New Year's Resolution- Organization!!

Today I am linking up with Hope of Second Grade Shenanigans to set some goals on....organization!

 

 

I love digital files.

 

There are so many fabulous resources that I have collected throughout the years {I am a blogging and Teacher Pay Teachers addict!} and they have been saved on flash drives, hard drives, Dropbox, GoogleDocs and my computer. When I go to search for something, I search in several different places and sometime can't find the resource that I know I have!

 

So, it's time to organize.

 

This will be a huge endeavor but here's the plan:

 

Everything will be stored on my hard drive and because I am always worried that I will lose my files, Dropbox will be my back up.

 

All flash drives will be moved to my hard drive and wiped {yikes!}

 

I will rename files with a name that I can actually find.

 

Is it bad that this already gives me a little anxiety?!?

 

 

 I love to take photos.

 

Digital is great! I have thousands and thousands of pictures and just like my digital files, are saved in several different places. So I have started to download all my pictures to Shutterfly. I love that there is unlimited space{which I am sure I need} but I can access them from anywhere. It also helps that I can download my gazillion of pictures from my iPhone onto my Shutterfly using the app! Even those pesky photo stream pictures! Woohoo!

 

My goal here is to have pictured developed each month and begin to scrapbook all those beautiful digital pictures. Ok, well maybe not scrapbook. I'm too much of a perfectionist and I tend to fixate on the littlest thing...but I will definitely get them in an album!!

 

 

I love my grade book...seriously, don't laugh!

 

I have already started organizing this little beauty. The trouble here was that I needed to find a way to get my RtI paperwork in an accessible place where I can update it often. So I moved that documentation to my grade book and that worked like a charm.

 

I am a post-it note queen! Anyone that knows me would tell you I keep the company in business and they are all over the place to remind me of a million things. So, the week before school got out I started to collect my notes and work through them each day. I even have a little page to stick them on if it's a note that I need for a bit....and it's in my grade book! Yes!

 

 

I can think of a ton of other things that need to be organized. But I am going to start small and go from there! My closets at school should have made this list....haha!

 

 

Check out Hope's awesome post and the linky at Second Grade Shenanigans! 

 



 

New Years Resolution- Technology!

As the year comes to an end, our minds begin to wonder to the new year. It's a time of reflection and renewal....and I absolutely LOVE it! New Years Eve is my favorite holiday....probably because I am a hopeless romantic and am waiting for my "When Harry Met Sally" moment. You know the one where he is running through the streets of New York to find Sally because he just realized that he is totally in love her! I guess that is the magic of New Year's Eve!  New beginnings and fresh starts.....

So, I am linking up with Kathleen of Growing Kinder to share a few of my New Year's Resolutions for my classroom! First step....technology!

I am so blessed to have so much technology at my finger tips. A few years ago, my district started this awesome program called INTERACT. It is a week long technology training that was all about integrating technology into lessons, classroom activities and assessments.We also earned a ton of technology to use in our classrooms. Jackpot!

So here are a few ways that I plan to use MORE technology in what I do with my kiddos everyday...

1. Utilize my smartboard more. Not just in my lessons or as a glorified chalkboard but really incorporate it into my classroom activities. I plan to use activotes more and allow students access to the smart board during stations. It will take some practice of routines (so that the smart board doesn't become the station all the kids gather around) but will be so beneficial to my students. So in short....more activotes, more time for students to use the smart board independently.

2. Freshen up my stations using technology. My stations are in need of a makeover. I plan to add new apps to my ipads and create stations with QR Codes to raise interest and  so that the kiddos have more choices as they practice key concepts.

3. Listening Station and Technology. My librarian was able to get several Play Aways for the library but I think that I am going to get small mp3 players and put books on them. It would be much easier for the kiddos and I think it would be so fun to open it up to the students to record themselves as they read for others to use in the station! That would definitely get them excited about our listening station again.

Now, this one is a personal goal because I know that I need to do this.....seriously....like yesterday!

4. Organize my digital files.

Oh my word....that is a huge task!! I have thousands...no joke....thousands of digital files that I need to streamline so that I can really use them! What is the use of having all these great resources if it takes me forever to fins them! I will get organized.....more on that tomorrow!

So, what are you planning to do to bring technology to life in your classroom?

Farewell to Our Classroom Elf!

Did you have a little visitor from the North Pole?

My students absolutely loved their elf!

 Her name is Jingle Belle and can I just tell you that she became a HUGE part of our everyday routine has we headed into the holidays. The kiddos were so excited to come in and see where in the world she had landed and receive messages from her about the holiday events in the North Pole.

 

 

My students wrote about her (on their own- yay!) any chance they had and LOVED to talk to her! Needless to say there were a few little teary eyes as we said goodbye for the last time and wished our beloved elf a safe trip with Santa.

 

It was so sweet and I just couldn't shake the feeling that when we arrive in January the kiddos are going to ask whether I have heard from Jingle Belle.

 

So I created this resource with my students in mind (as always!)

 

 

This is a resource that has a Parts of  a Letter Anchor Chart and several different writing pages to accomodated all levels of writers as they write darling letters to their elf!

 

Here is a cute little freebie from my resource! All you have to do is click on the picture...

 

 

I think my students (and your) will have a great time writing to their magical little friends and I am sure that I will have so much fun reading their sweet little letters!

 

 

 



2012...What a Great Year!

Christina from Bunting, Books and Brainbridge is  having a super fun linky party that I just couldn't resist! 2012's Blog Best & Brightest!

  

 

One of the BEST things that happen this year was how many amazing bloggers I have meet! I am so lucky to have such a wonderful group of teachers that are so supportive and talented! They are there to help when I have a question, make suggestions, edit late at night and make me laugh when I really need a it! Thank you for being such good friends!

 

Another fabulous thing that I did this year is becoming an author at Blog Hoppin'! I absolutely adore the ladies that I blog with and can't wait to share more ideas on Blog Hoppin'!

 

 

This year was also an amazing blessing because I was able to represent my school as Teacher of the Year for Huggins Elementary and also represent my school district as the Elementary Teacher of the Year for LCISD! What an amazing honor!!

 

 

This year has also been an awesome year for my little TpT store! I made a small milestone and hope to continue to create awesome resources for amazing teachers to use with your students! Each and every one of you motivate me to challenge myself to create the best resoures I can!

 

I am updating a few files so make sure to check out any purchases that you may have made....my updated Gingerbread Man unit should be up by Christmas!

 

One of my favorite and most viewed post this year is my nonfiction notetaking freebies! It always makes me so happy to know that my freebies are useful and help your kiddos in the classroom!

 

     

 

I can not wait to see what 2013 has to bring!

I think it is going to be an amazing year!

 

 

 

 

 

Silence for Sandy Hook Elementary

My heart is broken.

As a teacher, we train and prepare for the unspeakable but pray that we will never have to use it.

 

My thoughts and prayers are with all those that were touched by the senseless

violence of 12/14/12. God bless all the sweet angels that have made their way back home.

 

This poem was shared by my dear friend Erica and I wanted to share it with you. I am so grateful to be blessed to work with so many amazing parents, teachers and most of all students that show me each day the beauty that there is in the world. I am humbled to be in such a beautiful profession.

 

 

Show Us What You Bought Linky!

Hello! This year seems to be flying by and I am trying so hard to keep up! I am so glad that I have found a moment in my crazy buy schedule to show you some of the most AWESOME resources that I got during the big TpT sale! 

I bought a ton of cute clipart and borders! Here are a few:

I also found several super cute holiday resources! 

                                             

And a few things for everyday use in my classroom:

                               

I have joined up with Blog Hoppin' to show off all my goodies! 

Go check it out!



It's Cyber Monday and a Sale!

It's Cyber Monday! Teachers Pay Teachers is having an awesome sale! I have my whole store on sale and with the promo code cmt12, you can save 28%!

I am updating my Gingerbread Man unit and can't wait to upload it! It's currently on sale for $3.20 and you'll get an update this week!

Hope you have an awesome time shopping and grab up some great resources! Sale ends tomorrow! Happy shopping!