Winners from last week: Siraya Gloudemans, Laura Martin, & Amy Swan! | | About: Grade: 2nd
Location: Villa Hills, Kentucky
Blogging for: about 9 months
Teaching for: 4 years
Other grades taught: K | Links: | What do you like best about the grade you teach? Least?
"I love that I can joke with these students and hold conversations with them. I have taught them how to be responsible and know that their efforts directly correlate with their success. Second grade is a grade that still can have tons of fun while starting to learn challenging reading standards."
What are your strengths as a teacher? Weaknesses?
Strengths: organization, technology, differentiation {Daily 5 really helps all of those strengths}
Weaknesses: worrier, huge procrastinator, not the best with documentation
What has been your most embarrassing teacher moment?
"One day, my Kindergarten students were doing their morning work and singing 'This Old Man' over and over and over again. I was SO tired of hearing it, so I asked them to quiet down.
Well, they didn't stop singing (of course) and I had one little boy in my class (everyone has that one little guy) who decided to start screaming the song at the top of his lungs.
Boy: "This old man, he played one, he played........"
Me: (fed up with the screaming song, turned around to scream boy's name and ask him to hush, but when I turned around to scream "{NAME}", I turned around and screamed.....) KNICK KNACK!!!
Instead of saying the boy's name, I finished his song for him at the top of my lungs. My teaching assistant and I lost it and I was mortified to say the least."
If you could change only one thing about your classroom, what would it be? (more room is obvious... haha)
"I really miss my bean shaped table from my Kindergarten room! I really wish I had more space to meet in small group. I'm usually meeting up with groups on the floor and sometimes teaching outfits don't do so well on the floor." "Also, I'd love revamp my room using School Girl's Style's inspiration." How much time do you spend planning? How often?
"Since I am a TPT seller, I always tie my products into my classroom lesson plans, so I spend about and hour or two a day planning lessons, plus an EXTRA hour or two creating those products!"
"My friends tease me saying that I am always stuck to my laptop... which may be true!"
What's the one part of your job that you dislike the most?
"I dislike that teaching has become very focused on the state/national assessment. We aren't supposed to "teach to the test", but we are finding that it is expected for these students to be prepared for these standardized tests before they even get into the 'testing grades'."
How do you see your role as a "teacher" changing in the next 5 years?
"I believe that my innovation and creativity will grow over the next few years even more than it has already. With technology on the rise and expectations higher and higher because of our new teaching evaluation system, being a "boring" teacher just isn't acceptable anymore! I am currently practicing brand new teaching strategies in the classroom and I don't believe that I'll ever be satisfied settling for what I did the year before. I'll always be improving and changing."
If you had the chance to add a certification (or skill) to your list of credentials, what would it be?
"I actually have a certification in Gifted and Talented and absolutely love it, but they are cutting all sorts of funds for that. So if G/T goes out the window, I would love to add Spanish to my list. I adore my Spanish speaking students and wish I could be more helpful with Spanish families."
If you weren't in education, what would you be doing?
"If I wasn't a teacher, I'd be a wedding/party planner in a big city."
Favorite Quote:
"Be who you are because those who mind don't matter and those that matter, don't mind."
-Dr. Seuss
Morning person or night owl?
"Night Owl!"
How do you keep your sanity? Or do you?
"My sanity is kept by four things: working out, white wine, friends, reading."
The most valuable piece of teacher advice I've received...
"What they taught you in college will NEVER fully prepare you for what you will find in the classroom."
"This still holds true after four years of teaching."
Some of Jessica's Products I like:
 St. Patrick's Day #/word match FREE
|  FindSomeone who.. icebreaker FREE
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|  Monthly Journal Prompts $$$
|  St. Patricks' Day Reading Comp. $$$
| Giveaway Time!
I hope you all have enjoyed getting to meet Jessica a little more! We are definitely going to meet up at some point because she's also a Kentucky girl! :)
Now it's time for a giveaway. 1 winner will receive the two prizes below. All you need to do is enter via the PunchTab box below. The giveaway will end tonight (Monday) at midnight (Pacific time), so be sure to enter before then! Good luck! I'll announce the winner in next week's post.
Some of you might remember the Thursday Three. No? I barely do. It was my attempt at showcasing three bloggers and three of their products. I like introducing you to bloggers, but that one wound up being like 2 hours of work (not kidding) and wasn't as fun as I wanted it to be. So, I've decided to do one per week. Each Monday, I'll introduce you to a teacher-blogger and give you a little sneak peek into their teaching life, show you some of their FREE and paid products, and host a little giveaway at the end of the post. :) First up..... | | About: Grade: 1st
Location: Georgia
Blogging for: 6 Months
Teaching for: 11 years... same grade... same room
| Links: | What do you like best about the grade you teach? Least?
"My favorite things about first grade have to be listening to how 6 and 7 year old kids communicate and watching them learn to write interesting, funny stories. Almost everything is new and exciting to them. They love to learn and if you make it fun, they have no clue they are learning."
"My least favorite thing about first grade is teaching students how to count money. This seems to be the hardest thing in the world for them to learn."
What are your strengths as a teacher? Weaknesses?
"My strengths are I'm a leader, I'm creative, and I'm a perfectionist."
"My weaknesses are I'm a pleaser, the word "No" isn't in my vocabulary, and I analyze everything."
What has been your most embarrassing teacher moment?
"My most embarrassing moment would have to be from a few years ago. I was playing kickball with my kids and was running for home. One of my kids got in front of me and the only way to not hurt him was to dive over him. That's not a huge deal when you are 16, but at 30 it was painful. He started crying because he thought he took out the teacher. I seem to be accident prone. I manage to fall at least once a year."
If you could change only one thing about your classroom, what would it be? (more room is obvious... haha)
"I would have an iPad for every kid in my classroom. I love my workspace and can honestly say it is exactly how I want it."
How much time do you spend planning? How often?
"I want to say I spend a few hours throughout the week planning. I don't usually do it all in one day. Plus, it never fails that I throw in a few extra activities that I find on Pinterest or blogs during the weekend."
What's the one part of your job that you dislike the most?
"Papers!!! I hate grading papers, homework folders, and anything else that requires checking and rechecking. I think some days I spend more time doing paperwork than anything else."
How do you see your role as a "teacher" changing in the next 5 years?
"I think I will continue to move towards doing more hands on lessons and small group teaching. I still think that there is a time to do whole group lessons, but over the last few years I've realized how much more my students seem to grasp when I follow whole group lessons with center activities."
"That's where I've really enjoyed Daily 5. It gives me the opportunity to do more small group instruction because so much of Daily 5 allows students to work independently. I can honestly say I didn't think it would work with first graders, but once I learned how to make it fit my own classroom, it has worked great."
If you had the chance to add a certification (or skill) to your list of credentials, what would it be?
"If I could add another certification, I'd go back and get my specialist in leadership or in instructional technology."
If you weren't in education, what would you be doing?
"Wow! I have no idea! I've wanted to be a teacher since I was seven. I feel like I'm getting paid to do what I've wanted to do my entire life. I guess if I wasn't a teacher, I would have been a coach or a missionary. I would have to do something where I'm helping people."
Favorite Quote: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."
-Philippians 4:8 | "One of my parents gave this to me 6 years ago and I've had it taped under my school keyboard since then. It just always reminds me of what really matters in life. If I focus on these things then everything else will fall into place."
| Morning person or night owl? "Night Owl" How do you keep your sanity? Or do you?
"The best way thing I do to keep my sanity is probably having a Coke a day and playing mindless games on my iPad. Oh, and hitting softballs. It's amazing how much that can release a little tension and stress."
The most valuable piece of teacher advice I've received...
"The world will keep going even if you take a day to do something for yourself. You will never have it all done. It's okay to work towards getting it all done, but put your family, friends, and those you love first because lesson plans, papers, and school will always be there. Those you love could be gone in a heartbeat."
Some of Faith's Products I like: 
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|  Ice Cream Literacy Centers $$$
| Giveaway Time! I hope you all have enjoyed getting to meet Faith a little more! Now it's time for a giveaway. 3 Winners will receive the two prizes below. All you need to do is enter via the PunchTab box below. The giveaway will end tonight (Monday) at midnight (Pacific time), so be sure to enter before then! Good luck!
Alright, I'm back this week with three more ladies you'll just love... if you don't already. See? I can make myself post more! Just gotta get into a routine. Haha!
Today, I'm featuring three lovely gals who have become three really great friends to network with. I blog/tpt-stalk all three. It's so weird... this technology thing. It amazes me how we can form such great relationships without ever meeting face-to-face. I hope to be able to meet up with them next year after we move back! | Sandra: Sweet Times in First
1st Grade ELD My girl, Sandra, is a 1st grade EDL teacher in Arizona. My husband and I lived in AZ prior to moving here and I miss it terribly. Slightly jealous of her weather situation right now. Her blog is super cute and I love seeing her kids at work. I have also really enjoyed getting to know her a little more on FB. She's incredibly sweet... maybe that's why her blog is named Sweet Times in First. :)  $ Stuffed Like a Turkey: CCSS-aligned math and LA activities for K-2. This pack is seriously awesome. I may have already had a peek at it and LOVE it. Do you recognize that clipart???? :) See on TPT
 FREE You have GOT to go get this from Sandra's shop. It's a free Thanksgiving word & sentence book. Adorable, perfect for K-2, and it will make you hungry. She's also got a free Zoo version too! See on TPT
 FREE This free math download! It's a K-1 number sort with different number models (digits, base 10, and 10 frames), directions, and a recording sheet! Love it. See on TPT
| Susan: Thank God It's First Grade!
1st Grade I found/stalked Susan's blog a while back. She's witty, super nice, and who doesn't love the saying TGIF? I love her blog header with the martini glass circled on Friday. Haha! She's my kind of girl. Susan and her hubby have a similar story to my husband and I. They moved far away from home to have a little fun before settling down. She's currently a Vegas girl!!! Woohoo!!! :)  $ Turkey Marlurkey... Turkey literacy activities! These are not only great to spice up your K-2 LA Thanksgiving plans, they're adorable too! Her turkey craft is darling. I love it! See on TPT
 FREE I couldn't have found this at a more perfect time. We're learning the bossy e this week! This is a great freebie from Susan. I'll definitely put it to use. See on TPT
 FREE Do you have a "Star of the Week?" I always loved doing it with my kinders. This is a great freebie that's been downloaded over 17,000 times. Whoa. The booklet pages are so perfect! See on TPT
| Lori: Teaching With Love and Laughter
K-2 Writing, Science, & Social Studies Lori is an 18 year veteran who teaches in Florida [insert jealousy face here]. Again, jealous of her weather. She is such a sweetheart and I just love her bright blog and products. We recently connected on Facebook and I am loving getting to know her more. She's genuinely nice and such a positive person. You'll love her too!  $ Thanksgiving Language Actvities... whoa. This pack is filled with great LA activities with a Thanksgiving twist. Lori does such a great job with her product previews. I love being able to see exactly what I'm getting from her. See on TPT
 FREE This is such a great freebie for teaching informational text. I think I can even use it for my older EFL kids! Simple, well made, and free! It's been downloaded almost 11,000 times. See on TPT
 FREE Classroom job badges! I LOVE these. Just print these out, slip them into those plastic badge holders, and you're good to go! So cute and colorful... and you don't have to ask "Who's the door holder today!?" See on TPT
| Well, I hope you found some new things today! These three are great to blog-stalk and their products are top-notch. Happy Thursday!
Hey there! In order to "force" myself to write more blog posts, I've decided that adding a little routine is best. "Technology Tuesday" has been making me think about what I want to write about during the week, which I like. I've got a couple more up my sleeves, but today I want to introduce you to "The Thursday Three."
My goal each Thursday is to share three bloggers with you... and three of their resources/ideas (2 free and 1 paid). I hope this will help you find some new amazing teachers to follow and/or resources to use with your kiddos. These will be bloggers that I personally stalk and love. The list is already long!
So, here we go. Today, I want to highlight three gals that have been a source of inspiration for me since I started blogging. I'm sure you already know them. No this is not a beauty contest. They all three just happen to be gorgeous. | Katie: Queen of the First Grade Jungle
1st Grade Katie has become somewhat of a virtual-BFF. I've never met her, yet I love her to pieces. She is super sweet, hilarious, and is incredibly supportive... not to mention she makes awesome things. She's also a KY girl, which I'm excited about. I can't wait to meet her next time we make it home for a visit!  $ I don't even teach math right now, but I had to have this. I bought it in hopes of being able to use it when we move back. Sometimes I just open up the file and look at it and swoon. It. is. awesome. See on TPT
 FREE Number Detectives. If you teach math, then you gotta have this. I also downloaded this just in case my EFL kiddos need some math practice. Haha! Katie has 2 versions: K-2& 3-5 See on TPT (K-2)See on TPT (3-5)
 FREE This cuteness is a story written by Katie to help her students understand "All or Nothing" subtraction. She actually used my monster clipart to make it! :) See on TPT
| Erica: Erica Bohrer's FIrst Grade
1st Grade I'm sure ya'll know Erica. Her blog was one of the first ones that I came across. I was immediately hooked for obvious reasons. She is incredibly supportive and she also might be a robot. I don't know how she does it all. Impressive!  $ I bought this a while back and LOVE it! It's Erica's Laura Numeroff author study pack. Um... it's awesome. If you use Laura's books, then this resource is THE perfect companion. I used it recently (at the beginning of school) with the mouse version. See on TPT
 FREE These freebies are perfect if you do read/write the room activities. They can easily be adapted. See on TPT
 FREE Are you busy? Yes? Here are some free and adorable lists (example above) that will help you get organized. See on TPT
| Abby: The Inspired Apple
1st Grade Third, omiword. It's Abby. This actually might be the very first blog I got addicted to. I love her mix of teaching and personal life. She's hilarious, stylish, and we actually had a class together in college, but didn't realize it until recently. We didn't recognize each other after all these years. I have to mention that we did a group project together and wrote a song: "Ghosts and Pumpkins." Debbie Clement, watch out. We're planning a reunion.  $ This is Abby's RTI pack for Kindergarten. I bought it recently and LLLURRRVVE it! I've been able to use it with my youngest EFL kiddos. Its such an awesome resource and a sweet deal for 273 pages. See on TPT
 FREE This also correlates to Abby's RTI pack above. It's been downloaded over 30,000 times, so sorry if you already have it! Haha! See on TPT
 FREE This is absolutely adorable. I have a thing for chevron and monsters. This is a great activity for spelling patterns! See on TPT
| Ok. So, what do you think about "The Thursday Three"? I hope you found something new. I know these three girls are superstars already, but they were the first three I wanted to showcase. Love 'em. :) Happy Friday-eve!
Today is an eclectic post. There's a little bit of everything in this one.... so let's get to it. First, the best part. A giveaway. Do you know Erica Bohrer? Of course you do. She teaches first grade, is a mom to some fur children, has 2 Scholastic books, and creates some amazing materials. She's a celebrity in 'Teacher Blogland.' We decided to team up and bring you a great giveaway. I'll dub it... The Word Wall Makeover Kit Giveaway. | | I posted my new Fry Mega Pack a few weeks ago and it's doing really well! You can read about it and see everything included in this post (lots of screenshots & photos. Or you can check it out and read reviews on TPT. I've been wanting to do a giveaway with it and Erica's new word wall labels match perfectly! You can check those out on TPT. So, the giveaway. The winner gets both of these products. Use them how you like, but they're perfect for anyone needing to give their word wall a little TLC. You can also implement a sight word program with my pack or supplement your existing one. Both packs combined equal a whopping 623 pages! And guess what? Everything is in black and white. Throw some colored cardstock in the printer and have at it! Use colors that match your room design! Ok. Ready to enter? There's a PunchTab form below! You know that Rafflecopter thing that a lot of people have? Same concept, but you can actually win other things too... just for visiting sites (see that little red ribbon?). I'm close to a Starbucks card. By entering, you won't be signing up for PunchTab. You're just entering the giveaway. I don't think I've even received emails from them, so it's nice to not be stalked. :) | Ok, on to equally as important, but less exciting things....  My room setup page has gotten almost 500,000 hits. Seriously. I keep adding rooms to it, so if you have a great post with awesome photos, then let me know by pressing that 'contact me' button in the sidebar! I can add you! I know a lot of people are going back to school this week or next, so hopefully you've been able to find some inspiration and peek into some beautiful rooms. It's this 'teaching blog frenzy' just so cool!? How did I ever manage without being able to blog stalk and get so many great ideas from people like Erica, Katie, Deanna, Cara, Abby, Kristen, etc.?
| I've been stalking... Here's a wrap sheet of the posts I've enjoyed stalking in the last couple of days: - Cara's new room... I can't wait to see when she's done!
- Reagan's Room... Holy smokes. It's fancy ya'll.
- The Magical Product Swap.... you and another teacher swap items. I can't wait to participate!
- Made It Monday... I need an intervention. So many ideas!
- Teacher Toolbox... I need to make this. If only I had access to buy one that didn't cost $80. Seriously. I looked. $80. And shipping one over here isn't any better.
- Maree's Graphics... I went on a binge the other day. She had a sale and I may or may not have bought 20 sets.
- and JJ Heller's boat song... I love her music and have three of her albums. We saw her perform at our previous church. She is so sweet and completely adorable. I've watched the boat song at least ten times this week. Love.
| Games Anyone? I love, love, love incorporating games into my lessons and centers. It's just so fun! This past year I used a lot of board games with my EFL students because there is just so much you can do with them... spelling, photo identification, grammar, vocabulary, reviews, etc. I created a large set and am able to quickly create cards for it, but I also wanted a smaller version that could be played in about 10 minutes. And... voila! This little guy came into existence. You can download two black and white versions for free. Just click the link down there to the right. I make copies onto colored paper and laminate. I have already posted some more related items on TPT, but have several more planned out and in the works. Mini Game Boards: Colorful (12 boards in fun colors)See on: TPT TNCommon Core Board Game Pack: Kinder. Math (10 games)See on : TPT TN | | Fun with Fans  Thank you to everyone who participated in my Facebook Fan giveaway! There were 105 comments and there are now 284 fans! Wowza! We will do it again at 400, so get ready.
If you want to be part of giveaways, take part in discussions, and stay on top of announcements from here, then it's easy to join the page. Just hit 'like' in the sidebar. See? Over there to the right?
It's a lot easier for me to post quick little things rather than writing whole posts about them. I give away a lot of things this way... I post a question, you leave a comment, I pick a winner. Easy peasy.
Plus, there are some other great freebie notifications and sales that get posted there. Someone told me about a flash $1.00 sale on Facebook and I went and got four ginormous units... for $4.00.
Ok, I'm done. Happy Thursday!
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