Summer Refresh

Happy Summer Everyone!
It has been FOREVER since I have blogged...I'm not even sure I remember how! 😆 I was just sitting here on this summer morning and decided to refresh my memory on blogging and share what is on my mind.

I'm still teaching 3rd grade. I think I'm going into year 30...WHAT??😮 I'm not even believing that. No, I'm not retiring any time soon. Like most teachers I just can't afford to stay home. My husband is a teacher, too. We have two kids in high school...one will be in college next year. I'm not able to live a life of leisure just yet. Honestly, I think I would be bored especially when my kids are off to college. If I sit home I'll be crying all day missing them. I really do love the job of teaching...I'm not loving all the BS that goes along with it recently. It seems to get harder and harder each year. We get so much dumped on us and are expected to do more and more each year within the same amount of hours. I try to sift out what I think is unnecessary. I've seen a lot of this over the past 30 years. Same cycles. The district comes up with some great plan we are all required to follow. No real directions given. Everyone panics. By mid year it's all but forgotten and by the end of the year it's like it never existed. Better yet the district decides to change the plan that was so frantically rolled out. 😕 It just keeps happening over and over. I am trying hard not to get wrapped up in this "nonsense". I try to just use my common sense and do what I know is right by my students.

Some of the teaching practices I feel are best for students include a strong readers' workshop and a good guided math system. Giving students meaningful practice with time to practice new skills is key. I am a strong believer in the CAFE and DAILY 5 routine for reading and math...it works! Check it out if you are not familiar. I love it!

Here are a few of my favorite TpT products that I have made my main curriculum in reading and math:
Rooted in Reading by Amy Lemons
Math Curriculum by Amy Lemons
Guide Math by Simply Skilled in Second

These products are high quality, meet the standards, and give my a guide to teaching reading and math. They also fit in perfectly with Daily 5/CAFE. Check them out.

So that's it in a nutshell. I just wanted to give blogging a try again! Hope you are enjoying your summer!