It's Been a Long Time

Wow! It's been a loooooooong time since I've been able to blog. Once we got back to school after winter break we were in full testing mode, I was finishing my National Board certification and I felt like I could barely breath. Now that school has been out for almost a week I feel like a lot of weight has been lifeted off my shoulders. Now I just need to get through summer school (only 16 days, I can do it!) and then a few weeks to rest before school starts again in the fall.

I'm making some changes in the fall. I'm moving schools!!! I am so excited. I will be teaching 2nd grade (the grade I love, though I wouldn't change the experience of teaching 3rd for anything).

Now I'm going to try to upload some pictures I took during testing to share how my students motivated each other!

Organization is Key

I don't have desks in my classrom (well I have 2 students that have their own desk, but that's another story). When I got rid of my desks and went to tables I quickly found that to have some place for them to store their pencils, crayons, glue, scissors, markers, and anything else they might need. I found these neat little shower caddies at Wal-Mart when they have all their back to school items out (can you tell there's not a whole lot of places to shop at in my little town???) These caddies are the perfect size and have the perfect amount of compartments that are also the perfect size. Now just keeping them organized and the trash out of them is an ongoing thing, but without them our classroom would be a total mess (not saying that at times it isn't but these sure have helped).






These are just two of the colors that I have. I also have green, purple, and yellow (though I don't have enough tables to use this on this year). They are wonderful for identifing table colors.

Where are the Markers

In my classroom we use dry erase markers on a daily basis, several times throughout the day. For 3 years we would always not have enough markers because they were constantly being lost. At a training on summer a teacher shared a fabulous idea to keep up with these markers. They make an ice tray that is designed to make ice cubes that are long and slinder to fit in water bottles. Well these trays are perfect for storing dry erase markers and can be bought at Wal-Mart.



No, I'm not missing 6. I just don't need them, so I don't put them out or they really would me lost.



Here is a side view. Last year I had some dry erase markers that were fatter at the bottom and wouldn't fit in the slots. I was a little frustrated and kept them in a bucket next to the tray. That was until a student of mine was putting them away one day and just turned those markers upside down. Go figure, I had never thought of that.

Publishing Party

For writing we have units of study. We learn all different types of writing styles. Part of the process is publishing our work. We wanted to show all the hard work off to our friends, so we had a "Publishing Party". Now when I first said party the students asked if we were having cake, ice cream, and pop. I said it wouldn't be that elaborate. Though we didn't have all the treats we brought all the fun. Here are some pictures from that party. One of the expectations that students were required to do was to comment, using sticky notes, on at least 3 friends writing (they had to pick 2 of the opposite gender because we all know that at this age they the other gender still has cooties :))

We had so much fun sharing our writing and then posting it on the wall to be read at different times throughout the coming weeks. And we learned that Publishing Parties do not need to be elaborate, they can be as simple as pie.

Changing Focus

I've decided to change the focus of my blog slightly. I have decided that instead of just telling stories, I will share what we do (like the different activities, organizational strategies, etc.) I will still update with the finny, cute, interesting, etc. stories, but I want to share more of what I do in the classroom. I have been taking tons of pictures, so I will post pictures.

(I'm thinking if I "write" it I will be abpt to do it. We'll see...)

Being Sick and Being a Teacher

These 2 things do NOT go togther. I have been out for two days now and feel horrible, both from being sick and worrying about what's going on at school. I'm not exactly sure if I will be at school tomorrow either. Being sick adds so much more to what I have to do. Getting sub plans together is the most tedious of things. Everything that I would normally do and comes naturally to me, I have to write out in very detailed plans, so that a sub could follow these plans. Well yesterday my sub went over things that had nothing to do with what we are even learning, so it makes me wonder why even go through the trouble. Then I worry about the students behavior, are they doing what they are supposed to, acting right, and everything else that comes to mind. I hate being sick, so I'm hoping it goes away really fast and I can get back to school, if for nothing else but for my students to have a more normal school day.

What a Week

Last week was Fall Break and what a wonderful break I had. We are now back in school getting back into the swing of things. AND it's Red Ribbon Week! We had Super Hero day on Monday. Several of my students dressed up like super heros to fight off drugs. Today was P.J. day! Let me tell you everybody word P.J.'s, including the teacher :). It was so nice to be able to relax and enjoy a relaxing day with the students. Tomorrow is crazy sock day, I'm looking forward to it. I'll update to let you know how it was.

But I will tell you anything out of the ordinary, makes the students a little CRAZY!!!