Reading Training -Week 6 of summer

Do you see this happy child? This is how all of my 3rd Grade students are going to look now that I have attended the "Imagine It" reading training this week. I now have all the knowledge, skills, training, and know-how to be the best 3rd grade reading teacher ever! If I could now only figure out how to do it all in the amount of time I have. This program is intense! There is so much in it, all good stuff, but still a ton of stuff that needs to be covered everyday. I have a three hour language arts block in which to cover word blending, dictation, reading comprehension strategies, discussions, spelling, handwriting, language skills, the writing process, small groups, centers, recess, transitions, workbooks, and probably 5 or 6 other things that I can't remember right now.

But, I am totally excited to do it all. This class got me really pumped up and motivated to be a teacher again and make it an amazing and wonderful experience for the third graders who will be in my class. I don't even know yet how many students I'll have or if they will be able to speak English or read at all, but I feel like I can do it. I have been making tons of lists and plans of all the things I need to get or make to be ready for the first day, and there is a lot! But I can already tell I am really going to love my job.

I've wanted to be a teacher ever since I was in 2nd grade and I am so lucky that I have been able to pursue that dream and make it a reality. Even through having babies and raising my children, I have been able to work in the schools since I got my degree back in 1998. Having my degree has been such a blessing, because I have been able to work part time and still bring in some much needed income for my family and I've been able to continue doing what I love.

So bring it on "Imagine It" and my third graders. We are going to have a great year!