I'm Back!

Poor Surfside has been severely neglected of late!  Over the past two weeks I have found myself immersed in 4th grade curriculum, preparations for vacation and the fatigue that comes with working full time!  It has been years since my last full time position and I am realizing how spoiled  lucky I was to be able to have Mondays and Fridays off for so long.  Often those days were taken up with caring for Dad when he was still alive or general household chores and errand but they were still my days.  It is amazing how quickly a weekend flies by when you have to be back to work on Monday!

It has been a fun filled week in the fourth grade.  I made significant progress in assessing my students reading fluency and comprehension... just seven more students to go!  In order to work individually with students much planning and organization is required.  Twenty three students must be engaged in a rigorous, worthwhile independent or small group literacy based academic activity as I read with one student.  So much has changed in the word of teaching reading that I find myself learning new skills everyday along with my students.  I love learning from them as much as I enjoy facilitating their learning.
So reading assessment was one piece of my busy schedule this week.  We also commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Titanic.  We read and responded to informative articles and books on the Titanic.  We problem solved and looked at interesting facts about the supplies necessary to feed the passengers of the Titanic.  Over the past several weeks the students worked on a Titanic survivor report where they  independently gathered information about an assigned survivor, decided what would be important to report, wrote up their findings and created a visual display to go along with their report.   This past week everyone shared their projects with the class.  It was fascinating to learn the survivors stories.  The kids did a fabulous job.  To wrap up our week long study we hosted a 'First Class' tea on Thursday.  Students and teachers came to school dressed in their finest clothes ready to have a feast.  Parent and teachers shared delicious foods including, fresh oysters, cucumber sandwiches, salmon on cucumber rounds, hummus, fruit and cheese, roasted lamb, mint sauce, creamed carrots, hot rice, french ice cream and assorted desserts.   It was so much fun to observe children trying different foods for the first time.  The kids loved the experience and I think it will be something they will always remember.

Now we are on April break!  I'm hoping to catch up with my friends who I have sorely neglected since I started working full time.  I miss them terribly!  This will be a good week to regroup and relax.

Peace!