Throwback Thursday

I'm back today for a little THROWBACK Thursday!  Thanks again, Cara for hosting this fabulous linky!!

****** Original Post 10/2/12 ****** 

Change is always something I have always craved...Not BIG, life altering change, but small subtle change.

I like to try new things, go new places, explore new ideas.  If I don't try to change, I will never know if it is the best. 

In college a small part of my craving for change was satisfied by simple things like constantly rearranging my living room, changing up my wardrobe, rearranging my room, trying different routes to places, going to eat a little hole in the wall places, etc... For me now in my personal life it is changing the flooring in my house from the nasty carpet and cafeteria tile that was in the house when I bought it, to a homier style ceramic tile and carpet. Yet, with this change I always thing of other ways to implement change within my life.

As far as teaching and my classroom goes....

My first year of teaching it was the arrangement of my room.  OH MY GOODNESS, did I ever rearrange my room, I felt as though every time my mentor peaked her head in my room, it was a different arrangement.   I am pretty sure I changed the arrangement of my room, the kids seating arrangement, and all of the other junk educational resources around my room around about 537 times before the first year was over.  My kids became used to it, as did my coworkers! Although, I'm pretty sure they thought I was crazy, but I blame a little bit of it on my pregnancy hormones.

Last year, I changed up my approach for classroom management and the way literacy centers were set up.  I went from a "token" economy to the use of the clip chart.  BEST. DECISION. EVER.  I was also introduced to Daily 5, I swear the ladies who came up with the idea for Daily 5 were GENIUS! 

This year, I kept my the idea for the clip chart, but I have added a few things.  I made a TPT (Teacher'sPayTeachers) pack that is a Chevron themed Clip Chart, since I am currently obsessed with chevron print, everything!  I made little certificates for students that reach the "TOP" of the chart, certificates to recognize how many times students made it to the "TOP" of the chart in one month, a parent letter for the system, as well as a behavior sheet for when students are not following the rules and have to clip down.

I also changed up my literacy centers, again.  After being asked to be one of the grade level representatives for my school, I attended a Balanced Literacy Institute that was put on by our district.  It was through this that I realized some of the Daily 5 rotations were not as meaningful as they could/should be.  I still follow the basic idea behind Daily 5, well not all the mini lessons between the rotations, but the basic 5 choices.  In addition to the 5 choices though I have added a couple others, I have changed word work to spelling and added word study.  This will give students the opportunity to work on more focused skills based in their reading and ability level.   I can proudly say, I have yet to change the arrangement of my room and we are ALMOST through the first quarter.  :) 

It seems as though I am constantly changing the approach to the way I teach things.  It is like I get a great idea..... take off with the idea and mid stream think of something else to add to it!  I've learned that sometimes, not all the time of course, these great ideas are better to write down than to immediately implement within the current lesson. 

Basically this post was all about change.... what got me into posting about this tonight?  Well I decided my blog needed a makeover, the 3rd one since I started this thing!   I L-O-V-E Fall, I love the colors, the smells, the cooler weather, and everything PUMPKIN (yes, I am aware that this is a repeat of what I put in my "currently" post).  Since I love Fall so much, I decided that my blog NEEDED could use a Fallish makeover.

 So here it is and now maybe you understand a little bit about my need for change.  

These make me think that my NEED for change is perfectly normal, however I don't always feel like it is!

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend.  Mine will be packed full time with my baby, my family, church, a little bit a lot of  grading papers, and making lesson plans, but FIRST I will start off with a Jewelry party tomorrow! :)

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Welp, that is it for now.... I may be back later to share an award that I was nominated for by two lovely bloggers!