To The Teacher Who Hates Her Job:

So we are officially in the month of May and this year, for some of us, is swiftly coming to an end. Others of us are watching the clock shamelessly wondering IF this year is ever going to end. Ya'll I have personally spoken with many, many teachers who are feeling the latter. Whatever side of the field you are on, you either are the person, or know the person that the following letter was written for.

To the Teacher who Hates her Job:

I really need you to know something. Something that has been stinging at your heart for months now. Something that has left you feeling inadequate, confused, and questioning your future. I know you. I have been you. I feel you.

If you are in a dark place professionally, you know the kind I mean... I want to advise you to take a moment and step back. Look at what has brought you to this tunnel of darkness. Is it the fact that you have a class from H-E- double hockey sticks? Is it that your teammates aren't really teammates at all, but rather hurdles that are slowing you down? What about your administration? Are they your biggest cheerleader and coach or are they on the opposing team ready to knock out any idea or strategy that comes their way? OR, perhaps, is it you?

Wait. Did we just question if it was YOU that's the problem? Yes. I said it. Because for so long you thought it was you. You have been running in circles but not going anywhere. You cry on your way home from work wondering if this too shall pass or if maybe you should pass on this whole education gig. You've been brainwashed lately into thinking you are not effective, you don't care deeply about your students, or that what you morally stand for has no place in a classroom. I know you. I have been you. I feel you.

 How can this be so hard? Have you felt like you just want to teach but your hands are tied, your students don't care, and evaluations are emotionally biased? Unfortunately, some of us have learned this the hard way. I can promise you this- sometimes it is not you! See, this wonderful world of education has so many surfaced dynamics but then, if you dig deep, you see so much more than that. Sometimes people have a hidden agenda, sometimes schools just aren't cut out for certain personalities, and sometimes it takes a certain "look" to be a teacher in certain buildings.

The truth is, it can be you. And if you are the problem- fix it.

If you are not the problem- fix it. I mean quit dwelling on how much this school year has sucked, how much you hate your school, teammates, or admin and DO SOMETHING. That darkness is an extra scary place to be, but you are your only way out. So, take a look down the tunnel of darkness. Decide what the true issue is, and decide how you are going to fix it. Is this problem like this everywhere? If so, how can it be solved? Is it a toxic building you need to get out of? Sure, make the move to a different school. Is it the administration picking favorites and leaving you in the dust? Great- run for the hills but be prepared for the work that goes along with a new school.

Look at yourself in the mirror. Really think about who you are as a person. Think about the effect you have on your students. Think about the work that you do every single day. Is this something that you are truly ready to walk away from? Or is this something you need to fix and move on? I know you. I have been you. I feel you.

Quit thinking that other people have the power to change you or your career path. If you have been sitting pretty and never had any issues until this year, I encourage you to recognize that. Examine yourself. Decide where you are, where you want to be, and how to get there from here. Sometimes that means moving schools or districts. Sometimes that means changing grade levels. Sometimes that means kissing the education world good-bye altogether.

Please know this: sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side.... OH, BUT SOMETIMES IT IS. Take that leap out of the darkness. You are not stuck on this playing field- the ball is in your court. I know you. I have been you. I feel you.

Good luck. Play hard, but play smart.

Best Wishes,
-Lauren

Classroom Behavior Management System: The Ultimate DOJO System

Let's talk classroom management systems. Do you use a clipchart? Tallies? Whole Brain Teaching? Tickets? All of these systems can work wonders in your classroom. However, if you haven't quite found your jam yet, maybe you will consider what I call "The Ultimate DOJO System."

I really like Class DOJO because it takes the nitty-gritty detail work out of my hands. If your school is anything like mine, they want data, data, data on students. They want to know what the behavior is, when it's happening, and how it was provoked. DOJO can do all of these things for you.  It also allows parents to be actively involved in the life of the student, as they can check in on the student's points, message me, and even receive photos of their students throughout the week. If you aren't familiar with Class Dojo check it out here. It's free and fabulous.

Ok, so here is how "The Ultimate DOJO System" works. Students can earn postive points and negative points which can be displayed on your interactive whiteboard.

Students track their positive points and negative points each day and have their parents sign off on it each night. The parents that have signed up under the parent account using the child's special code will have access to this information by using the app or website. I promise- it's quite simple to get them signed up. The weekly tracking sheet is something that I use with my students whose parents DO NOT use the parent portal online.

Now on to the super fun stuff: Pay Day and DOJO Store time.

First of all, please understand there is some prep that goes into this ahead of time, but like anything, if you put in the prep now, it should make for a successful rest of the year later. Every Friday, I go to my teacher account on DOJO and look at the reports.

 

Click on View Reports, just below the settings down tab. This will allow you to take a look at the class as a whole, but also each individual student's points for the week.  Click on the student and this screen will show up: 

This student had 3 positive DOJO points, and 1 negative. So, when it comes to Pay Day, this child will receive 2 dollars because for each negative DOJO point, a positive point is cancelled out. Then, however many DOJO points are left is the amount of dollars the student receives. Every other Friday is our DOJO store, but every week students get paid. So, if this week is not a DOJO store week, students will simply get paid and put their money in their paper wallets like in the picture below. 

Later in the year, students can be "fined" as a warning (right in the middle of a lesson!), rather than getting a negative DOJO. But, in September, my friends aren't quite ready for that.

Are you ready for the magical moment called The DOJO Store?  See, students can spend their DOJO money every other Friday, or they can choose to save it. I love the connection we make with wants, needs, saving, and spending.

As I said earlier, this definitely takes some prep time and money, but it gets easier, I promise. You start having extras in your birthday goodie bags, or the office is giving away free erasers, or Walmart has summer bubbles for $.20 a bottle. So begins the accumulation of DOJO Store STUFF (< that isn't the word my husband prefers to call it). The best part- you get to set the price point. If you are a frequent DOJO point giver, you can set the prices high, since your students will more than likely have lots of money. If you don't give points for doing things that are expected (say: raising hand to speak) then you may not give out as many points, and your students total positive points won't be as high. So, it's important to think about these things prior to setting up your store, and definitely before pricing the items.

I used to be majorly against this JUNK that allowed my students to be extrinsically motivated, and demanded my students were intrinsically motivated. But then I began thinking- I AM EXTRINSICALLY MOTIVATED. I go to work to get paid, so I can buy things I want and need. This is real life. Does this make me a horrible person? I don't think so- it just makes me human. So, I have begun embracing this "Ultimate DOJO System." There are so many lessons the students learn about saving their money while others learn the consequences of spending their money just because they have it.

I think about one of my students who has had her eye on the red pom-poms since the first week of school. She refuses to buy anything else at the store every other week because she knows one day (very soon) she will have enough DOJO money to purchase the pom-poms. She also understands that she needs to keep her eye on them, because someone else may want them too. How's that for a real-life lesson?

Do you want to know what else is fabulous? The clean up. Each price gets its own grocery plastic bag (including the price tag that goes with those items). 

Then, ALL the bags go into a plastic Sterilite bin. I know not to go shopping if this bin is full, because I don't have space for overflow.

Oh, and all those extra bins you have laying around? You'll use them when your DOJO store is open!

I know it seems like a lot, and it is. If you are ready to make the change to The Ultimate DOJO System, best of luck to you and take it slow. If a different system works for you- YAY! Best of luck, friends!

The Truth About Alternative Seating

Ya'll, I am going to be real with you: alternative seating is not for everyone. As many of you know, last summer I did a Donor's Choose project for alternative seating in my classroom. I had done my research on the effectiveness, I had chosen a plethora of seating options, and I was ready to dive in head first!

I was thrilled to have ALL.THE.COLORS. that matched perfectly with my classroom decor. See- look how wonderful it all came together!

So, my 2nd graders filed in and were THRILLED to have landed in Mrs. Bright's class. Mrs. Bright had the cool chairs, Mrs. Bright had tables with exercise balls! Thank you, Mrs. Bright for understanding that my seven year old son needs to wiggle.

Yes, all of these things were said, and yes they are were true. But, what I didn't take into account was the newness as a whole both for me and for my students... but I will get back to that. I also didn't take into account that SOME alternative seating may have been easier to manage than ALL alternative seating. You see, I wanted to dive in and I needed my kids to quickly learn about each seating arrangement because, umm, where were they going to sit in the mean time? So, by the end of week 1, my students were sitting in wobble chairs, ball chairs, bean bags, and beach chairs. NEWS FLASH: THAT'S WAY TOO MANY OPTIONS AFTER ONLY 5 DAYS OF SCHOOL. 

 But, what about the research I did? I couldn't give up on the thousand dollar transformation I gave my classroom. I had to make it work. So, what did I do? I allowed my students to learn about the final few seating options in week 2.  That was a terrible idea. 

Don't get me wrong, my students absolutely loved it. They loved the freedom, they loved to be able to wiggle and not get in trouble. But the research I did about students being more attentive- I felt like they were just as attentive and engaged in years past. I thought I was losing every last bit of teacher mind I had left.

See, before I transformed my room into an alternative seating chaotic classroom, I still allowed my students to move around the room during centers and independent or partner work time. I was totally fine with laying on bellies, or grabbing clipboards and working practically anywhere in the classroom. So, as I mentioned before, the newness of the idea of alternative seating was something both I had to get used to, but also something my students had to get used to. My group of students were a rowdy bunch- one of my favorite classes, but rowdy nonetheless. I thought we had modeled, modeled, and modeled some more the expectations of the seating. I allowed my students to choose their seats every Monday morning. Some of my students chose the ball chairs each Monday if they had earned first choice. (They earned it based on turned in work, clip chart choices, and being a respectful student outside of our classroom walls). The problem was, the students that really needed to wiggle and the ones who became overstimulated quickly were the ones choosing last each week. I had one particular student who NEEDED to be in a ball chair. He needed to wiggle, he needed to be active. He barely ever earned the ball chair based on the above criteria. I didn't want him on a ball chair, or any chair for that matter, because of his destructive tendencies. I felt like I was fighting a losing battle.

So, I guess what I am saying is alternative seating was not for me. I felt overwhelmed, I felt like I was constantly blowing up exercise ball chairs, and replacing beans in the bean bag chairs. I felt like I had gone through a rather large classroom transformation that was not reaping the benefits I had read about the previous summer. I know now that I rushed into the seating, and lacked the procedural practice this kind of change desperately needs. I needed to allow myself to change back.

As I head to a brand new school, at a brand new grade level (first grade :)), I will take with me a few alternative seating thoughts:
-students can sit and work anywhere in the room
-students should have a seat to call their own, one that won't be "taken" from them each Monday
-it's ok to try something and not completely fall in love with it, it doesn't make you or the people who use that strategy bad teachers
-DO WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOU- A CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE TEACHER CREATES CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE STUDENTS 

So you've read through this post and may be wondering what I plan on doing with the Donor's Choose alternative seating I have. Don't worry, it will still be used in my classroom. I don't have as many choices as are seen in the picture above. Some of the items were worn out or just plain nasty. But, some of the bean bag chairs will be in our math centers, some of the ball chairs will be used at small group, or with particular students that need them.

The truth about alternative seating is it's not for everyone, and sometimes heading back to the basics are just as effective. 

What's Been Happenin'...

Hello! Gosh, I have neglected this poor little blog. I don't know how you people with kiddos do it. Seriously. Mad props to all your parents out there who juggle, well, life. I am in complete awe. Here is a little bit of what's been going on in my little world....

My fiance, Eric, told me that when I was on summer break I should really probably start planning our wedding. {Insert panic mode here.} See, the problem is I am not feeling the little details part of planning. I just want to get everyone together to celebrate. We searched and searched for a venue. We knew we wanted to get married on a beach but we were limited to locations due to some family members scared to fly anywhere. Yes, part of me was like it is 2014, people. Ha! No, really, we love them dearly and we want them to be apart of our day. Sooooo celebration, beach, close by.. Margitaville Hotel in Pensacola, Florida was exactly what we needed! So, we set the date, April 4, 2015 and now I should probably plan all the little details! Let the headaches games begin. :)

  

I have also wrapped up my first year as a 2nd grade teacher! Man, oh man, oh man! I LOVED it in second grade. I used to teach 5th grade and as much as I loved their independence and sass, I seriously am obsessed with 2nd grade. It helped that I had an incredible group of kiddos this year. I am worried that group of kiddos was the kind that you only get a handful of times in your teaching career. Each of them was great and they are definitely the reason I loved 2nd grade so much. Ahh! I am already missing those sweet babies and they have only been on summer break for 2 weeks! 

I have also been creating some units for my TeachersPayTeachers store. My 2nd Grade Plants Unit Quick Pack has been quite a hit and I wanted to get another NGSS science unit out there for you to start planning out your year. Which brings me to: 

 My Fast and Slow Changes of the Earth Science Quick Pack has 10 hands- on experiences for your kiddos to experiment with changes including fast changes on Earth, and slow changes. It even has an engineering component that will rock your socks off! If you use the Next Generation Science Standards in your classroom, be sure to get your hands on a copy of this!

 Be sure to purchase this unit at my TPT store here.

I have also begun creating units to go along with my classroom reading series: Journeys. We have the 2014 edition of this and I love how it is aligned to The Common Core Standards so it takes the guess work out of teaching using a basal! However, with this series I was needing something more for my kiddos. I wanted them to have a chance on a weekly basis to write a full length writing piece while sticking to the topic of the story. I needed my lower babies to have an opportunity with some more phonics work. I wanted some comprehension that wasn't just from their workbook.

 

This is the first story in the 2nd grade series. It is Unit 1, Lesson 1: Henry and Mudge: The First Book. I have started on the next few stories as well and hope to get them out within the next week or so. Boo for family reunions and weddings when I have Journeys units to be creating! Ha!

I will say, this is a supplemental unit and is not intended to stand alone in your students' learning using Journeys. It is simply a resource that can coincide with Journeys materials.

 

If you want to grab your copy of this Henry and Mudge Supplemental Unit, head here and check it out! 

For those of you that don't know, I am on Instagram these days if you would like to follow me there! Of course, you can always follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and TeachersPayTeachers to stay current on what's going on in this little lady's life. I swear I update them more than I do my blog! Ha! Hope you are having a fabulous start to summer! {Insert "In Summer" from Frozen Soundtrack here-you're welcome.}

Getting Active with Regrouping

Are you looking for a way to help your students who have a tough time grasping the concept of subtraction with regrouping? I know mine did until I started teaching this standard algorithm using active engagement with Whole Brain Teaching. Check out this bright idea!

I teach math right after lunch and I have to pull all my teacher tricks out in order to keep my kiddos interested and engaged in their learning. I wanted to find a way for my students to truly understand what is happening when they are subtracting and regrouping and I didn't want them just going through the motions. So, check out my video below to see how I engage my students in such a rigorous task.

For more great ideas, please consider following me on Facebook, Instagram, and TeachersPayTeachers!

For more bright ideas from 150 different bloggers, please browse through the link-up below and choose a topic/grade level that interests you! Thanks for visiting!

An InLinkz Link-up

Baketball Tournament Sale!

Want to know a fun fact? I LOVE this time of year. Seriously, March Madness is my favorite time of the year when it comes to sports. I love seeing the underdogs pull through, and of course, anytime University of Kentucky is playing, I want to see them win too!

Are you ready to celebrate this time of year with your kiddos? I have a unit in my TeachersPayTeachers store, that addresses The Common Core Standards with a little basketball twist!

Check out my blog post about the many skills covered in both E.L.A and Math! This will be on sale through midnight Friday (3/21) so get on over there and grab yours! Your students just might think you are the coolest teacher ever!

Stop in the name of all things MARCH!

Did I get your attention with that title?! I hope so. I want to shout from the roof tops all about my 2 newest products. Both of which will be a PERFECT addition to your classroom during the month of March!

As some of you already know, I am a big fan of basketball. The big NCAA tournament coming up is music to my ears and just might be my most favorite time of the year! So, in order to celebrate we must do it in style, right?! Right. You will do just that with this unit, Brackets of Basketball Fun!

This is a pack of basketball themed printables is aligned to The Common Core Standards. It includes E.L.A. topics and math topics! Some of the E.L.A. topics covered are:

• Who, What, Where, When, Why, How for both Literature and Informational texts
• Story Structure Graphic Organizers- to be used with any piece of literature.
• Double Dribble Irregular Noun Sort- sort nouns by singular and their irregular plural form.
• Triple Double Shades of Meaning- a set of adjectives and a set of verbs
• Narrative Writing Prompt and Opinion Writing Prompt

This is a great time to practice skills students haven't practiced in a while, or introduce new topics! My kiddos will be using the Shades of Meaning printables this week. We are so excited!

Some of the math covered are:

• Double Dribble 2 -Step Word Problems
• Odd or Even Mental Math Sums
• Rebound with Skip-Counting Practice
• Numbers in Different Ways- practice standard form, word form, expanded form, and even base ten drawings.
• Comparing Scores- comparing 2 numbers
• 4-on-4 Tournament- Adding 4 2-digit numbers.
• Write On- Addition Strategies
• Write On- Subtraction Strategies 

While I am signing my students' clip charts each afternoon, they are working on brushing up their math skills with these printables. Both boys and girls in my class LOVE IT!

If your kiddos can benefit from this unit, click on over to My TPT Store  and grab your copy. The best news yet? It is on sale until Monday at 11:59PM.

Are you in love?! I sure hope so, I know my students have loved these so far! And now, a new GAME that will keep your students on their toes! It is called Lucky Number 21. I must tell you all about it.

There are 32 task cards. Each task card is numbered for your convenience. On each task card are 4 numbers. Students compete with 2 or more players to be the first person to use addition, subtraction, or a combination of both to get an answer of 21.

For example, let's say there is a task card that has these 4 numbers: 12, 18, 15, and 0. Students are trying to use addition, subtraction, or both to get to 21. A student can suggest a solution using mental math strategies. He could say 18-12=6, 6+15= 21, 21+0= 21. Students must use all 4 numbers but as long as their computations are correct, they win the card!

We started using these task cards today and my students were thrilled. It brought out the competitive nature in my 2nd graders and they begged to play longer! This, too, is on sale at my TPT store until 11:59PM tonight. Go grab your copy and let the mental math thinking begin!

Ahh, yes! If you snag your copy of either of these units, be sure to leave feedback on them so you can earn TPT credits toward your next purchase! Have fun with these and let me know how you use them in your room!

Bright Ideas Blog Hop!

Well hello! Are you ready for a quick and easy way to make your teaching life easier? Think back to the beginning of the school year. Think about Walmart and Target and all of your go-to stores for school supplies... Then think about how your school probably has a "bid list" of places you can use your allotted money for the year. Well, if your school is anything like mine, that allotted money CAN'T be spent at Walmart, Target, or any stores like it! You have to spend your $300 on overpriced, under quality stuff from some random company.

I can't stand to spend hundreds of dollars on school supplies through these companies that made my school's "bid list cut." So, at the beginning of the year, I am very extremely particular on the school supply list for my classroom. Yes, I name drop particular brands of crayons, markers, and glue sticks. Here is why: in my classroom, there is no such thing as, "hey that's mine!" We share ALL of the supplies. I mean ALL supplies! So, I am pretty particular in the types of supplies I want because I need consistency and uniform (mostly for no arguing over who's glue stick is better!). And, well, as you know, some brands simply work better than others. Sometimes you just need to spend the extra quarter! 

I then take all the supplies and organize them into groups. I put them in plastic baskets I purchased at the dollar store. Take a look:

Oh, I forgot to mention, I request plain orange pencils. It's the arguing thing and, well, the decorative pencils tear up my pencil sharpener. So anyway, I organize the supplies into groups. Then, I take an inventory of the supplies I have. 

This helps me to see what I still need. I try to pick up the supplies that I am low on at my favorite school supply stores while they are throwing their back to school sales. I can save some BIG BUCKS doing it this way. I would rather spend $50 of my own money on school supplies at my stores than $250 using the big companies on our bid list. 

This also helps me to stay organized throughout the year. I can see when certain supplies are running low before we are completely out. I can send a quick note home asking for donations, or be on the lookout for a sale at the local office supply store. 

I store these plastic baskets in the huge plastic containers on top of my metal cabinet. It works perfectly because during the summer, those containers store important units or classroom decor. During the school year, they house my classroom supply inventory. It's a win-win, people! 

If you don't already have a system adopted for school supplies in your classroom, you may want to consider turning into a slight witch about your supply list, but in the end, your kiddos and their families will thank you! It is so worth it when your supplies truly do make it to the end of the year! 

To grab some more Bright Ideas, head on over to see what Caitlin has to share about organizing supplies over at Kindergarten Smiles!

You can also check out the topics covered on other blogs. Instead of listing the blog itself, the words below each icon are the topics that will be covered in those blogs! Have fun and enjoy! 

The Social Studies Nerd in Me & The Complete Economics Unit

Let me tell ya a little secret. I LOVE teaching social studies. If you would have asked me this 2 years ago, I would have either laughed at you or cried to you. I had such a hard time making Social Studies meaningful and engaging. Then, something happened.

I had to wanted to make social studies fun for a few reasons: I taught 5th grade in a Kentucky where Social Studies was assessed in 5th grade, I taught it twice a day and ain't nobody got time for boring old worksheets, lectures, and movies, and who doesn't want their kids loving what they are doing in class and LEARNING at the same time?! So, I fully sunk myself into all things social studies last year. I depended a whole lot on a teammate to truly teach me lessons in American History, Economics, Native Americans, and Government. I must not have gotten much from those days my teachers gave me worksheets! Anyway, my teammate is a friend outside of school and she would sit with me and talk to me about these topics. I found it to be quite fascinating and I wanted to know more. So, I had to dig down deep. Just as I was falling in love with social studies, I was bumped down to 2nd grade. Do.Not.Get.Me.Wrong. I love am obsessed with 2nd grade. I feel at home with these guys, but I sure do miss getting to teach social studies for 2 hours everyday! To get my fix, I am trying to create social studies products that meet both ends of the spectrum. Without further a do, The Complete Economics Unit!

Shewww! I am pretty excited about this unit as it is something kiddos will use for the rest of their lives! We all can become a little more knowledgeable about economics but it is important to start with concrete ideas.

In this unit, I provide learning statements, vocabulary cards, a vocabulary story, posters, pre/post assessments, teaching resources, and fully detailed lesson plans. I have laid it out for 10 days but there is a good chance if your social studies block is less than an hour long, it'll take you a few days more.

You will be up and moving with these hands-on lessons in supply/demand, scarcity, specialization, productivity, and more!

 

Head on over to my Teacher's Pay Teachers Store and check it out!

Happy Teaching!

 

Facebook FREEBIE Hop and Giveaway

Get ready to HOP people!!

 

So here is how this works...

 

Start by going to Tori's Teacher Tips  FACEBOOK page. Her page is the starting point! Click on the "FB HOP" button once you are there.  It looks like this:

 

 

Then you will see a whole list of bloggers.  Here is a snippet of what it looks like:

 

Start by clicking on the first button which will take you to Tori's freebie.  

Download, save, print, whatever you want to do with that freebie and then close out those windows.  You want to get back to the list of bloggers on Tori's Facebook page.  Everything should open up into a new window to make it easier for you to get back to the "hop."

 

Make your way through all the bloggers as they will ALL have FAB stuff for you...for FREE!!!  

 

Each new FB page will have the same "FB Hop" image- just find that and click there. See the image you're looking for below:

Make sure you LIKE the FB fan page to get your free product.

Oh and say "Hi" and "Thanks" while you are there... we love your comments/feedback!

 

Ok.. what are you waiting for... GO HOP!!

 

We are not finished yet! There's MORE! We are having a giveaway in addition to the FB FREEBIE Hop! Enter in the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win! Winner will be announced in 7 days! Good luck!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas Questionnaire

Hey, hey! I am linking up with Michelle, over at Fabulous in First. She is rocking a Christmas Questionnaire Linky party- Check it out!

 

Here is a little sneak peek into my Christmas traditions:

Hot Chocolate or Eggnog? 

 

Hot Chocolate- although this was much more a childhood tradition. I am from Northeastern Ohio and we got lots and lots of snow. So, I loved coming in from playing in the snow and drinking some instant hot chocolate. Yum! If I drank the real stuff, I knew it was an extra special treat!

 

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them underneath the tree? 

Santa wrapped the presents he could wrap. The big things, like bikes, he left unwrapped and put a bow on them. Whenever I received a gift from under the tree and it didn't say who it was from, that meant Santa brought it. My parents would then go on to sing a creepy chant about how it must be Santa. To this day I think it's weird, but I am not promising I won't sing it to my own kids someday.

 

Colored lights or white? 

White lights. I just think they are pretty.

 

When do you decorate? 

I try to decorate the Friday after Thanksgiving. But, if I get it done at some point within that weekend, I feel pretty good about it.

 

Real or Fake Tree? 

Fake tree. Real trees scare me. I had a Christmas tree fall on me as a child and I blame it on the fact that it was real and we had to keep that thing watered. Here is our little beauty...

 

What Tops Your Tree?

Two silver bows- I have never found a tree topper I truly loved so we stick with our bows.

Favorite Christmas Memories or Traditions?

As a child I loved going to see the Christmas lights in downtown Cleveland. My parents would take us after our Thanksgiving meal. As an adult though, it is definitely going to my sister's house and spending Christmas Eve evening with my niece (4) and nephew (6). The excitement in their eyes is absolutely priceless.

 

Do you remember your favorite gift as a child? 

My favorite gift as a child was my baby doll, Renee. I don't even know why I loved her so much. She had a boy hair cut and nothing about her was cute. But, I took that thing everywhere! I just *might* still have her packed away with my American Girls dolls.

Do prefer giving or receiving? 

Giving. Honestly, I get so excited to buy Christmas presents that I often end up giving them to the person early, or atleast telling them about it! Receiving makes me nervous because first off, I don't like people watching me open them, and second off, even when I like something I lack showing much emotion.   

What is your favorite Christmas song? 

Silent Night. It was a Christmas tradition at the church I grew up in to sing that song and hold candles. It is such a pretty song.

Candy Canes. Yuck or Yum? 

I am not a huge fan. But then again, I don't really love candy.

Favorite Christmas Movie? 

Home Alone, the original.

Do you shop online or at stores?

In stores, although next year if I can get organized in time, I would like to do a little more shopping online. People are crazy out there. I shall avoid if at all possible!

Photo Cards, Letter or Store Bought Card? 

Photo cards. I live far away from most of my family and friends I grew up with so I like getting updated on them throughout the holidays.

Now it's your turn! Be sure to link up with Michelle at Fabulous in First! 

 

Indoor Recess-What do you do?

The question is, what do YOU do when your sweet babies are stuck inside for indoor recess? I see recess as such a valuable social time for my students. It kills me when they can't go outside and see their other friends that may not be in our class.

I also hate to show a movie and make my kids sit in silence. Again, it's my issue with it being their social time. I want my kiddos to talk and communicate with each other outside of academic conversation.

With all of this in mind, I set out last summer to find some fun indoor recess activities. Where did I go? Well, yard sales, of course. I picked up little games and toys throughout my excursions. I found a a rockin' deal on a Discovery Kids: Construction Fort . I found some different marble race games, some board games, and some magnet sets. I thought I was in heaven. UNTIL...

I sent home a Classroom Wishlist this past week. On it I had various supplies we were running low on, as well as some indoor recess games. I even included another set  of those Construction forts. My kiddos love that thing and are constantly trying to make the biggest one that would fit the most amount of people. After sending that wishlist home, I didn't think much more about it.

A mom of one of my students called to tell me she had a fort building kit, but it was not the Discovery Kids. The obsessive nature in me kind of shut down her idea because I needed the DK one. It's what my kids loved. Really, Lauren? These kids are 7, they will love any type of fort!

Check it out:

This is the Cranium Super Fort. It uses rods that have foam on the outside and magnetic pegs for all the little connectors. It even has some walls, windows, and doors. I hit the lottery because this momma donated 4 sets of these bad boys to our class. We can literally make a fort that can fit the entire class inside. It is awesome!

So I was sitting in my classroom just observing during recess yesterday. I was fascinated by what I was seeing and hearing. First of all, my kids truly wanted to play together and this was something my whole class could participate on. I saw them trading pieces and parts and even drawing out floor plans. I loved it. I had snagged my teacher friend and told her to watch through my classroom window because my kiddos were lovin' it. Another teacher even commented how she wanted to be in my class because she walked past and noticed how much my students were loving their new fort set.

So even though the weather is not very cheerful and bright out there, don't let it take away from your possibilities while you are stuck indoors! Happy Indoor Recess Season to you!

Ahh, yes, and please do not forget....

December 14th is R.A.K. (Random Act of Kindness Day). This is to honor and remember all those affected by the Sandy Hook school shooting that took place one year ago.

As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School.  We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children.  We honor their memory with our service.  Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook.



Sandy Hook: Random Acts of Kindness

Whenever I hear about school shootings, my heart trembles. Nearly 2 years ago my high school was involved in this type of tragedy. Because I no longer live in the town I grew up in, it's hard for me to say how they overcame and made it through that terrible time (and continue to do so). I can only speak for me. Since I have been out of that town for 8 years, I didn't know the people who were directly involved. I just knew of the town and the outpouring of love that Chardon received in the months following the tragedy. My parents still live in that town, and after visiting a month after the incident, I truly felt the love surrounding Chardon.

One thing that I do with my students at school is share the importance of the many drills we do. I even explain to them why I feel so strongly about the importance of everyone knowing their role during these times. It's hard. My 2nd graders don't ever want to think something like a school shooting would happen at our small town school. They are innocent 7 and 8 year olds. The same age many of the victims would be if the tragedy at Sandy Hook had never taken place.

This brings me to December 14, 2012. I was teaching 5th grade at the time when one of my team teachers shared with me the news. My first thoughts were: this can't be true. I was numb to the information because in my mind, there was no way someone would do such a thing to young elementary children.

I remember driving home from work that day and crying. Crying for the teachers and principal who lost their lives, crying for the children who lost their lives. I was crying for their families that were preparing for funerals rather than for Christmas with their babies.

 I did not know any of the victims but somehow I found myself so connected to them. My eyes were glued to the T.V. throughout that weekend and I had a bit of a paradigm shift. I began thinking not only of the families who lost their loved ones, I thought about the children that would one day return to school who would fear for their life every day upon entering. I thought about the families of the students that had survived. How does one explain this tragedy to a 6 year old, or even a 10 year old? I thought about the paramedics, police officers, and fire fighters who found the many victims. How would these images ever erase from their minds? I thought about the teachers who would spend their days grieving with the students, while still trying to comfort everyone too. I thought about the many heroes whose legacy will forever live on.

Now, a year later, I still think about these people often. I think about how they are all fighters- not in violence, but in love. The Newtown, Connecticut community has asked for people to remember this tragedy by committing random acts of kindness on it's one year anniversary.

So please, take some time out of your busy schedule to remember the many fighters in love. Remember to commit a random act of kindness, and remember to spread the word. Can you imagine what we can accomplish?

As educators, we remember and honor our fallen colleagues and their students from Sandy Hook School.  We honor them each day in our classrooms in which we continue their dream of teaching our children.  We honor their memory with our service.  Join with teachers everywhere in committing random acts of kindness to show our love for Sandy Hook.

December Currently

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Sheww. I feel like I just need to get past Thanksgiving and then I can focus on Christmas. But, guess what?! The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas just FLIES by. How can I even stop to take a breath?

It is officially December and with that comes many, many things. One being, it's time for a little December Currently! Check it out!

In this house, Sundays are our days to relax. I *try* to have every last thing for school done so I can just lay around on the couch and watch football or go on Pinterest. However, with relaxation comes the worst chore of all: LAUNDRY. I despise it with every ounce of my being. I don't mind the sorting or the switching out or even the ironing. The folding kills me every single time. It's awful.

Thant being said, the sweet sound of the washing machine is great until... it's over and it needs folded. Yikes.

I try to get the Christmas tree up the day after Thanksgiving. It didn't happen this year. My main man and I went to Louisville for some horse races instead. Here we are:

So, that being said, I need to get the tree up tonight! I have been thinking about my school babies a lot this morning. I have been missing them and I know several of them need the safety and security that school offers them. I can't wait to give each little bundle of joy a big, fat hug tomorrow morning!

What if... what if, we could have say, 30 hour days instead of 24? Wouldn't that be genius? Gosh, the possibilities are endless. Ha! I will keep dreaming.

Have I mentioned I need and hate to fold laundry? Yep. It's true.

My most favorite Holiday Tradition is going to my sisters on Christmas Eve night to spend it with the cutest niece and nephew in town. Eric and I give the kiddos their gifts, they share with us what their grandparents got them and we eat a kid friendly dinner. I love spending time with those kiddos and I just never can seem to find that type of down time. It's my most favorite!

Now it's your turn to link up. Head on over to Farley's Blog and link up to tell us all about what you are up to currently.

Ahh, yes. And before I forget to tell ya: Teacher'sPayTeachers is having a Cyber Monday Sale! With that, I have tagged on a sale as well! Grab your goodies and go!

 

A big THANK YOU to Krista, over at Creative Clips for the cutie patooty button!

 

Alright, my lovelies. Enjoy your last few breaths of break before the crazy 3.5 weeks start!

Where Have I Been? Sales, and new products!

First of all, did I fall off the face of the blogging world or what?! My goodness. The start of the school year has kept me on my toes! I moved to 2nd grade this year and I am SO IN LOVE. I think these kiddos are just the perfect age and I was blessed with a fabulous class this year.

So, I have officially switched over to making units for lower grades in my TPT STORE. I have two units I would like to share with you.

First you must know, our district has switched over to the Next Generation Science Standards for 2nd grade. I had some trouble finding resources to work with these new standards as they are so very hands-on. So, I decided to make my own resources, in the form of 2nd Grade Science Quick Pack on Plants. There are 5 hands on experiments and printables and recording sheets for each experiment. Check it out!

 

 

The other unit that is hot off the press is my Sweet Subtraction with Regrouping Centers Pack. I had searched on TPT for centers that were a bit more rigorous than the ones I currently own because, well, The Common Core Standards are a BEAST. I needed my kiddos to be practicing regrouping with 3 digit numbers as well as subtracting across zeros. So, that is exactly what this unit offers! Oh, yes, and it is Halloween themed just in time for this SWEET time of year. Check out this unit here.

 



 

 

Do you want to hear the best news yet? My whole store is 20% off today because I just may be turning a year older today. So, you can help celebrate with me- Happy Shopping!

 

TPT Back to School Sale

Helllllllloooo out there! I have come to give you a quick, friendly reminder: The TPT Back to School Sale is going on now! I am also having a sale where you can save up to 28% on your classroom essentials! Check it out!

These cutie pa-tootie graphics come from Krista Wallden. You should check out all of her fabulous clipart. Seriously, it's adorable.

 

 

Alright people, I must go get my shopping on too! Clean out those wish lists! Ready, set, go! Happy Back to School! 

Classroom Reveal

I am sure you have seen all over the blog world... Teacher Week '13. Today's topic is my big FAT Classroom Reveal! This just might be my most favorite topic because I love looking at everyone's rooms. There is so much thought and creativity put into each of these rooms. It really is pretty amazing! Alright my friends, let's jump to it.

Here is the view from my door.

I am big into Whole Brain Teaching so I MUST set up my desks so that students sit in pairs. My students do not keep any (NONE, ZIP, ZERO) school supplies in their desks. We share all supplies. The fancy pencils with the nasty plastic wrapping around them, yep, those stay at home. Mini pencil sharpeners? No thank you. Whatever supplies my students need for the day, they are given. The buckets on their desks have pencils for all students as well as a couple for occasional lead breakage.

 

This desk holds both my lap tops and Ipad. As you can see they were being charged when I took this picture so they are outta sight! This is also where I put my job BB because it doesn't have to be totally accessible all the time. Do you see those two signs on the left? Those are from The Teacher Wife. They are cute and simple, which is perfect for this 2nd grade world I live. To the left are my kiddo's cubbies. I'll spare ya on that one!

 

Next up: My classroom library!

 

 As you can see, my book bins are not labeled yet. Since I am a newbie to the 2nd grade world, I really need to sit down and label all my books and my bins. My goal is to do this by Thanksgiving break! The taller shelf stores all my picture books, and the shorter shelf has all my chapter books. The kiddos choose a book by pulling the whole bin out and doing a little bit of some book shopping. On that black BB you will see the Daily 5 listed out. Those cutie patootie signs can be found here.

 

This is our work on writing station. The basket on the table is full of fancy writing utensils. You will note that there are 3 prompts the students can choose from. From there they look at the background paper and go to the folder that matches. This is where the copies of the writing prompts are housed. Eventually the board will just have the prompts on them and not writing paper. My kiddos need to get used to regular intermediate lines before we break out the composition notebooks!

 

Next up: My Read to Self areas

 

 

O.K. I am going to need you to look super extra close to the file cabinet on the picture on top. You'll see something blue leaning against it. Well, actually there is something green too. They are beach chairs! My kiddos love to pull those out to find a special place in the room to read to themselves. They can also choose these stools or the comfy chair! I love that there are special little perks for every little center we have in our classroom.

 

The picture of the bins in the bottom picture are my math manipulatives. Well, minus the base ten blocks for each student. My goodness do those take up some space! They get their own separate entity in my classroom.

 

 

This is where our calendar is located as well as all those supplies we share! Student helpers distribute the supplies in bins every day before school starts so that I can just grab them from the side table and set them on each of the student tables. No more playing with randomness in your desks, kids!

 

 

 

In the two pictures above, you will notice my teacher desk. Well, kind of. I don't actually have a teacher desk, but I needed some place to put my hook ups and computer for my active board. So, at the end of the day is the only time I really sit at it... this is when the kiddos fill out their behavior charts for the day and meet with me to discuss how their day went.

 

The bottom picture is my read to someone center. In the blue bin there are little mats for the kiddos to sit EEKK on and read their leveled readers (from our reading series). I have found this is the best time to get in leveled reading time! There are also some check for understanding cards, and little comprehension sticks I made back in my student teaching days.

 

You will notice I have two small group tables. The one that is rectangular is for me to meet with small groups. The circular one is for a special education assistant that comes in for chunks of time throughout the day. She pulls a small group as well, and I want my kiddos to view her as just as much of a teacher as I am!

 

Do you see that blue pillow way back there? That is my chill out center. We all can benefit from a little moment away right?

 

 

If you are sitting at the rectangular small group table, you will see my students clip chart. Stephanie, over at 3rd Grade Thoughts, has a very similar teaching style as me. So, I went ahead and snagged this free clip chart from her blog. She even included her Super Improvers rank board. LOVE.  I also really like how visitors to our classroom don't see our behavior chart as soon as they walk in. They really have to look for it. Don't want to put this type of stuff on display sometimes! Ha!

 

 

Alright, my friends. That is just a small glimpse into my classroom. Now, humor me and link up. Remember, I love stalking great ideas for the classroom!  

Go ahead! I dare you to link up!