Busy, Busy with Common Core

Yes, Common Core is keeping us busy!  On our first week in January we worked on CCS RI 2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events.  So we have been busy reading about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and learning about biographies and timelines.  Because my students are transitioning into English I always let them choose what language they want to read and write in.  I want them to feel comfortable reading and writing in English but I can tell when they just cannot understand what they are reading so I provide the material in their native language or it's just time wasted.

In this assignment my students were able to read about four events in the life of Dr. King and pull out the important details. (Of course after I modeled and we did our guided practice together.)  The tough part was making the connection from one event to the next.

This week we also had the famous ACCESS testing.  A test that measures English Acquisition in Listening, Reading and Writing.  Next week is a three day week!!!

Snow Day in Chicago

I thought Sofi would be the only one at play group today but we were surprised by three other kids who attended! What a freezing day! It was -14 degrees at 9:00 a.m. this morning.  Thank GOD our local school district let us stay home and stay warm.  My maternity leave went on for an extra day (I'm hoping for tomorrow as well). 

I'm glad Sofi had one more day of play with mommy.

I wanted to share some of the photos we took at The Peggy Noteabart Nature Museum yesterday.  We had the place all to ourselves.

Sofi had so much fun.  She got to sort shells and rocks.

Back to Work

After six months of maternity leave I am due to return to work on Monday, January 6, 2014.  It's bittersweet for me.  I have a sweet daughter who just turned two years old in December and I have a wonderful little boy who will be 6 months old in two days.  I've had so much fun going to playgroups, music classes, drum classes, birthday parties, Halloween parties and just taking naps!

I also have a class of 25 second graders who are anxiously awaiting my arrival.  I don't want to let them down and I am planning some fun activities to build our class community.  It's like starting the year all over again in January! I have to get to know them and they have to get to know me.  It's exciting and it will be exhausting but I am humbled at the opportunity to be there and learn with them as well.

I started this blog not only to record my daily observations as a second grade bilingual public school teacher but also to record the growth in language development of my own children.  I've spent a lot of time learning and taking some classes in Early Childhood Development and I really need to record what I observe.  I am even thinking of quitting my 16 year career as an inner city teacher.  Early Intervention needs more Developmental Therapists and it's something that I am definitely interested in.  For now, I'm going to hang in there for another year or two.