I survived the first week of school...will I survive the second?!

I haven't had TIME to blog!  Yes, school started last Monday and between figuring out my schedule, the school's schedule for where my class should be, and getting my students out of "vacay brain", I haven't had time to do much else.  I mean I actually stayed up til after 1 am on Thursday night and had to get up at 5 am on Friday morning!

Things are going...well, they're going.  I have it together, I do really.  I'm crazy organized and that helps A LOT!  However, it's the beginning of the year so all you teacher know that you struggle with some to get them in to gear and out of lazy summer mode.  AND there's all the testing!  DRA.  Star Reading. Star Math.  With specials twice a day 4 days out of the week, I'm barely getting ANY actual teaching done.  So far that is.

What I have noticed is that I am going to have to deal with some serious gaps in a couple of my students.  Which is concerning.  I have a great grade-level team and they have really helped with advice this week so far with all my questions about my concerns.  I am beginning to address, or preemptively address the issues I'm seeing just in case they really are issues and not just laziness!

On a good note,  I had my environment focus walk last week and our academic coach was impressed with my classroom and I was informed she would be taking pictures for a PD we will be having to help some others in our building to create a standards-based environment in their classrooms.  :)  AND all my hard work in my room has paid off!  I'm happy about that.  I take THAT as a compliment.

I'm working on some freebies I'll be posting soon.  Just give me some time here people!  Hopefully I'll have them up this weekend.  Much work to do, much work.

I hope everyone's back-to-school weeks are going beautifully.  Remember, we get to start anew every 9 months.  Each new class has the potential for being the best ever, a room full of bright stars and high achievers.  Expect the moon, dream to the stars and back with them, and show them you KNOW they can do it all!
With that said, I like to think that we actually get to "start over" each day.  After all, we all have bad days.  Some days our kids are just in "lala land".  Some days they are on fire, answering correctly left and right and mastering those standards!  Forget those "lala land days" and live for those "on fire" days.