Back to School Sale on TpT!!

...and I am throwing a 20% off sale too! So head on over to If You Give A Teacher a Treat on TpT and grab yourself a new classroom theme or any one of my many classroom management tools! 

Headed back into the classroom on Tuesday morning! A classroom tour post will be coming in the near future...and maybe I'll get around to finishing the Teacher Week posts...Friday slipped away from me!

Wednesday's NOW TEACH...and Thursday's TAMING THE WILD!!!

This week happens to be the last of weeks visiting in NY before my husband and I head back to Virginia to get our classroom's all set up. Then it's back to NY for a wedding! Our parents are so great to keep our daughter Addy for a week so we don't have to pay for daycare and then they are bringing her down to us next weekend. Gotta love AMAZING grandparents!

Okay...so I have been busy and since I am not back in the classroom yet, it's hard to get into Teacher Week...I wish it were next week...although I guess I would be saying I was too busy with my classroom to blog! So here goes...Wednesday's Now Teach! and Thursday's Taming the Wild! Two for ONE! :o)

Now Teach! Organizing for Instruction

I am more organized at school then I am at home, that's for sure. Most days my clothes don't make it out of the laundry basket and my bed is NEVER made. Who is going to go in my room anyways? As I mentioned yesterday, I don't have anything done in my room, but I do have most of my printables printed, laminated and cut!

Organization I think will be a top priority this year. I always Pin ideas, and never get to them. But my #1 organizing for instruction tool will be...drum roll please...

Erin Condren's Teacher Planner!!!

I have seen this planner on a ton of teacher blog's and I fell in love and just HAD to have one. I also ordered one for the hubby...although the inside is kind of girlie, he got one with the apples on the outside. 

And here are a few items that I pinned on Pinterest and want to create for my room...

What the Teacher Wants

I plan on using Kim Adsit and Shari Sloane's Student Calendar Notebook for my calendar instruction this year. And I want to put together a calendar area like the one in the photo above. I have the Promethean board and I know I could do some fun calendar things on there, but I really like the old school calendar ways.

I've wanted legit mailboxes, like the wooden ones since I started teaching, but I just haven't broken down to spend the money and I haven't found anything big enough for at least 25 students. I came across this pocket chart and since I don't have that much wall space to push things up against, I figured something like this could hang on the back of a door.

Taming the Wild!

I used hand signals last year and they worked so well with my 3rd graders. I am hoping I have just as much success with my 1st graders this year. 

I pinned this noise magnet idea from All Students Can Shine and think I might give it a try this year. Take one letter down at a time when warning students about their voice levels. We also do a compliment jar...which I want to find little plastic fish for a fish bowl to match my theme. Students earn them at specials and in the hallways from other teachers. If I do the noise magnets, I will give the students fish for keeping the letters and then figure out something to do if all the letters come off. 

And that's all I've got for today! Check out my latest classroom theme bundle on Tpt: Zebra!

Classroom Digs...well, sort of...

Unfortunately, I have not step foot in my classroom since June 19th :o( I will finally be going back to school for some organizing and unpacking next Tuesday. So I am hoping by the end of the week I will have new pictures to blog about! 

Also, I moved down to first grade and I will be in a new classroom...identical to my old room, but up the hall (actually on the corner, which I LOVE). 

So these pictures are of my classroom from last year...just to give you an idea of what kind of space I have to work with. 

Here is the view from the back of the room looking towards the hallway door. Unfortunately, this is the only place in the room where I have computer/network hook up so my desk is always in the back. I thought about getting rid of my teacher desk, like many bloggers have mentioned, but I don't think I could do it. I feel like my guided reading table would be a mess if I did away with my desk. All of our classrooms have Promethean boards, just a different brand of Smart Board. 

The view from my guided reading table...weird gray boards right? I don't like them at all...I wish I had plain old boring white boards. That bulletin board covered in blue is the ONLY functioning one I have. And I say that because the other one is in the back of the room...see below...The TV is a waste of space...I never use it. If I ever play a movie, it is on the Promethean. I will be getting a new rug this year, thank goodness. One a little more interesting then the blue one in the picture. 

What am I supposed to do with this? It s the only place for my desk so I can hook up my computer...it is in the back of the room next to the partition doors and the built in student computer counters. I am thinking a word wall? But I would rather have that in the front of the room...but there is no place to put it!

 

Student cubbies...I got the book baskets at the Dollar Tree. Flexible and they have handles. 

And that is about it. Next week I will post my finished room with my UNDER THE SEA classroom theme!

Check out a few new additions that I created over the past few days! Can't wait to get all this stuff up in classroom! 

AND...the clock display and student numbers are FREE!! Click on the product title pages to go to my TpT store. 

Don't forget to link up and join the Teacher Week Party!!!!

Teacher Week Monday- MEET THE TEACHER!

I'm linkin' up with Blog Hoppin' this week for Teacher Week '13...

Now...Let's Talk About Me! No school stuff, there will be enough of that Tues-Fri!

#1 I am a coffee addict! Now that I live within five miles of at least 5 Starbucks, it has gotten even worse. I grew up and lived in a small town with the nearest Starbucks 60-75 miles away. Even so, I leave it as a Friday AM treat...or else my wallet would be empty!

#2 I am a newbie runner, as some of my blog posts have mentioned... I am now training for a 10K! Wish me luck!

#3 I am the mother of an almost 4 year old! OMG! How did she grow so fast...I keep getting "when are you going to have another one?" Daycare in our area is crazy expensive...so maybe after Addy goes to kindergarten next year.

#4 My husband, Ben (who is a NEW 4th grade teacher!!), are going to be married 5 years this September (27th). We will be together 11 years on September 18th...so I always claim that we are celebrating for 10 days...One year we will go someplace tropical to celebrate!

#5 I am a BON JOVI fanatic...even though his last concert was not up to par with the past concerts, I am still a huge fan. But I will admit, Richie Sambora was my favorite...so I guess I am bias now that he is not a band member anymore. I have seen them in concert 13 times!

#6 I am a NY native! Only moved to VA (NOVA) 19 months ago. And not NYC...I'm talking upstate...in the sticks!! Only graduated with 26 people! Around here K-12 are in the small building...and there is a superintendent in every school! But, there are no jobs here. I subbed, daily and long term, at the same school for 4 years and they were not hiring at the end of the year, they were laying off. And one thing is for sure, I DO NOT MISS THE SNOW! On the left is the first apartment my husband and I lived in as a married couple...no sunlight got in between the buildings so there was always a 5 inch layer of ice on the driveway. This picture is from a blizzard we had back in 2010. 

#7 I have a weakness for geeky-hot men! Especially Jason Bateman! I have heard that Arrested Development is hilarious, so I guess I am going to have to Netflix it...

#8 I never miss a season of the Bachelor/Bachelorette...I know, I KNOW! Bad reality TV junkie meetings are in my future! I am super excited about Juan Pablo being the next Bachelor.

#9 I LOVE the funny/almost always snarky someecards! I have a Pinterest board dedicated to them...

#10 ...and lastly...I know I said I wasn't going to talk shop, BUT... I absolutely love the beginning of the school year. Buying new clothes, breaking down and getting the Erin Condren planner...adding my name to the wishlist for a pair of pretty little black Tieks, creating my own classroom decor, ALL OF IT! 

Now go link up!! 

A Classroom Theme for the Mr.'s and an Amazing Giveaway!!!

My husband, formally a middle/high school Social Studies teacher, will be starting a new path in the education world: teaching 4th grade!!!

We've been awaiting a two income household for almost 5 years, it's always been one or the other with a full time job. I am so proud of him for going and taking four more classes and all the VA teaching tests, becoming highly qualified in VA before me! 

I've been bugging/nagging him about a classroom theme so I can create something for him. Today he finally decided on a blue chevron pattern, something simple, also matches the school's colors. It's all a work in progress, but all the blue chevron items will be up on my TpT store within the week. 

If you happen to stop by my blog today, head on over to 2nd Grade Shenanigans afterwards and enter the B2S Bash Giveaway! There are several amazing prizes!

100 Followers Giveaway & August Currently...REALLY? ALREADY?

Almost to 100 followers! I have three classroom theme bundles available in my TpT store, Under the Sea, Jungle Fever and Mission Space! One of them can be yours! Thinking of a different classroom theme? Let me know and it could be my next project and you could be the first to have it!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And when you are finished entering my giveaway, head over to The Littlest Superheroes and enter her Birthday Giveaway! 

 

Listening: Channel surfing while getting some school work done...I love Channing Tatum! <3

Loving: I started taking a kettle bell/cross fit class a few weeks ago. It's $60/month and you can go everyday to however many classes you want (there are 6 a day!). I only go once a day, and I try to go every day that I am around. We are in NY for the summer, where we grew up, and I will definitely miss this class when I have to return to VA.

Thinking: Since this is my first year back in first grade and it's a different state then I taught first grade last time, I really need to get going on my plans! I have an amazing first grade team and I know my team lead and team will help me out but I want to come into our planning sessions with ideas!

Wanting: I haven't had a massage in over a year...my friend bought me a groupon for a chiropractor adjustment and 30 minute massage but it expires on August 18 and I will be in NY until then. I am hoping that if I call and make an appointment and explain to them, that maybe they will honor the groupon after the expiration date.

Needing: Summer is the worst time to lose weight and the time of year that you want to look your best! Jeesh, I lost 8 lbs earlier this year and I have basically put it back on with all the BBQ's I have attended. So my goal is to do a 30 day Ab Challenge, attend kettle bells M-Saturday, and run at least twice a week. Now, I know exercise isn't all the battle, I have to make better eating/drinking choices! I am in a wedding on August 31st, and I also have two other weddings to attend in September. I have to get my butt in gear!

B2S Must Haves: Pretty self explanatory...I need to hunt for a first day outfit...I am thinking a long dress, maybe blue to match my under the sea theme. I have to have fresh sharpies and Mr. Sketch markers every year. And I want to buy a new pencil sharpener, one that I don't have to fix daily. Any suggestions?