Where Oh Where is My Classroom

I have taught school now for six years, in three different schools, in three different grades. I have been at my school now for four years. Each year we have moved our classroom. Our school grows every year, so we move. Last year we were in a portable classroom, which was very hard with second graders because we were very far away from the building. So this year we moved into the building again, which we are very pleased about! I will be posting pictures of what our classroom looks like once we have it complete. I cannot wait!

Writer's Workshop

We write a lot in our classroom. One of the first things I figured out in teaching is that in order to help all of those little students, I needed some kind of procedure in place to do when the students were writing so they were not always at my desk asking how to spell words. I came up with this dictionary for the kids to use. It has a page per letter with words that start with that letter, as well as empty lines to write new words. We go through and write each person's name in the class in the dictionary at the beginning of the year, and then we are ready to use our dictionary. They pull it out whenever we are writing as a resource for them to use. I love this dictionary!!! You can find it at my TPT store. Click on the image below. (Let's be honest- I left my jump drive at school and cannot upload the cute graphic, you get this right now, but trust me, click on it and see what it truly looks like in the store!

Birthdays in the Classroom

We celebrate birthdays on Fridays in our classroom. At the beginning of the year we give a schedule to our parents telling what day their child will be celebrating. We do it as close to their birthdays as possible, and summer birthdays we spread out on the off weeks. Having them on Fridays seems to make it less stressful during the week, and less distracting from teaching. We have the students ask the birthday child questions about themselves, and then write and draw them a birthday card. I have changed it this year to pirates. You can find it here: (click on the picture)

Oh the Classroom Rules...

Here are some posters we hang in the classroom so the students remember our rules. We refer to them a lot at the beginning of the year. But you know that, right?! I've adapted them to be pirates, because we are pirates this year! I'm not sure why the image isn't showing up right, but they look a little different than this.

My Experience with Daily 5

I ordered the book, "Daily 5" from Amazon last year after hearing about how effective it was in the classroom. I used it a little bit in the classroom last year, and can't wait to use it more and more effectively this year!!!! I will be posting about my experiences as well as pictures of what we are doing with it. It really is a fabulous book, easy read, and sets things out step by step. WOW- just what I like!

I've adapted posters for me to use in the classroom so my students know what they are suppose to be doing. Click on the image below to be sent to my store.

Have you heard of Teachers Pay Teachers?

This has been my saving grace for the past year. I have been able to download amazing units and ideas from this website of products created from other teachers. You can create your own and sell them also. Last year this thought was extremely overwhelming to me, but this summer I have decided that since I have changed my classroom theme to pirates, and I have been adapting all of my surroundings to pirates, why not share what I have made?!

Today I have a classroom freebie for you. I send out postcards before the beginning of the school year so the students can be ready to meet me. I have made postcards for first, second and third. I just print them off as 4x6 pictures and write a message on the back. Just click on the image and it will take you to my TPT (Teachers Pay Teachers) store. They are free to download. You will have to create a free account if you have not already. Make sure to click on "follow me" under my pic so you can be updated when I add more fun stuff to my store!

My First Blog Post

I've been going back and forth, deciding whether or not I can actually pull off keeping a teaching blog. I feel spread so thin, but this is something that I really have been wanting to do for so long! Let me introduce myself!

I am headed into my sixth year of teaching. I have taught first, second, and third grade. Right now, I am teaching second grade, and oh how these kids are super!!! They grow so much in second grade. So many of them can hardly read at the beginning of the year, and by the end, they are fabulous readers!

I am celebrating my anniversary this month- twelve years!!! I can hardly believe that much time has passed!!! I have a fabulous husband that tries his best to understand the chaos of an elementary school teacher and continues to be entertained from stories I bring home.

I have three crazy kids! My oldest is in fifth grade this year. I can't believe I have a kid this old. As you can tell, life goes to quickly for me! My second oldest is in second grade this year. I can hardly wait for him to experience the grandness of second grade. He doesn't love school like I would like him to, but he's a good student and great little guy! My youngest is going to start kindergarten this year. Tears have been shed for my youngest leaving me to the comfort of "real" school this year already, but he is thrilled!

Besides teaching and spending endless hours thinking and breathing teaching, I love running, dancing, and digital scrapbooking.