#sixtybooks Challenge

I've been wanting to read more.  ::aren't we all::  So I was super excited with I found My Shoestring Life's linky about reading 60 books in 2016.  Now let's all be completely honest here....I am a S...L...O...W... reader and struggle to read a 3 books during the summer.  SO new year, new challenge!  My challenge to myself this year is to read.  Here are some of the books I'm planning on reading...

And of course I'm following recommendations from  where my fav Donalyn Miller posts.  Then there are also all the great recommendations from my  friends.

As I approach this daunting number of books I'm reminding myself that it's about reading more and not the number of books I've read.  So basically I'm calling it a win if I've read more than 5 books this year because that would absolutely beat any past reading "record" I've held.

Let me know of any books I should be adding to my list!

Happy Reading,

Currently December 2015 ~ Back in the game

After a few years away I've come back to blogging.  It's something I've always had in the back of my mind that I've wanted to start and keep up with.  I love the teacher blogging community.  So many fantastic ideas are shared that help me to keep up with the ever changing winds of education.  What better way to keep up then to follow the professionals online!?!?

To get my foot back in the door I'm linking up with one of my favorite blogs to follow: Farley over at Oh Boy 4th Grade.  She's got sooooo many cute and practical ideas to use with your intermediate elementary students! And since she hosts this linky on a monthly basis it's a great way to find and follow new blogs.  

So here's what going on currently for me:

Listening: I heart Meghan Trainor!!!! Her music is so bubbly it makes me smile and want to bop around.  What better station to listen to while blogging!

Loving: I started my Christmas break two days early with a 7:30 am sinus surgery.  I'm so thankful that recovery wasn't as hard as the sinus surgery I had in 2008.  I felt pretty much like normal, but that also let me know how sick I really was before the surgery.  Two months of antibiotics and a sinus surgery later I'm finally starting to feel like me again.  ::all the praise hands::

Thinking: My amazing boyfriend is the bestest of the best.  He woke up at an hour no one should wake up to take me to my surgery, stayed with me the whole time, doted on me when we got home, AND walked Pierre (my adorable Bichon Frise) for the whole week of recovery.  He's pretty much the best boyfriend ever.

Wanting: I have been wanting to blog for a while.  It's a great outlet for me for all of my little teaching ideas and a nice productive hobby.  ::I love Pinterest as much as the next woman but I cannot do those arts and crafts people::  2016.   I will keep up with blogging

Needing: A NAP!!!! Because it's Christmas break you guys!  Nap away and take a break from thinking about the classroom and the lessons and the little boogers cutie pies we all love.  They're home living it up and so should we.

Merry Christmas friends!

Currently December 2013

Listening: to my new addiction...Revenge.  The story has sucked me in.  What will happen to troubled Emily Thorn?

Loving: self explanitory...Christmas in a jar has been accomplished by Yankee Candle Co.  TheBomb.com

Thinking: I just loved Thanksgiving break.  I got to stay with my sister for some rare hangout time.  Love her and my brother in law.  They're the best!  I also LOVED sleeping and relaxing and not worrying about what math I was going to teach.

Wanting: DUH!!!! Was anyone else is shock today?  Going back to the grind can be the pits sometimes.

Needing: I'm finished with 2/5 of my Christmas shopping.  If the other 3/5ths weren't so hard to shop for.  Amazon.com here I come.

Favorite Tradition: My mama buys us each a matching pair of Christmas PJs since I don't even know when.  One year she didn't and we were all so disappointed.  She thought we "grew out" of the tradition.  Ummmmm who ever grows out of wanting comfy PJs for Christmas?

Five for Friday {11/15/13}

Linking up with Doodle Bugs Teacher for some five for Friday action on this blustery Saturday.  I'm always late to the party.  One of these days......

Money.... We've started learning about money.  There are sooooooo many fun games and resources out there on TPT for money.  My favorite is always when I can incorporate a song with our learning.  Mostly because I like to sing and dance and 2nd graders love to put up with it.  Here's the song we've sung everyday this past week...

While the song was playing I had each child push the coin we were singing about the help develop the  name and value recognition.  I was surprised at how many children do not know the names or values of the coins.  Several thought there could be a 6 cent and a 3 cent piece.  Why....Who knows?  This is the first time they've come across coins academically.  Might be connected.  Regardless....county money is fun!!!

To help us with counting money I asked kids to bring in their own real coins.  There's something about holding a real coin verses the plastic coins.  Some of those quarters tried to escape to lunch...luckily I asked for a certain amount of $$ so we could count each time we packed the money up.  Here's a link to the note I sent to parents.

Wednesdays are always one of my favorite days of the week.  Along with the joys of randomly asking anyone "What day is it?" and EVERYONE answering loud and clear for all to hear "Hump Daaaaay", Wednesdays are my middle school girls small group nights.  They always leave me with a little precious gem of hilarity to share.  Most of the time I'm the only one who finds it funny.  This time I think you'll join me in the humor....  We were learning about communion.  The body of Jesus is represented by the bread and His blood is represented from the wine.  While we were beginning to talk about it one of the little squirrels blurted out "Well can his oil and sweat be butter?"  An amazing ab workout commenced.  Where do they come up with these things.  I heart middle schoolers.  They're the wackiest!!!!  

Teacher's night at the Smithsonian was jam packed and lots of fun!!!! Did you know that the natural history museum has an insect zoo!!!!! I know you're just as pumped about hearing that as I was.  I might have let out a little "What! What!" right there next to the stuffed Mammoth in the entryway.  This was however acceptable museum behavior for teacher's night.  There was wine at every corner.  Yummmmm.  I got to touch some weird creepy-crawlies that I did not take any pictures of because I was so focused on being brave.  The wine might've helped with this.

Last but not least my stress levels can go back a little closer to normal now that my ESOL grad classes are finished for this school year!!!!  I will know by the end of next week if I passed the Praxis to add that lovely ESOL certification to my MD State Teaching Certificate.  This also means that I'm finished with grad classes for the school year because my reimbursements are all used.  Six credits in 8 weeks was a little nuts.  Add that to a student teacher, a new grade, and a new subject area and you will begin to see my state of mind over the past 3 months.....NUTS!!!!  Finally it is over....for now.  I still have to get that master's degree or at least an equivalency so I can see that $10 pay increase!!  WHAT WHAT!!!!!  Teacher's are so overpaid.

Happy weekend!!!!

Five for Friday {11/10/13}

It's that time again.....that time when I have a little bit of Sunday time to actually blog.  One of my favorites is to link up with Doodlebugs Teaching for 5 for Friday.

So LAST Friday was my birthday.  I did have candles..........on my coffee table as I studied one last time for the ESOL Praxis.  In bed by 9:00 so I'd be ready to rise by 5:00 to get to the test on time.  

Luckily I got to spend time with my mom, dad, and sister following the test.  The tradition of having birthday shrimp lives on one more year thanks to Red Lobster and our super kind waitress put candles on the lava cookie sundae we shared.  Yummmmmm! Wish I had a picture of that yummy goodness.

I was sooooo thankful to sleep in yesterday!!! Last week I was up before the sun for the Praxis of my nightmares.  It was a little painful and I pray that I passed.  At one point I lost my place and had a mild panic attack before I found the question that I missed.  Only a few tears escaped under the pressure.  Now the wait for the scores.  4 weeks of waiting.  Tick tock tick tock.

In the classroom this week we worked sooooooo hard on problem solving.  We took out the word problems and just looked at straight up equations.  CCPS would like the kiddos to use multiple representations when solving problems which I think is awesome!  My little guys were getting all of the pictures and representations mixed up in their little heads.  So.... (thanks to my wonderful vocabulary lessons in my ESOL grad classes) we made a foldable.  I'm hoping this reference will help the kids remember how to draw the representation they are wanting to use.  Next week we will work on a solving strategies flip book. 

MONEY MONEY MONEY --- This week we will begin our study of money.  I know the kids are going to LOVE this because I've asked for parents to send in REAL COINS.  I hope this isn't a crazy idea.  I'm so nervous that some will want to snatch from others.  I'm also imagining the sale of snacks rising in the cafeteria with our money study coins.  You never know unless you take the risk to try.

Next Friday I'll being taking a trip with some of my closest teacher friends for a night at the smithsonian.  I feel like I need to watch the movie in order to prep!  Or maybe not as I'm prone to crazy dreams.  Either way I'm super excited to have a teacher nerd night with some of my besties!  One of the many benefits to living so close to DC.

Helping Parents Help with Math

Let's face it...math is not taught the way it used to be.  Many of our parents are not able to help their children with the new math for a variety of reasons.  The top reason being we are no longer rote.  We apply math to solve math even in second grade.  Parents need our help.

What can we do when we, ourselves, are learning the curriculum as we teach it?  One way I've reached out to my parents is through a classroom blog.  I try to post weekly tips or tricks to help parents help their children.  We are a team and I don't know about you but I feel like I need the parent's assistance in teaching now more than ever.

We have a fabulous math resource teacher at my school who is constantly helping us help parents.  Any links that she sends to me I post immediately on my classroom blog.  Our county has recently posted a few videos explaining some of the solving strategies we are now using in 2nd grade.  These will be so helpful to the parents who've been asking "What else can I do to help my son/daughter with math?"

Parents are one of our most powerful resources.  When we empower them to help our students learn, we create a culture of learning that extends beyond the classroom.

Five for Friday/Sunday {10/20/13}

This five for Friday brought to you by Sunday because who has the energy to blog on a Friday....not this chick!

 

 



 

Time for some rambling random blogging about life as a teacher...

1. HAPPY FRIDAY OFF MD TEACHERS

You read that correctly.  Friday was Maryland's State Teacher's Associations meeting day. It could be going on all weekend for all I know. :)  Since I haven't gotten a raise in ummmm my whole career (thankful that I have a job) and we are not reimbursed for going (still thankful that I have a job).  I can't justify spending money on such shinnanigans training. 

HOWEVER, I successfully used this Friday to sleep, watch Netflix, and organize the millions of papers that have collected over the past week.  How does that always happen?  Sometimes it feel like someone sneaks in my room and adds papers to the in boxes.  Then I look through and realize... NOPE I assigned all of this paper work.  WHAT.  WAS.  I. THINKING.

2. GRAPHING GRAPHING GRAPHING

 'Tis the season for graphing and I'm loving all of the ideas available on Pinterest and TpT.  How did I teach before these.  I would argue that Pinterest is sometimes the best professional development out there.  As long as you know what you're looking for.

I'm using some graphs from Peterson's Pad this week.

I always like to have the students make up their own questions on the back if they finish early.

3. Student Teachers are...

Ahhh-mazing!!! So sad to see my student teacher move on to the world of ELA.  The extra set of hands and ideas will be missed greatly.

4.  ESOL Classes

A great opportunity presented itself to earn a stipend.  So I did what any other teacher would have done.  Dropped my grad school cohort and joined the crazy journey.  It's no big deal really.  We simply have to pass 2 compacted classes (16 weeks into 4 weeks each) and pass the ESOL Praxis within this school year.  I am happy to report that I've finished the first course and will begin the second course tomorrow.  Then in 2 weeks we will be taking the Praxis.  I have more flashcards than I know what to do with.  So I've been using this VERY cool app, StudyBlue.  It works with apple, android, and your regular old laptop.  LOVE. IT.  I have 238402398409 flash cards to study at my fingertips.  Just the thought that I can study as I lay down to sleep makes me feel better.  It never happens though. {Note to self: work on study habits.}  Just typing up the flash cards is great practice though. {Or at lease that's what I tell myself.}


5. Middle School Small Group

Just in case I didn't have enough already going on in my life I decided to add a middle school small group bible study to my weekly list of things to do.  I'm so glad I added this to my week.  These girls are crazy, wild, and hilarious....and they really really really love them some Jesus.  It is so nice to have a time to pour back into these girls all that was poured into me during my middle school years.


That's all from me.  I hope everyone has a fantastic week!!! Last week to somewhat hold it together before the Halloween crazies begin.

Fun Friday - Math Games

Teaching math is sooooo much different than teaching ELA. I'm sorry all of my ELA friends for how many long hours you have to put in. I promise I'm still paying my time but 2nd grade math is much easier to plan for. At least at this point. 

To solidify the basic addition facts we play games every single day. So far I've only had 3 games in rotation. We need more games. So my student teacher and I decided to have a fun Friday and teach 3 new games and then let them play. 

Math Checkers

Twice is Nice

Fill Ten

And thanks to this handy book and a fabulous team it was oh so easy. Now we'll have some more games to add to our math centers. 

Welcome to My Classroom

Now that we are three weeks deep into school I'm going to post my classroom pics. I still don't have everything the way I want it. But let's be honest... I change my classroom from day to day to make it work for my kids and of course myself.

Here's our door which only looks so cute because I have a student teacher who put it together for me. She rocks!!!!!! Welcome to the Jungle!

This wall has already changed. This is my wish list or "Lend A Hand". Thanks to the Target dollar bins for the $1 hands. Score!!!!  It was only up for the first week.   As soon as open house was through I put the left overs into a baggie along with the sign and its ready for next year. 

This is the first board you will see when you walk in. "All About Me" This year I am determined to stay on schedule and have all students share last year I had the board up for a few months and never once had a student share. Woooops. 

Next up lunch count. Basically I put every student's name on a large craft stick. Last years kids hated that they all looked the same so this year I added neon star stickers to each stick. 

Next to the lunch board is my Guided Math board. Need to work on a cuter header. Not top priority on my list so this will do. I am LOVING Clutter Free Classroom's math rotations. Makes teaching math easy. 

Next to this board I have my small group table which I don't have a picture of. Then underneath are my in bins. I'm trying the student number system. Not sure if its successful yet. 

Learning Targets, Mathematical Practices, and Whole Brain Teaching

Calendar area. Happy September. My calendar still says August. So not good at changing  the calendar. Oh well. Also my fancy read aloud chair next to my read aloud baskets. This area has already changed a bit too. Just not the calendar.

 

I've got tables this year!!!!! What a learning curve. I love them!!!!!! I have 7 circle tables. 6 for students and 1 for small group interventions. 

A look in our table baskets that are no more. My partner and I opted to go back to pencil pouches. So much easier. So now I have wash bins on each table to give them a place to put their pencil pouches, agendas, and homework folders. 

I still have my teacher desk. It's still a mess and I need 10 minutes at the close of every day to organize all the junk I pile on it as the day speeds through. I'm wanting to get rid of it.

And last but not least here's my first day before and after shot. No words needed. 

Happy 2013 school year!!!!!!

Five for Friday Teacher Prep Week

It's that time again....SATURDAY!  Ummmm yeah I'm always late.  Let's all get over that now.

It's the time of the year where Friday means something again.  Weekends, sleeping, relaxing, AFTER I get all my stuff together for the next week.  Bye bye relaxed life hello school year 2013-2014

Here's my Friday 5.... (out of the 3,454,231,234,234,234.2 things that happened this week)

1.) Fancy Pants Classroom

I love decorating my classroom.  I could go on and on and on and add things and make things forever!  I had to have one of my team mates come in and affirm that I was indeed finished.  I'm holding strong to my jungle theme 5 years and counting.  I figure they're going to be wild little animals so why not embrace it! :) (sidenote: My classroom isn't all pizzaz and style like most of you bloggers out there.  In comparison it is sooooooo simple. But it is cute and I love it!)

2.) From desk to tables

How I got the tables is a story for School Gossip Weekly....

I have tables!!!! YAY!!!!!  I am so pumped to not have to dump desks and pass out clean desk fairies and yadah yadh yadh desks shemsks.

I heart tables!!!!

3.) Second grade rocks

I am totally going to (and already do) miss my 3rd grade team mates. But I am pumped beyond all reason to be on the 2nd grade team this year.  They have already been very supportive and helpful and have shared everything that my mush of a brain can handle. (Does anyone else out there feel like their brain slipped out their ear during the night when its back to school prep week?)

4.) Buh-bye ELA and Social Studies.  HELLO Math and Science!!!! 

We are so lucky to be departmentalized at our school.  I have actually NEVER taught all subjects at the same time.  After 4 years of 3rd grade ELA, I'm now teaching 2nd grade Math and Science and I could not be more thrilled.  Learning a new curriculum is hard work y'all!!! I've spent my days this week making my classroom welcoming and functional and my evenings reading everything I can get my hands on to give myself more background knowledge about this thing called math (no text books here, just a scope and sequence).  Once I get the hang of it we will be smooth sailing and my creative juices will finally feel free.

Full disclosure: I would be lying not to say I haven't missed my beginning of the year books and thought about my favorite anthology stories more than 500 times this week.

5.) Student teachers rock!

THANKFULLY, I have an amazingly hard working student teacher who will do all the little crappy things I boss her around to do.  AND WITH A SMILE!  Blessed!!!  Let's also add this to the list of new things I'm learning about this year...first student teacher you guys!  Mrs. L rocks!!! Not only is she putting up with my scatter brained thinking and reasoning and explaining.  She's ok with the fact that we're figuring out the curriculum together.  We worked together all of last year so she is getting a first hand glimpse at the true cray-cray the beginning of the year brings.


Week 1 with students....ready or not!

Five for Friday

I'm going to join in on the 5 for Friday fun for the first time. On Saturday....better late than never! :)

1.  I'm loving all the linky parties all you blogging teachers are offering.  They have really helped me to connect with some fantastic bloggers which always provides me with FANTASTIC ideas for my own classroom.

2.  Lemonade to Lemons
I LOVE to watch Modern Family while I'm doing all of my random school work.  It's just enough of a story line to keep me a little bit interesting, but it's also the type of show that you don't have to keep your eyes on the screen to know what's going on.  One of the episodes I was "watching" on Hulu ended with the oh so funny "Phil"osphy that had me laughing out loud....

Oh how I needed to hear that on that particular day because....

3. No Set Up for You

My school is short on custodians this summer thanks to the ever continuous budget cuts.  Therefore, our rooms are not ready to go into yet.  We still have a whole week of summer left, but I'm of the crazy breed that likes to go in early and get things all set up.  Sooooooo I need to hear Phils words of wisdom and pretty much suck it up.  It is what it is and everything will get done in due time. (My hyper organization side is still throwing a little temper tantrum though.)

4.  Making Lemons

Instead of spending my time at school (LAME!) I went to the $12 sushi buffet and on a mini shopping spree with my teacher buds.  Oh how I LOVE having teacher friends.  People who actually understand when you HAVE to buy 6 (never 5) of the cute little $1 bins at Michael's.  These bins are good for sooooooooo many things. I especially use mine to put my dry erase markers in and it sits perfectly on the ledge on the board.  I also have a few for lunch count.  I use popsicle sticks with the kid's names on them then they put them in the designated lunch choice.  I'm a big fan of anything that hides clutter.

5. Summer's end...

I have one more week of summer left and I am finally staying up late and sleeping in.  Staying up till 3 am!  What!!!!  I never even did that in college.  Well maybe every once in a while.  Hope I can get back on schedule before school officially starts.  If not...oh well!!! YOLO!!!