Blog? What blog??

I think the title captures it best...

It seems as though these past three weeks (wait...the third week isn't over yet!) have been a complete blur.  I think I blinked somewhere between the time I received my class list and now and it was gone.  Every teacher everywhere knows exactly how I am feeling right now...I am sure of it.  You prep.  You cut.  You hang.  You clean. You decorate. You spend.  You decorate some more.  You copy.  

And then they come.

Then you blink and time has gone by so quickly you can't even believe it.  

Or at least I can't.  

It's been well over a week now since my last post and oddly enough this has become (even just in this short while) my therapy if you will.  I heart writing.  Every student I've every had will tell you the same.  Some will even grimace and groan while saying it...but nevertheless, I do love writing.

When I was in second grade we had to keep a journal at school.  It was used more for free writing rather than teacher directed prompts or guided writing I suppose.  Either way...from there a long, long, long line a journal writing ensued.  (What makes my mom crazy to this day is that I still own all of them from second grade till now...and she can't open the trunk where I keep them.  he he.  Can we say nosey?!?!  Kidding, Mom!  Sort of.)

So I guess it's fair to say, I haven't gone to therapy in a while and I'm going through a little writing withdrawal.  My head is getting full.  I'm starting to itch.  My knees are shaking.  And I just need to write SOMETHING.  ANYTHING.  

What's funny to me is that over the last three-ish weeks, as we have done activities and established new routines, I have soooo many topics I would LOVE to write about.  But as every teacher knows....finding the time is truly impossible.  Or rather IMPOSSIBLE!

Unfortunately, this is not my week though to find the time to post about all the fun back to school activities we've completed or new things I have created.  Tonight is just about sneaking in a few minutes to say, "Phew...it's been a while!"

Balancing both the teacher and mom hats this week have proven to be a little challenging due to all the Parent Orientations (my own girls and my classroom one), cheerleading commitments, and non-teaching related work commitments.  However, "THIS IS IT" so...I'm taking my 15 minute break.   Parent orientation prep can pause briefly.   The house is quiet so the mom hat can come off momentarily.  Other work related tasks are calling my name but will just have to wait a few seconds longer.  

For this teacher needed a 15 minute therapy session...even if just to ramble.  Ahhhhh...feels good.

#therapeuticrelief

A bit of everything

I'm cutting it right down to the wire...

I promised some goodies this weekend and I try to always keep my word.  Even if it is Sunday night at exactly midnight when I'm posting this...  Oops!  It's amazing how fast the weekend goes...especially when you have your own kiddos and their activities to contend with all weekend.  

This house is now quiet and everyone is fast asleep getting rest before our first full week of school.  And boy do we all need it!  Last week was a whirlwind of celebrating a wedding with family to inservices to planning to presenting to teaching all those brand new back-to-school routines and expectations.  

By Friday night, I was OUT. COLD.  

And then I blinked and the weekend was over.

So rather than share a lengthy written post, I thought I'd do a "Sunday Snapshots" of sorts.  Here's a look at a little bit of everything I've been doing lately...in pictures.

Getting the classroom ready...

my reading nook

guided reading bins for quick access (with new labels!)

color wheel and crayons (available for purchase!)

a new and improved student reading bins

cutting, cutting, and more cutting...

Hanging with these fab people...

the girlies

my little guy

family time minus one

a little wedding fun on the bus

more fun on the bus

Doing hair... (just a hobby, clearly not a professional!!)

doing lots of hair!

lots and lots of hair!

Sending my own kiddos off to school...

starting Kindergarten

starting 3rd grade

Being a proud mom...

cheering

Finishing up products to share...

Crayon posters available in my store!

Get your hippo goodies!

Posters available, too!

Clearly, a little bit of everything!  Check out my store for more goodies to help get your classroom ready for the 2014-15 school year.  

More products in the works...but not tonight.  Tomorrow those 6 and 7 year olds need me to be at my best!  Therefore, I think it's time to join the rest of my sleeping house.... Zzzz.

Phew...

Inservices Monday and Tuesday...

Long.  Busy.  Overwhelming.

Day 1...

Came and went.  Fabulous day!!  No one cried and that's always a great thing in first.  Phew! 

Such great kids and so excited about starting a new year with brand new firsties.   (Although I saw several "oldies" and like every teacher everywhere, made me a little sad as they passed my room to go on to second grade.  Sniffle.)

We made our class rules and stuffed them in our hippos.  The kiddos loved being able to make their own rules and set up our expectations together.  They then discovered soon after, they remembered them even without the list visible because they are now stored in their hippocampus.  

Be still my heart!  First day and all!  Love, love, love.

Day 2...

Even better.  Work was slower.  Kids were chattier.  Learning was happening.  

Couldn't ask for more.

When the principal came in, they were sooo excited to tell him all about the hippo in their head and to tell him how he had a hippo, too.  Can't imagine what he was thinking!

We started making hippo books today that will continue throughout the year.  Each time we need to "store" information into our long-term memory (hippocampus), we will learn it and then add it to our hippo books.  

I have done this before with previous classes but not as early as Day 1 and 2.  It was a terrific way to launch them into first grade.  I'm sure their parents are wondering what in the world I am teaching them.  Soon they will find out...I like parents to experience my madness sometimes before I label it...just like the students.  

Tomorrow is Day 3...

And Friday...

And an assembly...

If it weren't for my own three lovies, I'm 100% sure, I'd be sleeping tomorrow at 3:30pm.  Unfortunately, I don't think it'll happen.

My feelings exactly!
Even he thinks it was an exhausting week.

For now, I'm off to rest up for Day 3.  And yes, I promise this weekend I will be posting more products.  They are just about finished and ready to load.  Thanks for your patience and understanding. 

So much to share...so little time.

Here we go...

Well I was going to post all of my fab goodies yesterday.  Didn't.  Happen.

Last week was a complete blur filled with countless nights up past 3am and up again by 7am.  What?!?!    After stressing to get my classroom ready, I enjoyed a fun weekend with my entire family at my gorgeous niece's wedding.  Absolutely perfect! 

And then it was all over.  (insert tears here!)

Then Sunday morning rolled in and the anticipation of today set in.  Unpacking from the weekend.  Cleaning the office.  Getting activities ready.  Busy.  Busy.  All was good until it got later and later.  

Picture it...computer keyboard + drool + passed out teacher = give up and go to bed

Needless to say, no time to post any goodies.  And today...well, this should sum it up.  

So I'm off to our first big day!  Let the fun begin!

Crunch time

I'm attempting a post while on the go...off to our big family weekend! Going to try to squeeze in a little relaxation starting with a mani pedi combo with my favorite girls!

Then it's a busy weekend of fun, family, and squeezing in millions of hugs and smooches before school starts and our time together is limited. (Not sure my third grader would appreciate me smoochin' on her in the halls!)

I posted pictures long ago of my classroom at the preliminary stages but I'm happy to say...it no longer looks like that. Phew! (I will be uploading pics later...struggling to link them via phone.) 

I also have some great new products that will be uploaded hopefully Sunday.  Just in time for the start of the new year! 

I'm a color girl and LOVE me some color. In fact, I'm sure to some my room may be a little too much color...but it makes me happy to use all the colors.  When I taught third, I was into all the themes and classroom decor matching. After all, I have an early childhood degree and that's how I was trained to think. When I moved to first and had to buy or make everything new, I decided I didn't want to commit my new classroom to just a certain theme. (It also costs a lot more $$$ to keep changing themes as my husband reminded me every fall.) So when I started first I thought for a log time about what was ME. And I came up with color. It was really the only thing I was ready to commit to. After all, color goes with everything. Stars, polka dots, stripes, chevron. Everything. Therefore, a lot of my decor over the last four years has just been building on that color "theme."

Recently I decided to redo my guided reading bin labels, create new posters and inspirational signs, and updated some decor around my room. (Again...pictures coming soon.)

I'm excited to share all the fun things I've made!! After this jam-packed weekend ends and Sunday night rolls around, I'll share some of those goodies!

Until then, stay tuned for some fun pics...when I have access...and a bigger linking device. He he

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who shopped at my store these last two days!  I am thrilled to be able to share some of the fun things I do with others.  Hopefully, you found something useful!

With the back to school craziness in full swing, I have several projects in the works but finding the time to complete them to selling satisfaction has been extremely limited.  I literally have only the next two days (and not full days...can you hear the crying and panic from your house??!!) to get everything ready to go.  Stressed. Out. Totally.  (We have a big family function this weekend and it's the first time since beginning my teaching career I will not have the weekend before school starts to do any last minute things for my room or my plans.  #freakinlikenobodysbusiness)  

Trying to keep balanced by reminding myself that being with family on this joyous occasion is a good thing.  However, the balance in my head feels more like an elephant and a mouse on either end of a seesaw...can you guess which one is my list of things to do for school???  

That being said...my usual super long posts will have to be super short tonight.  

Computer time awaits...designing, creating, and planning.  

Hopefully, tomorrow I will be able to post my next product.  Hopefully.  Fingers crossed...

Neat Work = Fabulous!

One of my many favorite activities to do at the very beginning of the school year (I'm talking Day 2!) is my "Tips for Neat Work."  Building a strong classroom management foundation and establishing new routines are extremely important.  

Equally important to me is setting students up for success with their quality of work.

Years and years ago, I got sick and tired of saying, "Slow down.  Take your time.  Do your best!"  (Does any other teacher say those things?  #kidding!)

I decided to be proactive.  Really...it was when I came to first grade and realized that if I (being a primary teacher) didn't establish the importance of quality and pride in work, some students may begin to form poor habits of rushing and scribbling.  Can't have that!!  After teaching third grade for 10 years I realized how difficult it is to change those habits in just a 9 year old.  

So...enter a new fave!

On the second day of school, which may seem early, but really there is a lot of coloring and drawing those first couple weeks of school...for all grade levels.  I wanted to be sure my students knew that I was not expecting VanGogh to walk through the door, but that my expectation was simply that they put in their best effort.  After all...you don't go to the store or library to get a book and pick out the one with scribbling and scratch outs, right?!

To read about the activity, check out my new product...

Referring back to the poster as needed throughout the year helped students to know exactly what my expectations were.  If the message we want to send to others is that we are proud of our work, then shouldn't the effort match that?  

The poster included is also one I send home for parents at the beginning of the year to help reinforce these ideas at home.  I have heard wonderful, positive feedback from some parents who's child wants to rush through their homework or skip some parts to play.  They are able to refer to the poster hanging on the fridge (or wherever their homework spot is) and remind the child of the importance of neat work.

#waytogoparents

What a terrific team both out for the student's best interest!

On another note...tomorrow starts the big

BACK TO SCHOOL SALE!

Check it out for 20% off everything in my store!

Only 9 more days til kids walk into my classroom...yikes! Gotta get shopping and creating.

You're a Star!

I did not attend a school that "celebrated everything."  However, I am a teacher who firmly believes in the power of acknowledging every effort and giving students feedback.  Too often we (yes, I do it, too) feel the need to tangibly reward students and our own children for good behavior or winning or just because.  Periodically that it is ok.  When we create the habit of doing so, it establishes a sense of entitlement in our students, and even in our own children.  They begin to expect those rewards and are only motivated by the tangibles.  If we want our children to grow into strong, confident, successful, and responsible citizens, we need to prepare them for success.

Taking time each week to celebrate students is a great way to say, "Hey, I care about you!  I would love to get to know you better!"  Children of all ages feed off that positive attention and want to make other's proud...even the most reluctant kiddo!  

In our class, we celebrate each week with a Star Student.  I have a letter to the parents and a student schedule for the year that is sent home the first week or so of school. I remind parents to hang it in a safe spot to help them remember when their child's week is getting closer.  

Usually, firsties never forget!!  

After a week or two of school beginning (ours is a week and a half since we begin on a Wednesday this year), I begin the Star Student tradition by presenting about me.  Students LOVE to see what their teacher shares and this creates a great foundation for student presentations and audience behavior throughout the year.  I strongly believe in great modeling so I take the time to thoroughly color my poster (and then laminating it to keep up for students to refer back to when going home to do theirs) and picking out my very perfect treasures to tell students about me.  Then, it's on to the first student the following week.  

Oh, the anticipation!  Monday mornings sometimes feel like Christmas morning (with less wrapping paper mess).  Students are so excited to bring in their treasures and begin their Star Week!! 

Last year, parents wrote letters to/about their child and sent it in a sealed envelope for me to read to the class on Friday during our special star time.  The most emotional part of my week, for sure!!  Dang those parents wrote such sweet things!  Each week my kids held their breath as I read the letters waiting for me to cry.  Stinkers!  But it was sweet and cute none the less.  This year I will be saving the letters and adding them to their memory books at the end of the year.  I figured that was a safer bet than just sending them home Fridays and hoping they made it back home and/or kept them.  

backpacks = black hole

So here it is in it's entirety!  You're A Star...A Star Student Packet

A terrific way to celebrate students and acknowledge them each week for just being themselves...a star!

And if you feel like doing some more shopping, 

check out the big sales coming up.

20% off my entire store! 

Aug 4-5th...

I'm slowly but surely adding more products to the store.  Be sure to check out what's there and then again when the sale begins!

Can't wait for...more to come...