These Are a Few of My Favorite Things....

Hi Everyone!

So, here we are winding down one of the seemingly shortest school years that I can remember.  I am not sure if it is because I have come back to my "first love" MATH, but it seems this year has flown by.  And to be honest, that is exactly how I like it to be.  It has been said that if you love your job, you will never work a day in your life..........well this has been one of those years.  I will not reflect upon those years that take 5 years off of your life.  Um, no, I will not go there today.  :-)

While, sitting at my desk this week I started looking around to try and pin point the things that make MY life as a teacher easier and more enjoyable.  My precious home room students watched as I jumped up with my iPad and began taking pictures of random items in the room.  (Bless their hearts, they are quite used to my antics and they completely take everything in stride.). Thinking back, to an "outsider" that may have seemed a little odd.    

Anyhow, I am going to share a non exhaustive list of 

A Few of My Favorite Things

This is where I keep ALLLLL of the student  data that I accumulate through out the year.  It is  compact and easy to "grab and go" to our weekly data chats, parent conferences, etc.  I picked this up over at Organized Classroom Blog.  Simply stagger index cards  in a hard backed plastic file case that clips on the side.  The outside looks like this......

And I obviously have no idea what it's called.  

Next................ someone please cue "music"

..... we have the widely acclaimed Best PENCIL sharpener I have ever used.  Click on the link to purchase yours.  They are about $25 and well worth every dollar.

Two words, GET ONE!

My next item I use weekly and I purchased it from Learning 4 Keeps over at her TPT store.  It is a compilation of all 40 weeks of a school year.  Each week has graphics that pertain to that month, holiday, etc.

As you can see below, I list every assignment for every subject for the entire week as well as the common core standards that are covered by the assignments.  There is also room for extra announcements in the bottom right hand corner.  

This item, alone, has saved me so much time and grief throughout the year.  I have the students turn the previous week in, when I hand them their new one. They place the new one in their BEE binder to be signed by parents.   When they turn them in, I keep them in their student folder to be used at parent/teacher conferences, etc.  This particular copy, shown below,  sits in a plexiglass frame on my desk at all times. 

NEW TEACHERS - must have, just click the picture below for the link :-)

Next, I have a picture of three little gift tubes that I purchased from the Dollar Tree. 

 I got this idea from my school buddies EM and AD.  I use these for my Popsicle sticks, sharpened pencils, card games......the possibilities are endless. 

Finally, I created this last item (in about 5 minutes)  as a portable (class to class) accountability tool.  This rests in a large ziplock bag and is carried from class to class with my fifth graders.  Each teacher can see what has been going on thus far in the day as well as make any adjustments that are needful during the next class.  We have recess time at the end of the day and this tool is linked to that time and has been the most effective tool that we have used all year.  :-)

Next year I will try to make it a little more "cutsie" but I will surely make it a part of my classroom management.

Well, that is all for now.  I will be looking around again today to see what else I may add to this list.  If you have any comments or ideas about what helps your classroom run more smoothly, please feel free to send them my way.  I would love to hear from you.

My Melonhead!!!!

Guess What everyone?  

I have a Melonhead created by melonheadzillustrating.blogspot.com.

Check it out

 

I absolutely love it.  It includes all of the little details that I gave her about my pug (Mr. Stubbs) to my reading glasses on the chain.  I am very pleased with it and I would highly recommend her work to anyone that would like to go down in Melonheadz history.  lol

Blog On Everyone!

Working With the Teacher

Small group time, or "Teacher Time" is a great opportunity

for me to observe and assess how well my Math students have learned.

 

I like to see every step of a Math problem so I found a different way for students to work with me without using paper or workbooks, yet they can still show me their 

Math "skills".

 

 

At the beginning of the year we provided our students with a white 3-ring binder in which they keep everything that they do and need for 5th grade. ( BEE binder but geared to upper elementary)  :-)
 

  Students bring their white binders and a dry erase marker to my table and we practice working problems together.  As you know, division requires practice, practice.......and dare I say....practice. 

 

We write on the BACK of the binders.

 

 

I have used the small white boards in the same manner but for some reason the students prefer  their own binders.  One student mentioned, 
"we can even do this at home". ...... Cha-Ching!!!! 

Have a great weekend fellow bloggers!

It's Been a Super Power PD Kind of Week!!

Hello Fellow Bloggers!!!!

SUPER Teacher Here

 

 

 

I wanted to take a few moments and share the crazy yet productive week that I have had.

 

I had the opportunity to attend 2, yes 2, professional development Seminars.

I found both of them to be very informative and fresh with inspiration.

 

The first one, on Monday afternoon, was initiated to celebrate

Literacy Week 2013.

We received training on the

Martha Speaks
Reading Buddies Program

It is a cooperative style of learning that stresses the importance of teaching

vocabulary as well as the effectiveness of cross-age reading.

 

Monday, all of our upper grade classrooms "buddied" up with lower grade classes and we met

for the first time this Friday afternoon, yes I am still talking about the same crazy week. :-)

Each of my 5th graders was paired with a 2nd grader and they worked together through a fun five step process that includes the following:

1. Watch Together - Big Buddies and Little Buddies sit together as a whole

group and watch one of the  Martha Speaks episodes.

2. Talk and Play Time - All buddies then have the opportunity to interact by discussing questions

about their favorite parts of the show and how they feel the show relates to them.  They also participate in a game or activity (provided by the program) that reviews the key vocabulary words.

3. Read Together - Next, the Big Buddies read a picture book to their Little Buddies.

The 4 special vocabulary words are embedded in the story.

4. Write Together - Each of the Little Buddies are provided with a lesson journal

that the Big Buddies help them complete referencing the story and

how it could relate to them.

5. Wrap-Up - The last step of the day is to review the special words and can include songs, chants or the sharing of journal responses.

One Word? Impressed

My students matched up with their Little Buddies and did a fantastic job. It was so rewarding for me to watch them do what I do all week long. I would definitely recommend linking up with another grade for reading and learning.

Also, did I mention that our school has all of the sessions separated into small totes complete

with books and activities. Yes, my school ROCKS!!!

 

 

 

Ok, that is what I learned on Monday and implemented on Friday afternoon.

Now let's fill in some of the days in between......

Tuesday - normal day.....ummm, what is that, really?

Wednesday and Thursday were WOW days!

I had the opportunity to attend a two day Singapore Math Seminar.

 

Another Word? Impressed Again,

I, being a Math lover found everything that was presented to be something that
I wish I had learned back when I was in elementary school. Our presenter was awesome and really knew how to speak to a room full of teachers.  That, my friend, is not an

easy task.  I hope to post some of the

actual things that I learned later on.

If you get the opportunity to attend a Singapore workshop, do it.....

So, that, my friends, is my week in a nutshell.

 

Hopefully you can kinda see why I feel like I have

super powers this week.  Of course, the craziness of this profession is what

keeps us going, right?

 

'till next time friends......Blog ON!

 



January Currently 2013

 

2013.......what?!?

 

I am so excited about this new year! 

I am the type of person

that loves to start over, fresh and new.  No matter what things have been like up to this point, we have an opportunity to be better and greater than we were before, especially as Teachers. 

My "OLW or one little word" that I chose is EFFECTIVE.  I want to be effective in every area of my life.  I want to teach my students with a contagious passion that will make a difference in their desire to learn and succeed.

 

Happy New Year everyone!!!

Blog On! 

Cool Coordinate Graphing Activity and a Freebie

Guess What?  I Won!!!!!

I just checked my email and this is what I found:

Congratulations! You have won the Great Blessings Giveaway Number Three! You should be receiving great resources in your inbox soon! Thanks so much for taking part in the giveaway and I will be looking forward to receiving confirmation of this email. :)
Leah at Learning 4 Keeps put on a great Blessings Giveaway.  Now everytime I check my email it is like Christmas......new goodies are coming in from everywhere.

The second item for today is to introduce my newest additions

to my TpT store, one of which is a FREEBIE!

First of all, I created an activity to introduce

Coordinate Graphing to my fifth grade class.
Here are the specifics:



......and an example of 1 of the pages....



My fifth graders will love this and it covers the Common Core Standard 5.G.1.

I also created a Christmas Card Freebie that may be printed on cardstock with a treat or goodie (Little Debbie Christmas Tree) taped on the front.



Then finally, last but not least, I want to remind
everyone about the huge sale that will be taking place on Monday and Tuesday at TpT.....please see the graphic below.



Don't forget to write down the promo code.

A Graphics Factory Subscription Give Away 8-)

 

 That's right my friends!  Emily is giving away a Graphics Factory Subscription!  Why... because teachers love clipart and what better way to say welcome and thank you?  So head over to her  blog for some great teaching tips and freebies and enter to win. :-)