Plant Decor

My kids know that I love fake plants in the class. I can't kill them that way haha. I have little ones on bookshelves but have always wanted a big one. So when I was contacted about getting a bigger plant, I had to take that opportunity.

Here is the one that I received.

The kids liked it but I did notice this one leaf (in the pic above) that was just all completely plastic. Other than that, we are pretty pleased with our newest addition. Especially since it adds some green to our classroom and makes it more inviting. They have a ton on their website if you want to take a look.

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*The company  reached out to me for guest content purposes, but this all my own opinion.*

Division Under The Sea Freebie

Hey everyone!

Ever need to grab a quick warm up, or time filler, or something to throw into your sub tub? I know that I like to have some worksheets on hand in those times. One place to head to is Education.com

They've got some themed worksheets, which make it even more fun. For example, sail into learning with this ocean themed division worksheet.

Click for freebie and click for answer key

 For more engaging math activities, go to Education.com.

*Education.com reached out to me for guest content purposes, but this all my own opinion.*

#armmewith

Hi guys.

Yesterday, February 23, my district had a threat made against them on social media. We were told it wasn't credible, but to be alert just in case.

All morning, kids were pulled from class, one by one. Instead of a room full of 28 energetic 4th graders, I had 11 students. 11.

When  I was first told this was going on, I had about 10 minutes before students were to arrive to my class. I sat at my desk and let a few tears come out. Then my student teacher and I got ready. We unlocked the brakes to our computer cart. We moved another cart closer to the front door. We closed the blinds and decided we'd keep the door locked ourselves, though we were not on lockout or lockdown (unlike the other district that was also threatened).

Then we had to put on our "happy" faces and greet the students as they came. Go on like normal. Though it wasn't normal to have a kid leave to go home 10 minutes after school started. It wasn't normal to have kids leaving every 5-10 minutes. It wasn't normal to jump every single time the intercom came on, thinking we were going to be told to go into lockdown. It wasn't normal to see the rest of the kids get quiet, wondering why and where all their classmates were going, and wondering who was going next. It wasn't normal to see 20 parents at the office waiting to pick up their students. It wasn't normal to see my principal guarding the front door.


We finally got the ok about 9:30 to inform our students what was going on. I told my students they were safe. We weren't on an official lockdown. I told them we care so much, we were just being careful. Then I had a student say that their parents must not care about them because they hadn't been picked up. I had to counsel that student and tell them their parents do care, but they didn't think the threat was real.

I was so exhausted emotionally at reading time, that my student teacher and I decided to put on a lighthearted movie, turn off the lights and turn on our lamps and Christmas lights. We all needed to relax and take it easy.

I'm proud that I'm one of many  in the #armmewith movement. We don't need guns in the classroom. They have no place in the classroom. It's a classroom, not a prison. We teach students, not prisoners.

Classroom Reveal 2017

Hey everyone!

So happy to finally be posting my classroom reveal. Only 3 weeks into school, not so bad! I didn't change that much, except add some accent pieces from Creative Teaching Press (Bold and Bright Collection).  I try my best to make our old portable a welcoming, enriching environment.

I am in love with this shelf! Signs are all from TJ Maxx and the plants too. White boxes from Walmart and teal ones came as a set from TJ Maxx. 

 I make my own signs for my whiteboard, except the decimals, which came from Teaching and So Fourth.

 Adorable magnetic strips from Creative Teaching Press.

 My math vocabulary area and anchor chart area too.

 I decided to spruce up my clock and put our IB attitude and attribute here too.

 Everyone has commented on how bright and cheerful these numbers from Creative Teaching Press are!

These are my main storage cabinets. The white one I dubbed "The Fridge" and put student work and pictures up there. The other cabinet has my homework chart and my "What stuck with you" area. Sticky notes from CTP.

I am loving my doorway this year. I had fun making this no sew curtain. Magnetic rod from Walmart! Magnetic strips and sign from CTP.

 Creative Teaching Press Calendar set. We call that the doorway of doom (also known as teacher next door's room but we wanted to scare the kids.)

Our schedule is different on Wednesdays. I love these die cuts and how they make my black pocket chart pop!

I made the table signs in black/white and teal/white Moroccan theme to match the rest of my room.





*I am a Creative Teaching Ambassador and was sent the whole Bright and Bold classroom series, but all thoughts and opinions are of my own.*

Preparing for a Student Teacher

Hey everyone!

I will be having a student teacher this year and I've been combing FB and the internet for tips to get prepared for her. I'm going to share some of the top tips I've found and I'd love if you leave tips too!

1. Give feedback each day. Mostly what I read was that teachers took notes in a notebook or a post it note and gave it to their student teacher every day. 

2. Make space for the student teacher. My room is small as it is, but I want to make my student teacher feel welcome. I did make sure to leave part of my personal bulletin board blank for her to put personal pictures and items. I know that when I was student teaching, my mentor did the same and it made me feel welcome.

3. Let them try techniques out. I have to be honest, this makes me a little nervous, but this is how my student teacher will learn and grow. I'm going to have to let go of control of my classroom!

4. Talk with them. My student teacher and I have been emailing each other this summer. I would've loved to meet up with her, but her schedule was full. I also plan having a debrief each day that she's teaching and talk about what went well and what she would change.

5. Be encouraging. We need teachers, always, and I just want to be there to support her and encourage her.  

I'm excited to see how this year goes with a student teacher! Any tips you think I should add? Leave a comment down below!

BTS Mini Haul

Hey everyone!

I did finally do a little shopping for my classroom. I didn't have to get much since I"m not changing my theme and didn't really need to replenish much.

First, can I mention how much I love that I get so much light in my dining room! I got these two cuties from TJ Maxx. 

Also from TJ Maxx. I've got wooden signs through out my class that I love putting out. Great messages and makes the classroom look more like home.

 For under $10, the teal baskets came as a set! Grabbed them of course. They'll be storage on a bookshelf. The green bins are for my library and are from Dollar Tree.

 My students and I went through sticky notes like no ones business last year. I grabbed the flags, which are perfect for marking spots in books. I love the lined stickies for notes to my kiddos.

Not sure what I will use these clothespins for, but I love them. Maybe clipping to table signs for good behavior?

Somehow, my class set of 33 of these suckers basically disappeared last year. The last day of school found me with about 10 of these. They weren't in their desks or tubs or anything. Gone. Did they take them home? I have no clue. So I just got more. And as usual, got a weird look at check out until I explained how I use them for dry erasers. I take them home a few times a year to wash them.

That's my mini-haul!

Trainers Warehouse: Review

Hey everyone!

I feel like I'm always on the look out for things to bring to my class or looking for products that would benefit my students. So I was happily surprised when Trainers Warehouse reached out to me to review some of their products.

The first product I pulled out was the Thumball. I can see my students using this for back-to-school week, new students, or if there is actually any down time. This happens to be the Common Ground Thumball, but they have a ton of other types of Thumballs. 

These were the next items that caught my eye because of their neon colors! These handheld whiteboards are dry erase, but solid plastic. They have a glossy finish that helped when I erased them. I love these Briteboards!

Then came the handheld fidget toys.  The sparkly Loopeez was fun to play with.  Then the Gyrobi in the classic primary colors is a fun spinner, plus I love that it is silent. Then last was the Infinity Cube Fidget. I sat there a few minutes playing with it because it's fun to play with and I love infinity type of products. This is just a small sampling of the fidget products they have.   

The last item was the Kudos notepad. Perfect for the growth mindset classroom! 

Trainers Warehouse has many more products and I think they are affordable prices, which is important to me. 

**This is an honest review. All opinions are mine.