How To Load A Laminator

My librarian showed me and my teammate how to load the laminator. I decided it would be best to record her on my IPad for future reference. Without the video I would be doomed to forget everything! I wanted to share the video in case anyone else needed it. I hope it helps!

Math Centers

This year I will be teaching math in small groups so math centers will play a daily part of our math routine. If you have been reading previous posts you know that I have a combination class of 1st and 2nd graders. As they rotate through math centers they will come to one that involves a hands on activity such as a matching activity or a game.

Below are pictures of one of my favorites! The kids really enjoy it and it keeps that particular group engaged while I am working with my other group.

The students pick a card. In this particular case everyone is working on addition (I also have subtraction). At the top are three numbers. The students get those three number cards and now have to use their reasoning skills to determine which two of those numbers will equal the sum. When they have figured out the answer they record it on their sheet. This center is excellent for getting my students thinking!

If you are interested in this center it comes in single-digit addition and subtraction and double-digit addition and subtraction. Check it out by clicking on the pictures below or the words above. Happy teaching!

An Easy Trick That Helps

As a teacher, I think it's important to share our tricks of the trade with each other. I'm an older teacher. I graduated from college in the early 90's and I admit I took a class where they showed us how to load the filmstrip on a projector. I am one of those teachers that collected the teacher worksheet books from the local teacher store and did my student teaching in a school that still had the mimeograph/ditto machine in the workroom. (and yes, the teachers used it....and so did I.) 

With the birth of the internet and TpT, my teacher books were used less and less, but I have to admit I still use some religiously! I love them and they work well for me. Maybe you have some favorite teacher books you still copy from also. 

When I first started teaching, I would forget which pages I had already copied from. My students would tell me that we had already done that page six months prior.  (They never forget anything like that, but they never remember their addition facts do they?!?!?) So I developed a system. I put a post-it note in the front cover each year (or use the same one if I only copied a few pages the previous year). Each time I make copies from the book I write down the page number, that way I don't repeat any pages. Some of my books I skip around in so this is very helpful! Just a simple easy trick that helps a lot!

I would like to introduce my class to you!

This is my 16th year teaching and my very first year teaching a combination class. Yep! You heard that right! I have a combination class of 1st and 2nd graders. I have taught both grade levels before just never together. I have already found it quite challenging. 

This didn't come about because we had too many and couldn't make another class in 1st and 2nd grade. We actually have three 1st/2nd grade combination classes. We are trying a new model out and we hope it works out well for the students. My class will be the acceleration group. We will be moving quickly. And we already have in math. With testing beginning Tuesday, Language Arts is off to a slow start, but as soon as it's over I will have my children off and running in that area also.

Luckily, every parent gave me permission for their child to be featured on my blog so you will be able to see my whole class throughout the year working on their activities. Being that I have two grade levels, I will be spending a great deal of time teaching in small groups and in centers. 

Each morning, my students come in and work on their morning work. There is a 20 minute window of time where the students are coming in from breakfast so it is vital that they have something to do. I was so, so very fortunate to find Emily Ames' morning work bundles! I looked all over TpT for morning work for my kiddos. Her product was not too easy and not too hard, but just right! I was very impressed that she included some additional pages for differentiation if I needed them. If you would like to see Emily's morning work products just click on the picture below.

For math this year, I decided I need to turn to Interactive Notebooks to help me with my small group instruction. Again, I went searching and found that Blair Turner had exactly what I was looking for. Everything I needed was there for the whole year! I purchased both grade levels and started using them right away. I love them! The kids love them! They really look forward to using them and I think that says it all! Just click the picture below to see all of Blair's Interactive Notebook Bundles.

I also turned to Jamie from Not So Wimpy Teacher for her Tools for Interactive Notebooks and for her ideas on setting up my math groups. Thank you Jamie!!!

So far the rest of the day has been handwriting, review, and some whole group lessons that both grade levels can do. As soon as testing is over we will begin reading groups. I plan on using Reading A-Z while the other two combination classes will be using other reading series we have in the building.

Well there you have it! An adorable photo of my kids at the top of this post (I didn't even tell them to pose!) and a run down of some what's happening in my class so far this year. More to come!

Farley Link Up

Listening

I have been watching listening to The Strain. I actually have been binge watching the show. I say listening because I am on my computer at the same time. It's a great show if you haven't watched it!

Loving

Today was my youngest child's 18th birthday! He wanted to go to Olive Garden for his favorite food...spaghetti!  If you click on my Instagram symbol at the top of my blog you can see the neatest birthday gift we got him!

Thinking

Thinking tomorrow will be awesome! Our wedding anniversary is Monday, but my husband and I will be celebrating tomorrow.We have been married 24 years. We are headed to Asheville to take a behind the scenes tour at The Biltmore House. We love going there!

Wanting

I want more summer time!!!!  I really need more time to get everything done on my summer list. I only have a few weeks left. Plus, we didn't have enough time to travel!

Needing

I need to start setting up my classroom. (Sigh) It's time. I need to get in there and put everything back where it goes. I'm supposed to be doing a 1/2 combo class this year, but that may change and I really need to know like yesterday if it will.

B2S RAK

I haven't thought about something for B2S, but I already have goodies planned for Christmas. My coworkers know I plan Christmas way in advance! Hopefully my principal will be planning something nice for B2S. I should probably remind her.

Click here to link up!

Back to School Ideas

It's almost time for school to start here in North Carolina. I know some school systems across the country have already started while others still have a ways to go. For me, I have 3 weeks of summer left before I head back to school to start working on my classroom. 

This will be my 16th year teaching, but it will be a completely new challenge for me. For the first time, I will be teaching a combination class of 1st and 2nd graders. I have taught both these grades before, but never together. I have already started planning. I am the type of person that likes to have my ducks in a row ahead of time. I will be collaborating with two other teachers and I think between the three of us we will do awesome!

As I was going through my photos I came across some that I thought could be helpful to some newer teachers. When I first started out, I did not have a mentor to help guide me. The school system I worked for at that time did not have a mentor program in place. I would have loved to have had an experienced teacher to help me through those first years. Instead, I relied on my coworkers who were also pretty inexperienced themselves. I learned and grew a lot those years and love those group of ladies I worked with. They were awesome!

My first principal's name was Ms. Mack and she must of thought I was crazy! I would walk around with my plan book like it was part of me. She told me it was ok to put it down and teach. She was so understanding, encouraging, and helpful. I was so afraid of forgetting, but she was right! I didn't forget. I put it on my desk. I walked away and I taught. She was great! Do you believe she also was responsible for getting me to try a sub sandwich from Subway and a chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A? Yep! I was a pickier eater back then, but I'm not now thanks to Ms. Mack!

So here are my back to school tips! These are not all that I could possibly list. Just some I wanted to share.

This one has helped me...especially in recent years. I tend to take things so personally, but it is really important to remember that other people's problems are not yours. You may work at a school that is very professional or one with a lot of drama. If there is a lot of drama then say this to yourself. You will be much happier I promise you!

This mailbox system was one of the best purchases I ever made! I decided to buy the wooden one and it has held up for many years. I put numbers on each one and assign numbers to the children. On the side is a master list with the kids names and numbers in case anyone needs it. The children put their work in their mailbox. If it is something I have collected their number is right next to their name so I can easily file their paper later. Every classroom needs a system and this system has worked great!

I purchased cookie sheets from the Dollar Store and some chalkboard paint. Add chalk and an old rag and you are all set! I like using these in small groups to practice spelling or math facts. The kids enjoy them and it's a change of pace from the normal paper and pencil. 

When I first started teaching I looked for ways to be frugal. My mother and I saved all the Cool Whip and butter containers. I would use them for games, math manipulatives, painting, etc... A great use for these containers and it taught the kids about recycling too!

My very good friend, Marjorie, made her own seats out of crates! She used a piece of wood with some batting and colorful fabric. ADORABLE! The kinders at our school love them!

BEST PENCIL SHARPENER EVER!!!!

I finally found a great one and I am so pleased!!!!

I have two things to say about this picture.

1) I found these little pocket charts at the dollar store. Always keep you eye out for good deals. You never know when you will find something you can use that is a great price!

2) Utilize your space. I currently teach in a small classroom. That is a picture of my desk. It's magnetic so I hung the pocket chart with magnets right there plain and simple! This is my word work center. Works great! The side of a file cabinet will do the same thing. So again, utilize your space.

My spelling homework stays the same week to week, only the words change. You know how you can buy sticky address labels that will go through your printer? Well, you can also buy full sheets that have a sticky back that go through your printer. I print their homework, 4 to a sheet, print it, and cut. We stick it right in their spelling notebooks. Then they don't have to remember what Monday's spelling homework is, etc... They just have to get their new words each week.

These wonderful little colored discs were a Dollar Store find. They sell them at craft stores too, but the Dollar store has them cheaper. They are great for highlighting numbers or words. The kids also like to count them or use them for game pieces. 

These are just a few back to school ideas to help you get started. Hope they help!

Do You Remember?

We don't spring clean in my house. We SUMMER CLEAN! Summer is the only time I have! I have been going through my old stuff, getting rid of this and that, putting stuff away, etc... This past week, I came across my old record collection. I know, I know! I just gave up my age didn't I?   

When I was entering my teens the 8-track tapes had just been replaced with cassette tapes, but records were still in full swing. I remember going to the record store with my friends to get the latest albums. So here I am now, years later, stuck with a box full of vinyl records. (Eventually, as everyone knows, the records and tapes were replaced with CDs and I have plenty of those too!) I still have an old record player in my garage. As I was cleaning, I played some of those old records. Boy did it bring back memories!

My two favorite groups growing up were Depeche Mode and Duran Duran. I still listen to Depeche Mode A LOT!!!! I am a huge fan! Of course I had all their records and then I bought all their CDs. Now I use Spotify and I have their albums listed right there to enjoy also. 

Mixed in with all my records were ones that were handed down from my mother. Of course, these are classics and still have wonderful songs to listen to today!

This one was also a hand-me-down from my mom. I was laughing so hard when I ran across this! How to keep your husband happy! How about one for how to keep your wife happy? Let the men do some work and exercise to make us happy gals! He he he!!!! 

I think I will hang on to my records. I like to bring them out every few years or so and just enjoy the nostalgia.

Vegas Trip!!

Who went to Vegas? I did!!! I did!!!

This was my first trip ever! I can't believe how much we packed in in only a few short days. I came home very tired, but full of memories, ideas, and a desire to do it all over again.

I traveled with two fellow North Carolina teachers: Kayla from K's Classroom Kreations and Theresa from Theresa's Teaching Tidbits. Here are some highlights of our trip!

Here we are on the plane leaving Charlotte, NC. 

 Meeting friends and checking in!

I introduced myself to so many people and shook so many hands that I lost count! Everyone was so nice and just fabulous! I wish I could have met everyone.

There is no way we couldn't check Vegas out! We visited the Fountain Show, walked the strip, saw a show, and ate tons of beautiful food! In one day alone, we walked over 6 miles!

Then it was time to go home. I wish we had stayed for a few extra days. 

Want to see more Vegas pictures? 

Click here to view the linky party!