Wednesday. 10.5.11

Today we started by getting a new seating assignment!  A couple girls came to the classroom early to help rearrange the desks.  Then we started the day by doing a math worksheet.  After that we went over the math homework from the previous day then continued on into today's lesson.  We are learning about place values.  After math we have language arts.  After the lesson was taught, we brainstormed topics for personal narratives.  Some struggled with brainstorming and others were extremely efficient.  Then we went to recess!
 I went to the 3rd grade.  There we have been struggling with snack time because it is just so exciting.  While we had snack, we also practiced cursive handwriting.  Following the handwriting, the class listened to a story read by the teacher.  After the story and snack time, we started going into compound sentences.  Then I went back to the 4th grade room.  There we did math flip cards until lunch.  And that was when I left.

What I learned:
1. Wednesday's are when most teachers have their 'bad days'.
2. Have the class sign a picture frame to have the class picture in is awesome!  And hanging the picture in the classroom is great to let the students see past classes.
3. Having individual areas in the classroom such as the library, study table, etc. are good ways to break up the room and it helps when students are split into groups.
4. Giving students partners is great to check over homework, do worksheets together, do group work.
5. Holding off on exciting books or things that students like is good, it keeps them thinking about it and the students don't get bored with it.
6. Have a homework pass for when students forget homework.  When they sign the pass, they are excused from Friday fun to work on homework.
7.  Having kids bring an organizer is a good way to keep class work organized.  Each day the students bring the the folder home to complete homework.  In the morning they bring it back to school and the folder has the assignments in it.