Stations Smations - Raisinets Are Holding Me Back

This post is sponsored by RaisinetsⓇ

I've done stations before.
It was highly successful.

But it's a ton of work.

Work that I'm willing to do but my head is as heavy as a 16 pound bowling ball, and my arms won't move except to grab another cluster of RaisinetsⓇ that I shall then shove into my mouth. As I sit here, I'm trying to iron out my assessments for the year, put cute little motivating touches in my classroom, all the while listening to Bonnie Raitt and various other folk/blues/worship/hiphip/90'sCountry music... I guess you could say I'm a little scatterbrained.

Any other teachers feel this way? I just don't even know where to begin. There's so much I loved about last year but there's also so much I want to change. I get that it's a little late in the summer to be thinking about this but with the new baby, the lack of sleep, and the hot, hot summer days dragging on, all I want to do is cuddle with her slobbery face and binge watch Netflix shows that I would otherwise not be interesting in watching. So help me stay focused. Here we go.

I want to do stations in my classroom again, but I want to have a FREE CHOICE day. I'm thinking Fridays. Free choice all week, with the Cafe Menu- I think I'd end up with the same kids together all the time and that's not helpful for "spreading the wealth".  I looked at the Daily 5 floor plan but I think that's a little too flexible for where I need to get these kids to be by the end of the year. More structure to begin with, and then we'll see how it goes. So I'm hoping to implement some aspects of it. Although I love its attention to the need for more intentional word study, skill practice, and comprehension strategies being used on a daily basis....  I need to be able to see a product from it. Did I mention that I have a 90minute block? That's a lot of time, but only if transitions are smooth. Whether it's a written response, a small worksheet to go with the activity, or a simple sticky note to add to a KWL chart- I need to be able to walk around the classroom and see the students responding to what they've experienced in the reading and in the lesson. I need it to see it happening around the room, around the clock for 75 minutes, and I need fairy dust sprinkled on all of the children before they take their 3 and 6 week Tests:)

These are my needs.
This is what I'm trying to accomplish right now.
As I dive back into the RaisinetsⓇ.

I quote the movie Feild of Dreams in saying that "if (I) build it, they will come". But every teacher knows that THEM KIDS GON' COME ANYWAY, SO I better get to building!!!!!!

Wish me luck! Updates to be posted soon. Soon as I put this bag of RaisinetsⓇ away. Which is extremely delicious... by the way. ;)