Three For Thursday

Wow! Limiting my favorites to just one choice was not easy. 

Favorite FONT

My favorites come from Kevin and Amanda. The two I have been using, quite a bit, lately are Hannah Chocolate Swirls and Smiley Monster.

Favorite Blog

I have a quite a few blogs I check in on regularly, but there are some fantastic resources on a blog run by Hope King called Second Grade Shenanigans!

 

 Favorite Online Resource

My favorite online resource at the moment is 

Brain Pop!

Well there you have it!  School officially starts for teachers in my district tomorrow...not really looking forward to the "sit-and-get" all day, but I am excited to catch up with everyone! 

Where it All Goes Down Wednesday!

Here is a preview of what my classroom looks like!  I have moved things around, but I still have the same general areas.

 This is the "Word Attack" and Comprehension Strategy board.

 This is the Writing Center. I Still have some things to add here.

 My clock with new labels.

 This is the library area. 

 Guided Reading/Strategy Group Table

 Math Area

 Whole Group Meeting Area

 Focus Wall for Language Arts

 CAFE menu board

 Listening Center

Desk and Check in Area

Well that is what I have so far.  Tomorrow I'll be posting about my family binders.

Can I possibly do this too?

Okay, let me just start off by saying that I am one of those kind of people that has to try out ALL the new stuff I discover ALL at once.  I doesn't matter if I am going to have to stay after school or go in extra early before school starts to keep up with it all, because I just have to try out ALL the new ideas that I come across.  I also have to say, that since I have entered the time sucking vortex of reading other teacher created blogs, you all have given me a plethora of new ideas to try.  I just can't get over how creative and talented everyone is.  So my dining room table has not one square millimeter exposed, it is chock full of new math tub ideas, word work games and a few too many professional development books, and my husband (bless his heart*) wants to know if it will ever see the light of day... Well yeah, once school starts...maybe... Does it really matter? We never eat on it anyway!  

*He has however, finally, come to the conclusion that no matter how many years I teach, I will ALWAYS have to get new stuff for my classroom and no longer asks me that ridiculous question-"Do you really need that?"  Although he now refuses to take me to Target because that usually involves some heavy lifting on his part, so now I have to go alone.

But let's get back to the topic at hand.  Could I, should I, even begin to try to get a blog rolling?  I am taking on quite a bit these next few months.  I have volunteered to be a mentor for a new teacher, taken on the role of math coach (a role that has yet to be defined), and I am taking a fairly intensive class that is required for my ESL certification.  My principal even asked me to take on a student teacher, but I said no.. this time (and I feel guilty about it). However, I'd really like to see my blog up at rolling.  I may only post once a week, but I think that should suffice given the time constraints I may be under.  I do have a family after all, no life, but I do have a family. :)

It's Almost Time!

I tried to stay away, but I just couldn't help myself, I had to get back into my classroom. So far I have my room arranged just how I want it, my bulletin boards have the background paper and borders up, I have sorted through my math and word work tubs, and I managed to throw out a lot of stuff I don't, or never did, use.  I have shifted between second and third grade a few times, and now that I have settled ( I think ) in second grade I was finally able to part with all the 3rd grade curriculum that just didn't jive with 2nd grade.  I also just had two new dry-erase boards installed in my room and I cannot tell you how giddy that makes me!  At first I was only going to have a small whiteboard installed next to my Smart Board, but then the installation guys stopped in and said, "Are you sure you don't want a four foot board? We have left overs."  WHAT?! Of course I do! Then they said they could even install two, one on either side of the Smart Board.  I. about. fainted. So later that night, I went on and on about how excited I was to be getting these two new boards installed. I'm sure my husband and children think I'm a little crazy, but hey it's the small things in life- or the four foot ones. :)