I'm an Author for Blog Hoppin'!!

Hi everyone! I have exciting news.  I was invited to join the amazing teachers at Blog Hoppin' and I just wrote my first post! Hopefully, you found the blog during Teacher Week because it is full of great information.  Last week, people everywhere linked up to share pictures of their classrooms, advice for new teachers, and posted freebies on Friday.  Each week we are going to have a theme and all the authors will post their wonderful ideas and freebies to share. This week we are sharing community building ideas. So, without further ado, hop on over to check out my first froggy post Kicking Off the Year in Math.

2011 Torn Paper Portraits Success

My class completed their Torn Paper Portraits this week. I love the way they turned out and was really proud of my kids.  It was very challenging for some, but they learned to let go, let art be art,  and fought the urge to pull out their scissors. For more information about this project, click here to see my original post.

My kiddos also wrote autobiography poems.  We are typing them in the computer lab tomorrow, so I'll post some examples when we get everything published.

Positive Notes Home

This year, I am committed to being positive, positive, positive.  Not that I wasn't positive before, but I am constantly looking for ways to be proactive with good behavior.  I love how easily you can correct inappropriate behavior or not following an expectation (ah-hem...sitting on the carpet, criss cross apple sauce style) by pointing out who is doing it correctly.  It highlights the good and encourages the ones that are slightly off the mark.

This year, I am adding to my repertoire of positive reinforcement by adding positive notes home.  We used to do something similar at my old school, so this is not a new idea in anyway, but it is new to my students.  Each week, I take some time to write a few notes to particular students.  I might praise their good behavior or how hard they are working in a particular subject.  I always mention something specific and tell them how proud of I am of them.  Oh, and of course, I tell them to keep up the good work!

I address and mail these notes directly to the students at home.  The kids are always so thrilled to get mail.  I mean, who isn't excited to get mail?  Especially mail that tells you that you are awesome and that someone is proud of you?  These powerful little notes home have been great for student self-esteem, parents loving hearing about all the things their kids are doing right, and it encourages the right behaviors in the classroom. It's a win-win all the way around!

First Read Aloud of the Year

Read aloud is my favorite part of the day.  I love listening to the kids chuckle as I read or move to the edge of their seat as they anticipate what will happen next. Read aloud is such a great way to hook kids on reading!
As many fellow bloggers have done I thought I would post the read aloud I choose for the beginning of the year. This is one of my favorite books and was my #1 choice as a child.

The BFG
By Roald Dahl

This hilarious book is perfect for beginning of the year 4th grade.  The plot moves quickly and keeps the kids engaged.  The kids love the ridiculous words Dahl creates and practically fall out of their seat when I read about Whizz Pop juice and whizzpopping. From a teacher perspective the book is a great way to showcase compassion, acceptance, honesty, and team work.  Simply put, this classic can't be beat!

Expo Marker Winner Announced

I made sure to check my calendar and today is the day!

Congratulations to.... Ms. Jasztal from love4thgrade.blogspot.com.

Victoria, please email me with your address and I will get the expo markers in the mail to you as soon as possible. A huge thank you to everyone who follows my blog, reads my blog, comments on my blog, and shares their ideas with me...on my blog. :)

New Favorite Toy Inspired by Simple Solutions

This summer I went to on of the best professional development workshops I have ever been to for science.  The workshop was presented by Simple Solutions and this lady knew her stuff.  If you haven't been and you have the opportunity, go! The majority of the workshop was spent making things to use in the classroom.  I walked out with games to play that reinforce the scientific concepts I will teach this year, as well as great visual teaching aids. 

One of my favorite things that we did was create tennis balls to demonstrate differing density.  One tennis ball is completely normal.  The other tennis ball was cut open and filled with sand.  Now, the balls look the same, same size, same shape, but have different densities.  This is one of those things that I would hear about and somehow never get around to making what I needed. Now, I'm all ready to go.

As I said, we put everything together at the workshop.  Which brings me to my new favorite toy...the laminator.  Simply Solutions had little laminators set up all around the room so that we could laminate everything we needed right then and there. It was so easy and the laminate seals really well.  (My school laminator often lets me down in this department.) 

So, it turns out, you can buy the very same laminator at Walmart for $25.  Naturally, I ran to Walmart right after the workshop and bought one.

Now, the laminating cover sheets can be pricey.  But, you can buy 200 laminating pouches at Sam's for about $20.  This is a much better price than Walmart.  Do not buy there! So, for just under fifty dollar, I have been able to create my own laminating work station at home.  I'm loving it! Oh, and because most of what I laminate is 8 1/2 x 11 (game boards, mini-posters, etc.) I have nothing to cut.  Bonus!

Here are the needed supplies.

An example of some of the fun things I have been making this weekend.  No cutting or trimming required!

I'm loving everything about this little gem. Plus, I never have to wait in line.  :)

P.S. My reading strategy posters come from Constructing Meaning by Nancy N. Boyles.  This is another great resources for teaching reading comprehension.

My Students Inspire Me!

Last year my husband and I moved from Everett, Washington to San Antonio, Texas.  It was a big move but one of the most difficult things for me was leaving my school behind.  I worked with amazing people.   I looped 4th to 5th grade with a group of students that I was incredibly close to.  I coached several of my girls in volleyball. I went to dance recitals. I bought more boxes of Girl Scout cookies than I should I have. I loved my students and my parents.

Since my first year of teaching, I have given my students stationary and my address on the last day of school.  I encourage them to write to me and I'll write back throughout the summer.  Many write or email.  I have even gotten some letters from parents.   These letters make my day and I always try to write back.  Eventually the letters taper off, but a few kids still keep in touch with Christmas cards or emails.

Today, I found this in my mailbox.

This letter comes from a student that I had in 5th grade two years ago.  She will be a 7th grader this year.  The quote she wrote on the back is my favorite.  It is on a banner that I have always had hanging in my classroom.  It is the quote I use to sign their yearbooks every year.  She remembered. I haven't put that banner up this year because it just seemed to take up too much room.  Guess what?  It's going up on Monday.

So, I open the letter and she has written to tell me that her Papa died. His funeral is over Labor Day, but she tells me that she is going to make herself feel better by making me a friendship bracelet.  I'm so very touched by the letter and by her continuing to include me in her life, for both the happy and the sad moments.  And she writes to me from 1,700 miles away.  It reminds me that our job as teachers is more than helping them pass a test.  This little girl grew leaps and bounds in my room.  She trusted me and knew I would help her succeed anyway I could. Relationships are key.  They are the most important part of teaching.  

Come Monday, my banner is going up and I am going to continue to focus on building relationships with my students. It's a difficult campus to work at with a low socioeconomic demographic, some high impact behaviors, and some crazy unconventional parents. They need me more then ever at my school. I hope to inspire them as much as this little girl inspired me today!

~Amanda

Learning Modality Survey - Freebie Friday

The first week of school is by far the most exhausting of the year.  By the time Friday came and went I could barley keep my eyes open on the drive home.  My husband and I went out for Mexican, had a much needed margarita, came home, and went to bed.  Aren't we exciting on a Friday night?

So, my Friday post comes a bit late, but I am so excited to share it with you all.  

My freebie today is a Learning Modality Survey!

Have you ever wondered what type of learner you are?  This short survey (I modified one I found online...not an original idea) can tell you, if you are an auditory learner (that's me!), a visual leaner (my husband), or a kinesthetic learner (seriously, ALL of my students!).

Learning Modality Survey

I gave my class this survey during the first week of school.  They loved learning what "type" of learner they were and it helped me better understand the learning needs of my class. 

Hope it is as helpful to you as it was to me.

Three for Thursday

Hi folks!  Happy Thursday! 

I am happy to say that I have (almost) successfully completed my first week of school.  Hooray!

Blog Hoppin' is sharing 3 favorites today, so here we go...

 Favorite Font

I love fun fonts but most of my favorite fonts were on my old computer.  I have yet to get online and expand my collection, so I am using what my new computer came with. Anywho, my favorite font right now (as it changes monthly) is...

 

Favorite Blog

This is a tough one.  I  follow so many wonderful blogs; it is hard to pinpoint just one.  Hmmm... okay, I better make a choice.  Here are some blogs that have been especially helpful to me lately.

Abby @ Third Grade Bookworm had some fabulous posters to use for teaching the 7 Habits. Thanks Abby!

  The following two ladies have been helping get 7 Habits started in my classroom. They have been two amazing resources! Thank you, thank you!

 

 

Finally, Mrs. Jasztal at Jasztalville has lots of amazing ideas and advice. I've seen the video tour of her room, but I would love to be a fly on the wall and see/hear everything wonderful that is going on there.

 

Favorite Online Resource

 Okay, I think I am going to have to say Blogger for this because it connects me to all these amazing people around the country and the world that are part of the online teaching/blogging community.  I've gotten so many great ideas here.  A huge thank you everyone! 

Thanks for checking in today!  Tomorrow's Friday! Woot! Woot!

Guess what?  

Where It All Goes Down Wednesday

The fun at Blog Hoppin' continues with a "Where It All Goes Down" linky party.

I have already made several posts about my classroom, so I thought I would use this opportunity to acquaint myself with Animoto and make a video.  It did take awhile for my pics to load, but I have to say that after that everything was so dang easy.  If you have never used, go sign yourself up.  I think it might be one of my newest addictions.

Classroom Video Tour

Teacher Talk Tuesday

Blog Hoppin' is hosting linky parties all week to celebrate back to school!  The topic today... advice for new teachers.
Here are some quick tips of the trade.

1. Get to know everyone at your school, but mostly love on your custodians and secretaries. They are definitely people to have on your side. I find a friendly hello or a quick thank you note for all that they do goes a long way.  Homemade cookies or brownies don't hurt either.
2. Remember that no questions is a silly question.  If you aren't sure what someone is trying to explain to you... ask! Teachers are amazingly willing to take time out their day to help out.
3. Know when to say thank you for the idea and walk away from a conversation.  I remember my first year so many people wanted to share how they did things.  Every idea was great, but I was so overwhelmed.  Remember you don't have to use everything your given.  Pick and choose what works for YOU.  You are the teacher in your classroom, you can't be somebody else. 
4. Have routines in place for everything. If you have a routine, you know what you expect and the kids know what to expect.  Don't make them guess, it's frustrating for them and for you. Oh, and practice, practice, practice!
5. Find a balance between school work and your home life. Remember that you can always do more. Figure out one place to focus and build from there.  Don't try to take on too much and start spending all your waking hours at school, which is very easy your first year. Go home, relax, blog (hehe), and enjoy your life outside of being a teacher. 

Head on over to Blog Hoppin' to link up and add your own ideas or simply comment below.  

You know how much I love comments.  :)

I'm proud to say...

Meet the Teacher Monday

Today was the 1st day of school!  I can't believe I actually slept last night. That's a first.  I was up early though and out the door by 6:00.  I arrived at school, coffee in hand, and ready for the day. All and all... the day went really well.  My voice is sore and I have blisters on my feet, but I have a great class. We got everything completed that was on my lesson plans and even a little extra.  Amazing!  Honestly though, I still can't shake the feeling that I'm forgetting something. I'm crossing my fingers that it wasn't something vital that I can't cover on an as needed basis.  So, to unwind today, I turn to my blog and the blog world.  I'm going to join the craze and get on board with Meet the Teacher Monday.  Here is a bit about me...

Tell us a little something about you...

Hi! My name is Amanda and I'm a Aquarius.  I love the color blue, I read the Hunger Games Trilogy cover to cover in a matter of days, I love rollercoasters, and truly believe coffee should be its own food group. I recently celebrated my 2 year wedding anniversary, but my husband and I have been together for 10 years.  We actually met in high school...AP biology to be exact.  He is currently working full time and going to law school at night, which gives me plenty of time to blog, read, watch movies, workout (haha), and plan for school.  He's working really hard and I'm really proud of him. 

Ten years together, two years married!

 How long have you been teaching?

This is my 5th year of teaching, but I continue to feel like a first year teacher. I have moved grades a lot. The bad news is that you never feel fully confident with things, but the good news is that teaching never gets stale and it pushes you to learn more and be a better teacher.  I student taught in 5th grade and got my first job teaching 4th in a small town in Washington.  At first, I was so nervous.  For some reason I never thought of myself as anything but a 5th grade teacher.  Isn't it funny how so many of us put ourselves in a box? But, I loved 4th and had a great first class.  I taught 4th grade the next year too before moving up to 5th grade.  Then... I moved...across the country...and I found myself in San Antonio, thankful to have a job, and teaching 3rd grade.  That was a challenge, but a great learning experience.  This year... it's back to 4th, but I'm still in San Antonio, so it's all brand new.

You might not now...

that my dog, Riley, is completely and utterly addicted to chocolate.  He loves it!  It all started with candy cane kisses last Christmas.  He sniffed that box and sniffed that box and finally he sampled one.  He's been an addict ever since.  I'm amazed what he can sniff out.  In May I brought home specialty chocolates from Seattle to give my students.   He dug through my carry-on, found the shopping bag, opened the bag, opened the box of chocolates and downed 24 individually wrapped Frango mints. I now store the chocolate way up high and out of reach.  I will never leave an open bag near the floor again.

This is Riley aka The Flash.

What are you most excited about this year?
I am excited to have so many kiddos from last years class.  I really enjoy looping with the kids and watching them grow and change over two years.  The downside of this, of course, is that there is no honeymoon period.  You get the real deal from day one.  They already know you and it doesn't take long before the rest of the class feels the same way.

What do you need to improve?

I need to improve lots of things, but I will stick to three here so as not to overwhelm myself.  1) I want to get back to reader's workshop this year and conferencing with my students much more regularly. Last year, being new to the state and district, I had a lot of learning to do regarding expectations and standards.  This year, I hope to better organize my reading program and provide more individualized instruction. 2) I'm working on incorporating the 7 habits into my teaching and my life. I did my first lesson on habit 1 today and I am definitely still working on the language with my kids.  It will be a live and learn and grow experience all year. 3) Last year I struggled with kids blurting out in my class all the time. I tend to have a conversationalist style of teaching and brainstorming and sometimes it IS okay to share without a hand, but not always.  This year, I am going to work on making it very clear to students when to raise their hand and when to join the conversation.  I think in previous years (with 4th & 5th graders) they were better at naturally reading me and not as impulsive as my current group, so it now takes more effort on my part.

What supplies can you not live without?

I could not live without Mr. Sketch markers, my computer, post-its, my planner, and coffee!

Thanks for taking the time to read a little bit more about me. Read about more great teachers at Blog Hoppin' and link up!

~Amanda

Back to School Brain Dead

Okay, all this back to schoolness is clearly getting to my head and making me loopy. I guess I was a little too excited about my giveaway and announced my winner a little early...and by that I mean a whole week early.  Oops!  

I would like to thank Krista for commenting on my giveaway today.  I got the message on my phone and thought "that is so wierd...clearly, the giveaway ended." Except that according to my own rules, the giveaway actually ends August 27th.  Well done Amanda... well done.  It reminds me of something one of my students said today.  She said, "You should always use a pencil, just in case you make a mistake." Sound advice from a 4th grader.  I may not be able to erase my mistake, but I can try to rectify it.

So, it seems only fair to offer my prize twice. Mrs. B (my premature winner) if you are out there somewhere, please email me your information for your prize.  Everyone else...keep spreading the word and I will announce a new winner on the 28th.   Sorry for all the confusion!

Expo Winner Announced

Thank you to everyone who is following my blog and sharing their insights and advice. 
I love hearing from everyone!

And...the winner of the Expo Marker giveaway is...drum roll please...

Mrs. B.

Mrs. B please contact me via email with your mailing information.

Rules: You must be 18 years or older.  Giveaway ends Saturday, August 27th. Winner will be selected using Random.org and will be announced on Sunday, August 28th. Winner will have 72 hours to respond by email with contact information.  In the event of no response, a new winner will be chosen.

First Week Back & Last Call for Giveaway

The first week back to work is always so exhausting and that's without the kids!  I have to rebuild my own stamina and get back on a normal sleep schedule. Every day this week required Starbucks! 

We actually go back a full week before the students. By Wednesday, we had already sat through 2 full days of meetings/presentations, but the fun didn't stop there. Wednesday was district curriculum day! All 4th grade teachers went to another all day affair regarding math and the new STAAR test. It is definitely going to be more rigorous than the TAKS test. 75% of the problems on the test will have mathematical processing skills embedded, which basically means we need to step it up in problem solving skills.  I like where this is going, because I do think problem solving skills are the skills that these kids NEED for the future.  That being said, I know it is something that many of our students struggle with.  It's a little nerve-wracking, but I know our kiddos can do it. Any other Texas teachers feeling some anxiety with the new STAAR?  Comment below...we may need to start a support group.

Meet the Teacher was Thursday night and  a huge success!  I had all but three of my students come and say hello.  Since I am looping with nearly half my class, it was fun to see so many kids and parents that I already knew.  All of the students were very friendly and eager to say hello. I even got hugs from the newbies! We are going to be an awesome class... I can just tell. :)

So, school starts on Monday and I'm as ready as I am going to be.  I only have one more thing to figure out.  What will my clean-up song be this year?  I'm hoping to speed up the end of the day routine by giving a time limit in a fun way. I figure we can all sing along, clean, and pack.  Hmmm... I like the 50's hit "Yackity Yack" and I could see the kids really getting into saying, "yackity yack, don't talk back." But, I'm not sold on the idea. I also thought about the Mission Impossible theme, but no words.  I just can't decide.
Any song suggestions?  Please comment below with your ideas.

 Finally, don't forget...

Expo markers are a teacher's best friend and the giveaway ends tonight!

 I will announce a winner tomorrow.

Enter here!

My Classroom is R-E-A-D-Y!

My classroom is ready to go!  Meet the Teacher is on Thursday and I'm ahead of the game... this never happens, so I'm very proud of myself.

Here's the final product...

This is the view from the door.  I have lots of wall space ready for anchor charts.

Here is my writing wall with the basics.  My writing anchor charts will go elsewhere.  The poster with the science border is for our science word of the week.  All the students in the school participate and the students who lead the announcements each day help the kids fill out the boxes.  

(#1 word, #2 definition, #3 picture, #4 word used in a sentence)

My computer and document camera station is pretty much my main working area. The multicolored drawers to the right hold all my copies for each subject for the week. Also, I'm pretty excited to have a file cabinet that locks this year. I finally have a place to store all my emergency chocolate.  :)

 This is the view from my teacher corner.  Another huge step this year is that I have all blue chairs albeit they are different shades of blue.  They are also all the same size.  Last year was a hodgepodge of seating...different colors, different sizes...it was a mess.

Here is my magnetic check-in board. It's so easy and the kids do it all. One student writes the lunch menu on the white board and they check in with hot, choice, or home.
Sorry the photo is blurry...I don't know what is up with my camera.

We call these beauties "elephants" because they are so large and kind of an eye sore.  We do get to paint the front though and they offer a lot of storage.  Kids backpacks go in the left one and the right one is teacher storage.  :)

Just call me a follower.  I am hopping on the clip chart bandwagon and I'm very excited about it! Thanks to Teach-A-Roo for her wonderful printables!

I just love this! It was a gift from a former student.

My teacher resource shelf and ALL my picture books that I use for reading & writing.  I'm such an addict!

This is an awesome idea from one of my teammates that I'm trying out this year.  Students have their own supply cups.  They store their markers, pencils, colored pencils, and scissors here...which means that all those things are NOT rolling around in their desks.  She uses the red Foldger's coffee cans, but I just ran to Dollar Tree and picked up 3 cups for $1.00.  I love that kids can now take their supplies anywhere in the room and work.  They just haul their cup.  I think this idea is going to work out great.

Here is a close up of my supply cup.  Isn't it cute?

So...that's pretty much it!  I think I am ready for Meet the Teacher Night on Thursday.  I can't wait to meet my new class and reconnect with the kids that are looping with me. 
It's going be a good year...I can just feel it!

Check out my other posts to see more of some of my interactive bulletin boards (Thanks Beth Newingham!) and classroom library. Classroom Update #1 and Classroom Update #2 (Yes, I know...not the most creative names I could have dreamed up.)

Also, don't forget to check out my linky party on Teacher Must Haves.  There have been some great submissions and I can't wait to see more! AND, the Expo Marker Giveaway ends Saturday, August 27th, so don't forget to comment on that post. 

I love reading your comments, so please leave reactions/questions/suggestions below.  :)

Giveaways & Linky Party... Come Join the Fun!!

Hi y'all! Well, today was my first official work day back at school, which means I am exhausted!  I just wanted to take a quick moment to remind you to check out my giveaway. You can win a Costco pack of Expo Markers, so don't miss out! Check out my original post here. 

 

Also, don't forget to check out my first ever linky party! Topic of conversation...Teacher Must Haves for Back to School.  I can't wait to see your guilty pleasures.  Check out my original post and link up here!

Finally, Ms. Jasztal over at Jasztalville: Where Inquiry and Creativity Rules is having a Starbucks card giveaway once she reaches 100 followers.  (Hooray for Starbucks!  It is part my Seattle roots.) If you haven't already checked out her website, it's an amazing resource.  I have already bookmarked two of her posts for future reference.  Click here to link directly to her giveaway.

Top 10 Teacher Must Haves for Back to School - Linky Party!

 

Oh my, the receipts are piling up! With back to school in full swing, I am out doing my part to stimulate the economy.  I have been buying all kinds of things for my classroom and my kiddos. But, I haven't forgotten myself.  There are just a few things I need to pick up every year that are teacher only materials.  Hehe!  Check out my Top 10 Teacher Must Haves for Back to School below and then join my first ever linky party!

Top 10 Teacher Must Haves for Back to School

 10) New Pens!  I'm sure the ones I was using still work, but it is so much more fun to have a fresh set.  These Papermate felt tip pens are my favorite!

9) A super cute new post-it dispenser! 

8) New Mr. Sketch markers! They are simply the best!

7) A new teacher "Bag of Doom" to haul my stuff to and from school from L.L. Bean.

 

6) You know we are going to need it! Whether it is sore muscles from moving heavy furniture around or hearing your name twenty million times a day...Ibuprofen is surely in my future.

5) A manicure, pedicure, and new haircut to look and feel my best for open house.

4) New Expo Markers that will be teacher only! I attach flowers to the ends of my Expos to identify them and  help them stand out among the rest. Yes, that's right... I don't share. This way the kids use their markers and I use my markers and everyone is happy.

3) A good bottle of wine. Okay, obviously I do not take this to school, but I do buy a  bottle to keep on hand for those first couple of weeks back.  It's called Lucky Duck (my sister introduced me to it). You can only find it at Walmart and it is only $4 and it's good.  

2) A fantastic thermal lunch tote from Thirty-One.  It even has my name on it!

 

1) I *heart* new shoes! I haven't actually bought these yet, but I have my eye on them and I'm hoping they make it to my closet by the first day back. Aren't they cute?!?