Hi Friends!... it's been quite awhile since I've posted. Sooo much has happened since the start of the school year that I have to admit, I've been avoiding my blog. It's like when you haven't talked to a good friend in a long time and you know you're going to need an hour long phone conversation to catch up, but you just don't have the time...Well...it's time :)
First of all, I was on strike for 7 days at the beginning of the school year. I'm sure you all heard about the CTU strike in CPS - that was me! It was CRAZY! I had no idea what to expect, but I quickly learned how passionate and dedicated educators truly are. I was honored, inspired, and humbled to be a part of such an amazing group of people! The whole experience was emotionally draining as well as physically exhausting. I was shocked at how much of the media and public are not only anti-union, but anti-teacher. It made me sad - and because of facebook I learned that many people I know and who know me were passionately against the strike...seemingly for no good reason. But, in the end, we won on all the points that really mattered.
Here's a pic of us during one of the downtown marches. (I'm on the left in the sunglasses - not that that's important!)
Fast forward to last week...one of our teachers left our school rather suddenly (and although I won't go into specifics, I'll say it's a good thing for all parties)...which meant that on Friday, I found out I would be teaching a 1st/ 2nd split starting on Monday (today). WOW - that was some news to get five minutes before picking my kids up from lunch! So, today was my first day with my 11 new firsties - and I have to say, for only 2 days of preparation - it went pretty well! I am hoping in a week or two we will be full swing and on a roll! I am also hoping to be back blogging more regularly :) I'm avoiding looking at my google reader because I know I have over 1,000 unread posts...crazy!
Does anyone have any advice for teaching a 1/2 split with Everyday Math?!? Would love any suggestions!
