Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Q.O.D. and The LIST

Hey Yall!
I've been a little MIA in the blogsphere lately...but in real life this girl has been insanely busy and I know you all have too! We're officially pre-planning this week and there's not a whole lot of time to work in our classrooms...so I'm not quite ready to give you my grand finale pics yet, but I do have a few things that I've actually finished...

This is my question of the day board. I used this last year but styled it a little differently this go round. I found this idea from Ashley Reed's TPT store and let me just tell you my kids LOVE it! $5.00 spent well and it fits my circus theme perfectly...if I forget to change it, first thing they let me know and ask me what the new one is! It was such a hit that this year that I have decided to daily theme my questions...vocab. one day, president 411 another, etc..because the greatest thing about this purchase is it is editable!!! I'll take their pics at open house with a stache on and they simply change their magnets daily to answer the question...
Note: If you are the TYPE A personality..you will notice a lot of unevens...haha! I am an EYEBALLER :) and proud of it! Sorry yall!






 I also got my bts goody bags for open house/meet & greet/orientation....whatever you call it!
 Again...I did these last year but used differently stationary for the note this year.


  Note reads: "WELCOME! You are a smartie who was mint to be in this class! What you make of this year is UP2U." 



 Speaking of being MINT to be in a class...yesterday we got the LIST...you know the one that will change over and over again in the next several days...I had 19 yesterday...today I've got 17...tomorrow I'll probably have 20 (our cap)...and let me just say...I do not envy my principal who has to divvy up all those kids into our classrooms! And then listen to parent, student, and teacher complaints because they didn't get who they wanted...we don't differentiate our grade level...you know as well as I do that we seldom hear the positive, but constantly hear the negative! Remember this truth during  your preparation time, especially regarding your admin...whether the best or the worst!


Happy Planning Peeps!

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

What a Day!

Hey Yall! So...I know most of you who go back to school the first week in August are already crazy busy with plans, room re-do's, heck if you're as awesome as Kindergals...you've even got your back to school goody bags together...but, yall..." you do know we still have 3 weeks until we go back to school?! "...

That should be plenty of time for all teachers!




Um...NOT!!! At school today someone said this to me while I was working...
"You do know we still have 3 weeks until school starts back?" when I was "asking" for help with the loverly partition that came off of its hinges and set me back today....I probably let this "fly all over me" a little too much but I guess it all comes down to MEN DO NOT understand how much work it takes and especially when the countdown is ehem...21/2 weeks...not 3...really 1 1/2 because of preplanning!  Can I get an AMEN?!



Rant over. 


Meet my new friend...

Mr. Parition!

In the above pic you can see that one "panel" of the partition isn't up...it's a little harder to secure. You can also see all the beautiful chairs that will replace my desks Wed. and Fri. evenings...and then put back up. I'm really not trying to complain...but it will be a pain...but it will work out. (I keep reminding myself)
The middle panel is a magnetic white board so I'm happy about that for housing homework and morning work.
The pic below is what I plan to do to all 6 back partion panels...it's kind of uncertain though so I just did one today...stapling to this thing doesn't work that well...laminating and velcroing all that is a lot of work and pricy...




Below is my library area...I still have lots to organize but the shelf to the far left is full of indoor recess games and educational games...the shelf to the far right holds class sets...of which I need a class set of dictionaries to add to...anyone have suggestions on where to get a nice inexpensive practically free set?! I'm thinking a lamp to top the other two shelves???and the big thing to the left is Mr. Partition all folded up.
Sign above says "Read Under the Big Top"

Here's my other dilemma...
See this big beautiful bulletin board that held all of my jobs, behavior, etc...that use to be seen when you first walked in??? Well it's from my class last year...and this year I don't have a bulletin board at all because Mr. Partition takes the place of that....#comparisonisthethiefofjoy
 
Here is what you will see when you walk in now...AND...I can't decorate this wall at all...AT ALL...nothing...NADA...ZIP...GASP! My husband's biggest pet peeve in our house is that every space has to have something...looks like I'm learning a new lesson this year.


I am a firm believer of ask for forgiveness before permission...so I *might* get some small velcro dots and just take stuff down on Wed. and Fri. afternoons from this wall! #that'salotofextrawork
I have convinced them to let me put my desk in the far right corner where my bookshelf currently is...otherwise I was just gonna forgo the desk...and again...notice all the chairs...


What a day! What a day! What a day! 
I love all you ladies and appreciate you sharing my load and small accomplishments :) I have ordered Kim Bearden's Crash Course book...I think with a year like what is ahead of me just physically...I'm gonna need some encouragement! 

Monday, July 7, 2014

The Partition is here!

A couple of months ago, I would have NEVER gotten excited over the word partition....heck, I didn't even know the word existed and referred to them as "those accordion slide thingies" BUT today, my friends, when I heard my admin. say "The partition is being installed" I was pretty stinking excited...I think I even clapped my hands!!! Mostly because I assumed the worst...that it wouldn't be in until the day before school starts or the day after school starts...and it's here! This installation is wayyy sooner than later yall and I was a teensy bit excited!
Unfortunately...I haven't been able to see it all spread out and stuff or test out the sound proofness of it...but I definitely plan on doing that tomorrow!
There it sits waiting to be installed!

And there it is installed but not completely!

One of the panels is a magnetic whiteboard...which I think I'm gonna use for Morning Work and Homework...and the rest should be easy to velcro to because it's carpet like...the thing is..that dad gum partition  has to slide back twice a week...Wednesdays and Fridays...so EVERY Wednesday and Friday I have to break down my room (Technically, not I, someone is doing it for me...but cough cough...it will be a lot of me if ya know what I mean...because heller...I'm a lil' bit of a control freak!) ...desks and all...so that this can function as one big room on those nights....and my desks have to go in the closet....so yes, I am gaining a closet, but in a way I'm losing the closet and definitely downsizing my room...now to be optimistic...I happen to love and adore the teacher on the other side : ) and I'm thinking we just might have to go ahead and open it up on some of those Wednesdays and Fridays to join our lessons ;)


In other exciting news...this week is pet week for my summer classes and my kids LOVED talking and writing about their pets today :) I started our lessons talking about Blue and Luiz from Rio and how Blu didn't look like a pet...but he was! And Luiz looked like a pet...but he wasn't! Then we all talked about our pets and wrote about them!
These cute little guys were a great incentive today for good behavior!!!
Love using stuffed animals in my class!
 Even more exciting news...Ms. Fultz, over at Ms. Fultz Corner...did a sidebar makeover for me and I am so thankful for this lady...I don't know how she keeps up with all the stuff she does...butttt she does and she does it well! Be sure to follow me on all these different social media apps!! and especially instagram...

http://overteach.blogspot.com/



 why insta?! Because Blog Hoppin is hostin' a 2014 Scavenger hunt and I am think I am more excited than a class full of kiddos on field trip day!!!!

4 points down.... one hundred and one to go! :)


You know you want to be all up in this koolaid too...and the awesome thing is...it's open to anyone with an instagram account and lots of uhmazin' prizes are up for grabs! :)

  Click the pic below to read from Cara Carroll herself and get all the 411!


http://imbloghoppin.blogspot.com/2014/07/oh-snap-its-here-its-here-its-finally.html





Happy Hoppin'!





Wednesday, July 2, 2014

What I'm Wearing:LAZY!

Today has been a total Laaaayyzayyy day for me....I feel like Shel Silverstein's Lazy Jane...
Lazy Lazy Lazy Lazy Lazy Lazy Jen
She wants some motivation so she types and types and types and types and types
until she pins!

Lazy Jane waiting on the rain!


Seriously though...my day...was spent on my sofa...snuggled up in blankets reading, sleeping, and pinning away! Here's the reality: I'd read some blogs from my feed...check out their newest products...get a little discouraged or overwhelmed at how incredible some of you ladies is...so I'd roll over and nap...then I'd wake up and pin some and repeat!
  I decided to link up with Jivey at Ideas by Jivey for her what I'm wearing Wednesday after reading so many of these today! I just started following her recently after finding out she's a Georgian :) and yes, she is one of those incredible women that make you sick but only in a good way :)

What you might ask could I possibly be wearing worth sharing...
That's right...blankets and my trusty dell...only ALL day long!!!
I do happen to be wearing the same dress that I wore yesterday just minus the cardigan and bra...
don't.judge.me.

Here's a pic of me in what I wore yesterday with my bestie...in the dress that I still happen to be wearing today...
It's a super cute sundress that I got clearanced at Target last year with a peachy cardigan that has gold buttons from Belk and my gold earrings from Paparazzi!


Thankful for lazy days!