Tame your Space

I am constantly being asked by co-workers what my tips are for keeping my room organized and 'tamed' and tame would be the verb I would use for teachers keeping their areas organized. It is never perfect, and it will never be complete. So all you can do is tame the situation. 

I know that a lot of teachers get over-whelmed at the end of the school year with the amount of STUFF that has piled up or been covered up or put in closets and all of that has to be re-organized and gone through. 

Now I know that it is impossible to keep the clutter tame all the way, and at the end of the school year, I always end up feeling like I have to throw everything away and that it is going to take years and I get frustrated and just go sit in another teacher's room and talk about summer plans. 

Here is my solution to that this year: 

Every week I am going to have a focus area. (teachers love goals) 

I am writing my focus areas in my plan book. 

My focus areas are: 1. Books 2. cabinets 3. Shelves 4. Files 5. Manipulatives

This year it is super important that I go through everything: I am changing positions next year. Currently I teach second grade math. Only math. We have been departmentalized for some time now (three years). Next year, I will be teaching a mixed-age class of second and third graders. A new math teacher is coming in, so I need to get her curriculum and teacher books, books from my library, manipulatives, everything!

This week I have gone though my classroom library and paired it down quite a bit. I don't want her to start her teaching career with a library that is not well-rounded. And since I will have third graders, I need to "beef-up" my library. 

I am hoping that having clear goals for each week will stop me from being so "if you gave a mouse a cookie" as I go through my room. And take away the frustration altogether!

Bonus Tip :  Don't handle paperwork more than three times. When I grade papers, I grade them, write their points on a grading sheet (or even better put them straight into the grade book/computer), and then put them straight into their mailboxes. (I try to sit close to their mailboxes if possible)

The BEST thing to do is grade their papers as SOON as they hand them to me, and have THEM put it into their mailboxes. (But I know that can't always happen)

That will help you keep the paper-pile-up down to a minimum throughout the school year. 

Happy Organizing :) 

Classroom Tour

I thought I would share my classroom through a picture tour.
We start school on the 27th with students, teachers begin on the 24th.  

So here we go!
Welcome to my Classroom 

My calendar math area. I already have it set up for the first day of school. We adopted the program two years ago and I'm getting the groove of it!
I hung the baskets on the well, I'm unsure how I'll use them quite yet. 

 View to the "back" of the room.

View to the door. I have 4 tables in my room that each seat 6. It's great for cooperative learning and Kagan strategies, but it stinks when I have 27 in a class and we don't all fit around the tables.  

My desk area/the student computer. I hope to utilize it more this year. 

From the door looking at my desk/bookshelves
I've changed my room around a little this year, and it has me anxious. 

This is a part that I'm really excited about.
I teach four sections of math each day. This wall (which are my cabinets) will [hopefully] serve as our data board. I don't want to post names or exact numbers, just a "yes" or a "no" if we have mastered the standard or not (I plan to use small post-it notes). I've just started with my standards for the first quarter to see how this method goes... 

*Hopefully* My area for guided math conferences and small math groups! :) 

Storage & extra bins... everybody has this stuff, right??
The baskets across the top are another undecided project. 

Behind my small group table: I want us to know what our goals are, and how we'll know if we've mastered a standard. I'm really into goals, data, and students tracking progress this year! 

Again, *Hopefully* my workstations pocket chart! 

SmartBoard area .... manipulatives, games, math books on the shelves

Student computer that WILL get used more this year. 

 I'm really excited about this. I am making a conscious effort to be more POSITIVE this school year.
We have adopted PBIS and I really want to do my best to follow it, not just because we've adopted it. But because I want to be a positive teacher and mentor to the children I have in my room. I want them to feel safe and secure in school.
These Brag Tag hooks are for the brag tags I bought from Primarily Speaking. I'm excited to use them as positive reinforcement throughout the school year! 

Schedule on the wall (my students move to 3 different teachers throughout the day.
Behavior charts (calendars) that I made. We use a clip-stick and at the end of the day during pack and stack routines, we color in where we ended that day. 

Phew! That's my room so far; What I've done of it.
I think a classroom is constantly changing, materials are out when they are needed & when the next set need to come out, they appear from the cupboards!
It's amazing all the work that goes into an elementary classroom. The thought and care that goes into each little space. I would equate it to preparing a nursery: you have no idea what the baby that will reside in the nursery will look like or be like.... yet you make that nursery amazing.
That's what an elementary teacher does. Not for one baby, but for many, different children. And even though we don't know them, their personalities or learning styles, we attempt to make the room welcoming, versatile and organized to enable us to be the best teacher we can be to these kiddos! 

Flip Books

I had a lot of people ask me about the flip books that I just made for open house.
The first tip is that I bought them from Where the Wild Things Learn. 

She has them set up to be totally editable and has the cute kiddo "about me" books included!
(All for only $3 which saved me a TON of time) 

Okay... so I spent some time entering all my information into the pre-made text boxes she has.
*** TIP: There is a slide that includes all the free, fun fonts that she uses in the flip books. I would suggest going to that slide and downloading the fonts before you get started!***
I think you could make them by using the ruler function in PowerPoint-- They're about an inch shorter/longer for each section.

Then, I had to print. Each flip was on a different page... so I counted out each page and what color I wanted them (I had no rhyme or reason for which colors I used)

After printing, I trimmed and trimmed and trimmed. I made 30 flip books, so this was a little time consuming.

As I was trimming, I stacked them to be sure the sizes matched up. They were perfect!

After trimming, I took them home and laid them out in each of their stacks: 

look how pretty! 

Then it was as simple as layering each page. Starting with the biggest one, which was almost a full-page. and ending with the top cover-ish flap. And finished it up with 3 staples. 

All the flaps & finished.

And they all flip nicely to show information that parents and students will need at the beginning of the school year. 

It's really that simple.
I would really suggest ordering a template from TpT like this one from Where the Wild Things Learn because it makes the whole process a snap! 

 

11 Tips to Help you get your Master's Degree as a Teacher

I started my Master's program in Summer, 2013. I went back to my Alma Mater to obtain my Master's in Elementary and Middle School Administration, and when I started my program, I had only been teaching two years. And let's face it: if you are the type of person who is a teacher and who is going to work on your Master's Degree, you're the type of person who does a TON more than just teach and go to school. When I was getting my degree, I was teaching full-time, going to graduate school full-time, coaching high school softball, among other things.
So here are a few tips to help you get through your time. 

(I was inspired by Alison's list at Learning at the Primary Pond) 

1. Make sure what you're getting your Master's in is something that you're interested in. 
It took a lot of people telling me a lot of times that they thought I would be a good administrator for me to even consider it. I weighed my options of degree programs and after research and a lot of praying, I decided Administration was the thing for me. It helped me get through my assignments and classes because my mindset wasn't "I HAVE to do _____" it was "I GET to do _____" I was genuinely excited and happy to do each assignment. (I'm a big nerd anyway, so that helped) 

2. Beware of the "full plate"
I got a fortune once that said "Don't overload your plate unless you intend to share"
I am the queen of the full plate/extra irons in the fire/juggling act. However, while I was getting my degree I was extra cautious to not fill my plate too full, and when I felt like it was getting too full, I would drop a commitment. I went to school full-time and taught full time, which was like having two jobs. I also am the assistant high school softball coach, on the PBIS team, a board member of our local softball league, among other things. I had to let go of singing in the church choir for a while, and stop going to church council meetings. I also had to learn.... 

3. Don't be afraid to say "no"
I have a lot of friends who are all a lot of fun. They will call up at the drop of a hat and ask to do something (go to a ball game/go to dinner/go see a movie)... I had to learn to say no. And not just because "I have homework to do" but also as mental days -- Sometimes I had to say no; I can't go so that I could breathe and sleep! 

4. Explore your options
Education is unique in that if you want to take on those extra things, you can. I got a lot of opportunities to go to meetings and create presentations and really see what a person who uses my degree daily goes through. If you're getting your degree in curriculum, ask if you can be on the next committee. If you're getting your counseling degree, ask if you can be paired with your counselor to do some research and learn how s/he does things. So when you do take on anything extra you have to ... 

5. Plan, Plan, Plan, Plan
I'm a huge planner. I have an Erin Condren Teacher planner and it works perfectly, keeping my personal dates and classroom lessons all in one place. I also had to learn that I had to write everything down; EVERYTHING -- my planner became a journal of sorts. When you are so busy, you will sometimes forget that there is a party at your grandma's and that you are supposed to take tea. It just happens. So you have to write it down. Also, plan your food. I wasn't the best at this, I'll admit. But there's something to be said for sitting down for an hour or so and planning out your meals for the week. It does make your life 100Xs easier. It was hard for me to do, and I ended up getting fast food a LOT (and gained a few pounds). Weeks that I would plan, I would make things and then be able to eat on the meal for lunches throughout the week.

6. Take advantage of breaks/do things just for you
When I had a fall break, winter break, even a weekend I would milk it for all it's worth. I would use the breaks to work on school work, plan for teaching, and also recharge my batteries. I also had t.v. shows that I would record and watch at night; just to give myself some time to reset myself and prepare for the next challenge ahead. 

7. Shop in advance as much as possible
I would buy things like toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo/conditioner and stock up. When you're as busy as you get... it's easy to forget to buy kitchen trash bags. I especially do this when I am working the fair, trying to set up my classroom, and softball season has started (plus grad school, and etc.). It's madness. 

8. Find a person
I'm not married. While going through school I was not in a relationship. But I had a few key people who had also been in grad school, or had been in a similarly stressful situation and I could confide in them. They were sympathetic (and empathetic!) of my busy-ness and forgetfulness. They got it when I had to say no, and they were still my friends!

9. Lay Down the Type A-ness 
I am Type A. It's kind-of a running joke in my school how Type-A I am. As soon as a project, form, or email comes across my desk, I have to answer it.
But during my time in school (especially the last two semesters) I have to learn that it was okay for me to be a little "Type B" ... Sometimes I didn't answer everything at the exact second it comes across my desk, or my copies weren't made when I wanted them, sometimes I never got to make that "cute" worksheet to put on TpT, or I didn't get my grading done when I wanted to.
I had to learn to be okay with that.

10. Get "in good" with your professors
Now, I'm not condoning "brown nosing" ... but the professors of your grad school program will be the ones who can help you gain experiences and show you ways to challenge yourself. My professors became people I could ask questions about the program, education as a whole, and they were 100% honest in what they shared. They have all the information on testing, requirements, what your next step should be, and are some of the best references for you to get the job you want!

11. Journal
I've kept a journal since I was 8 years old. I love being able to write down my thoughts and (mostly) opinions. I can look back and remember how hard it was and how much work I put in in a few years. I love being able to not only write about myself, but also my family and friends... write about things happening in the world, and keep track of my goals and dreams in my own little book. 

BONUS: Walk
When you've finished your degree, you have to walk at graduation. It's you celebrating your accomplishments! Take it all in and realize how many people were cheering you on through out your grad program. It's a very exciting day! 

All that being said, I am so grateful that I got a higher degree. I learned more than I could have dreamed of, and it gave me great perspective on what goes on "behind the scenes" of education. It's not easy but totally doable!
Next step.... EdD.... ahahahahahahahahaahahahahhahaha

I {LOVE} Work Days!

Today we got a work day in our classrooms!
I <3 work days! It means I get to spend a day in my room (mostly) uninterrupted getting TONS of work done! It definitely feels more like summer now that I have done some cleaning in my classroom. Summer is truly my favorite time to work in my room. I love trying to move things around, trying new floor plans, putting up new bulletin boards, having everything be nice and shiny! 

This whole morning was devoted to cleaning, grade cards and a smidge of planning.
We cleaned chair pockets out, wiped down all the tables, sharpened pencils, updated things, and made everything look nice. 

I like having everything "in its place" so to say. I find that then it is easier to be productive. 
(that's why my house is always so clean when I have grad school homework to do!) 

We went to lunch at our local BBQ restaurant ... and all ordered salads. HAHA 

Came back and started planning.
I am REALLY bad about writing down my plans. I almost wish it was a requirement so that I was sure to get them on paper.
We have SMART Notebook (for now) and I typically do a lot of screen-shots of needed materials. The program we use came with workbooks, and I've had my Tiger Tutors tear out all the pages (otherwise the kids can't do it on their own), which makes the "paperwork" side of things WAY easier.

Today I just needed to make some copies of our "problems of the lesson" and place the workbook pages in the days I wanted to do them. 

We are finishing up our time chapter this week and next week we will begin multiplication/division bar model problems. I can't say I'm totally excited to teach it, but it will happen! 

Tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day (and picture day for us)

Go to my store for a $2 packet! 

Have a lucky day! :) 

Fractions

This coming week, we are starting our fraction unit. How quickly I am able to go and how many "fun" activities I get to do will depend on the first day, when we will do some of the Chapter opener that Singapore always has and I can better gauge their prior knowledge.
I'm always thankful for these days because they are like an extra day, I can sometimes use these days to get a jump on the chapter if I know that we are going to struggle and we will need extra time. 

Here are my tentative plans for the coming week: 

Barring we have no more snow... we should get through our fraction chapter in about a week and a half!

Something I have been working on this weekend has been this calendar booklet for First grade!
A buyer asked me if I could do my Calendar Book for First graders, so I obliged. I don't teach first grade, so I did my best to tailor the pages to their calendar and to activities that would help develop their number sense. 

Click on the picture to go to the calendar booklet in my store! It's 141 pages of lovliness :)

I also whipped up these: 

FREEBIE Bookmarks in my store ... math and the other side is reading. I love using partnerships in my classroom. Partner work is invaluable! 

The end of the school year is almost here (even though there is snow on the ground), which means the end of my grad school days and the end of my student teacher, the end of my internship, and the beginning of summer!
YIPPEE! 

Measurement and word Problems

I do not have nearly enough pictures of anything we do in this classroom of mine! 

That is going to be my *new* classroom resolution until the end of the year, I want to document things as they happen in my classroom better! 

Today my class learned a new strategy for solving word problems.
We worked on simple steps:
1. Read the WHOLE problem.
2. Figure out what/who the problem is about
3. Re-write the question.
4. Solve the problem.
5. Check your solution. 

We did two examples on the carpet together and then used a scaffolded page with the steps for partnerships to work on them together. Here's what the scaffold looks like: 

I have made up a quick unit with problems that have this scaffold on the bottom half of the paper for partners to do. (that's how we used it today) You can click on the picture and get it for free! 

Here's the link for the whole unit with problems and the scaffold. 

I am still figuring out the whole how to be a teacher, student-teacher-mentor, grad student, person in my internship... but somehow I'm working it all out... I had an observation today and it went really well, so I'm happy to share these resources with you! 

Also, tomorrow begins the "Teachers are Superheroes" sale at TpT!

Get there and fill up your carts, I know I will be shopping around!

Click the picture to go to my store :) 

Have a great end to your February!