tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-752251715605004959.post8506209455093131213..comments2023-04-04T06:59:01.651-04:00Comments on Opener of Doors: What a Busy LifeA MilShelb Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13770728487605353254noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-752251715605004959.post-79334410413839936982010-09-04T13:33:41.665-04:002010-09-04T13:33:41.665-04:00Nope, you aren't clueless...it's called &q...Nope, you aren't clueless...it's called "trial and error" and EVERY great teacher does it. There are still times now, in my 5th year, that I wonder why I didn't think of doing something a certain way when I first started teaching. You learn about as much (if not more) as the kiddos do those first few years!Rayehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11188775899039031370noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-752251715605004959.post-41177786158716749112010-09-04T11:00:30.389-04:002010-09-04T11:00:30.389-04:00I completely understand!! I remember when I first ...I completely understand!! I remember when I first started teaching I would work the ENTIRE weekend!! It will get easier!<br /><br />The management part of workstations is the hardest part!! I would recommend introducing workstations to the entire class. Going over expectations letting them practice the activity as a whole group. This will allow you to monitor and answer questions. Then when you put it into a workstation the students will know exactly what to do. I also recommend NOT changing out your workstations every week. Just change it a little by changing the book, or having new words, poem etc. <br /><br />Also I would group them heterogeneously while they are working in workstations. This way the students who struggle can be helped by another student. <br /><br />One more tip would be to NOT pull small groups for at least a week so you can monitor workstations and help the students to know what is expected. This is VITAL if you want the students to know what to do and how to behave!! <br /><br />Hope some of these suggestions help! I think the previous commenter had great suggestions as well!!<br /><br />Good luck!! Enjoy your LONG weekend!<br /><br />JenJenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12876197031014545866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-752251715605004959.post-40430607045788899492010-09-04T10:38:00.290-04:002010-09-04T10:38:00.290-04:00It is SO hard to figure this stuff out. I’m on my...It is SO hard to figure this stuff out. I’m on my 6th year and still find it overwhelming! Here’s what I do with small groups, and maybe it will help. <br /><br />We have a reading intervention and math intervention at separate times of the day. This is when we work one-on-one or with small groups. We use must-do’s, next-do’s, and may-do’s. (I’ll post more about it on my blog when we get going on it.) Basically, I give every child a worksheet to do first, independently. When that is finished they turn it in to my basket and move on to a next-do. I have about 10 different activities (or however many I need so there are only 2 children per activity). I have half math and half reading related activities so I can keep it the same all day. The children go to their assigned next-do and complete it. Then they have may-do’s. They can keep doing their next-do if they want. For example, they always want to spend the entire time if they are on computers. Or they can move on to a may-do. May-do’s include independent things like library, reading, taking AR tests, writing in their own journal, etc. It takes almost a good month to teach the whole process (I only introduce one or two next-do’s at a time), but when they have learned it, I find it the best way to work with them. While they are working on their activities, I pull back whoever I need to work with. <br /><br />Good luck!Janaehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305627663628368734noreply@blogger.com