When I saw that Teaching with Grace was doing a linky about what our classrooms look like when they are not perfect I HAD to join the fun. I LOVE blog hopping and looking at all of you all’s classrooms, but sometimes I get a bit discouraged because “my room doesn’t look like that!”  Of course, when I post about my classroom I always try to post “perfect” pictures, but most of them time my classroom is much less than perfect!  So, here is some pics of what my classroom typically looks like at the end of the day. This is

This is one of those, “Duh, why didn’t I think of that moments!”   Thank goodness I work with brilliant people! I have my kiddos work with “Thinking Partners” in class.  A LOT!   I used to have them just “Turn and talk to someone sitting close to you”.  Of course then Johnny, Susie, and Tommy don’t have partners  and they have to cross the whole room to talk to each other!   So, my wonderful colleague and friend Kelley came up with a simple yet amazing idea!   Every morning as part of our “Morning Business” the kiddos choose a partner for

I am linking up this week at The Teacher’s Chair to share my lesson plan book.  I change the way that I plan lessons a lot!  I never print out too many pages because I like to tweak things!  I have a lesson plan template that I print that has all of the important and repeating times: specials, lunch, recess, switching for different subjects… Of course, each month the theme and color scheme changes…I still like to handwrite my actual lessons though.  I keep all of my plans (for now) in a binder.  I plan to streamline it a bit by

This book is really making me THINK!   Chapter 8 is all about Synthesizing Information.  This is one of those strategies that I have always had a tough time explaining to the kiddos.   According to Keene and Zimmerman (1997) compare synthesis, the process of sifting through a multitude of details, focusing on the most relevant and then organizing those ideas, to the meticulous creation of a “mosaic of meaning, a beauty, greater than the sum of each shiny piece.”  The author states: “The process of synthesizing information may be the most complex of the comprehension strategies.” (I’ll say!) So!  How does this

Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire! I am officially on Summer Vaca!  Hurrah!That being said, our last week was a lot of fun!   My wonderful teach colleague had done “Teacher for A Day” a couple of years ago, so I thought that I would try it this year!  It mostly went really well.  There is a few things I would tweak, but the kiddos came up with some great ideas!  They had a great time learning: How to play Chinese Checkers. About Rocks and Minerals. How to draw a bird. How to make a pet rock. No cook s’mores! We

Okay, I have been up to my ears in grading papers, doing school projects with my boys and coming down with a cold! I had a really great day at school today, but did nothing miraculous or picture worthy!  Now wait a minute…I guess if I stop to reflect (which as a teacher I have little time to do) today was wonderful!  The kiddos did what they were supposed to do, I had a teachable moment and the resources to carry it out, we had fun playing WORDO,and  I got wear p.j.’s and have lunch with a great group of kiddos.

I want to start by saying I LOVE TECHNOLOGY (until it doesn’t work, then I don’t).  I have and ipod (which I listen to audio books on), a laptop (where I incessantly read blogs), a tablet computer (with the Kindle app), not to mention an iPad (provided by my school to do MCLASS assessments).  I love the idea of being able to carry around a whole library on a device!  (Maybe I would feel differently if I had a smartphone…)But….There is something wonderful about sitting down with a book (or laying down, I am a librocubicularist: one who loves to read in bed).