Happy New Year!

Amanda over at Teaching Maddeness is hosting a new school year resolution party! And I'm out of champagne, oh well, Diet Coke will have to do- it is bubbly! I'm hearing fireworks from someone in the nieghborhood, so maybe they are also celebrating the new school year! My resolutions usually last about 2 weeks, if I make them! So can I make a resolution to keep my resolutions? Hmmm...okay, here are my resolutions, I'm keeping a short list so I don't get overwhelmed by them!
1. Stay organized! I've made a binder system, photo frame teacher to do list, and have my teacher toolbox ready to go so I should be able to stay organized, right?
2. Delegate tasks to my paras. This year I will have a classroom para and 2 one on one aides in my room full time. I need to make sure that I'm keeping them busy and focused on the students. I tend to let things go or do tasks like making copies, bulletin boards myself, rather than having the para's do it. Maybe this comes from other years where the para would copy the wrong page in the wrong book (even with a book and page marker) and another para hung up the bulletin board, but cut a large square out of the middle of the background paper (I still don't know why). She also hung a border around the empty square! At least it wasn't my board that I cover with a sheet or fabric!
3. Hang out with other school staff more. I tend to eat in my room at lunch and pass on the after school "book clubs". This year I want to get away from my room and have some fun, especially since I don't have kids at home!
4. I'm stealing this resolution from other bloggers, I want to finish as much work as I can at school with still leaving by 4:00 and stop working at home by 8:00. With my job as stressful as it is I have a tendency to research and rework things for the next day, without allowing myself "me" time or spending quality time with the Mr. and the kitties. Actually, the kitties don't mind, Pepper will just come up and sit on my shoulders and purr loudly in my ear if she feels neglected!

So there you have it, my 4 resolutions for the new school year, guess I should also find out when the students come back! I know when I start (Aug. 14) but not sure how many days of meetings and whatnot there are before the actual first day!

Show and Tell

Amy over at  Step into 2nd Grade is hosting a linky party in which everyone tells more about themselves. Since I'm procrastinating the laundry, school work, shower, and anything else, I decided to join! I love a good party!!
First a little bit more about myself.

 I was born and grew up in a small town in Ohio. I lived next door to both sets of grandparents! It was fun going to one set and playing with all the cats and kittens they had, then going to my other grandma's for homebaked treats! When I was in first grade, I loved my teacher so much that I started playing school every chance I could get. I even tried teaching my grandparents cats and baby chicks! They weren't the most cooperative students! Little did I know then that some 40 years later, I would still be chasing some students back into the classroom! I decided in second grade that I would be either a kindergarten or first grade teacher, so that I would be smarter than the students!
I went to Bowling Green State University and started out as a nursing major! I quickly decided after a couple of semesters of chemistry, biology, and trig that I didn't want to be a nurse anymore, but went back to my true love of teaching. Since I had worked (and loved it) as a nurse's aide at a mental health home, I decided to major in special ed and elementary ed. I'm probably in the minority of people that have chemistry, biology, and trig as electives!

My two sons are the highlights of my first marriage. This is a picture of them... with a reading buddy (in the middle) we had to keep this buddy all week end and my oldest then had to read and write about the week end! Such a fun activity!

Oops! Nope that was a few years back...it seems like it was just last year (sniff, sniff). Here's a semi-current picture of them with myself and the Mr.! This was a year ago at my youngest's graduation.

 My oldest Charlie graduated from college and has a real life job. My youngest Dan, is entering in his sophomore year at college. Somehow they both grew to over 6 feet tall!

Pepper

Cinders

We have 2 cats, Cinders and Pepper. They tolerate each other and let us live with them, but I think it is just so that we can change litter boxes, water, and food!



Other favorites:

television: The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family

games: Apples to Apples and Rummy

books: Anne of Green Gables, but I read a lot of various genres of books.

food: yes, please!! Actually, all time favorite would be something Italian.

snack: Cheetos or popcorn and most definitely chocolate!

movie: Mary Poppins

job: My current teaching position, working with students that have emotional and behavior disorders, I've been with the same school (separate facility) for 15 years and still get excited about the new school year! Granted, some days are a lot more trying than others but it has always ended up being a positive experience!

Thanks for reading about me, I love reading about other bloggers and their experiences.

An award and trying to organize

Another award! Pretty soon I'm going to have to build a shelf for all of my awards! Mission Control was so kind to have awarded me this! She is a fellow Ohio teacher!

This award is named for the German word "Liebster," which translates to "beloved" or "favorite," and it is given to "new, up and coming bloggers." 

The rules:
1. Link back to the person who gave it to you.
2. Post the award to your blog.
3. Give the award to at least 5 bloggers with less than 200 followers.
4. Leave a comment on the 5 blogs to let them know that they have been offered this award

The 5 bloggers I'm giving this award to are:

1. Ramblings of a Deaf Ed Teacher she has so many great ideas for any type of classroom, I especially liked her duck taped clipboards and file folders!

2. Teacher on the Loose she has made some great looking interactive math boards!

3. Baking...Crafting...& Teaching...Oh My! Taylor is very entertaining to read and also has great ideas and delicious sounding baked goods! I'm thinking she should bring cookies and cupcakes to the award ceremony!!

4. I Teach 1:1 Kristin is a teacher that utilizes technology in her classroom with MacBooks and iPads! She is moving from 1st grade to 4th grade this year!

5. Teaching Third has a great give away for having 50 followers (you have to follow and claim the prize today, 7/24/12). Lots of great ideas for Daily 5 and those Common Core Standards.

I'm really trying to organize my craft space, right now it's part of a small cupboard and a 3 drawer cart. I bought a new cart last night hoping that the scrapbook paper would fit along with all of my Cricut cartridges, paper cutter, glue sticks, ribbon, etc. Well, it started out good, but the wheels just broke off when I tried to move it across the room, guess I have too much paper, even after I purged a lot of it! So I'm off to plan B, I have one scrapbook paper case I'm thinking of getting 2 more and labeling the cases to let me know what is in each case.  I have plans for the smaller white drawer cart, Iwant to put my classroom borders in the drawers. I will label the drawers with seasonal, subject areas, and other! I have a lot of borders! But first I have to get more motivation!

Rain, heat, bad cat, and Monday Made it!

I woke up this morning to gray, cloudy skies. It rained for about 3 minutes!! I guess we will take what we can get. It's already up to 90 here at 1:00 pm! The weatherman said it would feel like 101 around 4 today! As I was getting ready to take pictures of my Monday Made It projects and write this blog, my one cat, Pepper, decided she needed attention. She jumped on the bookcase, chewed a plant's leaves, jumped on the table, chewed on the curtains, and laid on my projects!

Then she gave me the evil eye- like I was the one who was causing all the trouble!

I started to tell her that she was making poor choices, when I realized that she is a cat I was talking to a cat!! So I ended up playing with her for awhile so that she would calm down and relax! I guess she's going through the terrible two's! So on to my projects, why do I always think I will get more done? I guess I underestimate the time that I have to work, or that I want to actually work! I go back in 3 weeks and 1 day for the opening meetings. Then the rest of that week will be setting up the classroom, training for de-esculating and restraining students, and all the other meetings that the administration will hold. My school is going through some changes with administration. We don't really have a principal, but a supervisor and a lead teacher that oversees what we do and how we teach, so kind of like a principal! So I'm sure there will be many meetings in preparing for the new school year. Add to that, I've changed classrooms and assignment- last year I had 7th graders and this year I will have 4th and 5th graders, and possibly a couple of lower functioning 6th graders. I asked to change, as I wanted a new challenge! I have taught 5th and 6th grade before and liked it. Ok, I promise, here are my projects.

Lesson Plan templates for all subjects!

Tote for papers with no name! I got the idea from Tonya over at Tonya's treats for teachers blog, this way on Friday's I can just dump everything into the recycling bin!

My birthday poster- why does this one come out sideways? Pepper?

I have a new shopping list for Target, but I'm sure I'll be adding to the list after seeing everyone else's projects! So head on over to 4th Grade Frolics and add your link!

I won! You like me, you really like me!!

Wow! I was nominated by 2 bloggers that I follow and love to read for this award

Check out both of their blogs  the first blogger is The Hip Teacher and the second blogger to give me this award is Mission Control . Both are new bloggers that I found from the newbie linky party (see previous post). Now, imagine the lights dimmed, with just a spotlight on the stage as I walk up to claim my award. I'm wearing the latest designer fashion dress- a sparkly sequined lime green dress with matching shoes! My hair is in a tasteful upsweep and my nails and make up are perfectly done (a girl can dream, right?). I approach the microphone to make my acceptance speech and... "bzzzzz..." "Can someone get the clothes out of the dryer?" (Big sigh..) Such is the true life of a blogger award winner! Now onto the rules of accepting this award-
1. Thank the blogger who nominated you and include a link to their site.
2. Include the award image in your post.
3. Give seven random facts about yourself.
4. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award and include a link to their site.
5. Let bloggers know they've been nominated.
So thank you again to The Hip Teacher and Mission Control. Now for the 7 random facts about me.
1. I took piano lessons for 12 years, but sadly still cannot play without music!
2. I taught special ed. on an island in Lake Erie, Put in Bay and had to fly to another island to coordinate lessons with a teacher in a one room schoolhouse!
3. I love cats, cows and owls.
4. When I lived on Put in Bay (the island) I helped bring a ferryboat down through the locks of the Erie Canal. Mainly I rode along and prepared meals for the crew!
5. I am the first person in my family to graduate from college and get my master's degree!
6. I once lived in a converted one room schoolhouse, that my parents' owned and that my dad was born in!
7. Even though now I'm pretty quiet around people I don't know very well, when I was in 4th grade I talked to anyone that I sat by! It didn't matter if it was a boy or girl! It got so bad that the teacher put a blab (a cloth headband) on my mouth!
Now for the nominations - which is getting hard to find people that don't already have this award!
1. Teaching my Friends
2. The Teaching Thief
3. Ashleigh's Education Journey
4. Third Grade is a Hoot
5. Think * Share * Teach
6. Will Grade for Coffee
7. The Wise and Witty Teacher
8. Plant, Grow, Bloom!
9. I'm Not Your Grandpa, I'm Your Teacher
10. Heather's Heart
11. A Special Kind of Class

I know this is only 11, but they are absolutely great blogs. I will try to find 4 more bloggers that are deserving of this award and don't already have it! It's hard as there are so many great bloggers out there!

I'm partying like it's 1999!!

I'm joining up with another linky party! Grade 3 is the Place for Me is hosting a linky party for new bloggers! All you have to do when you link up is to answer the following questions:
1. what state you are in
2. your current teaching position

3. your teaching experience

4. when you started blogging

5. share a blogging tip / blogging resource

Here are my answers:

1. Ohio

2. Intervention Specialist for grades 4 and 5 (ED)

3. I have been at my current school for the past 15 years, but different grade level- I moved down from 7th! I also have taught in Dade County, Florida for high school, on an island in Lake Erie as a resource teacher grades 1 - 10, and at a vocational school in Ohio.

4. I started blogging in July of this year!

5. Ask questions, I emailed different bloggers that I liked for advice or how to do things, like create pages or buttons! Everyone wants to help! I also viewed you tube videos and took many notes!

 I am so glad that I started blogging! I love reading blogs and get so many great ideas, and I hope to return the favor! Somedays, I don't have anything to say, so I'm thinking of wriiting up a list of topics that I think others would be interested in and schedule this list throughout the year.

Awesome Burlap Hanging Giveaway!

Nicole over at Rowdy in Room 300 is having a give away. She has made 3 different styles of door or wall hangings from burlap and will make one for 2 lucky winners!! Check out her blog! She even tells how to make the hangings if you are crafty and can work with material and sewing!!

Another Linky Party- this time with picture books!

Isn't this the coolest linky party? I love picture books! I have used picture books in all of my years of teaching- even with seventh graders!! Older students may complain about the book, but when I start to read, they are engaged in the book! Here are a couple of my absolute favorites;

Listen Buddy

I love reading this to get the idea across that everyone needs to listen to directions!

Piggie Pie  a great book for Halloween! I love reading it with a witchy voice!!


Dectective LaRue  also good for point of view and fact/opinion









And lastly, but not least, I love reading fairy tales and comparing the different versions! Here's three of my favorites;

Once Upon a cool Motorcycle Dude

True Story of the 3 Little Pigs

Goldilocks and the 3 Hares

Make sure you go over to The Teacher Wife's blog and check out other recommendations for picture books and link up your own choices!

Monday Made it Link Up

Another week has gone by! I had grand plans of creating and making various centers this week, I did get 3 done, but I had thought I would have a cagillion completed!! I started out with a center that I saw at A Love 4 Teaching I liked the fact that it will be different each time the student uses it! It is Money Dice. I printed off a money worksheet from Donna Young's site and mod-podged them onto 3 wooden blocks I bought at Michael's. I painted the blocks first. The students will roll 2 or 3 dice and add up the amount of money showing on the top. They can keep track of which player gets the highest roll or they can add up 5 different rolls.

The next center I made came from An Uncommon to the Core Teacher I love games where players can lose their matches! This game is for multiplication and if you go to her site, you can get the rules and directions to download! I bought my container at the Dollar Tree and made the lemons and limes with my Cricut! I did change the Pucker Up limes to say "Too Sour" because I worry that my ED boys would have a field day with saying "pucker up!"

My third center is a spin off of all the popcorn word games. My students have a hard time telling time, so I wanted to make a game for reading clocks. So I made Popcorn Time! I downloaded clocks from Phillip Martin's site, put them into a powerpoint, and printed them off. Then I handmade popcorn kernels and glued the clocks on. On a couple of the pieces, I put the words "pop" and "burnt." If a student draws a "pop" then he/she has to put back 5 of his/her clocks. If "burnt" is drawn, then everyone playing has to put back 3 clocks. Just an added twist! To keep a clock, the student has to correctly read the time on the clock. I put all the pieces in a plastic popcorn box. I also made some clocks that show times like 1:40 and 12:05. I did outline the harder clocks in brown to add to the game later or for the students that need to practice telling time to the minute.

The only thing I've had time to make for my home or self is meals and the bed!! Maybe someday I'll create something for my home! Now, off to check out all the other good ideas over at 4th Grade Frolics ! I'm hoping to find something cool to do, as temps are to be over 100 degrees tomorrow!

Wow! I found the sweetest site for making worksheets and other math-y items! I am making money center materials and couldn't find any money clip art that I liked, so I searched google... and found this Donna Young I made 2 different money worksheets that I wanted just by copying and pasting the various coins. I made problems using both sides of the coins so that my students will get practice in identifying coins. I'm hoping that when I print out the sheets, the coins will be big enough to put on those wooden blocks I bought at Michael's the other day. I saw the idea somewhere in the blogging world and want to recreate money dice. I just was so excited about the site I found I had to share!!
Now, I have to start up the grill to begin the cook-out!! Have a great week end!

I bit the shopping bug!

I'm linking up my finds with Elizabeth at Fun in Room 4B I love seeing what everyone has found during the week!

I couldn't help myself...I kept reading other people's blogs about the cool stuff they got at Target, Hobby Lobby, Michael's, Dollar Tree, and well, you get the idea. Anyways, I decided I had to go to Target the other day to get cat food- can't let my little divas starve! While I was there, I just HAD to check out the dollar spot. Well, I couldn't find any light bulb or globe stress balls, but I did find back scratchers that I could use in my chill out bag. I also saw pocket charts, but for some reason forgot to put them in my basket!! So... today I went back to Target - I needed my decongestant (sorry, honey, forgot to get it yesterday and I'm out!). Still no lightbulb or globe stress balls, but I did get a purple pocket chart, rhyming dictionaries for my writing center,bookmarks, and plastic folders for my binder. I then went next door to Michael's and bought a plastic tote, paint, wooden blocks,owl nameplates,  and note pads. On to Dollar Tree where I picked up some baskets to hold journals-  and then to Meijer to buy a craft bead container and clothespins. Don't worry, I also bought the decongestant and cat food!!

My favorite find for the home is an....

Iced Tea Maker! With all the hot and dry weather we've been having, I decided that I could buy this, make my own iced tea and save lots of money! Momma will be needing new shoes for school!

 

Now, I am busy, busy, busy making all of the projects for the new school year with my buys. When I finish the projects, I'll post them. But for now, all of us including the diva kitties are happy!

Have a wonderful, open window weather kind of day!!

Monday Made It! Should I raise my hand?

I'm linking up with Tara, over at 4th Grade Frolics for the weekly Monday Made It! I have gotten so many great ideas for the classroom! For my project this week, I got inspired by a conference that I attended and the speaker stressed to have clear rules and procedures- even for when students should raise their hands. I kept thinking about how some of my students in my class during whole group discussions or brainstorming, would raise their hands and get upset when they didn't get called upon, before someone else listed their ideas. Also I have had those students whom never seem to raise their hands during class and just blurt out their answers! So I made a sign to help everyone know when they should raise their hand or when they can shout out an answer. First, I made my signs in powerpoint and printed them out. I then glued them onto scrapbook paper- red to signal when to stop, and raise hands and green for when it's okay to talk out.

I should mention that I put the rules for discussion on the sign- don't interrupt and stay on topic. My students need a lot of visual cues!

Here are the close ups of the signs-

  

I then put the signs into a scrapbook plastic page protector (?) I'm not sure if that is what it is called, it's the plastic page that the papers go in and then go into an album. I then tied ribbon through the holes to make a hanger. In my room, at the front of the class, I have hooks on the blackboard, so I will hang the sign from one of the hooks and be able to flip over the sign depending on the situation!

This was an easy project and low cost! I just used fonts and clip art from my computer. I will be practicing and having my students to practice and model the behaviors I want for different situations!  

Whooo's Blogging?

These are a few of my favorite blogs! I love looking at all the good ideas and reading about other people's lives.



 

  




Super Pig and Tyrant King                            Think * Share * Teach


   Baking, Crafting, and Teaching