Happy New Year!!!...Well, Almost.

To me, August is like New Year come early.  It's the time of year when I make resolutions to be a better, more precise teacher.  It's easy to get swept away in the power of Pinterest and Instagram photos, so I try to focus on THREE essential resolutions for the year.

I'll admit it-- this past year was not my very best.  I got married at a destination venue, my best friend got married a month after, AND the family decided to take a few side trips during the school year to Disneyland, Whistler, and Vegas! I lived from weekend social gathering to the next school break, not leaving a ton of extra time for me to explore and expand my practice.  That's just how some years go; I've accepted it.  But I vow to make this upcoming year even better!

I haven't decided which three resolutions I will take up this year, but one will certainly be to improve my organizational skills in terms of differentiating instruction.  I stumbled upon this awesome share of Miss DeCarbo's, and I can't wait to prep all my materials to fit! We use Nellie Edge's heart words so I'll have to alter her idea, but I am so excited about it!
Check her TpT Store out!

Miss DeCarbo's Sight Word differentiation is found here!

Read Well, Read Well!

Well, I'll be the first to admit that my reading groups did not hit their maximum potential this year.  I decided to spend some time pinning and reading up a little on some better, more invigorating ways to engage my kiddos this year! Thank GOODNESS Pinterest exists!

First, I needed a little refresher on Read Well since I've gotten a little sloppy in years.  Come to find out there were non-fiction booklets and an activity book that go with the curriculum that I have never seen in my life!

My goal is to search through my drawers and files for old laminated games we used to use during Walk to Read.  I have such a small group, there's really no reason not to split them into pairs or trios and work more intensively with them...but for that, I need independent work! 

All Students Can Shine has some great resources AND the perfect sequential order for these activities listed! Can't wait to run those off and keep them in a Walk to Read pull out! One Sharp Bunch also has some great RTI activities for those low kiddos.  I guess it all adds up, but usually our district offers some reimbursement for things like this, so I'll pay it forward this time.

Excited to re-vamp my teaching!!! Sometimes all it takes is some fresh new products and shiny new laminate!