Well the first three weeks of school have come and gone and I am still reeling from the continuous The three different schedules we were given and have had to adapt to. Though I think what I dislike the most is doing reading in the afternoon with the little ones. If any one has any good tips for dealing with teaching little ones reading right after lunch please add them below.
The craziness that is created when almost all grades are having lunch at the same time. My little ones being kicked out of their tables by third and fourth graders, so unfair, and still not fixed.
Having a special needs child in my classroom every blue moon (when his mom decides to bring him, but not the paper work that may get him the help he needs). He is a sweet little boy who is developmentally delayed due to cerebral palsy, has joint issues, was born with a cleft lip and is about two feet tall. My little ones call him our baby and treat him as such which makes me have to watch them like a hawk so he is not hurt by mistake (they always forget he is not a toy).
The children that just keep coming and coming (I am up to 25). The children themselves are not an issue for the most part they are the best group I have had at this crazy school. They are for the most part sweet, caring and kind to each other, completely unlike the aggressive and rude children I had last year (not all but so many it made the days last forever). I love seeing them each day and hearing the silly things they say....Sigh.... It is so different from last year. I love seeing their growth from day to day and being a part of their discoveries.
This was the first week with an extra hour added to the school day, which I have to admit that it makes the day seem sooo long. The extra hour added to the day my kids are supposed to be doing interventions but they have not been well planned (I am not allowed to choose what is done that is prescribed by our Reading coaches) and I have to make it function but it seems ridiculous to not allow me to plan it. I may be sneaky this week and plan it for it any way. ;)
I am going to be coming up with what materials I will need to get run off and done for my ABC Center, Handwriting Center, Playdough Center, Numbers Center, and Counting Centers. My kids will be CENTERED to death this year and I am really hoping that I can find a balanced and workable model that matches my students' needs and is differentiated and a million other requirements.
I will write more later....soooooo..sleey........................................................
My classroom is still not quite finished but soon I will post pictures.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Monday, August 20, 2012
I Survived the First Day of School!
Well I have been MIA in MIA for the past couple of weeks as I worked tirelessly on my classroom and gave some time to my about-to-be much neglected family and friends at the close of summer.
I will be posting some pics of my finished (or almost finished) classroom because centers are still unsettled and a couple of odds and ends still need to be rearranged and placed in new areas. I don't think my classroom is ever done. I change around furniture and move the kids to new tables at least three times a year. Oh well, today how I set up my classroom worked beautifully and my new little darlings are no where near as bad as the ones from last year (though I loved mine for the first month of school last year too).
I have had so many good things happen to me since the last time I posted about my bummed out mood. Thanks to all who wrote little bursts of encouragement I think it helped to refocus me and gave me a swift kick in the behind to stop moping and deal. I started turning negative thoughts to postive ones and happily a number of things went my way. I started selling some items on Teachers Pay Teachers!!! They were small items but selling them made me feel very proud of myself. I also ended up with a girl heavy class instead of a boy heavy one (I relate better to little girls than I do with little boys).
I met my new Kindergarten team. Two brand new teachers from the Teach for America program, their enthusiasm is helping me find more of my own and they are genuinely nice people which bodes well for the year and for me. I have only heard of the Teach for America program in broad terms before but I guess I will learn about it throughout the year. I already know that they have to have the kids learn a class oath and that kinda boggled my mind.
The last very happy and exciting thing is that I actually won a giveaway!!! That had never happened before. I won the 150 followers giveaway at Adventures in Teaching!!! So thank you Amy for the lovely prize!!! I got a $10 gift card to Amazon and got to pick five items from her great teacher store on Teachers Pay Teachers!
I picked the following:
So excited with my winnings that I stareted using them from the very first day of school. Check out Amy's blog for some great ideas:
I will be posting some pics of my finished (or almost finished) classroom because centers are still unsettled and a couple of odds and ends still need to be rearranged and placed in new areas. I don't think my classroom is ever done. I change around furniture and move the kids to new tables at least three times a year. Oh well, today how I set up my classroom worked beautifully and my new little darlings are no where near as bad as the ones from last year (though I loved mine for the first month of school last year too).
I have had so many good things happen to me since the last time I posted about my bummed out mood. Thanks to all who wrote little bursts of encouragement I think it helped to refocus me and gave me a swift kick in the behind to stop moping and deal. I started turning negative thoughts to postive ones and happily a number of things went my way. I started selling some items on Teachers Pay Teachers!!! They were small items but selling them made me feel very proud of myself. I also ended up with a girl heavy class instead of a boy heavy one (I relate better to little girls than I do with little boys).
I met my new Kindergarten team. Two brand new teachers from the Teach for America program, their enthusiasm is helping me find more of my own and they are genuinely nice people which bodes well for the year and for me. I have only heard of the Teach for America program in broad terms before but I guess I will learn about it throughout the year. I already know that they have to have the kids learn a class oath and that kinda boggled my mind.
The last very happy and exciting thing is that I actually won a giveaway!!! That had never happened before. I won the 150 followers giveaway at Adventures in Teaching!!! So thank you Amy for the lovely prize!!! I got a $10 gift card to Amazon and got to pick five items from her great teacher store on Teachers Pay Teachers!
I picked the following:
So excited with my winnings that I stareted using them from the very first day of school. Check out Amy's blog for some great ideas:
Tomorrow I will post classroom pics, sadly I left my camera at home most of last week when I got the most done and today so my kiddos' first day of school pi
Friday, August 10, 2012
Tired, A Little Sad, but I must TEACH ON.....
Well I haven't had much time to blog lately getting ready for next week.
Yes folks, next week I go back in officially.
No more sneaking around.
No more waking up at 8, or 9, or 10.
Oh how I will miss it!
I have been creating a database listing ALL the books in my class library and my read alouds. (Which is crazy and time consuming cause I keep bringing them home.....I shouldn't bring them home I should just do it in my room but I would never leave). I found out I have about 8 boxes of books (picture books, wordless books) and then 3 more huge bins with chapter books from when I taught second, fourth and fifth. Just thinking about the fact that in the past week I have only gone through five of the boxes makes me want to cry and think I should have never started this. I have also been cutting and laminating (with contact paper) a bunch of different centers to use the first few weeks of school. Mind you I am still unsure as to how I am having centers or anything else which makes me feel nuts.
I have found out this week that a lot of what I have known is changing at my school, though none of what I have found out is "official". They are adding an extra hour to our school day for interventions, which I may or may not be getting paid for or know how these interventions will work. As is I have no breaks during the school day except for lunch which I end up spending half of in the cafeteria helping my little ones get their lunches (I have no aide and the cafeteria really doesn't have anyone to help my kinders get lunch just a security person to watch over them as they eat). I teach every subject already (including P.E., art, and music) so I don't get breaks there and my only planning time happens at the end of the day.
I am sure there are others that have it worse than I do but right now it doesn't feel like it.
I also found out that I am losing all of my team in Kindergarten, I am the only one left. Both of them are going to different places to teach Pre-K. So next week I have to add meeting with new colleagues to my list of things to do. I am sad to lose them but they will be better off where they are going. I will miss them though.....Sigh.....
Well since I try not to dwell on things that I have no control over, I am going to make a list of all the things I have yet to do for next week and hope that once I put it out there.
- Buy borders for my word wall, towels, microwave, whiteboard, magic erasers, colored cardstock
- Print out letters for my word wall and finish printing other centers.
- Print out and cut out the first two months of my word wall words
- Print and copy materials for first two weeks of school
- Print and copy my beginning of the year parent information packet
- Print labels for notebooks, folders, and cubbies
- Put together labels and folders for students to use
- Type up labels for coloring pencils
- Finish up new posters and laminate them
- Set up math wall
- Print out math vocabulary cards and laminate them
- Make lesson plans for the first two weeks of school....
- Set up binders for Common Core standards, Lesson Plans, Pacing Guides, and copies used each month
- Make up home-learning packets for the first two weeks of school
I am tired just looking at this list!
The one upside to my kinda sad week my first Donors Choose project got funded!!! My kinders are going to get new science materials!!!! I am so excited! I love Loews Miami Beach Hotel!!!!
I am going out tonight and enjoying a fun time with friends and get a much needed cocktail....
Yes folks, next week I go back in officially.
No more sneaking around.
No more waking up at 8, or 9, or 10.
Oh how I will miss it!
I have been creating a database listing ALL the books in my class library and my read alouds. (Which is crazy and time consuming cause I keep bringing them home.....I shouldn't bring them home I should just do it in my room but I would never leave). I found out I have about 8 boxes of books (picture books, wordless books) and then 3 more huge bins with chapter books from when I taught second, fourth and fifth. Just thinking about the fact that in the past week I have only gone through five of the boxes makes me want to cry and think I should have never started this. I have also been cutting and laminating (with contact paper) a bunch of different centers to use the first few weeks of school. Mind you I am still unsure as to how I am having centers or anything else which makes me feel nuts.
I have found out this week that a lot of what I have known is changing at my school, though none of what I have found out is "official". They are adding an extra hour to our school day for interventions, which I may or may not be getting paid for or know how these interventions will work. As is I have no breaks during the school day except for lunch which I end up spending half of in the cafeteria helping my little ones get their lunches (I have no aide and the cafeteria really doesn't have anyone to help my kinders get lunch just a security person to watch over them as they eat). I teach every subject already (including P.E., art, and music) so I don't get breaks there and my only planning time happens at the end of the day.
I am sure there are others that have it worse than I do but right now it doesn't feel like it.
I also found out that I am losing all of my team in Kindergarten, I am the only one left. Both of them are going to different places to teach Pre-K. So next week I have to add meeting with new colleagues to my list of things to do. I am sad to lose them but they will be better off where they are going. I will miss them though.....Sigh.....
Well since I try not to dwell on things that I have no control over, I am going to make a list of all the things I have yet to do for next week and hope that once I put it out there.
- Buy borders for my word wall, towels, microwave, whiteboard, magic erasers, colored cardstock
- Print out letters for my word wall and finish printing other centers.
- Print out and cut out the first two months of my word wall words
- Print and copy materials for first two weeks of school
- Print and copy my beginning of the year parent information packet
- Print labels for notebooks, folders, and cubbies
- Put together labels and folders for students to use
- Type up labels for coloring pencils
- Finish up new posters and laminate them
- Set up math wall
- Print out math vocabulary cards and laminate them
- Make lesson plans for the first two weeks of school....
- Set up binders for Common Core standards, Lesson Plans, Pacing Guides, and copies used each month
- Make up home-learning packets for the first two weeks of school
I am tired just looking at this list!
The one upside to my kinda sad week my first Donors Choose project got funded!!! My kinders are going to get new science materials!!!! I am so excited! I love Loews Miami Beach Hotel!!!!
I am going out tonight and enjoying a fun time with friends and get a much needed cocktail....
Monday, August 6, 2012
August Currently...
There are T-minus 13 days until the first day of school.
While I have been enjoying the last of my vacation reading lovely books unrelated to education, watching Law and Order: SVU marathons, and organizing my home I know it is time to get in gear. I have spent a lot of my day working on my Fry words packet, which I have finally put on my TpT store. I was still not happy with the way the way the word wall cards looked so I changed them again... and again... and again... till I was finally happy. Go and check it out and please leave feedback!
I am trying to see what I can formulate to use as part of my home-learning packets. I saw a great format by another blogger who makes her home-learning only two sheets for the whole week. I am so thinking about creating something similar for mine this year. It would definitely save a lot of paper. Though it might be a little late to start that this summer.....unless I only work on the first month or so of school..... Any one have any advice on home-learning???
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Back to School Craziness!!
Oh goodness!!!
It's August! When did that happen??? I go back to work full time in 12 days!!! No more sleeping till 10 (or later!), no more lounging around the couch or the pool. It's so sad but also a little exciting. The ideas are running through my head about how to teach my new little ones all the skills needed to successfully complete kindergarten.
I took a blogging hiatus for the past couple of days knowing that I would start reading blogs and forget to relax and enjoy the end of my summer break. Reading what all you wonderful bloggers are working on makes me want to add this ..... or that.... as it is I started reading this morning (and have been doing so on and off till now) in between my household chores, which I have been seriously neglecting (there were layers of dust all over!), and I got ideas for making a new math poster for introducing the numbers 1 -10 (from Ms. Pasqua's Kinder)
For making a class set of number sense rings with my kiddos (from Herding Kats in Kindergarten)
And so many more that I may need to grab a notebook to keep them all straight!
I have also come across quite a few linky parties but I plan on only doing one on this post since I feel I am already running at the mouth. Jodi over at Fun in First Grade is having a great linky party so we can all share our favorite back to school activities.
I have taught so many grades that I have done many different first day or week activities.
In second grade my favorite activity was a Get to Know Your books hunt. I know it sounds a little boring but I would read aloud and give directions on note cards for a kind of scavenger hunt through their new books. (It would also help me figure out if they knew how to find pages in books and read simple directions like: Find a picture of a dragon.) At the end of the hunt each student would organize their books in their desks (timed of course) and then get treats like jelly beans or pretzels (depending ont he time of day).
In fifth, I loved having the students come up with interview questions to ask class mates and then picking five to use with an actual classmate. The next day they would interview that classmate and then introduce them to the class. It definitely breaks the ice and the better the students know one another the more interesting you can make the questions.
In first, we worked on a class book for all the things we learned during the first week of school. We would draw pictures to go along with different routines and complete a booklet a friend of mine found which reviewed the people we met, the things they liked, and their hopes for this year.
In kindergarten, my favorite activity involves drawing a self portrait using a hand mirror. I first model drawing my self portrait using the mirror (I point out drawing details you see in your face: like lashes on the eyes, eyebrows, eye color, etc.). We review rules for sharing the mirrors with our new buddies and then they create their first masterpieces! (I then repeat the activity at the end of the year so they can see how much they have grown over the year.) This year I am going to use a sheet from this packet to do the activity. :)
I need to get that notebook out for when I go see all these awesome back to school ideas from everyone at this linky! Will be back with more ideas as they pop into my head (as they often do). Let's just hope they don't pop right back out before I get them down on paper.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
First Day Jitters Blog Hop
We all know that feeling. It's super early on the the first day of school (or the night before), and you are double checking everything on your list (and frankly remembering all the things not on your list if you are anything like me!) and your stomach is doing somersaults. Your throat tightens slightly and you look around and realize,
"Oh goodness! It's really the first day of school!"
In less than half and hour you will be bombarded with children, parents, school supplies, and paper work.
Are you ever completely ready for the first day of school?
Never. I have done first days of school for 7 years (I missed one due to changing jobs) and I have never seen it as just another day. Have you?
I am joining up with Ashley at Fierce in Fourth to add my two cents to her First Day Jitters Blog Hop and give the top three things that make me extra jittery for the beginning of this school year.
Here are my Top Three Jitters!
ONE - Last year I had 28 students for almost have the year and very little assistance (I teach kindergarten mind you and they still need so much support, so I saw the situation as ridiculous) and I am afraid that the same thing will happen again. Frankly, I am still burnt out from last year's crop I don't know if I will handle it as well as I did last year.
TWO - That I will never get my centers running in a way that truly works. I had so many issues with centers last year (the kids hated them, there were so many of them and I did not have enough materials, I had to fulfill certain criteria for centers imposed by my region, etc.) Everything that could make centers complicated happened to me last year.
THREE - That I will over do everything. I love extras! I am the queen of too much when it comes to decorating, planning, and expectations. This year I am hoping to curb that instead of enhacing it.
If anyone has any advice to calm my jitters please add it below! :/
Don't forget to join this excellent blog hop!
Friday, July 27, 2012
Hand Stitching and Another Lovely Award
I must be slightly nuts! I decided that I hated the ugly green curtains on a shelf I have at work so I should make new ones. Sounds simple right....well I also decided not to go for hot gluing (which is my tool of choice for fabric) and am hand stitching them... in the middle of the night....
Oh my lordy....and before you ask, well why aren't you using a sewing machine maybe I should give you some background about me and sewing machines. We don't click. I have had three different people attempt to teach me to use one and all I end up doing is wasting fabric and breaking the machine so when I sew, I sew by hand.
Since I think I am nuts for hand hemming curtains in the middle of the night I decided to take a break and give some over due thanks.
Being in the blogging world is definitely rewarding. I received a lovely blog award from two very lovely bloggers: Jackie at Crazy Daze in First Grade and Miss Pasqua at Miss Pasqua's Kinder. Thank you so very much for thinking of me for this award.
Oh my lordy....and before you ask, well why aren't you using a sewing machine maybe I should give you some background about me and sewing machines. We don't click. I have had three different people attempt to teach me to use one and all I end up doing is wasting fabric and breaking the machine so when I sew, I sew by hand.
Since I think I am nuts for hand hemming curtains in the middle of the night I decided to take a break and give some over due thanks.
Being in the blogging world is definitely rewarding. I received a lovely blog award from two very lovely bloggers: Jackie at Crazy Daze in First Grade and Miss Pasqua at Miss Pasqua's Kinder. Thank you so very much for thinking of me for this award.
Here are the guidelines:
1. Follow the person who gave you the award
2. Link back to the person that gave you the award
3. Pass the award on to 15 people
1. Follow the person who gave you the award
2. Link back to the person that gave you the award
3. Pass the award on to 15 people
Here are my awardees:
4. 1...2...3.. Teach With Me
5. The Silver Lining
6. Miss Kindergarten
7. Peace, Love and First Grade
8. Chalk Talk
9. A Cupcake for the Teacher
10. Just Wild About Teaching
11. Life in First Grade
12. Kindergarten is a Hoot
13. Sharing Kindergarten
(I know I am supposed to pick fifteen but once I started writing this blog I got sidetracked for hours reading through all these and other blogs that I found through these. I think I may need a 12 step program after all!!!)
:) :)
5. The Silver Lining
6. Miss Kindergarten
7. Peace, Love and First Grade
8. Chalk Talk
9. A Cupcake for the Teacher
10. Just Wild About Teaching
11. Life in First Grade
12. Kindergarten is a Hoot
13. Sharing Kindergarten
(I know I am supposed to pick fifteen but once I started writing this blog I got sidetracked for hours reading through all these and other blogs that I found through these. I think I may need a 12 step program after all!!!)
:) :)
1
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Rockin' Resources Linky/ Monday Made It and I Made a Button!!!
Maybe I should have started with how excited I am with the fact that I finally found instructions I could understand to create a button!!! So I can now say look to your right and GRAB MY BUTTON!
Now that I have discussed my button, I am going to join in with Kelly at at Teacher Idea Factory with her Rockin' Resources Linky.
Here are my five things I could not live without:
ONE: Word Family Stories and Activities
I love to use this book in my small groups, the short word family stories as choral reading passages for my kiddos, the packets as home-learning assignments near the end of the year, and it has these pull tabs with all the decodable words from that family. It probably has more uses that I haven't thought of yet....we will see that this year brings. :)
TWO: Fabric and Felt
I have fallen in love with all the many uses in my classroom for felt and fabric. I use it to make decorations for my room, to cover bulletin boards, to do crafts with the kids, etc. I bought a ton of felt and have many things running around in my head to do with it. :) :) :)
THREE: Post It Notes
Like most of you I can not live without post-its. I am going to use them for centers. I use them to write sight words and letters my kiddos have to practice. I love them in different shapes, colors, sizes, with lines, without lines.
FOUR: Enchanted Learning
Love the cool pictures and arts and crafts ideas that I get from this site. I also love the read, write, and color books. Great resource!
FIVE: Blogs
I have come to love getting ideas from all of you out there in Blogland. Not only do I get great ideas, I also feel like I am not alone when I wonder about certain things. The support I had been missing for some idea I had or find someone who has had some of the same issues I have had. You guys are probably the best resource on this list. :)
Moving on to Monday Made Its with Tara over at Fourth Grade Frolics.
I have been trying to carve out time to finish some crafty project for my classroom and here it is:
I made these clips to go on my wall by the front door of my classroom. I will add clips witht he kids' names or pictures so that I can keep track of how everyone goes home and am able to easily change their method of transportation. Saw a bunch of different ones of these on different blogs and on Pinterest but I really like how mine turned out. So happy in fact that I actually put the cute monkey circles on my TpT store. It's my first item up for sale though I will be adding a couple of more over the weekend. I have been working on quite a few things but am not quite sure of what to put up. Please give me any feedback!
I also made some more cushions!
Monday, July 23, 2012
Another Award/ Newbie Blog Hop/ Cooking and...
Hello all of you out there in Blogland! I am losing my mind in thinking about all that I haven't done to prepare my classroom but I am again in my lazy summer place where I spent most of my weekend hanging out by the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables and cooking in my house.
In one of my many trips to the computer I found out I had received another award! (YAY!) The delightful Cindy Smith over at Kindergarten Loves gave me the Liebster Award!This award is named for the German word "Liebster," which translates to "beloved" or "favorite," and it is given to "new and upcoming bloggers."
Thank you tons for the award! If you have not visited her blog you really should!
So here are the rules:
1. Link back to the person who gave it to you. (Did that above ;)
2. Post the award to your blog. (Did that too :)
3. Give the award to at least 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award. (Did that too!)
Here are five bloggers that I believe also should receive this lovely award.
(I could only find four sites of the ones I love that fit the criteria. I guess that means I should spend more time looking through blogs!)
Now I am going to join the Newbie Blog Hop train. I hope I do this right but if I don't, oh well, I'll learn...
1. What state are you in?
I am in Florida.
2. What is your current teaching position?
I teach kindergarten at a difficult elementary school in Miami.
3. What is your teaching experience?
Well. I began by teaching 2nd grade my first three years. After that I took a very short break to be an Intervention Specialist (very long and convoluted story) I taught a 4th/ 5th grade combo for a special program named Highways to Success and dealt with some very special and at times scary children. They were overage for their grade and the program offered the possibility of skipping a grade. After the program got cancelled I was placed at the school where I am now in which I've taught second, then kinder, then first, and now I am back to kinder. I have changed classrooms A LOT!
4. When did you start blogging?
I officially started blogging November 2011, but have not had much time till this summer.
5. Share a blogging tip or resource.
Well for me linky parties are what have really made me excited about blogging. Being able to join in "conversations" that interest me and that I can contribute something to gives me a great feeling of commaraderie. I would say as you read through blogland and a linky party catches your eye definitely join in. I also think pinterest is a great resource for blogging because you can find new blogs through your interests. :)
To top off all this sharing I spent my Sunday getting better acquainted with my slow cooker. I love to cook! But good cooking takes time, effort, and trips to the supermarket.... which I don't always have.
This weekend I did decide would be the day I pick a recipe and prepare it. The recipe for the weekend was Chicken and Dumpling Soup.
Mine looked a lot like the one in the picture with one big difference. I had never made dumplings before and well.......... my dumplings kinda disintegrated into the soup instead of cooking up. So I must try this another time with a different dumpling recipe.
I also quite proud of myself because I finished typing up the part of my classroom library list I had brought home on Friday. Now to go to sleep so that I can wake up nice a early and think of ways to sneak into my classroom again to continue trying to set up.
 |
| The water was sooo cool (it comes from an aquifer) which was great on a hot Florida day! |
In one of my many trips to the computer I found out I had received another award! (YAY!) The delightful Cindy Smith over at Kindergarten Loves gave me the Liebster Award!This award is named for the German word "Liebster," which translates to "beloved" or "favorite," and it is given to "new and upcoming bloggers."
So here are the rules:
1. Link back to the person who gave it to you. (Did that above ;)
2. Post the award to your blog. (Did that too :)
3. Give the award to at least 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award. (Did that too!)
Here are five bloggers that I believe also should receive this lovely award.
(I could only find four sites of the ones I love that fit the criteria. I guess that means I should spend more time looking through blogs!)
Now I am going to join the Newbie Blog Hop train. I hope I do this right but if I don't, oh well, I'll learn...
I am in Florida.
2. What is your current teaching position?
I teach kindergarten at a difficult elementary school in Miami.
3. What is your teaching experience?
Well. I began by teaching 2nd grade my first three years. After that I took a very short break to be an Intervention Specialist (very long and convoluted story) I taught a 4th/ 5th grade combo for a special program named Highways to Success and dealt with some very special and at times scary children. They were overage for their grade and the program offered the possibility of skipping a grade. After the program got cancelled I was placed at the school where I am now in which I've taught second, then kinder, then first, and now I am back to kinder. I have changed classrooms A LOT!
4. When did you start blogging?
I officially started blogging November 2011, but have not had much time till this summer.
5. Share a blogging tip or resource.
Well for me linky parties are what have really made me excited about blogging. Being able to join in "conversations" that interest me and that I can contribute something to gives me a great feeling of commaraderie. I would say as you read through blogland and a linky party catches your eye definitely join in. I also think pinterest is a great resource for blogging because you can find new blogs through your interests. :)
To top off all this sharing I spent my Sunday getting better acquainted with my slow cooker. I love to cook! But good cooking takes time, effort, and trips to the supermarket.... which I don't always have.
This weekend I did decide would be the day I pick a recipe and prepare it. The recipe for the weekend was Chicken and Dumpling Soup.
Mine looked a lot like the one in the picture with one big difference. I had never made dumplings before and well.......... my dumplings kinda disintegrated into the soup instead of cooking up. So I must try this another time with a different dumpling recipe.
I also quite proud of myself because I finished typing up the part of my classroom library list I had brought home on Friday. Now to go to sleep so that I can wake up nice a early and think of ways to sneak into my classroom again to continue trying to set up.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Classroom Library Set-up and An Award!
Well I finally received my cute primary colored baskets from Really Good Stuff so I went into my room hoping and praying the A/C was fixed (it was!) in order to work on my classroom library.
I love books but I have been horrible at organizing them, making finding them in the past three years or so quite difficult. I have tried organizing them by genre (not so great idea for me), by author (did not get through that), and by reading level (never enough of any particular level). My collection is also very eclectic, I have wordless books all the way up to Harry Potter. I have taught K, 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th so I have books for all these grades. I have also been through three schools, so I have lost books, given away books, and some have "walked" away (I have had many sticky handed students).
I have been looking through blogs and reading many people's ways to organize their libraries, as well as speaking to co-workers for their ideas. After thinking it over, I have decided to try it by author for the books I have for one author in particular and then by genre for general books. In order to keep all these books straight, I am also making up a database of my books so that I know what I have and where it is. So I spent two hours going through only 1 of my books bins (ignoring my chapter books that would not be taken out for my kinders) and I realized I have another large bin plus 7 smaller boxes of books!!! This may take me forever! (either that or I will have to start taking them home with me). Sigh... but I am determined.
On a happy note I was given a lovely blogging award!!! My first one!!! It was given to me by Brigid over at Brigid's Daily Lesson Log. Thank you very much! You are lovely to think of me. :) If you have not checked out her blog make sure you do!
I love books but I have been horrible at organizing them, making finding them in the past three years or so quite difficult. I have tried organizing them by genre (not so great idea for me), by author (did not get through that), and by reading level (never enough of any particular level). My collection is also very eclectic, I have wordless books all the way up to Harry Potter. I have taught K, 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th so I have books for all these grades. I have also been through three schools, so I have lost books, given away books, and some have "walked" away (I have had many sticky handed students).
I have been looking through blogs and reading many people's ways to organize their libraries, as well as speaking to co-workers for their ideas. After thinking it over, I have decided to try it by author for the books I have for one author in particular and then by genre for general books. In order to keep all these books straight, I am also making up a database of my books so that I know what I have and where it is. So I spent two hours going through only 1 of my books bins (ignoring my chapter books that would not be taken out for my kinders) and I realized I have another large bin plus 7 smaller boxes of books!!! This may take me forever! (either that or I will have to start taking them home with me). Sigh... but I am determined.
On a happy note I was given a lovely blogging award!!! My first one!!! It was given to me by Brigid over at Brigid's Daily Lesson Log. Thank you very much! You are lovely to think of me. :) If you have not checked out her blog make sure you do!
Here is the award!!!
Okay and as I understand it I am supposed to give facts about me and nominate other awesome blogs!
Here are my nominated blogs:
Adventures of Ms. Smith
Random Facts: (I don't really know how many to put but I will add in until I am no longer random :)
1. I have not decided if I should get an Master's or not. (I know I should though.)
2. I am an American citizen but I was not born here. I was born in the Dominican Republic and became a citizen of the U.S. when I was 17.
3. I love true crime shows: Deadly Women, Whow the Bleep Did I Marry?, and The Nightmare Next Door to name a few.
4. I am also obsessed with Toddlers in Tiaras! (Yes, I know. The moms and dads are nuts to do that to their babies but it is adorable and super funny).
5. I love Harry Potter still. I re-read the seventh book every couple of months just to remind myself that the series is really over.
6. I did not really like Fifty Shades of Grey, then again I also did not like the Twilight series. (I don't find obsessive love realistic or even attractive, but if you liked it more power to you.)
7. I live in Florida, but I don't really like living here....
8. When I was younger I wanted to be a lawyer and then I went to a magnet school with a legal branch and then decided I would make a much better teacher than a lawyer. (In college, I did take a law class just to see if I could do it during my freshman year. I was good but I was bored.)
9. I have never fallen in love, but I really would like to someday.
10. I love teaching, but because I have been teaching primary for so long I don't know if I want to have kids of my own. (Don't get me wrong, I adore kids (way more than adults) but I don't know how to balance very well and I feel like I would either gip my own kids or my students.)
11. I can do a split. :)
12. I have 1 younger sister who works at a hotel in Times Square who I miss on a daily basis.
13. I have a very tough exterior at times but am way more sensitive to moods and experiences than people think I am.
14. I love the Autumn season and not just because my birthday is in October. I love the leaves changing color and the days getting slightly cooler. (Well not in Florida but in many other places.)
15. I am a Scorpio and I do believe that I fit all the traits both positive and negative of a Scorpio:
Well bye, bye for now. :)
Thursday, July 19, 2012
News and Craftiness!!!
Well I went to my school and found out that I will be back in Kindergarten this upcoming school year. (The letter said TENTATIVE but I am ignoring that). I will be in my same classroom so I will not have to move all of my stuff again (In the past four years I have had to chnage classrooms at this school 4 times!) and there are no words as to how happy I am about that!
And since I got the happy news, I have been sneaking into my classroom for the past two days. Yes, SNEAKING. My principal does not like anyone being in the school to set up until the very last minute but expects fully outfitted and functioning classrooms for the first day of school. My school custodians, who I love, and my next door neighbor (classroom that is) are letting me in and helping me move furniture and clean up. All my shelves are where they need to go and I have started cleaning and doing some odds and ends meanwhile making sure that my principal does not find us there.
I don't like being subversive, but it takes me a while to decide on just where I want things to go and how that area feels. I am very big on that the room has to have a flow and a feel to it as well as be functional for centers, meeting area, independent work stations, etc. Last year, I didn't know what grade I was teaching till four days before school started and I had to change classrooms on top of remembering how to teach kindergarten. All of this in four days!!! I was not ready for anything and I will not go through that gain this year. I am going to be organized and happy in doing my job. :)
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| Added blue duct tape to the very wax-dirtied bottom of my bookshelves. It makes the white shelves really pop. Will be doing some shelves in yellow and green as well as blue when I go back in and finish my clean up job. :) |
So I have also been making up some things to jazz up my room and finishing up some projects. :)
First up I wanted to jazz up my teacher chairs so I made some cute chair pockets. (I even made one for my author's chair but its missing something, maybe glitter....)
Then I decided that I hated the cushions my kiddos had been using to sit on at our library so I made some cushions using this adorable monkey colors print.
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| Materials I used to make the cushions! (Gotta love glue guns!) |
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| How I glued the seam closed instead of hand sewing it. (Sewing machines and I do not get along.) |
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| Three finished cushions! (Will be making more!) I LOVE the print! |
I am continuing my craftiness tomorrow (Going through my Ideas for Next School Year Pinterest board as I type...) and eagerly awaiting a package from Really Good Stuff with some beautiful new bins to organize my classroom library. Heaven help me that is going to take me a while, I don't even know how to best do the organizing now!!! I have them grouped loosely by genre, though I mean loosely and can never find anything. :(
Ideas anyone???
Monday, July 16, 2012
My First Made-It Monday....
Well I am starting to get bit by the crafty bug (not to mention the idea that I need to start working on things for my classroom). I have been visiting many blogs and seeing all teh many, many and varied creations people are using in their classrooms this year and it is of course making me eager to share what I have started working on. So I am joining Fourth Grade Frolics in their Made-it Monday! :)
So that's it! I will continue adding the things I am working on as I finish them. Next up cute chair pockets to refurbish my teacher's chair and dress up my author's chair. :)
Okay so last October (or November I don't remember which), I went to a workshop given by the Bag Ladies who have all these amazing ideas to turn standards and lessons into projects and one thing they had that I loved and wanted for this year a Ziploc Quilt. It is exactly what it sounds like I put together 30 Ziploc bags and used almost 40 yards of red duck tape (I messed up and did the wrong side, which is why I had to use so much).
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| First 6 bags in the first row. :) |
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| 12 bags and I love the way the red pops! |
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| The completed gridded side (When I realized I had put the grid on the wrong side :(. I was so upset!) |
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| Finally completed the correct side and added the frame. It looks so cool! |
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| Added a sign to the top with my name and the year along with the grade I was teaching. |
So that's it! I will continue adding the things I am working on as I finish them. Next up cute chair pockets to refurbish my teacher's chair and dress up my author's chair. :)
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