Teacher Week 13' - Part 1

You guessed it!  It's Teacher Week 13' and I'm linking up with Blog Hoppin' to participate in this exciting party! 

Today's theme is....

Okay....here we go!

1.)  I'm going to be entering my 8th year of teaching and I can't believe that I've already invested 8 years into a profession that I love!

(A picture from my first year back in 2006)

2. ALF...the initials of my name and a totally awesome 1980's character!

3. My favorite "teacher" pens... 

I'm pretty sure that I'll cry if they top making these.

4. My favorite "teacher" markers...

I ❤ making anchor charts because of these!

5. I love technology and just might get a Mac as my next computer.

6.  I love turtles!  Both kinds..

7.  Nicholas and I just celebrated our 11th anniversary and our first year as homeowners!

8.  My backyard would be filled with palm trees, if I didn't live in Illinois!

9.  I've been blogging for a little over a year now and I often wonder why I didn't turn to blogging earlier.  It's definitely changed me as a teacher and has allowed for me to connect with some awesome teachers!

10.  I'm stoked beyond belief because I'm heading to Michigan this weekend to go surfing in Lake Michigan!  AHHHHHHH!!!!  I can't wait!  Bring on the "baby" waves!

Enjoy,

Week 5: Tune into Technology

I'm back for a fifth installment of Tune into Technology hosted by iTeach1:1 and Learning to the Core.

Organizing Key Areas of Technology

Laptop/Doc Camera/iPads- My district has slowly been trying to increase technology within our classrooms.  WAHOO!  To store these devices, the district purchased the black cart featured below.  The bottom of the cart has a great open space for locking up technology, but it's not ideal for keeping it organized. 

Enter...Pinterest!

This would be perfect for the bottom of the black cart so that every iPad would have a proper place to be stored.

Headphones- At first, I had students keeping headphones in Ziploc bags with their student number on them.  By the end of the year, the numbers had faded and the headphone bin had exploded.

Enter Pinterest!

This was a huge success this year and everyone was able to find their headphones even on the last day of school!

Managing Technology

Designated Time- Ideally, my students spend most of their time using technology during literacy stations.  Therefore, I've designated that certain stations will use an iPad to complete their task.  Just by doing this alone, I've eliminated the race for an iPad.  

Colored Cases- Each iPad in my room has a different colored case.  This is a great way for students to keep track of what iPad they were working on.  The only time that this is a problem is when we've had to lend our iPads out.  The district purchased the same colored cases for each teacher.  Therefore, I solved that problem by taking a picture of the nameplate above my classroom door to help ensure that our iPads make a safe return.

Enjoy,

School Supply Linky Party

July is nearly over which means that "Back to School Madness" mode has officially kicked in.  Therefore, I've decided to host my very first linky party on school supplies that you just can't live without.  

Go ahead!  Link up and finish the statement.."I can't start the year without..." and finish with whatever school supply item(s) will help make your classroom and year a success!

Top 5 School Supplies

"I can't start the year without..."

Teacher/Lesson Plan Binder

Nothing helps me to stay on track during the year then having an organized teacher binder that includes my lesson plans, curriculum pacing guides, IEP information and much more!

Mr. Sketch Markers

Who doesn't love the smell of blueberries when creating an anchor chart???

Mechanical Pencils - 0.7 Lead

Every teacher needs an awesome pencil to record notes, write out lesson plans and even add another item to the to-list.  Anyone else prefer 0.7 lead over 0.5?

Papermate Flair Pens

This has to be every teachers love!

Classroom Friendly Supplies Pencil Sharpener

This was a new addition to my classroom this year and it was the best decision that I have ever made!  My classroom is now so peaceful and quiet that I can't believe I didn't get rid of that annoying electrical one earlier.

Enjoy,

10 Little Things I Learned from Teaching

Happy Tuesday!  I'm linking up with Miss Kindergarten for her 10 Things I've Learned from Teaching Linky Party.

1.  I'm not a mom, but I've been called one multiple times during the school year.  

2.  Having eyes on the back of your head is only a trick for teachers!

3.  The copy machine is going to break down when you REALLY need it so be prepared!  Likewise, the laminator is going to start running out of film leaving you with a rocking new sticker that says "film is running out."  AWESOME!

4.  When you think you're ahead of the game, you're not!  I constantly feel like no matter what I cross off my to-do list something will be added on and that's okay because there is ALWAYS tomorrow!

5. During the day, I feel like I'm rocking 15 different jobs and I LOVE IT!  Nurse, air traffic control, teacher, scientist...etc.

6. I think everyone has said it, but it's important.  The custodians and the secretaries are your best friends so treat them kindly.

7. Clean up your mess in the microwave!  You're mom does not live the teachers lounge and will not be there to clean up your mess.  Gotta love when you get those all staff emails. 

8. Take time to be silly and laugh.  It's those random moments during the day when I can't help but just kick back and laugh.  I wouldn't trade those moments at all!

9. A smile has so many different meanings, but the most important one is thank you (even though it's often not said).

10. I love my job!  I never dread Sunday nights knowing that Monday morning is rolling around because I love what I do.

What's on your top 10???

Enjoy,

Week 3: Tune into Technology

It's Thursday and it's time for Round 3 of Tune into Technology with iTeach1:1 and Learning to the Core.

iPad...oh iPad, what did I ever do before you?  Its officially been a year since I was first introduce to an iPad.  I know...can you believe it?  Last year, our district decide to offer us a teacher iPad to practice on over the summer.  In the fall, they added three more iPads to our classroom and I instantly fell in love.  I can't even understand how I was "tech-savy" before.

Here's some of my favorite apps that I use in the classroom regularly...

Background: Yellow and Blue Scribble

Enjoy,

Workshop Wednesday: Reader's Workshop Notebook

Happy Wednesday!  I'm teaming up with Ideas by Jivey to share with you an idea for a workshop within my classroom.

This week, I'd like to talk about our Reader's Workshop Notebook which is known as a Literacy Notebook in my classroom.  This notebook is the heart and soul of our hard work during our literacy block.  We use the notebook to record Shared Reading lessons, Reader's Responses and Station work.  As part of our supply list, it is asked that students purchase a five-subject 5 Star Notebook.

I know what you're thinking..."How can you ask students to purchase such an expensive notebook?" Well, my team has found that this is the only notebook that can with stand our literacy love and last the entire year.

Since the notebook has five sections, I have found success with having:

• Shared Reading (1 section)- Students use this section to record their thinking from strategy driven lessons.  For example, students may record on this inference chart that we used when we read the book, Something Beautiful.                                                                                                                                       

Frame: Purple Chalk Frame-It's a Wicked Good Life

• Reader's Response (2 sections)- In this section, students write weekly responses on our read aloud book.  These responses include a current summary and the use of two read strategies that demonstrate their thinking.  Below is a graphic organizer (which can be downloaded from my TPT store) that I often use with students.

     

• Station Section (2 sections)- The final section is used for when students are at stations and I'm meeting with guided reading groups.  The students are responsible for recording their work to show a quality use of their time when they're not meeting with me.

I hope that this provides a helpful idea on how you can organize your own notebooks.  Feel free to link up and share your ideas!

Enjoy,

Monday Made It #2

WAHOO!  I finally have a Monday Made It related to school.  I've been trying to get started on some projects now so that when August rolls around I can still enjoy my summer.

For this project, I decide to make our lunch count check-in using SMART notebook.  The kids absolutely love moving their little number as I display the count on our projector for everyone to see.  This not only holds them accountable for making their choice, but then I can also take attendance while still handling the morning madness!

The background is called Waves and the font is LD Elementary.

Enjoy,

Week 2: Tune into Technology

I know, I know, it's not Thursday, but it's the first chance that I've had to sit down and focus on my blog.  I'm liking up with iTeach1:1 and Learning to the Core for a second week of integrating technology.  Here it goes....

Week 2 Theme: Integrating Technology into Math

Here's two easy ways to integrate technology into your daily math:

1. Sumdog - I've talked about Sumdog earlier and it's one of the easiest ways to incorporate technology into math.  I've been using Sumdog as a tool for summer math practice, but I'm excited to have my new students use Sumdog during the school year as a math station.

2. ShowMe Interactive Whiteboard- It's Monday morning and you're fresh off the weekend only to discover that you have a student with not one, but two broken wrists.  What are you to do?  Don't laugh....it happened!  Enter the app, ShowMe.  I had the student use the ShowMe to complete our math lessons without missing a beat.  He enjoyed using the app and so did the rest of the class too!  They loved the fact that they could write on the iPad and have it appear on our projector.

Enjoy,

Monday Made It

It's the 1st of July and my first Monday Made It project.  As much as I'd like for this project to be for my classroom...it's not.  This is the first summer that I've had to spend in the new house and the project ideas just keep flowing.  

I stood in the kitchen on Saturday night and was starring at my pantry door thinking that it needed something.  As my mind started to wander, I was trying to figure out what I could do to make the door pop and not "blend in."  That's when I landed on this idea...a chalkboard!  The inspiration came from Jackie over at Teal & Lime. 

I was able to find the roll of chalkboard vinyl at Michael's on clearance for $2.99.  After putting the vinyl on, I realized that traditional chalk was not giving me the bold colors.  That's when I stumbled across another Pinterest find....Chalk Ink Markers. (Thanks to Megan at Honey We're Home for posting.)

After all that, my final project...

Link up and join the fun of Monday Made Its...Thanks Tara!

Enjoy,