Thursday is the time to party!

I'm joining up with two linky parties! I love a good party! Please join us and we'll have a good time!

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Miss Squirrel is having a linky party for quick and easy recipes, which just happen to be my favorite kind of meals! I went through all of my recipes looking for a good meal that is quick, easy, has common ingredients, and won't break the bank to make.  This is a recipe that I've made several times and the Mr. claims these are the best pork chops he has ever eaten!

Spicy Pork Chops- you could substitute chicken or maybe a steak? Basically the recipe is a rub.
Ingredients:
1- 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons worchestershire sauce
4 boneless pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
Directions:
1. Preheat broiler or grill
2. Combine the first 5 ingredients. Stir until a paste forms.
3. Rub on both sides of the chops (or other meat of your choice)
4. Broil or grill 4 to 5 min. per side until no longer pink.

I make these with corn on the cob, that I do in the microwave (husks on) 2 ears for 8 minutes, then take out, hold with pot holder or oven mitt, cut off the bottom end (not the silk end) push cob out of the just cut end and you will only have a few pieces of silk on the cob!  I also have served with green beans and baked potatoes. I like it because it is so easy and yummy!

Teaching in Room 6

Stephanie from Teaching in Room 6 is hosting a linky party to help out newer teachers. Actually I believe anyone can learn from some of the great tips and advice. I know that even after 20 + years of teaching, I'm still learning from other teachers!
1. Never stop learning! Sign up for any free or low cost workshop, seminar, class that is offered. I've even watched webinars on my computer at home. I've taken science workshops and received free items and even guest speakers to come into my class! It is a way that I can bring in new information and ideas to my class so that my teaching continues to grow and stay fresh and exciting.
2. Admit your mistakes and ask for help. We as teachers tend to get in a mindset that we know, or should know, the answers to it all. I have had students ask me questions that I don't know the answer to and suggest that they research it, or that we will look for additional resources to find out more information. I've also made many mistakes in the classroom. It's a lot easier to aologize and admit it right away then it is to hope that no one will notice and "sweep it under the rug". As soon as I don't know what to do or have trouble with a situation, I ask. I might even ask several people in case the first one doesn't know either! We all have had times that we can't think clearly and need help.
3. Plan for anything! Prepare and over prepare lessons. What seems like it will last 20 minutes may end up lasting 5 or may not even be able to occur because of students behaviors or actions. Always have a back up plan available. I like to have a folder with several time fillers like review games, lessons that require little or no materials, or team building exercises. This way if my class is having a hard time concentrating on reading about the War of 1425 (or whatever) or a student is having a crisis and we have to leave the room in order to be safe, I can have my class still learn and be productive. One of my students' favorite activities is the boggle game or I give them a word or phrase and they have to write out all the words they can using just the letters in the given word or phrase.



Wednesday, ...What?!

I can't believe how fast the days are flying by! It's August!  I have 14 days left of vacation, before the staff meetings begin. Students will start school in 21 days. I need to stop looking at new projects and get the necessary lesson plans, standard checklists, morning work, and homework calendars prepared and ready to print. This is the scary part of changing rooms and grade levels, I'm not super familar with the material and standards! I'm also trying to figure out my schedule for the day and I think I have it down for the first few weeks. I usually make a schedule and try it out for a couple of weeks before I make a permament schedule. I try to get my reading, language arts, and math covered in the morning before lunch. After lunch, my students usually shut down, so I like to work on the skills that they tend to be lacking in. So after lunch, we do science, social studies, a program called Circles- which teaches students about boundaries and personal space. I also will have a behavior specialist come in everyday to teach coping and social skills for 30 minutes, which might have to be in the afternoon. I'm trying to keep the Daily 5, or 3, completed in one block of time, but that might have to change. Then there's the morning meeting and afternoon wrap up times to schedule, plus gym, art, music, and sensory! I will probably change my schedule 30 more times before school starts! My husband laughs, because I'll be watching television and all of a sudden I will grab my notebook and scribble out a new schedule!

My rules and procedures don't change from year to year. I write my classroom rules so that they state what the students should be doing, instead of what they shouldn't be doing. For example, my students do tend to be physically and verbally aggressive to each other and staff, so my rule is Keep your body and words safe, instead of Don't hit, kick, pinch, bite, spit on, yell at, swear at,....well you get the picture. There's no way that I could list everything that the students shouldn't do, and then they would probably think they could do the one thing that I left off the list! Also, research has shown that the brain hears the action part of the request. So if I tell a student "Don't run in the hallway!" That student will hear the word run, and then will run in the hall. This year, I do want to make visual posters to go with the rules. I'm going to have my students act out the rules and procedures, showing the appropriate way- they all know too well how to not follow the rules, so we have to practice (a lot) on how to follow the rules!

I had planned on linking up with Tara for the Monday Made It party, but I didn't finish my projects, so I'll keep working on them for next week. I've seen a lot of great linky parties out there in blogland, so I'm trying to get all of them in a post, or two. So I'm off to finish up my projects and keep printing, laminating, and planning! I think I'll need a nap after all of that!

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!