Organization

Clearly blogging has not been a priority for me the past few weeks! I've been lucky enough to be able to spend some weekeends with family & friends celebrating my mom's birthday and TCU homecoming. 

I've always known that it would be vital to stay organized, but I had no idea how to go down that path once I was overloaded with papers, lessons, worksheets, etc. This is what planning for ONE week for  ELA looks like: 

[YIKES]

 It's taken me a little while to develop a system that works for me-. However, once I got this rolling, I save copious amounts of time each day figuring out what I'm supposed to be teaching.

Hanging file folders have become my best friend.

I have a two-drawer file cabinet right next to my desk. In the top drawer, I keep one file folder for the whole Unit--in that folder, I have my Planning Guides & Scope and Sequence for that Unit for each subject. That way, I can reference them quickly if I need to. Next, I keep a general folder for each week (Unit 1, Week 1) in which I put all of those generalized week-long papers. 

Behind those (I know, lots of folders...), I keep one for each day Monday through Friday. I put ALL subjects for that day in the folder, so when I arrive at school, I can just pull them out and go in order. I have no need to frantically search through papers to find that day's lessons.

Here's what it looks like: 

When I am finished with a week, I take 1 or 2 originals of everything we did and put them into the "Unit 1, Week 1" folder. Then, they go into the drawer below for reference next year! This drawer is a bit messier, because of all of the odds & ends that I have -- laminated center cards, worksheets, vocabulary cards, math games, etc. I'm still working on it! 

For work that goes home, I use a crate with --you guessed it-- a hanging file folder for each student. That way, when our wonderful & amazing PTA members come to stuff Tuesday folders, they can just grab the group of papers and put it into the right folder. SO EASY!

I'm sure that I will continue to tweak this system, but for now, it's helped me to keep track of all of our planning-we are a month ahead and that is a LOT of papers : )

xoxo, 

Ms. L 



Whirlwind

It's been weeks since I have posted, because time is flying by! The first two weeks of school have been the most exhausting and draining, but exciting, moving, and worthwhile two weeks I've ever experienced. 

I have gone to bed every night BY 9:00. I've spent a lot of 10-, 11-, and 12-hour days planning and prepping for the next days, only to go home and grade and prep some more. It is all worth it. 

I have 20 students: 10 boys and 10 girls, and I know I'm going to be a basketcase on the last day of school, because I love them so much already. 

The one thing for which I was not prepared was the information overload that accompanies new teacher training before school starts. Thank goodness, there were girls from my school there to keep me company. Along with copious snacks, we found some ways to stay sane:

After my classroom was finished being decorated, organized, and ready for 20 little hearts, I started worrying about the day-to-day of the job. Here is my lifeline, my everything: my planner. 

I searched around for ages for the perfect one, thought I might design my own like some of my team mates, and became disappointed when I found perfection at Erin Condren, but that it wouldn't ship until September 4th. YIKES!

Well, I bit the bullet, paid the $30 priority processing fee, and my custom planner arrived 4 days later!

Here's what I love about it:

Dates at a glance -- to keep track of those that I would typically forget!

This is where I put my lessons. I actually ended up loving how the subjects go vertically, because I can easier see math for the week quickly...or phonics, ELA, writing workshop, etc. 

 

In the back are a ton of pages entitled "checklist". I used these to record whether a student has turned in a form, as well as for some particular grades while I am figuring out the online gradebook. 

And last but not least, this is one of my favorite quotes about education and it's in the very front of the planner! 

The Erin Condren website has tons of cute things for everyone, not just teachers. Next on my wishlist is a customized clipboard. I carry around different clipboards throughout the day at all times, so I would love a cute one to match my planner! 

Happy Monday, 

Ms. L

"Last Day of Freedom"

     This afternoon, I received a text from a teacher on the 2nd grade team that told us to enjoy our last day of freedom until June 5th.

YIKES!

     So what did I do on my final day? Endless possibilities awaited me, and I spent 7 hours in the very place in which I will spend nearly all of my time for the next 10 1/2 months. Although I still have a few tiny finishing touches to add, my room is basically ready! After the carpets were finally  cleaned last week, I was able to set up my desk formations and get everything where I wanted it. 

     

Here's a tour!

     This first picture nearly captures the view from the front door. I grouped my desks into 4 groups of 6, leaving my environment open to lots of group work. I chose an even number, so the students could easily partner up with the person right across the way! 

Directly to the left of the front door is this nifty corner wall. Each of the classrooms at my school has this wall, upon which the projector...projects! Behind the wall is TONS of cabinet storage, as well as small areas for baskets --see below. **Pre-organization picture--it's all neatly stacked and labeled now.

At the bottom of the wall is my morning routine area. We will quickly cover calendar and practice regrouping   across the room in my Math section. 

Math: I have a few charts here that cover ideas such as fact families, money, regrouping, and thinking patterns. It was important to me to leave S P A C E to add new topic charts AS we learn them. 

This is the top shelf of my bookshelf, where I put a few pictures of important people in my life--If you don't see yourself here, it's likely because you're in a stack of pictures in a drawer waiting to be framed (sorry!). Target's instant photo printing received a lot of business from me, as I went crazy printing pictures this week.  

I also have a cross-stitched pillow that my grandmother sent me a while back. It reads "Teaching is a work of heart"  : ) How sweet! 

This is on my very limited ELA wall. Each section has small pieces of velcro, so each student can move his/her name as they move along the writing process. I can, therefore, quickly look at the chart to better organize my own conferencing time, as well as monitor the progress of individuals and the class as a whole. 

I love that I was able to bring a couch from home! I have yet to decide whether the couch will be part of a learning center or a special privilege for certain helpers each day. 

     Last but not least, is my teacher desk area. I have my mini-filing cabinet right next to my desk, where I will keep my lessons plans and all papers that I need. It is organized with hanging file folders, first by unit, then by week, then by day. 

     As I mentioned, I have just a few more finishing touches to add (like moving that bulky white basket), but overall, the space is nearly ready to go. I start new teacher training at 7:45 am tomorrow morning. That will last until two weeks from today--the very first day of 2nd grade! 

  

xoxo, 

Ms. L 

Not-so-cute Cupcakes and Cookies

     For those of you who know me, you are familiar with my constant appetite for all things sweet and sugary. I've been known to easily down a whole pint of Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Therapy in one sitting.

However...

    The days of eating whatever I want with no repercussions are long gone! And yet, I still crave dessert after every meal (yes, even after breakfast). 

     With lots of thanks to Pinterest (follow me!), specifically the links below, I was able to find TWO delicious recipes that cut tons of calories from some of my favorite treats--and were so delicious that I even got the little sister's approval! 

#1: Double Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

     Although these cupcakes were less than beautiful, they tasted delicious! I pinned the recipe ages ago, but was too skeptical to try them. All it takes is one box of chocolate cake mix, 15 oz. of pumpkin puree, and about 4 oz. of chocolate chips!

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As I mentioned before, they did not turn out pretty by any means! I checked on them in the oven and they actually didn't look any different from when I put them in; I knew they were finished when the knife came out clean.

Sarah and I ate our cupcakes for dessert--easy to do at only about 110 calories a pop! 

#2: Funfetti Cookies

     The next recipe that I attempted ended just as deliciously, but no prettier than the cupcakes. After the success of the cupcakes, I was eager to search for more guilt-free recipes. By searching "low-calorie cookies", I came across a recipe for funfetti cookies. Along with the cake mix, the other two ingredients are two you will most likely already have at home-- plain greek yogurt & eggs.

     I mixed the three ingredients together, spooned them out, and let them bake for about 10-12 minutes. The consistency is like a mix of a cupcake/cookie, but suprisingly delicious! If you like the taste of funfetti, you will love these cookies! 

And yes, one is missing, because my sister, Sarah, and I could not wait to try one before I could snap the picture! These cookies came out to about 100 calories a piece -- no guilt here! 

     My verdict: these two variations are so scrumptious that I don't see a reason to go back to the original recipe! 

Enjoy, 

Ms. L 

    

Tackling the Tree

     A few months ago, my sweet mom came up with the idea of building a tree in my classroom. It would be a focal point that I could decorate according to season or for holidays. When I was deciding my overall theme for my room, I came across the cutest little birds!

[You can find this classroom job set and other "Boho Birds" here.]

     When I was in pre-school, my teacher called us all her little chickadees, and I have remembered that to this day! I loved it when I was younger, and I wanted MY students to be my little chickadees. So my theme was decided...and the tree fit in perfectly! 

     Despite the lack of air conditioning in my classroom, I got straight to work by gathering long sheets of brown bulletin board paper. I rolled it up like a tube, then folded it in half to make a thick trunk for the tree. I wasn't able to attach it all to the wall at once, so I split it into two sections, taping them to the wall separately. 

#1

#2

     Next, I wrapped each of the two sections over with more brown paper, to make it a bit smoother.

#3

     I cut some pieces of brown paper in half to roll up for the branches. This was the most difficult part! I could not get the branches to look the way I wanted.

#4

 [ Also, note the little bird I added in the middle of the tree:) ]

    By this point, I was so tired of looking at brown paper. I added two large circle/oval/egg? shapes to give my tree some greenery. It finally started to look like a tree! 

#5

     Step six was the most tedious and time-consuming. I must have spent a combined 90 minutes standing at the die-cut machine with green construction paper, cutting out enough leaves to make the tree look full. It's a good thing I had speakers and my iPod, so I could listen to Brandon Heath radio while I was cutting.

#6

     The last step was spending some quality time with a stapler and a ladder! I attached the leaves individually, and voila! 

#7

     The tree is located in the corner of my room opposite the door, meaning it's the first thing you see when you walk in the room. It's located in my reading corner, next to two bookshelves and a big pile of colorful pillows for comfortable reading fun! 

Happy Saturday, 

Ms. L 

     

A Dream Come True

On April 2, 2013 I had my first interview for a teaching position in the Dallas area. I arrived at the school to learn that it would take place with the Principal, Vice-Principal, Counselor, a Kindergarten teacher, a Third grade teacher, and two teachers from the Second grade team. Mind you, I was not prepared to be sitting at the head of a table with 14 eyes looking at me, waiting to hear my answers to the tough questions they asked. However, by the end of my two-hour Q&A session and tour, I was head over heels, completely and utterly in love with the school and the people I met. I went home to gush to my close friend, Katie, about the caliber of student work I saw on the walls and the teachers’ apparent commitment to their students. I knew that if I didn’t get the job, I would be devastated. Needless to say, when the Principal called me the next afternoon to offer me the job, I held back tears of excitement, relief, and gratitude until I reached my mom on the phone.

 I was officially a teacher!

Nearly four months have passed since then, and it’s almost time to meet my 22 second-graders. I’ve spent many days this summer preparing my classroom, pouring love into every small project, so it will be perfect when they arrive!

                                                                    

Check back soon for pictures of my newly decorated classroom, with the theme of Ms. L’s Chickadees, including a “how-to” on the 15 ft. tree I have created!

With love,

Ms. L