Currently... March!

Thank goodness February is over. It has been a brutal month of winter weather here in Boston! We have over 107 inches of snow, most of which was received in February. Our seasonal average is only 43 inches... and we are getting 3 - 6 more tonight! The weather has been seriously cold, too. Below zero many days without wind chill. Needless to say, I am so ready for this new month and for spring to arrive. Linking up with Farley at Oh Boy Fourth Grade for Currently!

Listening - The sound of a sleeping baby.. is there anything sweeter? My little guy is not a great sleeper, so this is extra special. I'm soaking up every minute of it!

Loving - My new guided reading groups. I'm really in groove lately! I have 7 groups, all in chapter books, so it can be difficult to keep track of. I am staying hyper organized, which has kept us all on track. Fingers crossed we can stick with it!

Thinking - About state testing. Is anyone else taking the PARCC this year? My district piloted it last year, and has adopted it this year. It's a big change from our previous state test! We are still working out the kinks. It's been a challenge, to say the least, because there is so much information that we do not have yet. I've been using the PARCC model content frameworks and the published practice tests to prep my kiddos, but I wish I had more to work with.

Wanting- A magic housework fairy. Do they make those? :) There just aren't enough hours in the day!

Needing- To catch up on correcting. I seem to get in a slump this time of year and the papers pile up. I hate holding on to things! I much prefer to give immediate feedback and let the kiddos see my comments right away. I definitely have to get back on track.

Spring break plans- none for me! I'm in Massachusetts, and most schools here have two "spring vacations"- one in February and one in April. I'm not sure why, but it's been this way for as long as anyone (including my grandparents, who are in their seventies) can remember.


My district is currently out of contract and in negotiations. One of the items that our city would like to add to the contract is breaking up our paychecks over the course of the calendar year. Currently, we are paid only during the school year. This would be a mandatory change. It got me wondering, how is everyone else paid? Help me out- participate in my anonymous poll!