A New Look and a Thankful Heart!

 Many, many thanks go out to Jena Snowden  of 1st Grade With Miss Snowden http://1stgradewithmisssnowden.blogspot.com/ for so generously creating my blog's new look! Not only did she create a new background, header, and button for me...but she also set it up and made sure it worked! WOW!! She is awesome! If you haven't checked out her blog, you've really missed a treat! Go check it out...and be sure and tell her Debra sent you!

CHRISTMAS IN JUNE

Kathy at First Grade...a la Carte! is having a giveaway that you don't want to miss! Her games are amazing and you will want to check them out on her blog http://firstgradealacarte.blogspot.com/and at her TpT store http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Kathy-Law/. Head on over there before Christmas is over or you'll be left out in the cold!

Kinderglynn Giveaway Galore

Ok, are you sure you have enough room on your computer for all these fantastic things? Anna from Crazy for First Grade, Melissa from Mrs. Freshwater's Class, Erica from Erica Bohrer's First Grade, Michelle Oakes from Fabulous in First, Amanda from One Extra Degree, Cara from The First Grade Parade and  Kinderglynn have teamed up to offer you an amazing amount of fabulous units and games! This is HUGE! Go to Kinderglynn's blog and get your entries now!!

Get Your Ticket!!

KindergartenWorks is having a HUGE giveaway. So, how huge? It includes 159 pages of printed material to use year after year and 104 pieces of clipart to create your student calendars to match your class one. They're giving one of these away in a raffle if you share about this post. You need to check it out...http://kindergartenworks.blogspot.com/2011/06/its-here-and-its-huge.html...but do it soon because their giveaway ends Wednesday 6/15/11 at 10 pm EST.

Litle Red Pen Giveaway

It's giveaway time at Third Grade Meanderings! Amanda is celebrating 100 followers and is giving away a $25 gift card to Barnes and Noble

 

AND a copy of this book

So head on over to her blog and check it out!
http://thirdgradeexperience.blogspot.com/2011/06/celebrating-100-followers.html

My Classroom

As I've been reading Debbie Diller's book Math Work Stations I've been thinking about my classroom setup and how I can improve it in order to facilitate more station activities. I decided to get out my copy of another of Debbie Diller's books Spaces and Places and reread it...and then I am going to rearrange my classroom!!! We have lost 1 (possibly 2) 2nd grade units due to RIF, so my class size will increase from 18 to possibly 23. I definitely need more space! I love my reading loft, but if I can't rearrange and fit it in I will have to take it home :(
So here is my classroom now...and I will post pictures at the end of the summer of the "new and improved" version!

 Small Group Area

 Reading Focus Wall

 Reading Station Choice Board

 Word Wall

 Behavior Rules

 Writing Table

 Helpers

 Math Wall

 Calendar Math Wall

 Birthdays

 AR Points Chart

 Computer Area

 Reading Loft

 Classroom Library

 Guided Reading Area/Teacher "Desk"

 View from Doorway

Classroom door...minus "M" in Mrs.!!

Math Workstations

                Chapter 1
I had a really difficult class this past year, and I am ashamed to say that I did a completely terrible job utilizing workstations in Math (as you will see from my answers)! I really plan on doing a better job next year!

1.  Materials used by the teacher first, then placed in the station: Most of the time :)
2. Materials do not change weekly, but rather changed to reflect the students learning objectives:  I  switched out my materials each 9 week period to go along with the skills I was teaching and had already taught, but  most of the concepts and tasks remain consistent...I plan to do much better next year!
3. All students go to stations daily:  Nope...I was lucky if I got to it 2 days a week :(
4. Materials are differentiated:  Need to work on this too
5. The teacher observes work or meets with differentiated math groups: Sometimes...