Friday Reflection

Do you do this?

On Friday afternoons after the kids have left do you just sit and take a moment to reflect about the week?

I was thinking about it this morning as I was having my students do the traditional 3-2-1 in their journals. On Friday mornings they always write 3 things they learned, 2 things they enjoyed, and 1 thing they want to work on for the next week (their goal). This year I'm having them also post their goal up for us all the see. It seems like it's holding them responsible to try and achieve it... Anyhow, I'm digressing.

After school gets done for the day I always seem to be in a rush to make sure everything is ready for the next day and week, but I think I need to remember to also think about what made it a good week.

So why did today end on a good note?

I am starting to feel like I'm making progress with certain kids in the classroom. The ones that learning is difficult for and the ones that have such a hard time focusing - which sometimes leads to behavior issues.

I was able to meet with all my kiddos to choose their reading goals this week. I used the FACE sheet (same type thing as CAFE), and I had my Desert kids choose something in Fluency (since they are my lowest lows), my Mountains chose something in Accuracy, my Valleys chose in Comprehension, and my high Coast chose in Expand Vocabulary. Their assignments for this week was to work on practicing their goal every time they read. Next week I check back in.

The kids also were able to work with parent helpers to start their sight word practice and fluency reading. The sight words are their levels. I also started the paperwork for a bunch of SSTs. I have to know that I did everything in my power to get them all the resources and help they need this school year.

I also now have 3 islands in my classroom. These 3 darling children have shown me over the past 4 weeks that they need their space to focus. Today was so smooth with them having their own areas to work, focus, and not become distracted. Others in class could also focus. It was a win win.

I didn't do it mainly as a behavior thing, though it has helped with behavior too. I told them that I cared about them and I wanted them to do their absolute best work possible. That I had noticed they seem to need a lot of space and I didn't want anyone bothering them when they work. We still do everything together but now they have room to think when it's independent practice time.

I'm sure there is more stuff I will probably think of after I hit publish on the Blogger App. Thanks for listening to me ramble with my reflections. This tends to happen when I'm in my son's dark bedroom, listening to his lullabies, waiting for the moment that he finally drifts off to dreamland, and then not wanting to move because I just want to be near him - I love this time when my own children are still small.

Have a wonderful evening!