For the Love of Fifth: May 2015

Haven't blogged in a week. Last week only got crazier and this week is looking to be the same. I'm so excited about my new unit (as you can probably tell by all my IG posts). I decided to do a Farley Currently.

This year has been extra challenging, and as much as I try to block out the negativity of lower grades, their warning of the years to come aren't any comfort. Challenging years make me a better teacher. Just not sure how many more challenging years I can handle. Today I felt like I was being pulled in a million directions. Kids crowding around my desk, all talking at the same time, and a parent observing to boot. (Watching her child, not me BTW.) IEPs every day, final PST meetings, awards, grades, parties...I'm not sure when "teacher tired" is worse: August or May. Right now, I vote may. 12.5 DAYS!!!!

There's no one who appreciates teachers more than another teacher! I've joined this link because I believe in the power each of you have to make a difference in a child's life. While it isn't all cotton candy and gum drops, at the end of the day it is worth it.

I've included a few of my "secrets" that help me keep my sanity in the midst of empowering students to reach their potential.

In my students' interactive notebooks, I have them keep up with their grades. Each new grade, I grade them in a timely manner (usually by the next day), return them to the students, and they record their grades. Together we then practice averaging them. I just started this recently and it has saved me.

At any given moment, any of my 83 fifth graders know their reading average. I was having a huge problem with parents complaining about not knowing their child's grade. We send home graded papers, put grades online, and send home progress reports. Evidently, it wasn't enough. Now students feel more ownership of their grades.

Document. Document. Document.

I document everything from missing assignments to behavior. After reading Harry Wong's books, I made it my mission to keep parents informed and have documentation in case it was needed for referrals. I created my own version of the "pink slips" and "choice slips." You can find them on my TpT store!