My New Kids

Last week I started my new job. I am the new 4th and 5th grade intervention teacher. It is only a 60% position so I work Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I have 5 groups of kids that are at risk of not passing their benchmarks, 1 group for math facts and 1 group of ELL's.

My reading groups are by class, not by level, I have between 5 and 12 kids in each group and I get to be with each group for 40 minutes. Within each group my kids range from mid 2nd grade to mid 4th grade reading level. My math facts group is about 22 kids, again all at different levels, just needing help with 2-digit multiplication with decimals to students that don't even know their two's. I have 7 ELL kids, 2 of which have been in the states for about 3 years and the other 5 have been here from anywhere between 3 to 6 months. 

I started my week with the kids talking about our time together, how it is precious and how we are not going to waste it.

We talked about how it is okay to not know but it is not okay to not try. I explained to them that they were hand selected to be a part of this group and that we are all here because we are struggling with something. I told them that this was our safe environment where we can try, and talk, and share and read out loud in this safe environment, where there is no judgements, giggles and put downs.

It was a great first week. I love my kids already and I only had to give the "look" one time :)

I have a lot of work ahead of me and I am so excited!