Professional Reads

I swear, Santa works at Amazon.com! I ordered a few new professional books and have quite a stack of professional reading that I have been dabbling at between chick lit. books.

Here's what I am working on this summer:

I tried to do the book study using the online version of this book, but it just got to be too much. I had a hard time seeing the big picture when I had to move the page around to read and there was just sooooo much great info. that I broke down and bought the book. Now I can sticky-note is up! Luckily, I had a bit left over on a gift certificate to offset the cost (I mean, really, why can't we all come up with something to publish and charge $30-$40 a book???)

Another blogger was working on this book and I thought it fit perfectly with the MWS book study. I have loved it! I slacked off a bit, but I think it is one of those books that I will need to read as I get things rolling.

I ordered this one with the Diller book. Again, I'm on a math kick. It looks like a great one and will be perfect for our first grade curriculum.

I need to get back to this one! I was reading to support my curriculum writing in the area of writing. I love the concepts, but have had trouble matching them up with the new Core Curriculum and the work we have been doing with it. It seems like the author has a curriculum that goes across several grade levels and the first grade one is just not matching up with ours now. I want to play with the idea a bit more.

I know I said that I would go back to this one and post on it. It has been great to reread this book - again. However, I am finding that I can't really write about it without being in my room and doing the teaching thing. I have a hard time thinking when I am not doing. My hope is that I will be able to write more about my process as things get going in a couple weeks.

I brought this one home from my classroom and have read bits of it. I have a hard time with scripted lessons (if I have to hold the book in my lap to teach, it's just not for me), but I am hoping the over all structure helps me to get a clear picture for a scope and sequence this year.

What are you reading this summer?

Currently I am... Linky Party

Oh Boy Fourth Grade is having a Currently I am... Linky Party.

Write down what you are currently doing:

• listening
• loving
• thinking
• wanting
• needing
• stalking (include 3 Blogs one has to be non teacher)

• listening - random shows on the cooking channel (For some reason, day time t.v. is not as fun as it used to be.) Oops - My timer switched over to What Not to Wear!
  
• loving - the banana bread that I just made and am eating with an obscene amount of butter.
  
• thinking - I should really get up off the couch and do SOMETHING constructive
  
• wanting - chocolate...oooh! I have Nutella (It was by the cash register at Wal-Mart. I'm telling you, it was an omen!!!)
  
• needing - to get off the computer so my eyes can focus again
  
• stalking (include 3 Blogs one has to be non teacher) - Now, see how random I am!
  

Fun new decorating blog find:

http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com

Fun new fashion blog find:

http://www.jseverydayfashion.com/


Pioneer Woman - LOVE her humor and good dose of country life!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/

Join in the party!!!

The Purge!

I haven't posted anything in a few days. Instead, I have been purging school things I have had in storage for years. When I moved from the first school I taught at for 4 1/2 years, everything moved pretty quickly and most of my classroom went into totes. I taught 3rd and 4th grade, then I was a reading specialist. At my second school, I taught in a k/1 multi-age. So, a lot of my things just stayed in totes and was stacked up in our basement or the storage shed.

Well, the time has come to clean it out! And what a crazy mess that has been. Firstly, I had tons of things I thought were important to save that I have felt almost okay about tossing. I mean some of these kids are going to be seniors this year. I think I can toss a random writing piece (although I did think about sending them their work). Then I have a ton of things that I panic about because I might need them some day. Most of those things are the ones that I begged and borrowed! I think it is funny how much I spend on my classroom now when I would work so hard earlier in my career to seek out free resources from colleagues and contacts.

Since then, I moved to one more school and have moved classrooms within that school, downsizing and bringing home even more stuff. When it comes down to it, I have made quite a mess! My "treasures" are in about a million different places and it has been a REALLY big task. I am trying to work for about an hour each day and be realistic. My goal is to unclutter my house and my classroom to streamline and be more organized.

Perhaps we need a support group! Hmmm - maybe that would be a great idea for the new school year...

Fun Finds

I went to the Dollar Tree yesterday. I went in looking for hot gluesticks for a craft project. I didn't find them, but goodness, did I find a bunch of other stuff! Check out my loot!

I found these great baskets for papers - they are the perfect size for hand-in baskets. I didn't really need them, but you know how you look for something when you want it and can never find it? Well, I look all over for baskets like this last year and never found them. So, I had to buy all 7 that were on the shelf!

I bought 6 packs of the foam frames - 8 in a pack for $1. You know that you can always use these. I bought a double set because my great teamie was looking for some for father's day and we spent much more than $1. So, I am prepared for both of us this year!

Oh, the magnets were something I was looking for. I found them all over a couple years ago and never picked them up. I saw on someone's blog that the teacher put numbers on them and used the magnets for attendance, lunch count, and graphing activities.

I have sort of decided to morph my frog theme into a camping theme. After 8 years of frogs, I needed something different but didn't want to let go of my froggies. Camping seemed like an interesting option. Unfortunately, it has not been as popular as in past years, so I haven't been able to find much for decorating. Low and behold, I found some cute stuff on my Dollar Tree venture. I found a boarder, a character education poster strip thing, and 9 cute little woodland character cutouts. No specific plans, just thought is was a cheap way to add to the theme. I also found little cutouts of cameras and signs - very camping oriented.

The puzzle pieces are for a project I do the first week where everyone designs a puzzle piece and we connect them all together. The heading reads "We Are a Great Fit." It is fun for team building and I do not have to cut them out! Great deal for $1.00!

Okay, these wands were too cute to pass up for pointers. I am not a pointer girl. They drive me nuts. I have bought cute pointers and given them away at least twice. But, I am going to make an effort, because it seems like every first grade teacher uses pointers! I bought stars, butterflies, ladybugs, and bees. Nice camping connection! I also decorated an old Pringles can to store them in. I show that tomorrow!

Then I went to Wal-Mart looking for coat hooks. Again, I was totally distracted by the back-to-school section. They had these locker crates! They are about half the depth of a regular crate, but still have the sides for hanging folders. They seem much more manageable for me to move around and less than $4 a piece! Can't wait to use these.

The coat cooks are for my cubbies. I have to have kids share 2 to a cubby. With winter coats and boots and lunch bags and backpacks, everything is always falling out and it drives me crazy! Our cubbies are just inside the entrance and it is always a mess. I thought about building extra cubbies, but I am just not that ambitious and the extra expense is not attractive. So, I bought extra hooks to mount half way down the side of each cubby. I am hoping that things will fit better if the coats are hung on top and the bags on the bottom, instead of being all jammed together.

Last trip of the day! I went to Goodwill. Actually, I went twice!!! I didn't really find much the first time, but I did spy two tall filing cabinets for 4.99. I have a short, deep cabinet in my classroom and it is just awkward. These cabinets are about half the depth and will give more storage, but actually take up less space. Does that make sense? They give some vertical storage. I am bummed because they will take up my only wall space, but I'll figure something out for my math manipulative shelf. So, the second trip was dragging the hubby back with his truck to load the cabinets. While I was waiting for the stock guys to bring the cart, I saw these foam sets. They are always great for a quick project and were only 2.99. They had winter animals, flower frames (for mother's day) and heart frames. Good deal at about half the price of craft stores!

I really must stop spending on my classroom if I ever want to get a flat screen for our living room! Yikes!

Great Little Tools

When I first started teaching, I thought it was neat that one of the male teachers in my building had a toolbox full of tools under his sink. I usually have a screwdriver somewhere in the room, but on a whim I bought this little set at Father's Day last June.

I was bummed out that I paid $5.00 for it and found it for less on their website. They must charge more in my area. But, hey, it was only 5 bucks!

Boy has this come in handy! I have used the little tape measure to plan furniture placement and take measurements for new shelving and curtains. The scraper is great for getting velcro off of "new to me" tables. The little screwdriver has helped me to take a few things apart in my room. Oh, and the little box cutter was great during the year when we were making presents and I needed to cut out the middle of cardboard to make frames.

No more hunting down the custodian during valuable planning time or hunting through tools in the closet for what I need!