Preparing for School Linky Party

Mrs. Crouse is having her  first ever linky party and she's looking for participants!

Click here to join the linky party

There's 3 rules:
1. Post about this linky party on your blog
2. Follow Mrs. Crouse's blog ({6th Grade} All-Stars)
3. Answer the following 5 questions (include documents if you have them):

 

- What grade do you teach?

***I'm teaching 4th grade this year. 

- What is the greatest advice you received during your 1st year of teaching?

***Pick one thing and one thing only to focus on--if you have too many goals for yourself, you'll become frustrated, stressed, and your to-do list will never end. (Even now, after 9 years of teaching, my to-do list still doesn't end. But I've learned to balance work with the rest of my life. Before work was my life.)

- Do you have a checklist that you follow when preparing your classroom (include the checklist)?

 ***Unfortunately, I've never used a classroom checklist to prepare my room. I've learned to take pictures of the classroom in June, so I can think about what I want to do with it over the summer.  

- What are some must haves in your classroom that you cannot live without (ex. items, books, posters, management strategies)?

***I must have A LOT of books for my kiddos to read! I also cannot live without fabric, which I use to cover my bulletin boards and those unsightly tops of closets that store all my teacher stuff. I definitely cannot live without a glue gun!! I hot glue EVERYTHING!! The best part is that it peels right off and if it doesn't, the kids love pulling it off the wall :o)

- What is something that all teachers should have in their classroom?

***I have a lot of inspirational quotes in my room. This year, a student I had in my test prep class, said to me, "You must be really proud of your students. I can tell you really believe in them." I asked her how she knew, and she started reading off some of the signs I had up in the room! It was sweet :o)

(Another reason why I have so many quotes, I figure when they stop listening to me, they can look around and read the valuable life lessons on the wall :o)

Communication Folder

So long story short, I'm moving to fourth grade this school year. I have mixed feelings about this, especially because this the group that caused teachers to retire and go on sabbatical. 

Don't get me wrong, I've had tough classes before, but I've been spoiled with a lot of good ones in between. 

I've already started to think about how I can be proactive about the behavior, which leads me to my inspiration...Leslie at KindergartenWorks! She instills responsibility in her kindergarten students using her awesome communication folder. Thanks Leslie!

Seeing that I teach 4th grade, I had to adapt a few aspects of the folder to fit my friends; here's what I did...

This section is for anything that needs to be signed and returned.

I inserted a plastic sleeve in all the folders for notes to and from home.

There is a whole year's worth of calendars in the folder. I wrote in days off and half days using the school system's calendar.

Part of my behavior plan is the clip chart system, which is outlined on the upper left side of the calendar.

 Here's my thinking with the calendars...each day the students color in where they fell on the clip chart by the end of the day. If anyone has to move their clothespin down the chart, I plan on writing in a code showing what the student did that caused the move. Here's the code and offenses...

***I don't know the author of the original file (which is below)--I'd love to give this teacher credit. If you are the author or know where this came from, please let me know so I can give appropriate credit. Thanks!!**

    **This form is from Mrs. Nichols at Polka Dot Patch.

You have to love Pinterest!!**

 

 

My intention is to have all parents sign the colored box each day, that way they know how the day went. 

The back of the folder is for any notices that don't need to be returned.

That's it...my Communication Folder for 2012-2013 put together and ready to go! Let me know what you think :o)

Advice for New Bloggers Linky Party

I'm linking up with Patti from  Tales From a Fourth (and Fifth) Grade Teacher with advice for new bloggers.


I want to premise this by saying...I am not an expert blogger! I still consider myself a beginner--nonetheless, I love learning from all types of bloggers and I'm sure I'll learn a few tricks through this linky party!

Click here to join the linky party!

This is something I need to do with my own blog--it's definitely on my summer to do list! 

Two Awards and Nominations

I know I've been a little MIA with the blogging...I'm one of those 'I need to be in the mood' people, so getting motivated and inspired to post has been difficult for me!


Hopefully though, with my summer vacation only two weeks in, I can find some inspiration :o)


In the meantime, Olivia at Classroom Craft has awarded me two awards...

Thank you Olivia!! I really appreciate receiving these two awards :o)

Here are the rules for the 'One Lovely Blog Award':
1. Follow the person who gave you the award.
2. Link back to the person who gave you the award.
3. Share the love! Pass the award onto 15 new bloggers!

Rules for "The Versatile Blogger" Award:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you.

2. Include a link to their site.

3. Include the award image in your post.

4. Give 7 random facts about yourself.

5. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the award.

6. When nominating, include a link to their site.

7. Let other bloggers know they've been nominated.

7 Random Facts about myself:

1.  My hubby and I picked out strong names for our twins with nicknames of Luke and Leia (from Star Wars!). (yes, we have a boy and a girl!)

2. I love shopping at the Gap--and if it's an Outlet Store with a kid's section, it gets very dangerous!

3. I have over 20 subscriptions to magazines! It's bad...really it is!

4. I love journals and pens--I have a collection of journals that I haven't used yet. My reason...they're just too pretty! 

5. I've started knitting about 5 different projects and have finished none of them!


6. I was on a bowling league with my hubby and BFF (usually there's 4 people on a team, we had 3) and during our second year on the league, we came in third place! I went from an average of 110 to well over 150 and had bowled two games over 200!! I was just getting good and we had to stop bowling because of the babies, but hopefully we'll join again!


7. I was named after my great grandma (first name) and my grandma (middle name).


Here's the 15 blogs I'm nominating for both awards...
--Lisa at Fourth and Ten
--Donna at Math Coach's Corner
--Mandy at Mandy's Tips For Teachers
--Lauren at Life in Middle School
--Lana at 4 the love of teaching
--Amanda at The Teaching Thief
--Marcia at Learning in Bliss
--Nicole at Colorful Teaching
--Leea at Set This Circus Down
--Mary at Pitner's Potpourri
--Becca at Simply Second Resources
--Amanda at Mrs. McDonald's 4th Grade
--Colleen at Fantastically Fun and Fresh Fourth Grade Ideas
--Emily at In My Classroom: The Forest and the Trees
--Katie at Teaching: The Art of Possibility

Managing Behavior

Today marks the end of Day 2 of our extremely LLLLLOOOOONNNNNGGGGG state ELA test! We have one more day to go this week...then we move onto the Math test...next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.


Testing on a Friday...are they kidding me??!! But I digress!!


Well, with all this testing, other issues come into play...lack of routines, built up anxiety, spring fever, and senioritis (as Mrs. Thompson of Nerdy, Nerdy, Nerdy calls it in her March Madness post!)


I'm definitely feeling the same way as the kids! The jumbled schedules and the back to back lunch and prep is killing me--as well as the behavior of my class. I feel like the drama is on overdrive and it's one issue compounded with the next. (The best part is that it doesn't happen when I'm in the room...yet, I'm left picking up the pieces! Funny how that works out!)


Anywho, to help me keep track of these unwanted behaviors (and cover all my bases...a little C. Y. A., if you know what I mean ;) I put this together to help me...

Click HERE to get this

It's an anecdotal record form to keep track of what's happening with the kids in my class. (Sorry it's so blurry!!) I started using it today and it was very convenient. (I tried jotting all the information in a notebook, but it wasn't as organized. I have a thing with finding information quickly and easily!)

What do you use to help maintain order during the last months?

Also, I'd love to hear your comments about this freebie if you download it :o)

Tips to Achieve Excellent Writing

I am sharing my love of the written word as part of the Superb Writers' Blogathon. In partnership with Grammarly grammar checker, this series is giving bloggers the opportunity to share helpful hints.

My favorite tips to achieve excellent writing...here it goes!

1. MODEL, MODEL, MODEL
     I keep my own writer's notebook. 
                                       

This is the cover of my notebook.

     I write the day's teaching point (TP) in it and I show the students how to tackle it. Sometimes I vary the modes in which I model--at times, I write in front of them and I show them what I'm thinking as I write. Other times, I have the TP already done and I tell them about the challenges I faced as I wrote and how I "figured" it out.
     

This was our unit on folktales--we wrote our own folktales using facts and details about Canada and the Inuit culture. The purpose of the table was to begin thinking about the elements of a story (lesson/moral, problem, and solution)--it also helped us to think about what we wanted to put in our story mountains.

The lesson after creating the story mountain was to begin drafting. However, as I tried to draft my folktale, I ran into a road block. That's when this lesson on perspective was born.

     


2. Allow for conversation
      When I read aloud my pieces, my students see how I get my ideas on paper. They ask questions, they offer suggestions (which are usually new ideas that I incorporate), and they want clarification--these are all skills I want them to use when they think about their own writing. During writer's workshop, once the collecting phase is over and the drafting has begun, the classroom is buzzing with students talking about their writing. It's amazing the how the buzz changes from September to now--they are focused and serious. They want their current pieces to be better than the last!


3. Choice
    I've always been an advocate for student choice. I know that in order for the writing to be exceptional, it needs to matter for the authors--topics and issues that are passionate to them.
    Many years ago, I taught social issues through poetry. My students used current events to help them create their poetry anthologies--some of which were on heavy topics like child abuse (this was when Nixz Mary Brown case was new), animal abuse, divorce, and 9-11. The messages within these poems were ones that filled the readers with incredible emotions--both of which would not have happened if I limited their poems to topics like the beach or summer.

This a poem about divorce titled The Suitcase.

                                           


4. Allow students to take risks
    I let my students know that writing is a way to share those stories within their hearts or the anger they feel because of a decision someone made. I show them that their writing matters and how to clearly show others their purpose.

A poem about animal abuse.

 
To me, writer's workshop is where the magic happens :o)

Upper Grade Linky Party

Lorraine of Fabulous Fourth Grade Froggies is having an upper grade linky party! There are so many 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade blogs out there!

Click here to check it out!

My First Award!

I am so excited to receive this LOVELY award from 3 Teacher Chicks! 

Here are the rules for the Lovely Blog Award:

1. Link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Pass the award onto 15 bloggers.

3. Follow the person who sent it to you.

This is really tough since there are so many blogs out there that I adore...I think my blog roll says it all!

1. Chrissy at Buzzing with Ms. B 

2. Amy at Juice Boxes and Crayolas 

3.  5th Grade Rocks, 5th Grade Rules
4. Krista at Stellar Students
5. Rachel at Go Fourth with Ms. Owens
6. Thoughts of a Third Grade Teacher
7. Heather at Up Owl Night
8. Jen R at TheTeachers Cauldron
9. Vicky at Traditions, Love, and Happily Ever After
10. Melissa at Dilly Dabbles
11. Rundes Room
12. Janaye at Tales of Frogs and Cupcakes
13. Amy at The Resource(ful) Room
14. Kristin at Ladybug's Teacher Files
15. Heather at  Heather's Heart

Toddlers and Test Prep

Today officially marks the halfway point of my much needed vacation! Although, I really haven't been relaxing much, especially with 16 month old twins :o)


I've enter the fun, yet VERY challenging stage in motherhood--toddlers. I know you know what I'm talking about...the tantrum when one takes the others toy or the word "no' is uttered and young one doesn't like it. Oh and did I mention the picky eater...just.like.my.hubs! Feeding time is an adventure in itself...who would have known that peas...yes PEAS would save the day! Personally I think peas are one of the most disgusting foods, but he eats it (both prince and hubs)--go figure!


In my classroom, we're gearing up for...dare I say it...test prep and our very long journey to Canada! More on Canada later!


In preparation for the tests, I started to pull out all my test prep material and pile it by the fireplace...for burning storage. Well...princess was playing in her playpen with her brother when I hear different sounds streaming from her mouth--this wasn't the typical string of words and gibberish...it was new and fresh. I look over and what do I see, princess sitting on the floor, looking at a test prep book! A TEST PREP BOOK--not Sesame Street or the Berenstein Bears...TEST PREP! Not yet pumpkin, not yet! (Possibly a portent of things to come?)


I'll be working on some test preppy material and Canada resources...I hope to post them soon! Until then, what are your thoughts on test prep? How are you (or have been) preparing your friends?

Currently...

Farley at Oh Boy 4th Grade is having a giveaway/linky party!!

I'm pretty excited about this because...1: there's a quiet pencil sharpener involved and 2: it's my first "currently"! I don't know what took me so long to try this!!

Thank you Farley for hosting this linky party :o)