Daily 5 is working

I have been trying to implement Daily 5 concepts into my classroom since the school started. We have a basal reading program and very limited extended time during my day. I usually implement it after Writing Workshop(since we are required to have a separate 45 minute slot for that). This week I introduced the last of the five: work on words. I have to also include a program called Read About in which my students have to log on to the computer to do for minimum 20 minutes 2 times per week. I use that in my five as listening to reading.
I have to say it seems to be working and the kids love to get to the read to self part each day. This system is allowing me to get to my groups. There are two problems that I am having though; management of certain kids and being able to give more than 20 minutes of reading at a time. If any of you have any ideas I'd love to hear of them.

Well here we go.

This is my first post to my teaching blog. I have been a blogger for over three years, mainly blogging about adoption and then more so about my life in general.
So here it goes with my first teacher post. I don't feel that this will be so much a place for others to learn about what I do as a fourth grade teacher, but it will also be a place that I can advocate for teachers and what we do on a daily basis. It may contain some of my rants about the injustice I see from our local, and federal government government and their attitudes and actions for and against the teaching profession.
SO here is my first post as a teacher... I am back in the classroom after 10 years of being a math consultant and runnng small groups and doing lots of paperwork. I still don't feel like I have my teaching legs back. I depend on my collegues to get me through the week, with copies and plans. I don't have a clear sense of running my room yet. I finally know each of my student's names (yeah), and I am now learning a little more about each of them everyday.

I don't have my groove back. I haven't taken a lunch yet or sat in the faculty room. I haven't enjoyed my students yet. I hope this will come eventually. So if you are just popping by my blog then feel free to leave me a note.