"...we teach anyway..."

Happy Friday everyone!  I'm headed off to my classroom for a busy afternoon.  I will be doing some decorating!  One of the things I will hang in my room is this quote...

Have you ever heard of "Ted Talks"? It is a nonprofit organization that likes to share ideas about many, many topics.  While I was at a training last month, one of the videos we watched was a talk by Rita Pierson.  She is funny and soooooooo down to earth about teaching. Watch the video...you will love it! Here are the quote posters in different colors and two sizes (8X10 and 5X7).  You can get your poster here!  Enjoy!

Apple on!

My summer is over...but I'm okay with it!

Hey!  I'm back.  You could say that I went on a little blogging hiatus but I'm here with lots of news for you!

First up...I made my first set of fonts and they are available for purchase in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. There are six fonts total for now.  I know the price seems high but I plan to add four more fonts before summer ends for a total of ten fonts.  Please enjoy!

Next and my most exciting piece of news...I got a job!  I will be teaching again in August!  This year off has been exactly what I needed for many reasons.  I have felt the desire to teach again very strongly but I only felt it after this certain teaching job was mentioned to me.  It feels like that first experience when I discovered I wanted to become a teacher (see here) so I am very excited!  I will be teaching a 1st/ 2nd combo at a charter school. I am nervous but I know I have some time to prepare for my new class. For the last four weeks I have been working as a teacher's aide at this school and have really gotten that inside look to see what this school is like. My short experience as an aide will definitely help me out at the end of the year next year! And now you know why my summer is over and understand my blog title!

Finally, since I left my teaching job in Tucson and thought I was leaving teaching for good I left all of my stuff for the new teacher!  Some of my things are with a good friend and she is going to give them back. I decided to go check out some yard sales yesterday to see if I could find anything for my new classroom.  Check out what I found!!!

 All of this (including the chair which I plan to paint :)) was $17.50! My husband says I hit the jackpot and I agree! I think I will go a few more times this summer to see what I can find! Here is another yard sale find from yesterday that is not teaching related:

This was a whopping $2! Isn't she gorgeous?!?

For many of you the end of the year drawing near and I pray you will have energy to get through it but also I hope you enjoy making memories with your class!  Apple on!

First Week Back

I had my first week back with my kiddos this last week....boy, am I tired!  Things have been moving slowly for my class and I know they will pick up soon but I always forget how much they don't know at the beginning of first grade.  They seem like a good group but they can sure run their mouths!  I think I'm going to make a rule that when I am talking...no one else is allowed to!  What do you do to ensure your students are listening to you?

I have a powerpoint/ worksheet math combo for sale in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. Go and check it out!


Here are some pictures of my classroom all ready for the kids...of course now it is being well used and it is a little more dirty...err...cluttered...umm...blessed with students stuff everywhere.

 Thanks for reading!  Apple on!

Classroom Prep

I have been heading into my classroom since Monday...the kiddos won't show up until August 6th.
Here's what the hallway outside my door looks like....I will put the kiddos names on the same owls.  Owls are very popular right now....and I just think they are super cute!

  I have been doing some fun prep things at home as well...These are going to be my students reading eyes/ space man.  This helps those little angels that don't like to follow along with their finger while we are reading.  It also helps the kids that forgettheirspaces between their words.

 had to dye 

I also made a calm down bottle...I got the inspiration after I saw this on Pinterest.  I suppose it's okay if the glitter settles on the top and the bottom.  I may or may not have washed a ton of glitter down my sink in the process of making this.

I am pretty overwhelmed with all of things I need to do.  I find myself gravitating towards the fun things...and leaving the not so fun  more necessary and essential things for last. How is your classroom coming along?

Thanks for reading!  Apple on!