12.31.2012

My Favorite Fitness Products!

I love seeing what products other women use and love.
Clothes, makeup, technology, books, pretty much anything interests me!
So, before I share my fitness resolutions, let me
share with you some of my favorite fitness products.
{things I actually use!}






















Go link up with Deedee today and share your fitness resolutions! :)


I'm also linking up with Jen!



Have a safe and happy New Year everyone!!!



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12.30.2012

When I have downtime...

I like to.........








And why not make some more resolutions, right?!?




Can't wait to see what your resolutions are!
Go link up with Amy here!
{sorry! I forgot to add the link earlier. Now its working.}




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12.29.2012

Gettin' Smart

The best professional development I do is
reading my favorite teaching blogs.
Seriously, I haven't been too impressed with the
PD offered in my district in the past few years.
I can honestly say I'm a better teacher because of 
the crazy-talented teachers out there who are so
generous in sharing their ideas through blogging.
The inspiration I get from other teacher bloggers is
something I appreciate so much!
Here are a few products I've purchased from some
amazing teachers that have really helped me
in areas where I was in need of some pointers!
Deanna and Deedee's Writing Through the Year Units

 I've always wanted to be good at teaching writing.
And I always wanted my students to become better writers.
These units have helped me put together the pieces,
understand the different phases of writing, and the
classroom management needed to have a successful
writer's workshop.

Kim Adsit's Reading Workshop Units

Although our reading workshop is pretty much my literacy
center and small group time, the lessons in these units
have fit well into different areas of my reading block.
I didn't purchase her first unit until a few months after school
began, and although it was still very useful for my firsties,
I can see how it will be PERFECT for the beginning of the year
when we haven't dibeled yet and our intervention groups are not
in full swing yet.
I love all of her tips and strategies!!!

My Professional Development Resolutions:

*Attend a conference of my choice. 
Kim A., please come to Kansas City!!!!!

*I really, really, truly hope that there is another teacher blogger
meet-up this summer. Las Vegas looked like so much
fun last year when several bloggers met up there.
That's gotta be professional development, right!?!?!

*Finish reading Debbie Diller's Making the Most of Small Groups.



I can't wait to see what everyone else has to say about professional
development. Then I know I'll have more to add to my list!
Go link up with Amanda here.


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12.28.2012

Getting Organized {my tips and resolutions!}

Moving to a new school AND grade level in the same year
has kept me very busy.
However, I'm doing whatever I can this year to hopefully
be more prepared and super organized for next year.

Here are a few tips I have for ya...



*Monthly Binders-I love using binders to store my monthly 
thematic/holiday resources.
I don't know why, but I just love tucking them into a binder
instead of a huge file folder.
Probably because its way easier to quickly look through and find
what I need!
I separate each unit/holiday with a divider and then store
any examples of crafts I've made in clear, plastic page protectors.
Don't keep making an example of your crafty projects each year!
And they look super cute in your classroom, too!
{Click here if you are interested in my binder labels}





* Ziplocs for Storing Centers- Storing and organizing center activities
can be overwhelming. Especially if you have literacy AND math
centers like I do. That's a lot of activities.
But I've found a system that works for me. I wish I had pictures
to show you but luckily its not complicated to explain.
I just use a gallon-size ziploc to store each center activity and
label the outside with the name of the activity.


I like it better than a file folder because I can clearly see the activity
while I'm searching through them. I keep everything in the ziploc
that goes with that activity,
including any printables that were left over...don't' want to waste paper!
I lay the bags on their side to fit them in my file cabinet and I have
a drawer for literacy and one for math.
You can fit A LOT of these in a drawer and it keeps them
neat and organized in the order I've used them.
{so they'll be all ready to go next year!}


*Centers IN USE!- I do NOT leave my centers inside the ziploc
baggies when I have them out for the students to use. We all know
they would definitely not last long!
I've invested a little $$$ here and there in these plastic containers...


I found these originally at Target, but they were a bit pricey. Over $5 a piece or more.
{I think I saw they raised the price even more than that!}
Then I saw the same thing at Dollar General for only $3.99 each. I've
slowly bought a few at a time to have enough for both my math and literacy centers.
They are very durable!
The last time I bought some was a month or two ago, so they probably still carry them!

 ............................................................................................................................................
Ok, so here are my resolutions to becoming more organized:
*Organize my classroom library- It needs some major help.
I moved from a school that used Scholastic Reading Counts so that
is how I was marking and organizing my books.
The school I'm at now uses AR and I definitely didn't have time this summer
to switch all my books over, so now they are just organized into either
fiction or nonfiction.
Boring, I know.

*Go through my old files-When I packed up my classroom this summer, 
all my files went into boxes.
Some I unpacked, because I knew I would still use in first grade,
but I have 3 or 4 boxes of files just sitting in my garage that I haven't
needed. A lot of it just needs to be recycled. Wish me luck!



Go link up with Hope and share your organizational resolutions!!!





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12.27.2012

My Technology Resolutions!

I'm linking up with Kathleen at Growing Kinders
today to share my technology resolutions!
{love this idea of splitting it up into several
days and themes...just the little motivation I needed
to get back to blogging}
I really wish I had more access to technology in my school district.
{Smartboard, ipads, etc..}
However, first I'll list the resources I do have and that
I'm thankful for...
1. Teacher computer- I've heard there are some teachers out
there who don't have one in their own classroom!
2. Student computers- I have 1 desktop and 2 laptops for students,
but I'm giving one of the laptops to my student teacher to use :)
3. Projector- I love having this to use instead of a TV.
4. Computer Lab- We have two 30 min. times per week. Right now
my students have mainly been playing educational games, but I REALLY
want to teach them how to use PowerPoint!!!
5. Document Camera- I LOVE this! This is the first year I've had one
and I use it a ton. I love being able to demonstrate a game or activity
under the camera and everyone can see, instead of in a circle on the floor
all the time.
So, here are my TECHNOLOGY resolutions.....
*Teach my students how to use PowerPoint and have them create
their own presentations {I'm thinking types of sentences/punctuation...}
*Try to keep my classroom website {through the district site} updated.
We'll see...;)
*Find and bookmark new educational sites for my students to go
to during computer lab time.
*Open this baby up and load the software to my computer and then start
creating!!! :)
 Thanks so much Kathleen for hosting this linky party!
Go check out her technology resolutions and her giveaway!! :)
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12.06.2012

Odd and Even game and some reindeer/long i freebies!!!

Just a quick post today to share a fun new game
I created for practicing odd and even numbers.
I'm home today with a little sickie,
but I can't wait to have my students play this game!
You can pick it up in my tpt shop here for only $1.50!!!









And here are some Long i freebies I made for some extra 
practice this week.
Since we are studying reindeer/caribou, I couldn't resist
using some of my adorable reindeer clipart from DJ Inkers. :)
Click on the pic to download!





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12.03.2012

The winner!!!

So, yeah. I totally forgot to announce
my winner from this post!

I asked for advice about having a student
teacher and I got some fab advice, so thank you! :)

The winner is...comment #7....from Karyn!



She said,
"The best advice I can offer when you have a student teacher is making sure that she has her own space to work in and really feels like a part of the classroom. If you treat her like a co-teacher (in planning and teaching) right from the start she will quickly develop confidence! I would have her share the teaching in as many lessons as possible before she is completely responsible for the lessons on her own. Ask for her opinions while sharing yours. I'm sure you will both learn so much from each other! :o)"

Thanks so much for the advice Kayrn!
I'll be emailing you my
Handwriting Strategies pack soon!






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