Always Planning!

School ended just last Friday, so here I am (like so many of us!) cruisin' the internet, setting up a game plan for next year.

I have packed (to move back to the grade I was in last year - argh!) and moved all my own stuff with minimal help from the custodians.  I say I move it myself so that I know where it is in August, but in reality, I end up throwing last day items in the cubbies and wishing I could fast-forward to August when I will sit in a hot (but QUIET classroom) and organize all over again. At least I saved the custodians some work.

My theme next year will once again be Adventures in Second Grade!  I have a Fairy Tale adventures word wall, a Jungle adventure board, a Safari adventure helper board, and a Pirate adventure board.  I was able to carefully tack together and move my entire word wall to the new room and I will update my words for second grade. Yay!  I also was able to get up some zebra wrapping paper for my Jungle board - now I just have to figure out what I want to go there....

That brings me to my learning list for the summer.

~ Whole Brain Learning - Last year I did some basics (Class-Yes, Teach-Ok).  In September, I'd like to do
 more.

~ Daily 5

~ CAFE - Both of these I admired first for the beautiful displays I saw on Pinterest (here is the link to my section School Ideas I Love ) and then for the great opportunity to create a more independent, self-directed second graders.

Do you think that is enough?  What are you working on for the summer?

Using My Whole Brain?

This school year, the wonderful Mrs. D brought up the topic of Whole Brain Teaching.  She mentioned some quick ideas to use every day and I started using those in my day.  Of course, I let it slide after a while since I never truly embraced it all the way.

Skip forward to end of April.  I am cruising around those wonderful first grade blogs out there and I come across other mentions of Whole Brain Teaching at 3rd Grade Thoughts with some great teacher-made posters at The Kinder Polka Dot Patch.  So here I am on a beautiful Saturday, doing what all teachers do.  I am watching those videos on YouTube and thinking, should I start this now?  Or wait until a fresh new year?

Tell me, what do you do with new ideas?  Do you jump in right away, following your whims?  Do you finish out the current group and start fresh in the new year?

Do you use Whole Brain Teaching?  Share!