Can We Still Be Friends?

Yippee ki-yay, I got the job!  However, first and foremost, my next step is to make sure we can all still be friends.  You see, my new job is in RtI.  For some people, that's a dirty word that brings up thoughts of never-ending paperwork and more meetings than one could imagine.  Heck, it probably elicits anxiety and nervous tremors from some of you.  But you see, I'm passionate about making sure that all kids get the help they need without making the life of a teacher even more difficult.  

As the new RtI Coordinator at an elementary school, I'm looking for some insight from all of you.  What parts of RtI at your school would you change and how would you change them?  Is there a component of RtI working really well at your school?  Please share!

I can't wait to share my upcoming adventures!  

Following Our Hearts

I have news.  BIG news.  BIG, EXCITING NEWS! Since you've obviously read every single post I've ever written, you know that my hubs is in the AF and we move every 2-3 years, which makes me an expert classroom packer-upper.  Seriously.  I should have a special badge.  We were stationed in Colorado Springs, CO from June 2011-July 2013.  We arrived in SC July 2013.  Ready for the news?!  We are making our LAST big move...back to Colorado!   In an effort to reduce their forces, the AF offered a voluntary separation opportunity, and we took it.  It was a big decision to give up his job security, but in our hearts, we know we belong in CO.  I will be able to find a forever home at a school!  I arrived a few days ago so that I can get a new job at the start of the school year.  My father super hero flew out to SC to help me drive and pull the trailer classroom on wheels...all 3,100 pounds!  My hubs will follow in December when he transfers from Active Duty to the Reserves.

To celebrate, I created a little FREEBIE for y'all!  You can print the full page size, frame it, and add some decor to your classroom.  Or, print one of the smaller card versions and write a sweet note for a co-worker at the beginning of the year!

This teacher is off to find a job!

Emmy After Party

Did you make it through all 11 ridiculous random facts in my last post without spitting out your coffee?  Hopefully it made for a good laugh or two!  Just in case you need to catch up, Angela, from The Organized Plan Book, nominated me for the Liebster Award!

Angela sent me 11 questions to answer, so here goes!

1. Why did you start blogging?

Since the military moves us every 2-3 years, I decided to start blogging as a way to "stay connected". Saying goodbye to co-workers that have become your friends & your family-away-from-family is tough.  Blogging, and the friends that come with it, helps to keep a constant.  

2.  What is the most important lesson you have learned while being a teacher?

I learned that I will never be able to do it all.  Accepting that allowed me to prioritize and have a life.

3.  What was your most embarrassing teacher moment?

I haven't really had one (I'm sure my day will come), so I'll share one from a previous co-worker, AC.  Our 4th graders were researching animals and doing oral presentations.  Her class was ready to begin practicing their presentations, so AC was talking to her kiddos about how/what to present.  

AC:  Alright, when you present, don't tell us the basic information that everyone already knows.  For example, if you're doing an elephant, you wouldn't want to tell us that they are gray, have trunks, and known for eating penis.  PEANUTS.  I meant peanuts.  

Yup.  You read that correctly.  OMGracious!.

4.  What is your favorite part of your classroom?

My library.  I don't buy shoes, I buy books!  Because I've packed it up so many times, I know the stats.  Currently, it takes 22 banker boxes filled to the brim to pack up all of my student library books.

5.  How do you de-stress from an exhausting day at work?

Oh, this one is easy.  CrossFit.  I get to pick up and throw around heavy weights!  

6.  What is the best piece of advice you would offer to newbie teachers?

See my answer to number two!  You will be a better teacher if you set work hours/limits because you won't come to resent teaching, which is something we go into because we love it.

7.  How do you organize your classroom library?

I use the metal "build" a shelf system because I can configure the shape/layout to each new classroom.  I use zip-ties to reinforce them.  I use bins in each cubbie.  The bins are sink wash tubs from Walmart.  My library is split NF and F.  NF is then split by subject and then by topic.  F is split mainly by genres and some by authors/series.  The outside of each bin has a printed label and a colored dot (like for garage sales).  Then each book in the tub has the same dot.  For example, mysteries have half of a yellow dot on the cover with an M written on it.  I split genres into smaller pieces.  For example,  within Realistic Fiction, I have Realistic Sports Fiction, Realistic Animal Fiction, etc.  This is to make it easier for kids to find books that appeal to them.   Every book also has a label on the cover that either states NOT AR, or the AR level and point value.

8.  If you could meet anyone for a day, who would it be?

Michael Jackson!

9.  Where is your favorite place you have visited?

Costa Rica!  Great outdoor adventures everywhere you turn.  The food is amazing and the people are so friendly and love their land.  

10.  What is your favorite book to teach?

Someone Named Eva...captivating! 

11.  Do you change the layout/organization of your classroom each year?

Ha!  Since we move every 2-3 years, this is such a pain.  The first year in a new classroom is always the roughest because I don't have a "system" yet.  I usually do quite a bit of re-arranging as we go to make it better match our needs.  I make the kids part of the problem solving so that when I do re-arrange they don't act like the world is ending.  I let them tell me what is working/what isn't and offer suggestions, and then I make the changes I want after school. I try and only do this 3-4 times in a year.  This is uber frustrating.  Sore subject.  Just when I feel like I've got my classroom the way I like it with good flow and purposeful placement, it's time to pack.  

My nominations (click on picture to visit their blog):

Kayla, from Rooting for Third Grade, started her first full time teaching job, working with special education preschoolers, a few weeks ago.  She recently had a competition to rename her blog and she will be revealing the winning name soon!  Go cheer on this young lady as she begins her teaching journey!

Language Arts Bliss seems to do an amazing job making LA fun in secondary grades!  She incorporates projects and centers.  Yes.  Centers...in middle school.  How awesome is that?



 
Kristin not only has an adorable blog, but it's full of great ideas!  I love her Quote of the Week idea!  She posts a quote at the beginning of the week, and has questions that really push kids to think critically.

I am breaking the rules and only nominating 3 blogs.  PLEASE forgive me.  This time of year is a tad crazy and I figured 3 was better than none!

My 11 questions for the nominees:

1.  What is your favorite hobby?
2.  What style of shoes do you wear to work most often?
3.  Do you get to wear jeans to work?  Is this a big deal to you?
4.  Have you "splurged" on something recently for your classroom?  What was it?  If not, is there something calling your name?
5.  Do you paint your nails on a regular basis?
6.  When given a choice, do you pick a favorite restaurant you've been to many times, or do you try a new place?
7.  Do like to drink water, or does it feel like a chore?
8.  How often does your school have staff meetings?
9.  What are your thoughts on school uniforms?
10.  Beach or mountain?
11.  What is your all-time favorite dessert?

Rules Reminder:

1.  Link back to the person that nominated you.

2.  Share 11 random facts about yourself.

3. Answer the 11 questions present by the person that nominated you.

4.  Nominate 5-11 bloggers and contact them.

I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me!  Be sure to stop by the blogs I nominated and tell them hello!

Who Needs An Emmy?

Who needs an Emmy?  Not this girl.  Nope.  Especially when I've got a Liebster Award!  I did curl my hair, put on makeup, and throw on my wedding dress to write this blog post so that I could feel like I was headed to a fancy award ceremony.  Kidding.  No, seriously, I was kidding.  I'm totally in my pajamas!  This is how rumors get started.  PJs...Girl Scout's honor.

Acceptance speech:  Angela, from The Organized Plan Book, nominated me for the Liebster Award!  Apparently she likes my tips for organizing!  We might be long lost sisters.  She has a "thing" for binders too!

Isn't she a beaut?

Let's just make sure everyone knows the rules before the chaos ensues.

1. Link back to the person that nominated me     

*Done.  If you missed it, be sure to stop by The Organized Plan Book and say hello to Angela  

2. Share 11 RANDOM facts about myself 

3. Nominate 5-11 blogs that have less than 200 followers and contact them

4. Answer the questions from the person that nominated

My 11 RANDOM facts...I'm going to treat this somewhat as a confession for your pure entertainment.  You are welcome.  

1.  I recently made 5 gallons of homemade laundry detergent.  It works. It was dirt cheap.  It doesn't have crazy chemicals in it.  I'm about 33% hippie after living in CO.  

2.  I ate a Gobstopper off the floor of my car.  You might be thinking that that's not so bad.  It had been there for a few days.  AND it was green.  I don't even like "green" flavored candy (this includes, but is not limited to green Skittles, Runts, and Gobstoppers).  In my defense, I was the one that dropped it so I felt like I knew its origin.  This was a low for me.  

3.  I can do pull-ups.  

4.  When I was little, my family went to Luby's every few weeks.  I ordered the same thing EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.  A side salad with ranch and 5 rolls.  FIVE.  Mmmmm.  Memories.  I had no interest in the blue Jello.  Give me the rolls and no one will get hurt.  Then they changed their recipe and their rolls suffered.  

5.  I follow a paleo lifestyle (I don't like the word diet) about 80% of the time.  I love sweets too much to give them up completely...and obviously I love bread, but I REALLY limit my intake of grains.  

6.  I'm a pretty good cook.  Toot, toot. Yup, that's me tooting my own horn.  I made a Moroccan spiced rack of lamb with a Shiraz and honey sauce for dinner Friday.  I love cooking for others.  Dinner party?  Yes, please! 

7.  I clean my shower while I shower.   

8.  Back to being part hippie.  I got the Excalibur food dehydrator for my birthday a few years ago.  It is huge and totally straight out of the 60s or 70s, but it is amazing.  The great reviews online are true. I've perfected apple and sweet potato chips, dehydrated strawberries, bananas, and kiwis, and next up is beef jerky.

9.  I can pick things up off the ground with my toes.

10.  This is probably no surprise to you, but I plan out a menu for the week along with a coordinating grocery list.  The daily menu and ingredient list is on my fridge.

11.  I LOVE giving Kona her doggie bath.  It is some of my favorite bonding time with her and I don't consider it a chore at all!  Melts my heart!

I'll answer Angela's 11 questions in Part 2.  I don't want to overwhelm you!  My Liebster nominations will be revealed in Part 2 as well.

This teacher bloggy world has filled my heart and blessed me beyond belief!

April FREEBIE Hiding in Five for Friday

It's like an Easter egg hunt!  Kind of.  Maybe just a little bit.  There really is a "prize" for you! Hunt through this Five for Friday, hosted by Doodle Bugs, to find your April Freebie!  Here's a little carrot to keep you going!

Can you find me?  Keep reading to find the link to this freebie!

You know how I like to take advantage of the free clipart on TPT, right?  I talked about it in this post if you want to read more about it.  Well, I recently came across this must-have set from Krista Wallden of Creative Clips.  I love her clipart and this set is FREE! So many possibilities!

I'm loving the variety of colors!  I'm thinking these would be great to write a short & sweet note to co-workers telling them you're glad they are one of your "peeps".  How would YOU use these?  

Still looking for The Great Egg Hunt, huh?  Keep at it!  It's somewhere around here!  I was looking at a class photo from my husband's elementary years and just had to count the kiddos because it seemed like there were a million kids in his class.  I was right.  39.  Say what? THIRTY-NINE.  Granted it was 25 years ago, but still.  I've had as few as 18 (GLORIOUS), and as many as 29 (OMGracious).  What's the most you've ever had?  

In case you haven't heard, I'm giving away a FREE copy of my Fraction 4 Game Bundle!  It includes a 102 page color version, as well as a 102 page grayscale color ink costs too much version!  A winner will be announced Sunday, March 30th in the morning.   Want a chance to win?  Of course you do!  CLICK HERE to get entered!  If you want to see the details on this bundle, check it out HERE!

Isn't she pretty?

This sucker was a labor of love, but I sure do like using purposeful games to make learning fun for the kiddos.  I have always enjoyed playing games and the camaraderie that goes with it, and that has transferred over into my teaching.  Did you know that my husband proposed during a game of Yahtzee?  I shook the cup of dice, tipped it over, and out tumbled a ring!  Side note-that ending up being the first time he ever beat me at Yahtzee.  I must have been distracted...

The great hunt is over!  If you're ready to snag a copy of my April Freebie, look no further.  HERE SHE IS!  You earned it!

I'm so thankful for the "extra" daylight in the evenings!  Losing that hour of sleep was rough, but I feel like I've been way more productive in the evenings after CrossFit & cooking dinner than I was when it was getting dark at 6:00 pm.  Kona, the pup, is loving it too!  She gets fetch time while we cook each evening.  When it's sunny, sometimes she'll just lay in the yard sand, and soak up the rays. She melts my heart!  

Surely I'm not the only one with an insane number of pet photos on their phone...

Happy Friday!

Sunny Days

When I heard the news, the Seasame Street song Sunny Days started playing in my head.  OMGracious!  Me?  For real?  Rachel, from A Tall Drink of Water, nominated me for the Sunshine Blogger Award!  I'm beyond honored!  Since we're all grown-ups, I went with Joshua Radin's cover of the song to share with you.

)

My shiny trophy!

Okay, let's get down to business!  

The rules of the Sunshine Blogger Award are:

1.  Post 11 random facts about yourself.

2.  Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.

3. Nominate 11 bloggers you think bring sunshine to the world.

4. Make up 11 questions for your nominees to answer.

11 Random Fact about ME:

1.  I love to bake and I think I'm pretty darn good at it.  Making sweet treats for others is one of my favorite ways to show friends and family my love for them.  I once flew from San Antonio to Chicago with a homemade 3 layer carrot cake that I decorated for my father-in-law.  Made it through security with no problem...except they all wanted to know where their cake was.

2.  I want to do a sprint triathalon, but need some swimming lessons.  I can "swim" for fun, but I need some help with technique and efficiency so I can ensure I won't drown be the last one done.

3.  This is a must after sharing #2.  I was on a neighborhood swim team in middle school. My parents weren't able to attend my first meet, but I got second!  

4.  This is absolutely necessary after sharing #3.  There were only two of us competing in that particular race.

5.  When I was in middle school, I used my blow dryer to blow out a candle.  That worked out about as well as you can imagine.  I've grown intellectually since then.  

6.  I watched YouTube videos to learn how to snowboard.  I'm super visual, and don't like to inconvenience others, so I figured it was a good way to do some initial learning before actually being on the mountain.

7.  It's my husband's fault, but I'm a coffee snob.  Pour over with high quality beans is a must.  I drink it black.

8.  If I'm home when it's on, I watch Wheel of Fortune.

9.  Right after college, one of my best friends and I were looking for an apartment to share.  We found this amazing gated community with little houses.  It was like an apartment complex, but with "mini" homes.  We were in love.  When we went into the community center/sales office, the lady politely informed us we would have to come back in 40-50 years or so because it was some sort of retirement community.  Darn.

10.  I use when/then phrasing with my dog as if she is a student and understands.

11.  I rarely carry a purse.  Wallet? Yes.  Purse? No.

Rachel's 11 questions for me to answer:

1.  Who was your favorite teacher?  I don't remember the names of any of my elementary school teachers.  I didn't like school and moved because my dad was AF, so I'm not to blame.  My favorite was a middle school math teacher, Mr. Melcher.  He sticks out in my mind because he was serious about learning, but he had a great sense of humor.  

2.  What kind of car do you drive?  My husband and I switch back and forth with each other.  We have a Toyota Highlander and a Toyota Camry.  Both are paid off and they are NOT getting replaced until they die.  I'm a practical girl.  

3.  What is your perfect summer vacation?  My husband and I like to do stuff on vacation-we aren't very good at laying on the beach or by a pool.  I like to go somewhere where we can explore 3 very different areas.  When we did CA one summer, we spent time in Napa, San Francisco, and hiking/camping at Yosemite.  I love to camp and be unplugged from technology!

4.  What's your favorite childhood cartoon?  Jem and the Rockers!

5.  Are you a morning person or a night owl?  Normally I tend to be more of a morning person, but when I can't sleep, I can stay up until 2 or 3 am working on the computer.

6.  What is your best trait?  I think my best trait is that I try to always focus on people's intentions, and they are almost always good.  I don't get bent out of shape about too much.

7.  What is the first thing you do every morning?  Kiss my husband's sleeping head if he's still in bed.

8.  Do you have any pets?  Yes!  Kona, our dog, melts my heart.  We got her from the pound when she was 2.  I still have the first picture I took of her.  She was in her kennel at the humane society, looking over her should at us.  She is so loyal and loving.

9.  What is the best part of teaching?  I love helping kids realize that they ARE smart!

10.  Would you rather visit the beach or mountains.  No questions asked, mountains.

11.  What is something you can't stand?  I think being a female in today's society is so hard, and it kills me when I hear/see females tearing each other down instead of building them up.  And on the less serious side, for the love of the person driving behind you, use your turn signal BEFORE you actually start turning the wheel or applying the brakes.

Are you still there?  Almost done!

Time for me to nominate 11 bloggers that I think bring sunshine to this bloggy world!  In no particular order:

1.  Keep Calm and Love First Grade

2.  Tales of a Teacher

3.  Learning with Mrs. Langley

4.  Fun and Fearless in First

5.  The Ordinary to Extraordinary Classroom

6.  If You Give a Teacher a Treat

7.  Looking from Third to Fourth

8.  Teaching Voracious Learners

9.  DomiKiddos

10.  I Teach. What's Your Supe Power?

11.  Second Grade Math Maniac

My 11 questions for the nominees to answer:

1.  What's the last good book that you've read?

2.  What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?

3.  Dogs or cats?

4.  What subject are you least comfortable teaching?  Why?

5.  What will always put a smile on your face?

6.  How often do you cook?

7.  Do you watch the Olympics?

8.  Do you type or hand-write your lesson plans?

9.  Have you ever used a sick day to do something fun?  What did you do?

10. How do you de-stress?

11.  If you weren't in education and money didn't matter, what "job" would you want?

Phew!  That took some work, but I enjoyed sharing about myself and can't wait to learn a little more about all of you!   Being a part of this teacher bloggy world brings some extra sunshine into my life!

 

I'm Officially a Ragnarian!

Lucky for you, I'm feeling extra friendly, so I'm starting with what you really want to hear about.  If you haven't visited The Rolly Chair on FB recently, head on over to grab my newest Freebie, Capture the Leprechaun!   Hint:  Waiting over there is something that will help your kiddos with their placement of one special homophone triplet as they're writing.

I'm a Ragnarian!  I survived.  I ran, laughed, laughed some more, ran some more, laughed, and ran one more time.  I mentioned the Ragnar Relay Run here, but I'll give you a quick refresher.  We had a 12 person team, each running 3 of the 36 total legs, totaling 198 miles from Miami to Key West, FL.  Maybe I'll share my five favorite moments in a Five for Friday!

I Carried a Watermelon

Forgive me readers that are NFL football fans, for I have sinned.  I didn't watch the Super Bowl…at all.  I was working on the computer and the hubs was out of town, so I didn't feel like I had to watch.  Don't get me wrong, though.  Had there been a low key Super Bowl party close to home, I would have faked it gone and chow down on all of the ridiculous snacks cheered.  But, that's not how this cookie happened to crumble.  I watched Dirty Dancing (for probably the 20th time), and I don't regret it.  Nobody puts The Rolly Chair in the corner.  I watch what I want.

Symbolism... Y'all 'partied' and I 'carried a watermelon'.

Are you a Super Bowl fan?  A real fan, or a fan of the commercials? Or maybe just the snacks?  

Ok, some serious talk.  I spent Sunday evening beginning the process of going through my existing TPT products and doing some housework.  My own standard of work has evolved and become more defined as a TPT seller as I've created more and more products.  I really do pride myself on being thorough, so I'm tackling the task of going through some of my earliest products and bringing them up to my current standard.  I'm also working on making sure each product has a helpful preview.  My product descriptions tend to be really descriptive, but I know some people are visual learners.  Like I've previously said, I make these for my own use and then add elements that would make the product beneficial to as many people as possible.

To help myself, I wrote out some of my guidelines for products that I share. 

-Thorough: I want teachers to download my products and feel like they've got everything they need.  Answer keys, student response sheets, directions, etc. are important.

-Versatile: I want teachers to feel like they have options on how to use my materials in more than one way.  I want differentiation to be easy.  

-Beneficial:  Of course I want my products to be enjoyable activities, but they also have to be rigorous and address the standards and provide opportunity for growth and learning.   

If you're a TPT seller, do you have a philosophy for the standard of your products?  If so, what are some of the things that are most important to you?  Do all of your products meet these standards, or do you have some housework like me?

Vision Board

Oh, dang.  I've just left behind Little League for the Majors.  This is my first time participating in a Linky Party!  (Insert loud gasp from my readers…well, three readers wouldn't really make a loud gasp, but you get the point).  I decided to participate in The Ordinary to Extraordinary Classroom's Meet the Teacher Monday by Trina because the questions forced me to do some reflection.  I definitely had a diary growing up so I thought this might be like old times. Except all of you are going to read this and my diary was always locked up for fear of my deepest darkest secrets ramblings and misspellings being revealed. I might have hidden the keys (it came with a spare) on the hoops of my earrings for safe keeping as a child. It sounds worse than it looked.  I think…Back to the Linky Party!  Check out my Vision Board and answers below!

Where did I win in 2013?

If you haven't heard this before, the military moves us every 2-3 years.  This can make creating & maintaining meaningful friendships difficult.  While in CO from 06/11-07/13, I made some pretty awesome friends at work, at the gym, and through my husband's job.  I'm talking STRONG women!  I don't just mean they could shame any man at the gym on the pull-up bar.  I mean they were healthy, passionate, go-getters that were really living life.  I've worked hard to maintain these friendships long-distance after PCSing (military lingo for moving b/c they told you to) to SC.  The women that I met in CO pushed me to be the best me possible, and that my virtual friends, is winning in my book!

Where did I lose in 2013?

This is so opposite of how I won.  I didn't work hard enough at maintaining the friendships I made at my school in TX when we moved to CO.  When you spend so much of your time and energy at school with co-workers, special bonds are bound to be formed.  My TX teacher BFF and I keep in touch, but not enough.  I feel like I lost out on many laughs that could have been shared through phone calls and I let the stress of work stop me from taking the time to email her ideas and games for her to use in her classroom back in TX.

What did I learn in 2013?

Risk.  Take risks.  What's the worst that's going to happen?  I fail?  What does that mean, anyways?  It doesn't mean I die or I'm punished in some way.  What it means is that I've LEARNED.  I can adjust  so that next time I'm closer to succeeding.  I learned that I've got to execute and not be afraid.  Who cares if only 3 people read this blog post?  Who cares if I pick a weight at the gym for the WOD (CrossFit Workout of the Day) that's heavy and I don't get as many rounds as others?  I'm so bad about holding back during a workout because I'm afraid I won't be able to finish.  Who cares if some of the plants in the square foot garden die.  If I don't plant the darn things, ZERO will grow.  If I don't take risks AND fail, I hardly think I'll learn anything.  

Where do I want to be this time next year?

I could say that I want to know exactly what I want to be when I grow up.  I love working with kids in educational settings, but I don't know what I want to be "when I grow up" (when we stop moving and I can actually settle into a long-term job) .  Do I want to get be a reading specialist?  Do I want to be a principal?  Do I want to work with kids with Autism?  Do I want to stay in the classroom?  But instead, I'll say that I want to be closer to finding my niche in the teaching world.

I could also say that I want to be able to do a muscle up. It's considered THE holy grail of movements in CrossFit. I could say that I want to Rx every workout and stop doubting my ability to finish.  But instead, I'll say that I want to be more confident of my ability and be stronger and healthier.

I could say that I will write one letter each week and make one phone call each week to the friends I've made but moved away from.  I could schedule in FaceTime dates on my calendar.  I could say that I will follow a schedule to maintain these friendships.  But instead, I'll say that I want to make those connections a priority, and our interactions genuine and heart-felt.

I could say that no plants in my soon-to-be-planted square foot garden will die.  I could say that I won't let bugs or mold or critters wreck havoc.  I could say that I won't have to buy produce from the market. I could say that I won't over or under water and possibly kill a few plants.  But instead, I'll say that I want to plant, grow, and learn.

I could say that my blog will have thousands of followers and that I'd make thousands of dollars on TPT.  I could say that I'd be on the top of the lists.  I could say that I'll make x number of posts per week, and x number of products, and pin x number of items.  But instead, I will say that I want to share my experiences with other teachers in meaningful ways.

Click on Trina's button to learn more about Meet the Teacher Monday and to link up!