Where did the month go?

I realized that it was October today; I already knew it was October but the realization that it is already October hit me hard. The month of September is always such an adjustment for the kids and me. Routines need to be established, we spend time figuring everyone out, and we learn to adjust our expectations for each other.

Last year I really was worried about the upcoming group. A mix of not having taught any of them before, the reputation that their grade had, and some of my own professional hopes and dreams had me considering a big change. A month in I am really glad to have the experience of this group. They are a challenge at times but they are also a joy. I get to remind myself what starting over can look like and we are building skills and community together.

We have been writing and exploring our thinking and today we started exploring novels in whole class and book club settings. I love book clubs because of the opportunity to take steps towards independence, but with a safety net of friends to discuss thinking with. Whole class novels are a great tool for teaching when scaffolding is needed. So, we are doing a whole class novel with The Barren Grounds in one class and exploring a large variety of novels with book clubs in another class. I am really excited to shift our focus more to the world of reading for a little while.

This year has already felt like it is in fast-forward. We are learning together. Building something.

Here is to another month.