2015 Reflection {a link up}

2015 has been full of big changes, but this has been a fantastic year.  I can't wait to see what 2016 has in store for me!

I am linking up with A Teeny Tiny Teacher, Dragonflies in First, and Miss Kindergarten to share my 2015 with you!

{ONE}  

My friend Maddie, from middle school, had her baby shower for her baby boy.  It has been fun watching all of us grow the past 10+ years.

{TWO}

I visited 2 of my sorority sisters in Dayton.  So fun to catch up!

{THREE}

I celebrated 4th of July in Cincinnati with my college roommates.

{FOUR}

I attended #EdCampLDR in Raleigh, North Carolina and Columbus, Ohio.  I love this form of Professional Development because it is personalized and everyone has the opportunity to share their experiences.

{FIVE}

I traveled to Florida for a family vacation and had all you can eat crab legs.  Best dinner ever!

{SIX}

I moved from Ohio to North Carolina.  I lived at home the first few years of my teaching career so this was my first apartment.  Can't beat this view. I love everything about my apartment.

{SEVEN}

I obtained a new teaching position- full day Kindergarten teacher.

{EIGHT} 

My high school friends visited me during Halloween weekend.  I was Minnie Mouse.

{NINE}

My cousin visited in December.

{TEN}

My family is going to Phoenix, Arizona for a week as our family vacation.  After that I am flying to Ohio to see my friends.  This will be a memorable winter break.

Thanks to everyone that supported me along the way and made this year so positive!

2015 Reflection

These are canvases that I have hung up around my apartment.  Each quote guides me in my personal and professional life.  Do what makes you happy and never give up on your dream.

For Compelled Tribe this week, we are reflecting on 2015.  It is already December, which means the 2015 calendar year is coming to a close as well as the halfway mark for the school year.  Time is really flying by!  A few thoughts on the 2015 calendar year:

• I took a leap of faith and moved 8 hours away from home to North Carolina.  I am not married and have no children so this is the perfect time for me to experience something new.  I lived in Ohio for over 20 years so this was a big adjustment for me.  I am very close with my family so it was hard at first. However, I am enjoying the experience of living in North Carolina.  I met some great friends and the weather is pretty nice too!  Through this move I learned that I adapt well to new situations and still maintain a positive attitude.  Change is all about how you react to it and I continue to encourage myself to go out of my comfort zone.  I am a lifelong learner.
• This year I became a big advocate for the growth and fixed mindset.  I read Carol Dweck's book and am now on my school's mindset committee.  I believe this is a huge life skill for my students.  Yes, this can be done with Kindergarten students.  I do not believe they are too young for this concept.  I have read many picture books to help model that it is ok to make mistakes as long as we see the lesson.
• This school year I really worked on maintaining balance.  I make time for family and friends.  Yes, I still take work home, but I am better at prioritizing.  I am a better teacher when I take care of myself and continue to do things I love outside of the classroom.

Thanks for reading!  How has your 2015 been?

BOOing Staff Members

For any teacher, fall is incredibly busy with getting to know our students, establishing a routine, building a classroom community, and keeping up with the general demands with the beginning of a new school year.  October is a great time to pay it forward to staff members.

This year one staff member decided to start BOOing teachers in the school.  All it takes is 1 person to start this. The 1st person will BOO 2 staff members, then each person they BOO has to BOO 2 staff members.  This continues until all staff members have been BOOed.  When you get BOOed, be sure to check who has been BOOed to avoid duplicates.

These are the goodies that I received.

-Peanut and Peanut Butter M & Ms

-Wire pumpkin

-Fuzzy socks

-Binder clips

-Post It notes

These are the goodies I gave:

-Decorative socks

-Mini M & Ms

-Pumpkin Spice lollipop

-Halloween pencils

-Owl cookie

*Everything I purchased was from Target

Once you have been BOOed, place the paper on the LEFT on your classroom door so other teachers know you have already been BOOed.  The paper on the right has directions for BOOing other staff members.  When you are BOOed, make 2 copies of each paper to give to the people you BOO.

However you decide to implement this, your staff will love it!  Everyone loves a random gift!

Have a great week!

Classroom Tour 2015-2016

Today I am linking up with Ashley and Angie for their #2getherwearebetter monthly linky and blog hoppin' as part of their meet the teacher week.

                                                     

As I was setting up my Kindergarten classroom I was asked consistently what my classroom theme is.  Although I love bright colors and chevron, my priority is always the students and the learning experiences I provide for them.

My theme is students.  My theme is growth mindset.  My theme is fun.  My theme is flexible.  My theme is collaboration.  My theme is creativity.  My theme is risk taking.  My theme is for any student who walks into my classroom to make it their home away from home.  {Inspired by Pernille Ripp HERE}

Here is my Kindergarten classroom.  This is our first week so there are still things I need to add such as birthdays and name wall.  Not completely finished, but enjoy!
                                       
                                                       View when you first walk in

View from my kidney table at the back of the classroom

Student cubby

Each cubby has a student label (every 5 students has a different color) and a book box for Daily 5

Shelves above are used to store teacher materials

Student check in area.  

Snack/folder/notes to the teacher/pencils

The shelf in the back is for word work materials

The 2 shelves pushes together are used for community supplies and recess games.

Find out what the pink bin is used for tomorrow :)

Word Work Shelf

I planned on labeling each bin, but couldn't find any I liked with word and picture.  So, I plan on making my own this weekend.

Front of classroom.  My principal ordered rugs for us so I don't have the front of the classroom fully set up.

ABOVE the board: inspirational quotes 

LEFT of board: learning targets, class brownie points, and voice level chart

RIGHT side: calendar area, how many days have we been in school, yesterday/today/tomorrow, weather, daily schedule, and visual direction cards for my ELL students

On the easel is my SHINE visual for how to sit at the carpet

Dismissal Clip Chart (left)/Writing Center 

In the blue pocket chart, I change the words every month.  They are theme words; usually holidays and seasons.

What Do Writer's Write Pencil: Freebie from The Teacher's Wife

Vocabulary: Purchase HERE

These topic cards are HUGE in my writing center.  The cards are divided by topics to assist students in coming up with a writing topic.

Purchase HERE

CAFE and Daily Five area

{Once Daily 5 is fully implemented I plan on using that area below the bulletin board for students to check in}

{Large table will be used to store mini iPads}

I also have color words posted above

CAFE cards: FREEBIE from Sweet Kindergarten

Daily Five cards: FREEBIE from Going Strong in 2nd Grade

Guided Reading area.  

LEFT of bookshelf: 10 drawer cart to organize daily lesson plans and copy/file/grade organizer is on top of it

RIGHT of bookshelf: printer, teacher toolbox to store all my supplies

Underneath my table I also have a 31 tote to store all of my guided reading lessons.  I have them categorized by skill (phoneme segmentation, 1 to 1 correspondence, etc)

I store all of my leveled books and guided reading materials on the bookshelf.

Math area

The blue pocket chart is for math vocabulary that I will update each week.

TOP LEFT of bookshelf: math picture books

TOP RIGHT of bookshelf: math games

*At the beginning of the year I have pattern block puzzles to practice 1-20 number formation, play doh mats for 1-20 number formation, and counting games.  

My classroom library!  

RUG: Sam's Club 2 years ago

READ banner:

I LOVE BOOKS sign: HERE

The shelf on the far right will be used for leveled books (my school does Daily 5)

BACK RIGHT: I place any books I read during a unit on this shelf so students can read them during read to self or read to someone.

BACK SHELF:  Books students can select.  I am only leaving a few bins out to start the year.  Gotta build the excitement and also teach students how to use the library responsibly.

I posted multiple intelligence posters on the cabinets near our sink.  My school is a creative arts and science magnet school that focuses on incorporating Gardner's multiple intelligences into our instruction.  

Purchase HERE

Come back tomorrow to read about my sanity savers in the classroom.  Many organization tips :)
Thanks for reading!

A New Beginning

Since I was in 1st grade, my dream was to teach in my home district where I fell in love with education.  I have great pride for my hometown and a strong passion for giving back to the community that built me.  All of the memories, learning experiences, and connections helped shape me into the teacher I am today.  I am so grateful for the principals, leaders, teachers, and parents that supported me during my first 2 years of teaching.  I still keep in touch with many of them because I value our relationship.  However, a new chapter has started in my teaching career.

For the 2015-2016 school year I am excited to take my teaching experiences into a {full day} Kindergarten classroom in North Carolina.  As many of us are moving forward with change this upcoming school year, strive to make each day count by modeling a growth mindset and being a lifelong learner.  Let your passion be your fuel.  I am so excited to finish setting up the classroom and meet my students at the end of the month.

IMAGE

Remember, home can be in more than one place.  Most importantly, make your classroom a home worth spending time in.  Our students need a positive, welcoming environment each school year.  

My next blog post will be a classroom reveal.  Stay tuned.

Picture Book 10 for 10

I am linking up with my friend and former teammate Mandy for her annual #pb10for10.  This is my first time participating.  I am teaching full day Kindergarten this school year so my 10 picture books are books that I will use at the beginning of the school year.  With each book I also tried to include a sample activity to use with your Kindergarten students.

The Kissing Hand is a great book to ease your kindergartener's nerves about starting school.

IMAGE

Go HERE for free math and literacy stations that correspond with the book.  Over 90 pages of activities!

Laura Numeroff books are a must have for Kindergarten students.  I plan on familiarizing my students with essential staff members at school such as my assistant, principal, secretary, custodian, and related arts staff.

At the beginning of the school year I plan on starting a name unit by looking at the letters in our name as well as our friend's names.

IMAGE

                      I am also using Chicka Chicka Boom Boom as part of launching Daily 5.

With this book we discuss names and how we are unique.  

In the classroom, I want to have all student's named displayed in the classroom to reference throughout the school year.

David Shannon's books lend themselves to great discussion about behavior and how to treat others.

IMAGE

IMAGE

This is a great book to discuss qualities that make us different.

I plan on creating a class display for the hallway.

Kindergarten students love Pete the Cat!  All of Eric Litwin's books are upbeat and fun for students.  I plan on incorporating this book into my color unit.

Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten talks about how the teacher gets ready for the first day of school.  I like to show students that both the teacher and student have a routine for getting ready to start a new school year.

IMAGE

As a follow up, I plan to make a chart to list ways the teacher and students prepared for back to school.

I never heard of this book until recently.  I plan on using this book to review school safety and rules.  It will be a good opportunity to collaboratively create class rules.

                                       

In the primary grades I love using picture books to model expected behaviors.  Reading these books leads to discussion and even having the students model both correct and incorrect ways for a specific behavior.
My friend Mrs. Wheeler has a free activity on her blog as well as a list of books to use in your classroom to build community.

I can't wait to read everyone's posts.  Comment with suggestions for any must have books for Kindergarten students so I can continue to build my classroom library.  Thanks for reading!