2012 Here I Come!

Ahhhhh!!!!!!  Is it really already New Year's Eve???  Where did this year go!?!  Where did this break go!?!  I'm not ready for it to be over!  I can't believe I haven't blogged since the week before winter break began!  That week was insane {as you all well know} and I have done a pretty FABULOUS job of putting school out of my mind over the past 2 weeks.  I wouldn't have thought this was possible my first year of teaching (I think I was there 9 out of the 14 days we had off... YIKES!)  I did go up Tuesday to organize and rearrange my room... My theme for 2012 is "Less Mess"!  I have SOOOO much stuff [at home and at school] and I've been working on going through it and getting rid of stuff that "I may fit into this year." or that "I may need someday."  Sheesh!  Any great organizational {and cheap} tips would be greatly appreciated!

Okay... it's time for a little venting.  I also went up to the school yesterday and spent 8 hours putting together an "Evidence Binder".  What is an "Evidence Binder" you ask?  An "Evidence Binder" is a collection of papers and pictures to prove that I am a good teacher.  What?  You don't have to get observed? you say?  Oh no... I still get observed 3 informal observations and 1 formal observation per semester, by an administrator AND a peer evaluator (so 8 observations total PER SEMESTER!) because I'm in my first 3 years of teaching.  However, we've been told at my school that even if our observations went well, if we don't have evidence to prove that we are effective or highly effective we will be marked down.  ....I wish I was kidding.  I get that there are bad teachers out there.  I get that there is always room for improvement.... but this new assessment stuff is taking up SO much time and causing SO much stress.  I would MUCH, MUCH, MUCH rather be using this time to plan great lessons!  And to make things worse we were told about having to put this "Evidence Binder" together by January two days before break.  So pretty much we were given this as work for over our BREAK.  What!?!  Enough venting.

So.... I refuse to end this post on a negative note {this is a rewrite because I definitely ended this post on a negative note a few minutes ago... haha}.  I guess I could've kept that my little secret.  Oh well... So I wanted to end my post by making sure to tell you all HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  And by listing 11 things I'm thankful for in 2011.  So here it goes (in no certain order):

1.  My AMAZING family {Don't know what I'd do without my Momma and Daddy or my cousin who doubles as one of my bestest friends}

2.  My friends... who can always turn a bad day around

3.  My wonderful boyfriend - He's always there for me no matter how stressed and crazy I get!

4.  My dog who loves me no matter what!  c:

5.  Lazy Rivers... great trip this summer!

6.  My relationship with God!

7.  My beautiful home

8.  My job... because no matter how much it stresses me out, I love those kiddos and at least I have one!

9.  My colleagues!  They are hands-down the best!  Great, uplifting people who I love and miss during breaks!

10.  Pinterest  <3

11.  My New Bloggy Friends!


I feel much better after ending on that note!  Hope everyone has a safe and fun New Years!

Currently December

Check out this great linky party @ Oh' Boy 4th Grade.

I'm SOOOO excited to participate because it's my first every linky party! Woohoo! Not to mention I'm excited to be able to check out the rest of the blogs... after I get back from seeing Breaking Dawn Part I... which is where I am headed as soon I post this! I know, I know... I'm just now going to see that movie... that's so a month ago! What can I say... I'm just not hardcore enough I guess. c:

My First Award!!

O-M-G!!  I cannot believe that it has been SO long since I last posted... can you tell I've been enjoying winter break so far?  Today has been my lazy day.  I've done almost nothing today and it has been wonderful!  So.... last week (sheesh! Has it already been a week?) Erika from 2B Honey Bunch awarded me the Leibster Award. The Liebster Award is given to spotlight up-and-coming blogs with less than 200 followers.

I'm SO excited to receive this award! So first, I want to give a big ol' THANK YOU to Erika @ 2B Honey Bunch.

After receiving this award, I am supposed to pass the award on to 5 other deserving bloggers.  This was not easy... you people are amazing with all of your great ideas and 200+ followers, here are 5 great blogs that I've found that have not received the Leibster Award and have fewer than 200 followers:

1. Jessie @ Gluesticks, Games, and Giggles

2. Karen @ New Adventures in First Grade

3. Mrs. Smyth @ New Adventures in First Grade

4. Mrs. Lynes @ Simply Second

5.

I'm going to do my best to post again this week! Hope everyone is enjoying their break... or their last week before break! c: Toodles!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

HOORAY!  It's Christmas week!  This is hands down my favorite week out of the school year!  Today we had Christmas Around the World!  We spent two hours this morning rotating second grade classes to our different "countries" (a.k.a. classrooms).  The morning went by SO quickly and the kids were SOOOOO good!  (Fingers crossed this doesn't jinx me for tomorrow... which is Grinch Day!  EEEEEE!!!!!!!)  Have I mentioned I LOVE this week!?!  So... Christmas Around the World.  I was Sweden today.  We only had 20 minutes to introduce our country, stamp their Oh So Cute Christmas Around the World passports, and do our craft.  So... instead of doing the usual seven candle wreath on our heads like St. Lucia, we made blue birds to <i>adorn</i> our Christmas trees or rooms at home (adorn was one of our recent vocabulary words).  Anywho... take a peek at how one turned out:

 

I'll get the templates for the wings and bird's body and instructions uploaded over break.  We made booklets for the kids to keep their crafts in too.  I typed up information for different countries, we copied it on regular copy paper and folded up the bottom portion of the paper to make a pocket.  Then we cut green construction paper for the front cover and back and stapled it all together.  This does take quite a bit of time and I say we because my amazing mother helped me make them!  Check out the books and crafts the other teacher's did below:

I can upload the pages for everyone to download too if you all want.  Leave a comment and let me know!  I &hearts; comments!  Also, I have NO idea where any of these ideas came from, so if you know the origin let me know and I'll post a link!

Our classroom elf Fred has been VERY busy last week and this week too!  Last week, Fred stole one of my kids scissors, crayons, and glue for the day, dumped out cornstarch from our Oobleck project and made a Cornstarch Angel, and drew a nice little picture of himself for us all to see.  This morning we entered the classroom to find that he'd brought everyone candy canes!  I can't wait to see what Fred has gotten into tonight!

I still have lots to share!  So check back soon!  I'll do my best to capture some pictures from Grinch Day tomorrow!  Yay!  Hope everyone else is having a great week too!!!

My Brain is Fried...

I'm having some difficulty thinking of a title for this post... my brain is FRIED!  What a {crazy} busy week!  So... I'll start off with the fun stuff:

Fred has been busy in my classroom... Monday morning he'd just flown over to hang out by one of our decorative Christmas Trees, but today he had borrowed one of my red pens [that was previously buried in my drawer] and had a nice little notepad keeping track of who is naughty and who is nice.

           

I love how Fred is the first thing the kiddos look for when they come into the room in the morning!  What a great way to start the day!

Today I decided to blog about our rewards/discipline system at school and some nifty ideas to go along with it.  This year we have a school wide discipline system (the past few years it has been by grade level).  The entire school uses the same colors, phrases, and clips.  I can't remember the name of the person who came up with this system, but I do remember reading a booklet about it at one point.  The great thing about this system is that it allows for kids to move up and down the chart.  However, if the students get to "Classroom Consequences" or "Parent Contact" they can only move down.  Once they receive a consequence (filling out a Think Sheet, or calling their parents) it can't be taken back.  Here's a picture of the chart we use:

As we go through our day, anytime I see kids who are doing a great job following directions or procedures (or who are exhibiting any other exemplary behavior), I ask those students to move their clips up.  If a student is not following directions or procedures, they move their clip down.  Students start each day with their clip on "Ready to Learn".  It's amazing how many students strive to be on red or "Off the Chart" each day.

A student is "Off the Chart" when he or she has moved up to the side of red, then on top of the red, and gets to move up again.  At this time I take the students' clip and wear it on my lanyard for the rest of the day.  If the student moves to the top of the red I call this the "Top of the Chart". 

Students begin with a regular clip.  The first time they reach the Top of the Chart or Off the Chart, the student gets to color their clip with markers.  Then for the next three times they reach the Top of the Chart or Off the Chart, students get to choose a jewel for me to hot glue to their clip.  Once they earn all three jewels, students get a green clip.  On their green clip, students can earn 5 jewels by reaching the Top or Off the Chart.  Then they earn a yellow clip and they must earn 5 more jewels in order to get an orange clip, then 5 more jewels and a red clip, and finally a glitter blinged out clip with 5 jewels.  When students get a new clip, I take their old clip and wear it on my lanyard permanently... okay, so my lanyards getting kind of heavy and I'm going to make a "String of Fame" to hang the clips from (one of my hundred  thousand  million Christmas Break To Do List items).

Phew... that's a lot of information.  Don't worry though.  I'm not through yet.  C;  I know everyone has different ways of recording their students' behavior, but I thought I'd share mine.  First I stamp each of the students' planners at the end of each day with my Do-A-Dot Art! stampers.  Then I stamp a sheet I made on the wall with the same color next to that students' name.  I print the date on this chart so at the end of the week I can punch holes in the paper and file it in my data binder.

This also makes it easy for me to decide who goes to Fun Friday (every Friday each grade level has a time they go outside and get to run and play and have some type of treat).  To earn Fun Friday students may only end their day on purple once throughout the week.  Students who move to blue or gray do not get Fun Friday and must sit out without a treat.  If you look at the chart numbers 7 and 17 will not be attending Fun Friday this week.  Number 10 cannot get any other purples if she would like to attend Fun Friday.  I also do Lunch Bunch each week.  If students turn all of their homework in throughout the week and do not get any purples, blues, or grays they get to come back to my classroom during lunch and watch a movie while they eat on Fridays.

In order to assure my students are responsible for their behavior at all times throughout the day, I also have a Behavior Basket that accompanies them to lunch and specials (i.e. P.E., Music, Computers, Library).  Students clips all start on the back side of the basket.  If students behave well the teacher or lunch monitor may move the students' clips over to the side of the basket with the smiley face.  Students with their clips on this side get to move their clip up when we get to the classroom.  If students do not follow directions or procedures, their clip gets through into "The Pit" and they must move their clip down when we get back to their classroom.  I also use this basket at recess.

If you have any questions, PLEASE don't hesitate to comment or e-mail me!  I know this is a lot of information!

12 Days of Christmas

There are a lot of fabulous teachers that are participating in contests where they're giving away some of their resources. Check out this blog and enter to win some prizes and get ready to be inspired by these brilliant ideas and amazing teachers!

And the Procrastinator Award Goes to....

Why yes, I am leaving for Savannah in t-minus 2.5 hours and have not packed, or even bothered to get out of pajamas yet today.  Before I am gone all weekend, I had to share what my kiddos walked in to see this morning (so sad I did not get to see their reaction!).  Fred the Elf as been up to some {good} mischief:

Looks like he had a good trip back to the North Pole last night!

Check It Out:

Check out Denise's Holiday Giveways on her blog: Sunny Days in Second Grade!  She has a link to lots of ideas for Elf on a Shelf too!  I'm in love! C: