Week 3 and the Daily 5

I'm looking at week 3 of the new school year and wow!  I'm exhausted already!  

Exhaustion doesn't have to be bad, right?

I've been working hard to get my students ready for the Daily 5.  My first grade team has decided to implement the Daily 5 with our group of firsties.  We have run "traditional" centers in the past, so this will be a change to our management and instruction.  We have all read the book by "the sisters" and have done lots of reading on the internet, but I still feel very overwhelmed by it all.  I re-read the book this weekend and realized that I am moving way to fast!

That is the biggest thing that seems to be stressed, is move slowly and make sure the kiddos have the routines.  I KNOW this, but every year I feel an urgency to TEACH and rush my kiddos through procedures and routines.

So, tomorrow is my 10th day of school and I'm putting on the brakes!  We will review "Read to Self" with some more attention to the anchor charts and modeling.  Then I might introduce "Read to Someone", but I may have to wait for Wednesday.

I have tried to implement the Daily 5 in the past, and gave up.  I really want to be successful this year.  I think it will be so good for my students and ME.

Any suggestions are welcome!  Please?!

Have a great week!