready early we are implementing a full scale, highly interactive and specific reading program. Basically, it will involve students reading, discussing and writing about their reading for about an hour every day.

I'm really passionate about getting this up and running. Probably the most discouraging and frustrating fact I've ever learned is that California (maybe all states) take the reading scores of their 3rd grade students. Based off of that number they build the states prison cells. For years there has been a direct correlation between the score of a 9 year old kid and the likelihood of them going to jail. Evidence shows that students who fall behind by 3rd grade rarely make up that deficit. After administering a diagnostic to all my students I have 2 (of 95) on grade level. I have most reading on a 2-3 grade reading level and I have 3 reading BELOW a PRE-K! Some where along the way my kids have been failed...It's a huge task but I'm excited to help these 95 kids break that statistic!  

It takes a lot of planning on my part and a lot of books...check out my genre library

I just taught genre so this is fun to see them talking about their favorite genre and then being able to identify what books are part of that genre.

Here is the rest of my library. I'm so thankful I found I could work at Scholastic Book sales and make $20 in book credits every hour. 2 summers ago I spent weeks working in their warehouse so I could build this...some of the best hours I've ever spent.