July's Currently

I'm linking up with Farley at Oh' Boy 4th Grade for this months currently.  But first off I have to be honest I am kind of proud of myself for having two posts this week!  

A couple weeks ago Koey started asking a lot of questions about reading and said he wanted to learn so I decided we would see how far we got this summer.  Since he is headed to kindergarten this fall I am not super anxious or putting any pressure on him.  My plan for the summer is to use Bob Books and Jan Richardson's emergent lesson plan and see what he picks up.  He already knows all his letters and letter sounds so I plan to use  the PrePrimer Dolche words pack from Michelle at Apples and ABC's with him.  That's what I am currently printing.  

Can I just say after working the last three summers I am totally loving being off this summer?!  It's so great to not have to be somewhere everyday.  Granted the kids still have swim lessons and karate 3-4 days a week but we have nothing before noon. Its awesome!  I was able to go for a runt this morning, start the laundry and also spend sometime on here.  We have a pool playdate at 1 but that's it for our must dos, LOVING IT!

It does make it harder to jump in the car and drive to Starbucks for my favorite treat though.  After reading Erica's post on her smoothie I decided to give kale a try and have been making myself smoothies instead.  Though a bit more work they are just as yummy and also very healthy, yay for me!    

Well off to work with my little man!  Have a great day everyone !

What are you reading?

My sweet Mom, knowing how frazzled I get once I leave school and am rushing to daycare to pick up my younger two has, been calling me around 4:30 to see how I am doing and if I am on my way. Most days it is highly unlikely that I am. I have so much to read about and brush up on before the next day of school that I get wrapped up and never leave as early as I say I will. If by chance I don't get it done at school then I come home and read after dinner and bedtime stories. I read in my Teacher Planner that to teach is to learn again.

If this snapshot of my dining room table is any example then that is completely true. At the moment I am rereading The Daily 5 lesson I have planned for the next day which I compare it to my Daily Five for Dummies file, I am also reading The First 6 Weeks of School and Lucy Calkins Primary Units of Writing. When I have some free time I pick up my latest copy of Runners World Magazine or Family Fun. All this to say I love reading and fully believe it is the best gift I can give my students and children. When I want to learn more about something or how to do something well I immediately start finding books on the subject, I may be one of the only people who learns to run by reading a book about it.

Now on to my kiddos... They are now reading for 6 minutes during Read to Self and tomorrow we start Work on Writing. I am also introducing how to shop for books and the I-PICK lesson. I plan to taking in my new Viabrams, even if its just for an opportunity to wear them so more. When we discussed how to pick where to sit I was once again impressed with their ability to internalize what I am saying or suggesting and make it there own. Here are a few quick pics of my firsties.