Rewind

I had a chance today to try my lesson again and fix what went wrong the first time. This morning when I was getting ready to leave I was thinking about it and told myself that if I didn't fix it, this would always bother me. So when it came time to do math and RM asked me how I wanted to handle it, I was all too happy to take the reins again and fix what was broken from the day before. Now, I didn't teach the lesson completely as I had the day before, but the kids and I re-wound what was confusing and walked through it again. I felt SO relieved when they started to get it! Now, there are parts of the book lesson that I did not return to, but those were parts that were quite confusing to me as well- and I'm not sure exactly why the book feels it is important for them to understand those parts- I will have more extended conversations with RM and figure out where we should go with those parts- but the big news is that the students understood how to write number sentences from the information they were given.
Other things that happened in the classroom today (other than going through more than an entire box of kleenex!) include taking our first vocabulary test, another timed math facts quiz, and a better day with transitions. The students were really chatty by the end of the day but they are getting better with each day. We really are blessed with some great kids. 
I made RM a set of schedule cards this week. I love working in Photoshop Elements and playing around so it was nice to be able to do something like that and see them in the classroom. They are sort of like a nice little reminder sitting up there about why I'm doing this. Here is one of them.

We created our social contract in class today as well. The kids were very involved with this and we got some great material for our contract. RM also gave me her book to look through for Capturing Kid's Hearts (which is where they get the social contract from) and I was able to get some great ideas and suggestions from it. 

Today was jeans day so I was able to wear comfie clothes. And today also marked the end of my second week. This is going by so fast! Tuesday I start my seminar- so things will get insane fast. Oy- I'm not ready for that!
Oh- and as a side note- my sweet innocent son went to RM after I told him that I had my student's dance like chickens. He asked her if that really happened- it seems he didn't believe me! What a stinker! He keeps telling me that he would pay money if there were a video of this- seeing me dance around. Yep- how's that for love!?