Starting to feel overwhelmed...

Boy! Can I just say this has been the toughest year so far I've ever had to endure. Teaching title 1 last year was drastically different from this year. I have so many responsibilities good and bad and I am starting to reach a phase of exhaustion and frustration. Any one else feeling this?
My district is amazing with wanting to challenge the children and we have high expectations, but I'm starting to notice the paperwork piling up and it's so unnecessary.  We have to document on PEP's similar to IEP's but much smaller scale, every intervention we do with the kids who are struggling. Well it's a long and drawn out process and I'm just starting to get those PEP's written up. Ugh! It gives me a headache just thinking about it. On top of that, the kids have just not been the sweeties I know they can be and my co-teacher just shared an article with me on the phases teachers go through in a school year. There's about 4-5 but I think I'm currently towards the middle on the survival mode. haha. But really, I am counting down the days until Thanksgiving break where I can pop my head above the water and take a breather. 

Anyway...here's a freebie for you. We were working on silent e today and I made this small pocket chart sorting activity. It's got a recording sheet too in case you want to use it in a center. Hope everyone has a relaxing weekend!

Word sort pocket chart center

Well I am so glad I can relax tonight and sleep in a little tomorrow. We have PD tomorrow and then I have friday off! :) I'm going to make this a quick post since lots of my posts have tended to ramble on lately. Last night, I created a word sort pocket chart center that we'll be using with our class next week for literacy centers. It's on sale now at my TN store for just a buck! Sweet deal if you ask me! ;) Hope you head over to pick up a copy! Have a great evening!

Write the Room Fall Freebie!

Hey everyone! Happy Saturday! Woot! I got to sleep in today and was so thankful for that! :) I've been relaxing this afternoon and creating! My kiddos love write the room and our centers last 20 min before we rotate so I needed to cut back on the cards for write the room that I have to about 12, which is fine by me because I have so many topics I'd like to make and doing 12 of each will go fast. Today, I made a fall theme one and it's FREE for the taking if you'd like. The way we do it is have the kids match the pictures and then write the words. They will get more difficult as our firsties get smarter but for now, it's pictures. If you'd like, go ahead and a grab a free copy! I'd love to hear how your kids liked it! Have a great weekend!

Alphabet hunt

Hi friends! Whew, it's been a whirl wind of a week. I have to say, I woke up Monday morning with a bad attitude thinking the days were going to drag this week, but I am pleasantly surprised that tomorrow is already Thursday. :) I can't wait to go back to Ohio for the long weekend and surprise my family! 

 At my school, we have specials two days a week and it really helps to break up the day, but for the other 3 days, since we have  not started our guided reading groups, the mornings seem to drag. The poor kids don't get lunch till 12:10 and we start at 7:55. :( So it makes for a long morning. My co-teacher and I have been busy trying to come up with activities to help make the day fun and I found this searching through blogs and I apologize I forgot the source, but it's an alphabet read the room. The cards have a pic of both the letter and word with accompanying picture and we told the students they had to go on a scavenger hunt to find them all. The really liked it so here's our pictures!