School Girl Love

I am still drooling all of the new Chalkboard Classroom and can't wait to decorate! I have so many ideas and then I saw this post on the Organization Station. LOVE LOVE LOVE the versatility of this new collection. She simply replaced the "red" with aqua. The possibilities are truly unlimited. You could even combine it with some of her other styles... sigh....

I love this bulletin board. Its a great an easy way to organize things. I was thinking this would be great for in the hall just outside my door as I have so little space in my classroom or perhaps just inside my door next to the emergency binder.

What is your favorite theme for decorating your classroom?

Textbook & Teacher Resource Secrets!

Yesterday... I shared with you my Gains for 2013. One of the gains I am planning on is recovering financially from my bankruptcy. I want to never be in this situation again!

For me, I can't control if my cancer returns. I am in remission but as any survivor will tell you... each day we are given is a gift. No one can guarantee it will not return nor can they say when it will return. It is a wait and see kinda thing. The best thing I can do is plan for the what-ifs and pray that it will never come to pass.

One of the things I am doing is learning to manage my money better. So today.. I have a great secret for you!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this place! I started using it as a cheap alternative to buying my book. I can choose my due date which means that I can rent them for the time I need them rather than some arbitrary choice of 30 or 60 days like other sites.

BUT I really fell in love with this site when I discovered you can rent teacher resources. Check this out.

I can rent books like this for 30 days. Make copies of the 1 activity I like in the book and use it with my class and mail it back. This will save me soooo much money. So this is one of my money saving secrets... as an added bonus it decreases the amount of clutter I have in my home and classroom.

What tops to do you have for saving money on teacher resources?

Moving Freebies

As part of my New Year plan to be more organized, 

I have decided to remove my freebies from TpT & TN 

and move them all to google docs! 

WHY?? 

I want it to be easy to access these items in a single click.

It takes a lot of time to upload products to TN & TpT,
this means I can create more.

When I figure out the link to my google docs page,
you will be able to access all of them at one time.
This means you can get more freebies faster!

We all win!

You can read more about this great idea at

A Bug and A Wish, A Walk and A Wave

Read more about Giant Children and 

its great poetry collection!

My Whole Brain Teaching Introductory Set!

I so need to spend some time each month studying

this amazing way to teach!

Speaking of Amazing-ness... 

My Conscious Discipline Star!

I have more freebies available but I will share those and their links in another post another day. I hope you enjoy a look at these past blog posts and freebies! 

Teacher's Mailbox

Do you remember the days when mailboxes used to be in front of the house?

As a kid, we always ended up hanging out with our friends at the mailbox. Not because we were waiting for the mail but it is just where we ended up. They were typically found at the end of a driveway and so we naturally stopped there waiting for our friends to arrive. When you sent out a letter, you raised the little red flag on the side.

This is the inspiration for my teacher's mailbox. I wanted something that would look adorable, hide what was inside so that it could remain confidential but yet catch my attention when needed.

You can pick up a mailbox for about $15 at Home Depot. This is so on my list of craft ideas for next summer but I couldn't wait to share this idea! My rule will be once it goes in the mailbox it does not come out. This means no more losing money, transportation notes, or other stuff from home anymore.

YIPPEE!!

Check out some of these cutesy ideas I found for decorating your mailbox.

I tried to find the one that first sparked this idea but could not. I found this beautiful mailbox while searching for wedding ideas years ago. It was covered in black and white photos of all of their favorite things and ideas.

I really like the monster but I think I am going to create something closer to the first one. What do you think?

The Together Teacher

The first quarter of the year has been wrapped up. By now, you have noticed what is and is not working in the classroom for you. The question is how to make changes that will assist you throughout the remaining portion of the year.

I have read A TON of books on classroom organization. As a new teacher (and one who some claim is OCD. I am still in denial.) I need all the tips and tools I can get. When I was asked to review another book on organization, I was hesitant. What could it actually teach me?

I saw the review on Good Morning America and it dealt with a lot of tips on how parents can get their kids organized for school. Soooo... I thought I would review it based upon how it can help me as a parent.

 

The Together Teacher is so much more that what I was expecting! Maia has spent a lot of time doing her research and it shows throughout the book. I was surprised by how many different organizational theories and "gurus" she quoted. She pulls the best of each of their theories into one, simple, easy to use program.

One of my favorite parts is the Comprehensive Calendar. I have always color coordinated my schedule but I have to admit... I have A LOT of calendars. I have one for grad school, one for hubby, one for the kids, the puppy has her own, another for teaching, and another for personal things. Nothing every stays together!

The comprehensive calendar puts everything together and teaches you how to maximize your energy levels AND your time. I love the idea of blocking time for specific tasks. I have been known to lose entire days as I spend all of that time working on a particular project.

The picture above shows my schedule. I added in what the colors mean to kinda help you see what is going on. The purple is me time.... things I do on my own like blogging, design work, creating products, grad school homework, and bubble baths! =)

The blue colors are family time. Different shades of blue represent different things we are doing. Green is my alone time with hubby and orange is my student teaching time. The boys are pink if they have something specific that needs to be done for them.

Anyways.... the colors tell me what I should be scheduling to do during that time. I just put in all of my meetings, etc... on top of the colored section and it all fits in. This was just a quick sample of my schedule so it is missing things like house cleaning and exercise which is also on my to-do list.

This is just one way of many to create a comprehensive calendar. I love how Maia gives step-by-step directions for a paper method, an electronic method, or a hybrid method.

The rest of the book is also wonderful. It gives tips on how to keep track of notes (notability is still my favorite and Maia would approve I am sure!), creating routines, managing email (where does it all come from??!), and how to set up your classroom to contain the chaos.

It also has great ideas for parents and homeschoolers. LOVE the chapter on "the backpack explosion." If only Maia had a way to keep my boys from using their backpacks as collectors for bugs and crumbs. Oh... and a way to guarantee their room does not smell like a locker room but I will digress on those.

The reflection questions throughout the book helps keep the reader focused and engaged. With these questions it is like having Maia there.... talking you through it. Asking you to look around a little harder and guiding you to the method that works best for you.

The book includes a CD with more examples and templates.

The Together Teacher would be great to helping resolve those issues that have been plaguing you throughout the last quarter and now is your chance to win your own copy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

My favorite app: Notability!

I have been hinting that I would share this for awhile but taking pictures of my iPad seemed silly. So I haven't... then I got the bright idea to make the teenager do it!! He said he felt stupid taking pictures of my iPad. See... I am not the only one!

My most used and favorite app is...

So you are probably thinking another note taking app, right? I was until I saw another teacher use it and it was love at first site.

So here is my iPad... ignore the dirty screen.  If you look... there are files on the left where each one has a different color attached to it and then each file you can add multiple notes to it. This file is my last practicum so all of the notes are dated but you can name them however you like

Here is what one of my note pages look like. It is multiple pages... see the line in the middle, that tells ya my page above ended and so if I print this that is where my page will divide. Neat, right?

Okay... I can take pictures, scan documents, type, draw, insert graphs, high light, change the background of my pages... including a page with lined notebook paper, copy and paste, edit pictures, blow up anything to a bigger size, email it to anyone as a pdf, or send it off to dropbox. If that is not enough... it has the capabilities to record audio and video. You can use a stylus too but I have yet to find one I like.

This guy is amazing. I take it to all of my meetings. I use it for my practicum and student teaching. I have section for my students where we work together. That is what the lined paper is great for! We write down goals and then we work on them and save them.

Oh and once when we were having a really bad behavior problem,  we hit record on the video and wala... instant email to parents and the principal. GENIUS!

I purchased this on sale for $0.99. I think it is normally $2.99. Whatever it is... you need this one! You will never want another note app again.

Reusable Anchor Charts

I have learned so many incredible things from my mentor but I think reusable anchor charts has to be one of my favorites!

I will apologize for the pictures in advance... they are from my iPad and embedded into a PDF... I will share more about this great invention that I love tomorrow.

Onto the anchor charts!

My mentor created several of these "reusable anchor charts" at the beginning of the year. Primarily she uses these to teach grammar - hence the titles of the charts you see in the pictures.  

She took a poster ( 8 1/2 x 11) and then mounted it on cardstalk to make it pop and then glued it to a piece of anchor chart paper. Then she laminated it all. The above picture shows what it looks like ready for use!

To use it, she hangs it on the white board with magnets or pins it to the bulletin board. It is moveable to wherever it is needed in the room AND it is its own many whiteboard. =)

Each poster has one term on it, a definition, an picture, and 2 examples. This way students always have a handy reference. As an added bonus, she can add what ever we are currently working on to the chart. Here we are working on tenses of verbs. 

When they are not in use they are hung up on a moveable pocket chart thingy (love that term right?!). There is a complete set here. We simply take it off of the rings and move it to wherever we need it and put it back when we are done. Students know that the can access this at any time. 

Interactive Notebooks! 

I love interactive notebooks. My take on this is to create mini anchor charts with the same information for my students. This way the can copy what we have on and add it to their notebooks. This will help them to have the information at their fingertips instead of having to go across the room to get it. Plus when we erase, they will still have the information to reflect upon at a later date. 

I am contemplating a grammar section/tab of the notebook just for these charts. So that way students will have an easier time locating the information when they need it.

Honey Bunch Blog Designs

Some of you have just realized that I am "THAT Misty." 

Yes, in the little free time I have, I have partnered with Erika to bring you some of the most amazing blog designs. We just introduced two new lines of premade templates. First, a seasonal/holiday line to decorate your blogs and second, an exclusive line of Melonheadz templates. To celebrate we are currently offering $5 off with the coupon code melonbeez.

Red & Black Erin Condren Planner

At the beginning of the month I was surprised by winning an Erin Condren Lesson Planner! Thanks again so much to Ashley at Just Reed!


I had been thinking of purchasing one of these but they are so stinkin' expensive!! I didn't want to buy one and then think later that I had wasted all of that money. I have been all over the site dozens of times. Should I or shouldn't I? Should I or shouldn't I?

It took about 3 weeks to arrive. It came in the mail so beautiful wrapped! Look the tissue paper is RED! Please ignore the white square in the first photo, didn't want the whole world to have access to my address. =)

I discovered that some of the designs let you choose your own colors and so that is what I did with the Candy Lace design. It is red lace with black dots. I may switch it next time. Isn't it pretty? Bet ya didn't know you could make it in my favorite colors?

This is the inside of my lesson planner. I love how the additional stickers were created to match (top right) and that there is a pouch to hold these in.

The cover appears to be a hard laminate over card stock. The inside back cover (top left) has a 2012 and 2013 yearly calendar. Inside front cover is just the lace design same as outside back.

Middle Left shows the colored lesson planner pages. I use a wide popsicle stick to create additional columns (for example lunch, recess, morning routine) to add to this and personalize it for me. The one thing I do not like about this is the cute owl at the top. Remember my "no owls allowed post" - I would have to cover each and every owl or never let my students see it (which is not an option).

Middle right - there are 4 pages of stickers to use in the planner. Cute addition but I would like some more cutesy graphics but that is just me. I love that 2 of the 4 pages is blank so I can add in my own things.

Bottom Left - monthly calendar and notes page. I use this notes section as a checklist of things I want to accomplish this month. Goals to reach. Etc... It is more "personal" than school related but it does include crafts I want to create. =)

Bottom Right - LOVE this! It is a checklist for students and each line is a different color. This would help make sure that grades are recorded in the right spot. Or you can use it for forms to be turned in or whatever you are needing.

The Pros!

I love the colors of this, the fact that I can personalize it, and it appears that it would be very sturdy! And I can wipe it clean if something spills on it. 

The Cons!

The price and the owls. As weird as this sounds, I think I would like it 3 whole punched as well. A lot of my lesson plans are done electronically as it has to have objectives included which are required by my university and the state.  

How I Use My Planner:

Do to the requirements of my lesson plans, a week's lesson plans are insanely long. My mentor teacher printed hers out last week... 19 pages! It did not even have all of the requirements that I have to meet for school. As a result, I have a printed copy that goes into a 3 ring binder for the state that is sorted by quarter and week.  

My planner is my go-to guide. It is a "checklist" of things that I want to accomplish that day. I says things like "DOL Wk 3 Mon" or "TM H432" or "Nouns PP" - these small notes fit perfectly on the page and remind me of what the big one says. It is also what I carry with me to team meetings. I plan in this book and I finalize on the computer.

Pens or Pencils?

When I have used a paper planner in the past, I always used colored pens for it. I was able to keep track of things easier with this. Paydays listed in green. Each child was a certain color, family things in another. I tried that with my planner but it did not work so well.  Pencil is working much better for me as I can change this as I need to. My computer plans are in color. 

My planner came with colored pens! I LOVE me some colored pens. They said they were not to be included on the invoice but alas here they are as a free gift! 

I have to admit that I am disappointed by this product after the high quality of the planner. These are sold for $7 but I recommend not getting them. The colors are nice but the pens are so cheaply made that it is not worth the money. The first time I used one I thought it was gonna break. =(

So there is my newest toy. I have already begun using it and can't wait to make my final decision after a year of using it.

Parent Communication

How does one convey all the information that is needed to parents? Do you use a website, emails, phone calls, letters home, texting, home visits, or a combination? How do you keep track of the communication going back and forth? These are the questions that have been posed time and again in my graduate classes. I have researched and found a lot of talk on the importance of parent communication but very few examples of it.

I am planning on using a combination of things. I have currently set up a classroom website as a primary means of communication to parents. In the future I am hoping to create some postcards that I can quickly fill in as well.

Must Do Classroom Stuffs

I get sooo many great ideas from blog stalking that I have begun to lose track of what is on my "must do/buy/create list." Does this ever happen to you? So I decided to create a list here to share with you all the inspiring ideas that are on my list.

I blame Tara at 4th Grade Frolics for the hit to my bank account. If hubby asks... I am just going to point at her and say "she made me do it!!"

Seven weeks and counting of amazing ideas! Did you see what I made this past Monday?? (giggles) MY BED!!! So see hubby got something out of all my blog stalking but I claim it is still Tara's fault.

Shhhh! Don't tell her I said so. She is on vacation. She will never know my secret.

YES... I am hiding from my spelling lists. 

No its not done. 

But I am not gonna cry! 

I am the teacher!!

ONTO THE IDEAS!

This is from Hopelessly Devoted to Teaching (love that title!). She picked up a jewelry organizer at Michaels, ear buds at Dollar Tree, and then made the numbers and title. So love this! I am adding ear buds to my supply list.  Bad part - only holds 25. Most classes are bigger than that around here... would need a second one. 

This is from Mrs. Whitehead's Thoughts from Third Grade. This is soooo close to being perfect but for some reason she mixed up the colors blue and red. Maybe she can fix it before I "borrow" it permanently for my room or else I will have to make one of my own. 

Hmmmm... I never thought about having a place for lost and found items. I am adding it to my list. Not sure of I want to copy this design yet or something else but I am now thinking on it. This is from Stellar's Students. 

This is from Hooty's Homeroom. I need her to make me one. Wouldn't it be perfect with a P in the center?? I need to add this to my classroom inspiration page. 

Does lack of spacing or too much spacing drive you as crazy as it does me? I love these cute guys from Ms. Alley's Second Grade Class. My son saw the picture and asked if I could make some for his teacher. =) They are now officially kid approved!

Down the Learning Road found these monster markers! They are called Scentos... never heard of them. I have been looking everywhere for monster pens/markers for Australia but nada until now. Where do you get these at?

UPDATE: 

Found these at Walmart for $0.88 per marker! I bought the entire set!! Spent WAAAAYYY to much on a set of markers but they are so cute and smell so good!

Library book stick genius with GLITTER from a Cupcake for teacher. Pure genius I say! I am planning on making 2 per student to start with and then will go from there. 

Now there was something else I wanted to share but I can't remember what. I thought I pinned it but don't see it. See why I had to make this post? Do you ever lose your pins?

So... my most favorite places of all of blogland

Well... all the places I know is this

The School Supply Addict page.

If your a new teacher.... 

You HAVE to visit here!

Shhhh! 

It's a secret!

Its just been updated with
NEW Classroom inspirations.

Classroom Jobs

Classrooms are busy, messy places that take a lot of time and energy to keep clean and organized. Students love to help out and having a job teaches them responsibility. I have taken an idea again from another teacher and made it my own. I will have my students apply for a job (application in future post) and interview for a job once a semester. I will then hire and train the students the first semester. The second semester, the students will train their replacements.

I have designed my classroom so that each of my friends can have a particular job to do. Here is the current list of ideas, responsibilities, and qualifications for the positions from my classroom website. I may need to add/delete jobs depending on my class size. Also, jobs will not be required so if a friend does not want to apply, he/she does not half to. Time of completion will depend upon the job.

1. Assignment Clerk
~ Responsibility: List all assignments for the day on the board (I think this is going to be  written on an easel pad and then posted on a bulletin board).
~ Qualifications: Good handwriting
2.  Scheduler
~ Responsibility: Changes schedule at the end of each day to reflect tomorrow's events
~ Qualifications: Must be capable of remembering upcoming events
3. D.J.
~ Responsibility: Chooses and plays morning song as students enter the class. Maybe asked to play
additional music at other times of the day as well. Will make sure the equipment is off and put away
when not in use.
~ Qualifications: Must like music. All new music must be approved by Mrs. Poland prior to playing. Must know how to work CD player and/or iPad system.
4. Greeter
 ~ Responsibility: Meets any guests that we may have.
~ Qualifications: Must be professional, courteous, and have a pleasant personality. Must love people
and be able to remember/follow directions.
5. Assignment Sorter
 ~ Responsibility: Puts all collected assignments in student number order, paper clips together, and
places in the "To be graded" bin. No name papers are hung on the "lost & found" board
 ~ Qualifications: Must be able to count to 35. Must be quick with hands and responsible. Must not be
afraid of paper cuts.
6. Postal Clerk
~ Responsibility: Delivers graded work and other items to student mailboxes.
~ Qualifications: Must be quick with hands and responsible. Must not be afraid of paper cuts.
7. Pencil Sharpener
~ Responsibility: Makes sure there are enough sharpened pencils in the "sharp" bucket for the entire class for the upcoming day. If not, sharpen pencils.Check to see if any groups need pencils, takes away dull ones to sharpen another day and replaces with sharp pencils ready for use.
~ Qualifications: Must know how to operate pencil sharpener
8. Table Manager 1
    Table Manager 2
    Table Manager 3
    Table Manager 4
    Table Manager 5
~ Responsibility: This person manages their table. Makes sure chairs are pushed in when we leave the
 room, the floor is trash free, passes out and picks up papers as needed, and acts as secretary if a
member of the table is absent.
~ Qualifications: Must have good handwriting. Must be alert during the day and stay on task. Must share Mrs. Poland's passion for cleanliness and organization.
13. Morning Planner Assistant
~ Responsibility: Place stamp on planner for those with a parent signature, circle in red those that do not
~ Qualifications: Must have good eyesight, be able to keep confidentiality, and work well under pressure.
14. Afternoon Planner Assistant
~ Responsibility: Place check mark in teacher initial box if everything is written down
~ Qualifications: Must have good eyesight, be able to keep confidentiality, and work well under pressure.
15. Messenger
~ Responsibility: This person moves our clip to show where we are at during various parts of the day.
This person also carries messages as needed.
~ Qualifications: Must be professional, courteous, and have a pleasant personality.
16. Operator
~ Responsibility: Answers phone "Mrs. Poland's room. This is __________. How may I help you?"
~ Qualifications: Must have a good phone voice. Must know how to operate a phone and take a
message. Must have good handwriting. Messages are to be placed in Mrs. Poland's mailbox (future blog post) and the flag raised.
17. Librarian
~ Responsibility: Makes sure our library and listening centers are clean and everything is properly put
away and organized.
~ Qualifications: Must love books. Must share Mrs. Poland's passion for organization and cleanliness.
18. Custodian
~ Responsibility: Makes sure that all surfaces in the room are clean and organized. For example, after
centers, ensure that all items have been put back appropriately.
~ Qualifications: Must have good eye sight. Must share Mrs. Poland's passion for organization.
19. Environmentalist
~ Responsibility: Lines up small trash cans by the door at the end of the day for the janitor to empty.
Replaces the small trash cans next to each group in the morning. Reminds the class to use the recycle
bin when possible.
 ~ Qualifications: Must know location of all trash cans in the room.
20. Board Cleaner
~ Responsibility: Erases approved areas of the board at the end of the day and at various times           
throughout the day when asked. Makes sure caps are securely on markers at the end of the day.
Checks to make sure all markers are working at the end of the week.
~ Qualifications: Must know where erasers are located. Must be able to reach the top of the board.
21. Clip Manager
~ Responsibility: Moves everyone's clip back to green at the end of the day.
~ Qualifications: Must know how to use clothes pins. Must be able to reach top and bottom of the
clip board.
22. Line Leader
~ Responsibility: This person leads the line throughout the building.
~ Qualifications: Must be familiar with the building layout. Must be capable of remaining quiet in line. Must walk at a pace that everyone can keep up with.
23. Door Holder
~ Responsibility: Second person in line. Always stops to hold the door for us. Changes the sign for where we are at once everyone is out of the room.
~ Qualifications: Must be strong enough to open doors. Must have cheerful personality and smile often.
24. Line Ender
~ Responsibility: Last person in line. Makes sure everyone is out of the room, the lights are off, and the door is closed. Reports if anyone leaves the line. Carries emergency bag if needed.
~ Qualifications: Must be responsible and trustworthy. Must remain calm in an emergency. Must know  how to follow in line and remain quiet.

Classroom First Aid

A while back, we talked about visiting the nurses office. While researching items needed in the classroom I came across lots of information on having a first aid kit in the classroom. This kit does not negate a trip to the nurse for serious injuries, it is instead to be used for minor issues such as a paper cut or a scraped knee. However, you have to know your school and district policies. While some are okay with others are completely against it. Every paper cut goes to the nurse - she/he must be really busy at that school!

Another item to add to my shopping list... a dorm-sized refrigerator! Again, one will have to make sure they can have one in their classroom before purchasing it. This is not only used to store my lunch in but will hold ice packs. Sometimes all one needs is time with an ice pack to feel better. 

Or a band-aid for the hurt you cannot see with your eye. I saw an adorable lined basket at hobby lobby that I have been wanting to do something with. I will set it on top of the fridge with my first aid items easily accessible on top. And I will stack some of the nurses passes right in front of it. 

Your Shopping List:

~ Dorm-sized refrigerator

~ Band-aids of various sizes

~ Lined basket

~ Latex-free Gloves

~ Ice Packs

~ Peppermints

~ Fever Bugs (stickers that take a child's temp)

What other items do you keep in your classroom to help alleviate trips to the nurses office?

Daily 5

I believe it was last week that I shared with you my philosophy on the concept of the classroom skeletal and muscular systems. Then I began to share with you my plan for exercising my class or in other words, creating a system that would support my lessons plans and goals for my students.

I LOVE the idea of Daily 5 and I think it provides a framework I can work with but as with everything I will want to tweak it as there are some "must do/have" items on my list. 

The premise behind daily five is to start your language arts time with a mini-lesson of 5-15 minutes followed by one of 5 activities for the next 30 minutes. Repeat 4 more times.  This brings your total language arts time to 3 - 3.5 hours per day!

The components are:
1 - Read to Someone
2 - Listen to Reading
3 - Read to Self
4 - Work on Writing
5 - Word Work

Sooooooooooooo........ what do I want to change??

Read to Self - I would like this to be set up ala the Book Whisperer. This would be our daily bell work to start off our morning and get us ready for the day. Our goal would be to read 40 books per year.

Read to Someone - I love the idea in Book Whisperer of the small groups reading various level books on similar topics to add understanding to a discussion. I would like to do this for read to someone. Sure, I will have some free time to but I think this is a great combo of ideas.

Listen to Reading - After lunch, I like to read a chapter or two aloud to settle everyone in. This is our "listen to reading time." I may set up additional items as needed ala Daily 5.

Work on Writing - I think this is going to be more of a writer's workshop thing with a writing assignment due each week. Still thinking and researching...

Word Work - Will be centers for spelling and vocabulary development. Some of this will be remedial to assist students who are struggling. 

No matter how you decide to implement it, you will want to display it in your classroom.

If you have read the book you know that creating anchor charts for each area is a big part of the first few lessons and implementing it in the classroom. I  LOVE this bulletin board. Just imagine it on as seen on the first day of school... chart paper is ready for action!

Now I just need it to match my colors more! Hmmm... need a cute idea with black, red, and white....

In addition to the anchor charts -- you will need a few other posters, like these: 

Teaching your students how to pick good books for them. This is also essential to the Book Whisperer so these two items fit well together.

You will need to remind students how they are to sit together during partner reading. I love EEKK!

I used this with my ESS (SPED) students and they LOVED it! They felt like they could truly read for the first time ever. Afterwards, we went on a hunt around the school to find words. 

There was so much that these children passed by everyday and had no clue. They were so disconnected, it was so sad. I loved watching their faces light up as for the first time EVER they truly felt a part of the school community. 

I struggled to keep them from running in the halls to the next bulletin board or sign but couldn't help but smile. These kids read the pictures, hunted for words they knew,or even shared what they remembered from class when they helped create the display. They were excited! 

We came back to class and talked about all the things they could do now. All the things they missed out on. We talked about where words hide and the kids came back the next day with new knowledge. They read the labels on the condiments and cereal boxes. They found words on their clothes and in the shower. They were able to use clues to discover new words! Those words became new sight words and their fluency grew. 

All because of 3 ways to read a book. 

I just ordered the CAFE book and can't wait! I am sure with this new knowledge I will be tweaking some more. I am also planning on making my own signs and posters to match my room. Look for them in my store soon!

Classroom Skeleton

In a post earlier this week, I mentioned that I need to finish up my classroom skeleton but I never explained what I meant.

A skeleton is the foundation upon which our body is made. Without it we would be a messy blob that couldn't function. The same thing is true of our classroom. We need a skeleton, a framework in which everything else is supported by.

As a teacher this framework must continually be evaluated and improved. It is a continual work in motion just as our bodies are. When we are born we are small and soft as we grow our bones become stronger with proper nutrition and exercise. The same is true of teachers.

We must feed (evaluate our skills) and work out (gain new skills) in order for our students to succeed but first we have to have a skeleton. Just as we have different bones in our bodies, there are different areas in which our framework must be built.

There are the obvious things like:
1) Procedures & Rules
2) Expectations
3) Classroom Management
4) Educational Philosophy

But what about the less obvious things like:
5) Professional Demeanor
6) Collaboration
7) Organization

All of these things are necessary and support our lesson planning but most of us have been taught this over and over again. What we have failed to realize is that we must also provide muscles to make the skeleton work.

Each subject must have a set of muscles upon which you build your lesson plans. Just as with our bodies, when we select the right exercise for the specific muscle of our bodies, our muscles grow. We become faster, stronger, and increase our endurance.

This is the goal for all of our students. We want them to grow, to be more fluent, to be more knowledgeable, and ready for the next grade level. We want them to succeed not just in school but in life.

To do this we must first know what muscles we are using. For many teachers, the curriculum provided is the muscle but too often that proves to create mediocre results. To reach the maximum potential of the student, we must first create the muscle and make the curriculum work to exercise it.

We have all seen this work and succeed. Just think of the Daily 5 or CAFE. The Daily 5 is the muscle upon which the school's curriculum is exercised. It is not the curriculum exercising Daily 5.

My goal for this summer is to create a muscle for each of the areas of Common Core. I would like to add more muscle later but one only has so much time.

What is the framework - the skeleton & muscle you use in your classroom?

Don't forget!